I write here as a very concerned and worried member of the society.

Anyone with common sense can tell you that if you truly intend to eradicate poverty from a large cross-section of the society, one of the best ways would be through education - producing better graduates who have better bargaining power and can request for improved wage in which allows them to afford more to improve standard of living.

What is happening as per status quo, is a short term solution with cash handouts immediately eating up the funds of the government. It doesn't solve anything in the long run, and eventually the recipients of the cash assistance will be looking for other means to earn more.

When weighing both sides of the scale to see which solution is better, it is clearly submitted that cash handouts are a poor choice. So why execute such a plan in the first place?

Two theories come to mind:

1) In order to apply for these cash handouts, one needs to opt in and provide certain personal information to the government. Although a plethora of information is made accessible by the MyKad, the government insists on more information by applicants. What gives? In can be inferred that the confirmation of information of the applicants can and very well be used by the government in the future to keep records on who has received what kind of help by the government - allowing them to deny or reject future assistance depending on  how much has been allocated to the said applicant.

Such a move can be seen as a 'ration' system of sorts. Ergo, obtaining assistance from the government may actually deny future dealings with the government or assistance from them.

2) The allocation is clearly a desperate move to receive votes of the less educated and fall within the classification of poverty. Even if this is not the reasoning, it can be inferred that in the coming general election, it is highly possible for the government to pull a 'George Bush' on the Opposition party; leaving a nation in a mountain of debt especially after the sudden allocation of financial assistance. If anything, it is a win-win for the government, if they win, it allows them to stay in power, otherwise they know the Opposition party is going to have a helluva time picking up the pieces and attempt to restore a broken state.

Just yesterday, it was announced that a rather large number of armed forces, police and civil service personnel would be receiving handsome perks and increments. While appearing as an attempt to fish for votes, it also falls neatly in the ambit of the second theory as just forwarded.

Change can be done via the ballot box. But apparently the ballot box looks like it has been tampered here and there, leading a 'democratic' state with the *same* party in power for the past 50 years. Something's gotta go, and it's more than that cross I will place in the ballot box, of course, with a very strong assumption it won't be ripped into shreds before being accounted for.