Recently, a controversial statement by Subang MP, Wong Chen, who claimed that the basic salary of RM16,000 per month is “not enough to live on” has caused a storm on social media.
Many described the statement as insensitive, especially when many out there are struggling with the increasingly high cost of living – not just filling up on petrol, but even turning on the tap water, they have to check their account balance first.
Wong Chen argued that the MP’s salary is only “just enough to eat” because they have to bear the costs of politics, including staff.
However, the act of making the statement was a mistake that when the people themselves went to the field and turned into professional detectives, it showed the real amount of MP’s income which can reach RM25,700 per month, including fuel allowance, tolls, telephone, driver, and RM400 per day for attending Parliament.
Before netizens could close the ‘discussion’ on the issue, the Penang government suddenly announced the purchase of 15 new Toyota Camrys for the EXCO line-up.
Total cost? RM3.3 million on the grounds that the EXCO cars are already more than five years old.
So is it possible that the people of Penang are changing their cars every week?
So much so that some people started making comparisons with government specialist doctors – those who work 36 hours on-call, saving lives every day but their salary is not even the basic salary of an MP.
Maybe Wong Chen did not intend to offend, but when such a statement comes out when the people are feeling down, it clearly shows how far the gap between the two worlds is — the world of an ordinary citizen and the world of a powerful member of parliament.
The people comment on small salaries, get inflation. The minister comments on small salaries, get a Camry.
