For ordinary folks like me, once a while it was nice to have someone who can give a treat where I can order anything in the restaurant, knowing full well that he could afford it. The other day, a lady commented that even a rich man's wife can be stingy as compared to the house-warming buffet she attended where there were many items to choose from. Of course, all such talk are relative in the sense that a sumptuous meal to one is so ordinary to another.
Generally, those with an entertainment allowance which covers top-end F&B outlets are able to do so without feeling the pinch. It is quite different even for such persons when it comes to paying out of own pockets. Even so, only the person knows when he claims from the company, whether he is subject to queries as to who was with him, first by the accountant, then maybe by the external auditor. Where the entertainment allowance is non-allowable for tax purposes, the company tends to be stricter than where it is allowable. But then again, there will be instances of the major shareholder treating the company like his own, and claimed regardless of allowable or not. The effect of this would be that the company (including other shareholders) is actually bearing the cost of his private expenses. A way out of this, maybe just to save face, is to transfer such personal expenses to the director's account, which in effect he is paying for it.
The reason why I say accountability can be unpleasant is the aspect of being questioned just because you are charging the expense to the company. If you are rich enough, why not treat your friends out of your own pocket and spare yourself from being humiliated?
The above example is my way of saying that I do not understand why people like Rosmah would go out of her way (really blatant if I may say so), to make use of her husband's position and department and get herself ridiculed by all and sundry. I can understand our PM's pay of Rm20,000 per month requires much more perks to make it respectable, so as to be comparable with his counterparts, but certainly not overdoing it to warrant criticisms and ridicule. Just being PM's wife is already a position many women would die for, why go overboard? Is it worth it?
The other point is that our 6th PM is the son of our 2nd PM, and going by our history of 'making hay while the sun shines' Najib comes from an aristocratic family who is by now, filthy rich by any standards. He could jolly well afford all kinds of luxuries, not to mention offers by cronies who would not mind picking the tabs on anything he or she fancies.
For the first time in Malaysia, there is a precedent in having a FLOM department within PM's oversized department (sort of cabinet within a cabinet within a cabinet!). Is it any wonder why the people are livid?
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