I dreamed a dream the other night but it did not bring the stage down compared to Scottish amateur Susan Boyle's winning number at her finals of "Britain's Got Talent" in May this year.

It all began like this:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. On behalf of the flight crew, let me welcome you aboard Flight 2009.

"We should be touching down in Economy 2010 slightly past 12.00 midnight December 31, local time or January 1, depending on the global time zone.

"Please fasten up your wallets. We will be cruising with an attitude of optimism, poverty reduction, higher incomes, better productivity, reducing inflation rates and creating real wealth for everybody.

"I will be turning off the fasten-wallet-belt lights later and you are free to spend your money.

However for your own financial prudence, please fasten up when you are going broke.

"More economic policy rhetoric will be served besides billions to stimulate your imagination and of course, cheering you up on this economy flight. For beverages, we have introduce a new local drink, "Kopi-O-Index", expansionary fiscal food menu and other stimulus eatable tit-bits.

"Please kindly note the 'No Criticism light' which will remain on during our flight in compliance to old regulations and proposed stringent guidelines being formulated. There shall be no printed or uttered criticism in the cabin and in the toilets too.

"Our International Security Act prohibits tampering with whole truths, half-truths and common sense.

Remain calm

"In case we encounter any economic turbulence, please remain calm and fasten your wallet. Kindly inform our crew if you need any special personal attention for indoctrination.

"For your travelling pleasure, we have in-house movies for your entertainment, with a range of titles from A-Z.

"We have great pleasure introducing you with in-flight fictional movies with popular titles like "Managing Alleged Calibre Corruption, Professional Knowledge Financial Zones, Money Collecting Association, How to Overthrow an Opposition and Barefaced (To) Notoriety."

"For children's entertainment, we have 1Mickeymouse, Superman, Batman and Spiderman for their viewing pleasure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Flight 2009 and cabin crew, please sit back and enjoy the inflationary pressure whenever you can during this short flight.

(Two hours later)

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Please remain seated. The economic weather remains cloudy and uncertainty. We are flying with an attitude of caution as we are expecting some financial turbulence.

"Our radar showed the record high prices on food items which rose to 11.2 % in July and 11.7 % in August last year have hardly gone down. This was triggered by the decision to increase pump prices of petroleum.

"More than 27 million potential passengers are affected as low-income earners and the average household consumption expenditure has increased by 181.8 % over the past 20 years.

"It was RM412 in 1973, RM1,161 in 1993/94 and escalated to RM1,631 in 1998/99 year period. Today, the economic weather showed growth has been stagnant since 1979.

Hard landing

"Urban poverty has worsened and the radar is showing wages and salaries under stress as household income growth grew only at 0.9 % per annum.

"Yes, the picture is emerging. Inflationary pressures, economic recession and a possible negative growth rate in household income could be giving majority a hard landing.

"Our Economy Flight 2009 has just received a message from ground control that we should implement GST, meaning "Gliding Safety Tax."

"Since 85% of passengers now are exempted from paying income tax because of your low income, I have radioed back that in future, everybody will pay 4.0 % only in 2011.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for your flight information, we are soaring higher with an "attitude", our technicians have called it, 1Flight Transformation Flying-map Idea.

"Our crew will be distributing a form for you to provide your feedback. Our transformation flying-map idea covers all safety measures during our economic flight.

"It is nothing really new, just the same product with new packages to renew and rejuvenate your hopes and expectations. We hope you like the novelty idea previous captains have failed miserably, lacking will-power and determination.

Theft and loss

"We hope to reduce theft and loss of luggage. We hope to improve education and household income among passengers.

Reduce corruption and fuel leakages, up-grade our civilised machinery and cut down traffic congestion.

"It is a tall order but we are imperfect but you will surely appreciate because we are at last doing something tangible. Please give cooperation to our request.

"If it does not work, do not worry, we will be saying the same priorities in 10 to 20 years time under different and new packages.

"As you see the fasten-wallet light sign is on as we are expecting turbulence ahead. Please remain seated and observe the "no critical speaking" regulation.

"Our radar screen is showing we are flying into high food prices in 2009 and will carry forward to 2010. Unscrupulous profiteering and essential utility tariff hike will push up costs-of-living.

"Hardship of the poor and middle-income especially urban poverty will worsen and we are heading-flying into this turbulence.

"We have to make a choice between political or economic turbulence. Please place your body in an emergency position and fasten your wallets.

"Our flight is descending for a rather hard landing. Welcome to our destination 2010 on Flight 2009.

"Thank you for flying with us and hope you will re-elect our airline at the next general selection if you survive economically in 2010."