BY: IZAL MAHAT

Since the post Covid 19 pandemic, Malaysians have been complaining in a rising crescendo of astronomical prices having to be paid for food and drinks, goods and services and this is why it makes good sense to set up more soup kitchens and food banks.

For a not so wealthy country like Malaysia, it makes perfect sense to have these soup kitchens and food banks and also used clothing in good condition and shelter to be given to the poor, homeless and marginalized groups.

But there are grievances and complaints raised by the elite community in this country that these sort of charitable activities conjure images of widespread poverty and paint a poor image of the nation.

Perhaps they have their grounds of complaint as they enjoy the politics of plenty but for the have-nots it is basically playing the politics of survival by trying all sorts of means and measures to be able to butter their bread on a daily basis.

The alternative to being a welfare society is for the government of the day in Putrajaya to ensure the equitable distribution of income that the wealth of the nation would be spread to cover the whole Malaysian population.

If this is difficult or not possible then there has to be contingency measures in place such as in a welfare state to ensure the survival and well being of all the people of Malaysia or face the inevitable of being a basket case.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher