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(Hrakah) - Sudah pasti rakyat 'menitis' air mata dan 'terhiris hatinya apabila Petronas yang diharapkan membantu rakyat di kala krisis minyak yang melanda sekali gus membebankan kos sara hidup 'berbelanja' mewah semata-mata untuk hiburan untuk golognan elit.

Parlimen dua minggu lalu menyaksikan pendedahan Ahli Parlimen (DAP-Bagan) Lim Guan Eng yang juga Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang bahawa Petronas membelanjakan sejumlah RM3.5 juta sebulan untuk membiayai Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra iaitu orkestra yang diwujudkan oleh kerajaan sejak 10 tahun dahulu atas biaya Petronas.

Menurut laporan Okestra ini dianggotai oleh hanya lima peratus dari kalangan rakyat Malaysia manakala selebihnya adalah pemain muzik yang diimpot malah konduktor orkestra dibayar RM130,000 dan pembantunya RM50,000 sebulan dilihat lebih mahal dari elaun Menteri Besar dan Menteri Kabinet Malaysia.

"Beginikah caranya Petronas menyalurkan keuntungannya kepada rakyat, sedangkan persembahan orkestra ini hanya dinikmati oleh kurang satu peratus rakyat Malaysia yang rata-rata dari golongan elit dan berada?" kata Roslan Sms yang menyiarkan pendedahan itu dalam blognya.

Kata Roslan dalam suasana ekonomi dunia yang tidak menentu ini dan rakyat disarankan untuk berjimat-cermat maka penjimatan yang paling utama adalah untuk menghapuskan sahaja orkestra yang tidak memberi manfaat kepada lebih 24 juta rakyat Malaysia ini.

"Peruntukkan RM130,000 sebulan untuk membayar gaji konduktor orkestra ini lebih baik digunakan untuk perkara lain yang lebih berfaedah.

"Bayangkan MTUC perjuangkan gaji minima buat kaum pekerja di Malaysia sebanyak RM1,200.00 sebulan iaitu gaji RM900 dan COLA RM300,"

"Dengan RM130,000 sebulan ini dapat membayar gaji minima kepada 108 orang pekerja Malaysia dan membantu mereka mengatasi kesan kenaikkan kos hidup hari ini!," katanya dalam blog n32blogspot.

Comments (36)

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written by eeyaw, May 30, 2008 16:14:23

In the event Pakatan Rakyat takes power, one of the order of business is to hold Petronas accountable to Parliament not the imbecile PM.

I still want my subsidised petrol!

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written by liayeo, May 30, 2008 16:41:00

eeyaw,

I am sure you don't want your subsdised petrol.

Proton cars selling at RM55000
Exices duties At 55% is about RM30000
Road tax/year is at RM 100
In KL, tolls/year is about RM2000 (bare minimum)
I choose proton to give a better scenario as imported cars would include import duties

Excise duties, tolls, and road tax for 5 year car life = RM40500
at RM1 per litre subsidy, you have already paid for subsidies on 40500litres of petrol. each full tank on a proton 1.6 is about 55L-65L (60L avg).if you pump petrol once a week, 40500L is equivalent to 675weeks is equivalent to 14 years.

On top of that the interest you would have to pay for your car loan in 5years would be based on RM25000 loan (100% loan) instead of RM55000 loan(100%loan)


Anyone please correct me on calculations if I'm wrong as i have made only simple calculation. SO I fully support non subsidized petrol but at the sametime reduce and remove roadtax, tolls and car price.

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written by AsamLaksa, May 30, 2008 16:45:47

Well, they wanted to challenge the world in quick time, so hire the best. Similarly, want name in record books, then build the tallest. Oh, how many countries have sent people to space as well? Well, send one too. It's this mentality that's the problem.

Look, what is the aim of this orchestra?

If it's just to bring fine music to Msia, then no need to make your own, just fire the top from the world to come play once a while.

If it's to promote classical music, then it's ok if you want to promote more listeners with cheap tickets.

If it's to promote more uptake of classical music players, then you need to add in investment in ground level.

