The wall was always apparent, though not so well outlined, until the presentation of the new national budget by the carefully coiffed and coutured finance minister, standing staid and staunch before a house spotted by suspicious and cynical (sometimes shouting) members of the opposition.

The finance minister painted the wall in bright colors that all might more clearly see. Then he pointed to new openings through which selected escapees are enticed to return, should they be so foolish. More cannons are to be mounted atop the wall, more gunboats are to circle round about it, to protect the citizenry from the fast boats of any foreign threat.

Special windows will allow some money out, untaxed, in due time, perhaps, after suitable chopping (stamping) for a fee. Other windows invite new money in, hoping the legal lameness permitting the greed of the government will be forgot. But memories of the Singapore CLOB stock share scheme still simmer, and the Terengganu royalty interference is still a sordid shame, yet the party leaders bewail the loss of foreign fodder, projecting yet another year of GDP growth under their self-generous guidance, groaning again and again at the general ingratitude. "What is a contract, after all," they say, "but an opportunity for personal gain in the breach."

There will be stability, the police will see to that. And there is a pastry to pay them for their poor publicity pains. The home ministry, caught, carefully carts away cartons of rubber hose and electric stun guns craftily collected and concealed from the public eye, with a pat for boys in blue, given with a wink and a "well done."

The new budget, as an instrument of government policy, says to overseas IT experts, "Come home, come home, all you wayward youth, help make Malaysia's distant dreams come true. But keep your eye upon your work, and don't enquire too much what others do. Be creative, use your mind, we compete with neighbors across the wall, and we must best them, one and all. Just watch your mouth, and where you walk, and what you write, and who you spend an hour with. Come home, wandering Malaysian youth, be creative, use your mind, we need you. And we will be watching you."

It is a belt-loosening budget. A continuation of proud and high living on the cuff. Tossing caution to the wind, the ministers promise growth, more growth. All this to mean greater income for all, especially the national treasury. If all goes well, at the end of another twelve-month we will only owe another RM20 billion or so, plus interest. If there is a fluke, the situation could become serious, but that is not to be thought of now, when we have a small reserve.

Inflation, forgotten, is far from present fear, as though the hantu cannot harm. Yet everyone looking about finds the phantom fighting for his purse. The retail sales figures fall, and there is nothing economic pundits can say to change the fact, nor should they promise a lower price of oil.

The lure of lower wages will not deceive wary foreign money, nor will the fondling of the market by the public funds entice many foreign money managers to take the deeply indebted darlings off their hands. Ahmad sells to Ali, Ali sells to Rahman, and all three must buy, buy, buy, at market close to keep the index high.

Coming AFTA nibbles at auto sales, as all know the absence of duty erodes every present purchase at RM1,000 per month and more. The dealers scramble to reduce their stocks, competing to unload inventory upon the unaware. All the assurances, all the lies, all the deception will not remove the risk and the loss. The smart money has already gone.

The people friendly budget offers nothing in the way of credibility for the ministers. There is no foundation to build faith that the judiciary will reform, that the presses will print more free, that the students and their teachers will be released from repression, that free speech and free assembly will be allowed. For the friendly people there is nothing friendly. For the widows there is more wailing at the wall. For the innocent husbands there is more waiting within the prison walls. They are lucky to be alive.

For this, Malaysia will be a year older and RM20 billion deeper into debt. As a national budget, it does nothing to restore the national honour. It is economically risky, failing to prepare for present peril now apparent. It does nothing to restore the national pride.