I am no economist, hence puzzled by the government inflation figures. As a consumer (three decades of experience as one), I am sure that the government's inflation figure is misleading and wrong.

Just single out a few products and services that we all use in the last year will make you wonder how the government arrived at their numbers:

Petrol rose from RM1.10 to RM1.33 last year and that's about 20 percent

Newspapers from RM1.00 to RM1.20 and that's about 20 percent

Toll rates increased between 10 to 20 percent

Many food items increased by about 10 percent

I do not have the figures for water and electricity rate increases, but my common sense economic tells me that when gas, utilities and public works increase there is a multiplying effect on goods and services down the supply chain. Consumers end up paying more for everything.

Government report of consumer price index rose only 1.2 percent for 2001. Either Putrajaya is so high up in its ivory castle that it has lost touch with the rakyat's plight in making ends meet or it's a sheer massaging of figures for foreign investors consumption.

I recently sent my seven-year-old to standard one. I had to fork out no less than RM200 for books, bag, shoes, uniform and miscellaneous fees. Thankfully the others have not entered standard one but I imagine if all three children are in primary school, I will have to spent at least RM600.

A factory worker in Merbok, Kedah told me that it was difficult to make ends meet with his three children in school. Drawing a salary of RM2,000 at best would mean 30 percent of his income went to school expenses for his children. There are children in school that are hard pressed and have no money for snacks during break time.

It is time the members of parliament and politicians get out of their high-powered Mercedes, guarded mansions and ivory castles to understand the situation of the common rakyat