If they want to do it, then do it properly, not make another white elephant.

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written by Khasyaf, May 30, 2008 16:51:54

Most rakyat never had chance to watch them. Lagi syok layan Orkestra RTM kat Angkasapuri. Masuk pun free.

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written by Jivathma, May 30, 2008 16:54:47

Not forgetting they are sponsoring the F1, dunoo for how much? Can't they think of some other smart way rather than using our natural resources to fund all these? This must stop now!

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written by Watcheyes1, May 30, 2008 18:03:26

The longer UMNO runs this country the sooner Malaysia will go bankrup. This idiots have no brains at all on how to manage the country's wealth. Once their pocket is full, they spend the rest like "bapak dia punya duit"!

DSAI take over fast and save the rakyat and our country's wealth! PLEASE!!!!

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written by inoi, May 30, 2008 18:08:35

Many foreigners musician live in Kampong Warisan condo at jalan Jelatek,KL.i saw them spend lavishly.what a shame Petronas.

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written by mypanida, May 30, 2008 18:40:59

what a shame that we couldn't even produce our own musicians....tsk,tsk,tsk.......

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra......contains only 5% local talents, no sugar added.

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written by damarwulan, May 30, 2008 19:05:09

It is recession time now, so what we need to save we save. RM3.5 million a month is a lot of money to buy rice for the people. Is the MPOrchestra full of people when they play? What is the collection that we get from the performance? Someone need to do an audit and advise the people and PM.

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written by RFernandez, May 30, 2008 19:12:25

The real reason why most consider the payments by Petronas way too high is because we have been conditioned to think in Ringgit Malaysia with our rather low Purchasing Power. Better to spend the money wisely rather than on the Orchestra to bring up the status and standard of living of ordinary Malaysians. We are lagging very far behind in what is called Purchasing Power when compared to countries in the region. We need to put some big muscle into our Ringgit before we try to enjoy such luxuries as Petronas spends on right now.

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written by hiro, May 30, 2008 20:03:53

I'm really glad that the issue of MPO is finally brought to the fore. I believe that with the pay that the foreign musicians are making, which enables them to purchase decent upmarket apartments in Malaysia with cash, it is high time that the entire MPO concept is revamped. If their pay is to be maintained, they need to conduct more performance, and try to lower the cost of the tickets so that high quality music becomes more accessible to the people. And instead of just playing at KLCC, they should also play at other locations around the country so that entire Malaysia can enjoy.

For more, read http://hiroblog2007.********.com/ under the heading of "MPO".

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written by forrestcat, May 30, 2008 20:21:53

Heard the orchestra deliberately refuse to accept local talent and dare say Malaysia have no talent....send this foreigner orchestra packing...rather listen to cakelimpung rather than shitty foreigners who they're god's gifts to Malaysia just becoz they can do bullshit with some instruments..for all I know they might be drop outs...in Adelaide..I always see people with violins and trumpets and those orchestra things busking in shabby clothes..Petronas may have hired a few street trash who manage to swindle Petronas to waste our $$$ on them...but not for long....

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written by shamadz72, May 30, 2008 20:22:33

RM3.5 million, would probably be enough to built 1 klinik Desa or a decent school for a kampung. So imagine this has been going on for 10 years, which equivalent to 10 years x 12 month = 120 Klinik Desa/school. Thanks Barisan Nasional. Satu lagi project BN!

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written by Lim Lim, May 30, 2008 20:28:05

with umno/Bnatang still around,malaysia's been bankrupt.

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written by cheemengwong, May 30, 2008 21:28:05

The French Revolution...

It was written that: What he French Royalty spends in one day, the French people can spend in 1 year!

That resulted in the Revolution.

In Malaysia, UMNO does it over and over again. What are we doing?

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written by budakindia, May 30, 2008 21:32:39

tetapi rakyat terus-menerus dibiarkan dihimpit dengan pelbagai kenaikan harga! Apa guna ada kerajaan seperti ini?

