Some Politicians Ought To Show More Love To Workers

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May 21: Penang Development Corporation’s ability to pay its employees “hefty” bonuses for “record-breaking” profits it made last year is great news for civil servants of this country. It is the ultimate proof that great things can happen not just in the private sector. 
Sadly, Lim Guan Eng, Penang’s former chief minister, does not seem to see it that way. He is questioning the PDC’s decision to pay 396 empoyees between one and six months’ bonuses. The DAP strongman is concerned. 
“The profits need to be allocated for development purposes,” he was quoted in The Scoop’s report here. 
PDC reported RM500 mil profits for 2024, its highest ever. The bonuses for 396 employees cost it only RM6.7 mil. CEO Aziz Bakar said back in February that most of the workers would get one or two months’ bonus; those getting 5 and 6-month bonueses account for only 10 per cent of these workers.
I’m not a former finance minister like LGE (never mind if some said he was the worst Malaysia has ever had) and I may not know better than him what to do with profits, but if PDC’s bosses think the workers deserved the bonuses, shouldn’t we trust them and be happy for the workers? 
It is a sign that things are good, no?
No, according to one Joseph Ng, one of Guan Eng’s underlings in DAP, the party that has governed Penang since 2008, when it was already one of the richest states, it must be said. 
Joseph Ng, the Air Itam assemblymen, felt the decision to pay the bonuses was “ill-timed” given the state’s current financial difficulties, according to the same news report.
Well, if it is true that Penang is financially not doing well, there would be a long list of measures the state government must take before penalising workers. 
If cutting cost is one of them, the leaders including MPs and Assemblymen must lead with example: they must be the first to take salary cuts, downgrade official cars, travel less, slash their massive perks which include petrol, expense account, and even clothing allowance. Do away with luxury items, take away subsidies from the rich, stop mega projects. 
They could also learn from the PDC. How did they manage to make so much profit when the state of Penang itself was doing poorly financially, as Joseph Ng admitted.
Whatever they do, keep the jobs and don’t deprive the ordinary workers, including the employees of the PDC, the fruits of their labour.
Instead of questioning PDC, Guan Eng and Joseph Ng should be asking the other agencies in the state why they were not able to be as generous to their employees. If these agencies are led by non-performers, restructure and move people around. Take away their luxury cars, petrol subsidies, expense accounts, and clothing allowances. 
Who knows, maybe the top executives of some of these agencies have been generous to themselves instead of their workers - paying themselves bonuses and giving themselves promotions.
We have seen that many times before, even at Federal level. Politicians have done that too often, too, but that’s another story for another day.
Guan Eng can show love to workers by pushing for higest wages and better terms for them in the long run. Malaysian workers, not just in Penang, and espeially the civil servants, are still one of the lowest paid anywhere. Again, look at how little those performing PDC workers earn!
Graduates earn the same now compared with their parents who graduated 30 years ago but the cost of living has skyrocketed. 
Yes, Josept Ng, they can afford to buy cars - which is why two Penang bridges are not enough and Guan Eng needed a multi-billion ringgit underground tunnel - but only by tying themselves down to hire purchase loans for 9 or 11 years! 
And, no, Guan Eng, most can’t afford to buy any of the “affordable” homes out there, 
If politicians concern yourselves with these basic problems faced by workers, find ways to improve their lot and try not to deprive them of the little rewards, perhaps they’ll get to stay relevant and even contribute to our progress and prosperity. 

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