Kuala Lumpur, May 23: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Wednesday announced a 10 per cent pay cut for ministers in his Cabinet in a bid to control spending as the new government deals with high-level debt exceeding more than $251.5 billion.

Mahathir made the announcement at the first Cabinet meeting attended by more than a dozen of the newly sworn-in ministers, Xinhua news agency reported. 

"Malaysia's debt is around 65 per cent of the country's GDP. We are concerned about the country's financial problem, Mahathir told reporters after the meeting.

The Prime Minister said he will not force other senior civil servants to follow suit, but they can do so if they want to contribute towards reducing the cost of running this country.

Since taking power after the election victory, Mahathir has been focusing on implementing the commitments promised during the campaign, including abolishing the 6 per cent goods and services taxe, which the rating firm Moody's said could narrow the country's tax base and strain fiscal strength.

Aside from the pay cut, he has been advocating other measures, including forming a small Cabinet, downsizing the government and recovering some assets related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state fund overseas.

He said, the Land Public Transport Commission will be disbanded, with its previous functions placed under the Transport Ministry, while several other "non-essential" institutions will be dissolved. 

Besides, he touched on the review process of some mega projects, saying the government is studying which will be scraped and which will be continued. 

In addition, he said the government is reviewing the contract for the search of the missing MH370 flight. "If we find that it is not necessary, we will not renew (the contract)," he said. 

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bengaluru, Nov 5: The Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association has alleged that the Excise Minister R B Thimmapur’s office has collected Rs 16 crore from various excise department officers by transferring them in and around Bengaluru.

While the Minister refuted the allegation, the opposition BJP got new ammunition to target the ruling Congress.

In a letter to the Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Secretary and the Karnataka Lokayukta, the Association alleged that the Minister's office is involved in rampant corruption.

“Huge bribes and money laundering took place in the excise minister office in Bengaluru in transferring excise officers and to control illegal collection of money for election purposes from excise officials,” the letter sent by mail read.

Explaining further, the Association said about Rs 16 crore has been collected on a single day from three deputy commissioners of excise, nine excise superintendents, 13 deputy superintendents of excise and 20 excise inspectors “for transferring in and around Bengaluru from past 2 to 3.5 years, as their tenure was getting completed within a month.”

Naming a deputy commissioner, the letter said the officer was collecting money somewhere between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh from each officer for transferring them.

The Association said Rs 2.5 crore to Rs three crore was collected from deputy commissioners (excise) working in Bengaluru.

The association has demanded action against those involved "in this corruption."

“No such thing has happened. You must ask them why they went to pay money. Why would anyone pay if everything is correct?” Thimmapur told reporters at Shiggaon in Haveri district.

He also assured to take action against officers if they have collected money.

“The matter is that when these people (wine merchants) do something wrong then they (officers) harass them. The wine merchants should rectify themselves,” the Minister said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka alleged that there was a Rs 700 crore liquor scam in the state.

“The Karnataka Wine Merchants’ Association in its letter to CM @Siddaramaiah has alleged that State Excise Minister R B Timmapur is involved in blatant extortion and bribery, unfolding another dark episode of the series of scams by 'SCAM'gress Govt in Karnataka,” he said in a post on ‘X’.

He said the Association has alleged that CL7 bar licences were given after collecting a bribe amount of anywhere between Rs 30 lakh to Rs 70 lakh each by the Minister.

In the last one year, 1,000 such illegal licences were given by the excise minister, amounting to Rs 300 crore to Rs 700 crore in corruption, Ashoka alleged.

“After the Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation Scam, MUDA land scam, KIADB land scam, Waqf Scam, this Liquor scam is yet another fresh addition to the series of scams by CM Siddaramaiah led Congress Government in the last 17 months,” the BJP leader alleged.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.