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written by harryo, May 30, 2008 21:54:42

RM3.5 mill a month divided by RM40,000 per house for the poor = 1,050 houses per year = 5,250 houses per year. Who get the benefit and at whose cost?

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written by uncleleow, May 30, 2008 22:08:36

Think of it all these stupid project is launch by the ex PM Mamak. He uses public money like his. Because he or someone close to him like orchestras, he ask Petronas to sponsor an built a hall just for it. To him the orchestra means he "ada gaya" "got taste" and when his son like motor sport, he asked Petronas to sponsor F1 and built the stupid Sepang circuit. All for his and his family shiok only, the rest of us....listen to CD lanun.

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written by Uncorruptible, May 30, 2008 22:22:23

Is it their grandfather's money ah?
Bloody corupted bastards! Especially when you think of those children who have to appeal to the public for help for life saving operations, these bastards who waste all that money every month, these filthy bastards should have some disease and die soon -music lover ha, my kock.

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written by myvoice, May 30, 2008 22:49:08

Which stupid idiot bangau begok approved it, giving out 3.5 million per month for the Orkestra, dia ingat bapak dia punya wang kah!

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written by greenarrow, May 30, 2008 23:14:19

Badawi said 'YES'..everything ..every TRANSACTION can
..coz the Cronies & him have the share

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written by joeawk, May 30, 2008 23:48:28

The amt is outrageous. Who are the people who indulge in it? After all this years and money spent, how has it help Malaysia on the subject and what benefit have we derived?

Whose idea was it? Mahatir's? Close shop, down with his legacy, one more.

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written by shissun, May 30, 2008 23:55:25

and we all crying why this government is so cruel to us.

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written by dinsmann, May 30, 2008 23:58:12

Petronas report only to the Malaysian. Its account is not open to public. So, this RM3.5 juta extravaganza is too normal for Petronas. In fact, lack of accountability prevails on all GLCs and even government department. PLKN trainees 11 deaths since inception did not raised an eye-brow in BN dominated parliment. On Thursday, at 8.00 am a semester one girl-student of Port Dickson Polytechnics was hit by a falling plaster ceiling on her head. She needed 5 stitches to close the gash on her head. The broken ceiling was reported 6 months ago, when new students report at the polytechnic in January. What a lackadaisical attitude, these gomen people!

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written by Leon, May 31, 2008 00:02:00

Dear Inoi,

It is true those foreign musicians you see at Kampung Warisan are members of the MPO. They are given accomodations there. I'm a musician myself. All my fellow musicians from Petronas Cultural Group can confirm that. The amount they spent on MPO is true also, although I'm not really sure the conductor actually receives RM130,000-a-month salary.

Anyway, I'm puzzled why does the government want to invest in another classical orchestra when the same amount of money spent could be put to better use if channeled to National Symphony Orchestra (Istana Budaya). NSO has good (more importantly, LOCAL) players who were trained in the classical genre. In fact, that is their main repertoire and concept. RM42 million-per-year budget could do wonders to the NSO, by engaging qualified practitioners to sit among the members in order to facilitate technology transfer. In fact, this was practiced when NSO was jointly sponsored by Japan Club (they engaged Japanese conductors and musicians to contribute to the building of the orchestra). Sadly, this is no more the case. Furthermore, the money can also be used to fund youth development programs conducted by Istana Budaya, i.e. Tunas Budaya in every states; as well as Orkestra Simfoni Muda, and Koir Remaja Kebangsaan, which is currently done almost on a part-time amateur basis. Therefore, I think by supporting the NSO is a more direct and effective approach of uplifting Malaysians in this area of arts and culture.

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written by Heaven8402, May 31, 2008 01:34:33

Please tell me that PR taking over BN is going to happen!! Our stupid goverment is spending money like nobody's businesses. I trust all of us would like to see a stop to all this craps.
Not so sure if boycotting Petronas petrol will at least sends some message?! I'm waiting for the call.
p/s: not sure if my remarks will get me a one-way ticket to kamunting!!!!!!!

