During a Hari Raya function at the Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that the government undertakes thorough studies and planning before implementing any projects.

Knowing how decisions are always forced down their throats, the officers listening to the speech must either be squirming or smiling when they heard that.

If we had planned all those projects, how do we explain the number of mobile telephone licences, private universities, and light-rail transit systems that we have? Did we do a study on the steel industry before we went ahead with Perwaja? Will national carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional or Proton be feasible in the long run? How will Langkawi fare when Mahathir retires?

It is common knowledge that in many cases the EPU is asked to justify decisions already made, and to cover up projects that have failed.

With the way things have gone and are going, perhaps we should also have an ERU (Economic Rescue Unit).