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A Case of How Things CAN Change for the Better
BN, the Opposition party in Penang, particularly the Gerakan, has been pressing for a disclosure of the total expenses spent in the trade delegation led by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to South Korea recently (October 28 - November 1). Read details here. Well, their wish has been granted. Today, my colleague Dato' Lee Kah Choon, the Executive Committee Chairperson of InvestPenang, which organised and coordinated the trade mission to Korea, revealed the trade delegation's expenses INCLUDING a comparison with BN/Gerakan's trade mission led by Koh Tsu Koon to India in 2007. Have a good look: | | Koh Tsu Koon Era | Lim Guan Eng Era | | Date of trade delegation | March 5-7 2007 | Oct 28-Nov 1 2008 | | Duration | 3 days | 5 days | | Destination | India | South Korea | | Delegation numbers | 55 comprising 12 government officials and 43 private sector delegates | 52 comprising 10 government officials and 42 private sector delegates | | Total airfare incurred | RM 41,600.00 | RM 22,882.00 | | Accommodation expenses | RM 42,073.32 | RM 9,500.00 | | Total incurred | RM 83,673.32 | RM 32,382.00 | | Variance | RM 51,291.32 (wasted) | RM 51,291.32 (SAVED) | Let's look at these numbers from a few different perspectives: 1. DELEGATION SIZE: The delegation size was almost similar -- each on the young side of the 50's (government officials plus private sector delegates) 2. INTINERARY DAYS: Guan Eng's delegation actually spent LESS but stayed more days, while Tsu Koon's paid out MORE to stay for a lesser number of days -- and you know that I know, that the cost of living in Seoul is significantly higher than in Chennai/Bangalore. 3. ROUND-TRIP DISTANCE: The air travel distances are almost the same -- Koh Tsu Koon's was Penang-to-Chennai/Bangalore-Penang while Guan Eng's was to Penang-Seoul-Penang. 4. AIR FARE: The fuel price increases in 2008 had escalated and greately impacted the price of total airfares inclusive of fuel surcharge. Comparatively Tsu Koon's 2007 trade delegation to India should have been cheaper and yet the former's total airfare cost was about 46% lower.. The key differentiator here was that we did not travel via First or Business Class! 5. ACCOMMODATION: Again inflation is much higher in 2008 compared to even a year ago and still the Guan Eng Delegation's total hotel bills came out to about 78% lower than Tsu Koon's – without a doubt, we saved the taxpayers' money by staying in a budget-class hotel with no shampoo and shower gel supplied! In the final analysis, what Koh Tsu Koon's trade delegation spent in just one trip could have effortlessly funded the Guan Eng Delegation's trade mission to Korea THREE times over. While we're on this subject, why not you Google the Internet yourself to see if Tsu Koon's 2007 trip to Chennai/Bangalore has so far returned any investments from India! Go figure! Source: http://www.jeffooi.com/
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So please separate the trees from the woods and don't be so easily dubbed by the superficial changes currently being implemented at a cozy pace by Najib.