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written by Tom n Jerry, May 31, 2008 08:15:21

Thanks Heaven for that advice!If all motorists can think rationally then I think we are moving in the right direction!We must cut this crap once and for all!Its now or never!

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written by Vasily, May 31, 2008 10:19:32

PETRONAS???....ha-ha-ha!!....why we should talk about this cheap and stupid company.....

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written by joeawk, May 31, 2008 11:27:28

Mahatir's pet project. Down with one more of mahatir's legacy.

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written by goldmine, May 31, 2008 11:46:01

Kita rakyat Malaysia selama 50 tahun dah diperbodohkan oleh BN. Kita juga buta mata, buta akal dan buta hati untuk mengundi parti lain. Inilah akibat dari tindakan generasi tua dan generasi pertengahan yang telah mengundi BN, yang teraniaya adalah kita rakyat sekarang ini.

Kerajaan Malaysia adalah kerajaan yang berasaskan rasuah, wang politik kotor dan melakukan pembaziran yang nyata dengan wang rakyat. Kita mesti hapuskan kerajaan ini agar hak rakyat dapat dikembalikan semula.

Oleh itu saya syorkan kita semua jangan bayar cukai pendapatan, bayar saja zakat, tapi bukan dengan PPZ sebab depa pun ada rasuah dan banyak membazir wang zakat, tubuhkan pusat zakat baru. Wang zakat ini dapat menstabilkan taraf kehidupan rakyat keseluruhannya.

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written by laksa maner, May 31, 2008 12:44:46

Its just due to the internal people got interest.

Regards,
Ex-Petronas Employee

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written by teohpg, May 31, 2008 13:00:32

LGE is a smart lad....he knows where to presses human pulse that will just hurt them the max.

Anyway, Petronas, everything they do and spent...was basically meaningless up to date! Just look at the benefits, the offices, the CEOs...you will know, it is like limitless $$$ to spend.

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written by New Frontier, May 31, 2008 23:54:24

Kerajaan BN bising subsidi petroleum tinggi tapi tak bising bila bayar gaji konduktor bas orkestra Petronas RM130,000/bulan. Gaji Prof kat IPTA pun tak tinggi mcm tu, patutlah mutu U merosot. Lepas pendedahan ini, BN patut hentikan orkestra ni sebelum bercadang nak naik harga minyak atau nak kurangkan subsidi minyak dan lain-lain subsidi.

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written by laksa maner, June 01, 2008 00:14:23

Kenaikan harga minyak boleh dikawal. Apakah Malaysia ni dah takde tanah untuk bina penapisan minyak? Mengapa kita harus mengeksport minyak mentah dan mengimport bahan api? Bukankah memproses minyak boleh dapat bahan api? Dengan menambah penapisan minyak di Malaysia, kita telah menarik lebih ramai pelabur asing dan memberikan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan kepada rakyat Malaysia.

Salahkah semua ini sehingga kerajaan BN pimpinan UMNO hanya pandai menaikkan harga bahan api itu? Sedangkan penjualan minyak ada yang dibuat secara negara ke negara (government to government deal) dan akan dibayar dengan harga yang lebih rendah dari harga pasaran. Ada yang dibayar dengan "barter trade". LNG dengan negeri China selama 25 tahun dengan isipadu yang amat besar setahun. Itu kerajaan Malaysia buat diam aje. Rakyat sendiri mati kelaparan.

Apakah semua ini?

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written by Heaven8402, June 01, 2008 04:12:54

Setiap kali "kera"jaan Bodoh-Nonsense kita menyatakan sesuatu projek maka pada saat itu juga kita akan terfikir "Cilakak, penuh lagilah poket mereka dan kroni mereka!".

Kesimpulannya, rakyat sudah tidak ada kepercayaan langsung keatas apa jua yang tindakan yang diambil oleh kerajaan BN.

Adakah rakyat patut dipersalahkan kerana mempuyai tanggapan sebegitu? Rakyat dah serik and rakyat mahukan PERUBAHAN..!!!

p/s: I DON'T HAVE MANY DREAMS

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