If I had RM308 million

“If” is a powerful word. When “if” is in a sentence, everything is possible.

According to reports, the team will have a start up capital of RM168 million and an annual budget of RM308 million. If I have the kind of money they are planning to spend on the 1Malaysia F1 Team, this is what I would do;

RM308 million could:

• Fund 35,000 students at local universities every year (assuming RM5,000 and RM300 for fees and monthly allowance respectively) or
• Provide nutritious meal everyday for all school children or
• Convert a lot of, if not all diesel powered commercial vehicles to NGV or
• Build at least one hospital (maybe two or more if the cost does not include “commissions”) or
• Fund many kinds of medical research or
• Provide free transport to and from school for the whole year for 342,000 students (assuming bus fare of RM90 per month) or
• Fund 600 PhD students at overseas universities (assuming the total cost for a PhD is RM500,000) or
• Build and furnish 5,100 houses for the hardcore poor (assuming RM60,000 for each house and its contents) or
• Fund research on recycling and other environment saving projects
  
  or
• Provide 42,000 people 3 meals a day, everyday (assuming RM20 for 3 meals per day) or
• Fund my auto museum (http://sam-bicara.blogspot.com/2009/03/can-i-have-auto-museum.html)
  

I can go on and on, the possibilities are endless. But then again, ex-PM Tun M said the benefit of an F1 team to Malaysia is worth 100 times more than the cost incurred. We better listen to him before he throws a tantrum.