Petrol and Diesel Hike, “For the Best Interest of the People” - Suggest PM and Ministers Cut Their Own Pay and Allowances
I received a call about 11 pm yesterday and he asked, “What does the deny 2/3 majority in Parliament means? Why did the petrol increase by 40 percent?”
I told him that I am equally unhappy too with the petrol hike. Then, I explained that BN is still the government of the day and petrol is a matter under Federal government. He then asked, “The government do not need to go through Parliament for the increase of the petrol?” I said , “No, because this does not requires the passing of law, for the increase.” I also told him that Lim Kit Siang will hold a protest in Ipoh the next morning. (today)
I am expecting the same remarks will be made by the leadership of BN. Let me start by listing these few familiar lines:-
1. Change lifestyle
2. Spend wisely
3. The petrol is still cheaper than other countries
4. The government could not be further burden by the subsidy
What has happened to the RM 4.4 billion, an amount of subsidy which would be saved (we were told), when the increase of 30 cent in February, 2006 was announced? Please let me know if the public transport system has improved?
What about BN leaderships spending lifestlye? I am only concern of public funds, your money and my money.
Look at how they spent
1. RM 100 million on renovation of Parliament building and leaks thereafter;
2. National Astronaut Programme - RM 40 million;
3. National Service Training Programme - yearly an estimate of RM 500 million;
4. Eye on Malaysia -RM 30 million and another RM5.7 million of free ticket
5. RM 4.6 billion, ’soft-loan’ to PKFZ
6. RM 2.4 million of indelible ink
Where have the profits made by Petronas spent? Can we get a specific figures for specific projects which were for the interest of the public at large?
I am also expecting the Minister of Consumer appealing to the traders not to increase the prices of their goods, then, we will see the Minister making his rounds in the market. This will be followed with action taken against traders.
Other public transport may be requesting for charges to be increased.
We may read something along this line too in the next few days, “which is better, increase 78 cents at once or 40 cents twice in a year? ”
Why are we reacting angrily to this hike announcement? I am not an economist. I am not trying to be unreasonable by refusing to understand. Is just that I am not convinced that what the minister’s collective decision is “for the best interest of the people.”
Is the PM and Ministers willing to have their pay and allowances cut? Is the PM and Ministers willing to reduce their visits to overseas? Perhaps, cut down on the number of delegations? Also, stop holding meetings in 5 stars hotel.
It is about poor governing, lack of transparency and accountability. Oh! I should not miss out this important factor, - Leadership Crisis.
my opnion is that the current government is useless.. always compare with singapore n thailand… our prime minister said..singaporean earning an average of $2000 to $3000 and they had to pay about $4++ per litre for the oil….we malaysian also earning about the same and paying rm2.70 is reasonable…come on la…singapore where got produce oil?? and if abdullah can confirm our public transport can as effective as singapore then i got nothing to say…always compare, then y not he compare singapore public transport system with ours?? and why not compare the environment with us??? and many other things…just know how to compare price…try to compare others and ask abdullah open his eyes…see how singapore development…n c how we development….singapore is so famous with entertainment, clean, fair gov and etc…malaysia also famous but in unfair system, dirty, only know how to talk but do nothing gov….also last but not least…now oil price increase..sooner or later everything in the market will also increase with the reason oil price increase..but how come my ptptn loan or working salary will not increase?? then how abdullah expect us as a student who depend on ptptn to survive under this condition???? i really wan to know…
Comment by kenny — June 5, 2008 @ 3:26 am
I have to be strongly agreed with you. Not just the rakyat has to changed but the ministers as well. They should be the lead example, instead of flying first class, can they fly in economy like what CM Lim Guan Eng do. The YBs (i.e ministers) must know that we elected to work for the people not enjoy on behalf of us. If like that,anyone also want to be ministers lah, right? Responsibilty comes with a price, and in order to show to the people that the country has come out with a formula to help our economy, then the ministers and PM should spend within limits and change their lifestyle, since our country is not that rich also. Propose to self deduct their montly,salary, allowances and benefits, to show us that they will walk with us through the rain.
Well we all know, BN MPs are over pampered, for them ministerial posts is not about working for people but abusing the rights and privileges that we rakyat gave to them. We rakyat suffered each and everyday and our beloved PM is sitting in his air-condition office and flying overseas with his private jet?
And definately I want to know how PM going to solve crime problem, since with petrol hike, more people will be financially troubled nd I am pretty sure more snatch thiefs, robbers, commit sucide and rapist ( since they over tension and mentally stress, they might just rape to release tension). So how government going to solve rising crime ? The poor get poorer and the rich get richer( i am referring to BN’s so called representative of Member of Parliament who afford to drive Merz and we drive proton boleh ?)
Comment by jess — June 5, 2008 @ 5:50 am
IT IS THE FAILURE OF THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE THE VERY BASIC PUBLIC SERVICES THAT HAS DRIVEN US PEOPLE INTO A CORNER TO SEEK FOR HIGHER COST ALTERNATIVES.
We are paying taxes to contribute to the corrupted leaders coffers. Every sen they impose to increase prices, they pocket 1,000x more.
Comment by peng — June 5, 2008 @ 9:58 am
If the government truly has the people’s interest at heart
Then the people should not have such heavy burdens to cart
Fairer distribution of wealth itself will be an important start
Do not allow glaring national wastages and seepages become a fine art
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 050608
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Thur. 5th June 2008.
Comment by Samuel Goh Kim Eng — June 5, 2008 @ 10:15 am
Comparison of the Our Oil price with other OIL PRODUCING countries
UAE– RM1.19/litre
Eygpt– RM1.03/litre
Bahrain– RM0.87/litre
Qatar– RM0.68/litre
Kuwait– RM0.67/litre
Saudi Arabia– RM0.38/litre
Iran– RM0.35/litre
Nigeria– RM0.32/litre
Turkmenistan– RM0.25/litre
Venezuela– RM0.16/litre
MALAYSIA– RM2.70/litre
Comment by george — June 5, 2008 @ 10:29 am
Its not justify to just raise fuel price to reduce govt subsidy where our govt is just wasting public funds in projects as stated by YB. BN Govt has been saying that this projects is important for the nation to grow and progress but in actual fact is important for themselves, the ministers, the VIP’s and their cronies to dig & suck as much funds $$$$ out of these projects. In the end, most of these projects never complete and abandone.
If the govt wants to match our fuel price with the current market pricing, then the govt should lower down our car prices to match this region car market pricing. For instance in Thailand, a Toyota Vios is selling for RM40K+ but here in Malaysia is RM80+, a Honda Civic in Thailand is selling for around RM70+ but here is around RM110+. The govt should cut the sale tax of our car. Then its only fair to raise the fuel price.
The BN govt just wants everything and not bothering much about the public. So, what can we do? Protest. How effective is this? Malaysia is not heading the right direction and things is going to be worse with this corrupted BN govt.
If PM and his ministers are concern about the public burden to price raise then they should have their pay and allowance cut as well as change their lifestyle like what YB has stated above. I doubt they will as we know they are all selfish and think of their own best interest only.
I am losing hope in Malaysia. Most of my friends and people who I know are suggesting to work abroad, move down to Singapore and even migrate if the right oppurtunity comes.
YB, we need the opposition parties to work fast, find ways to save our public funds and save the nation.
Regards.
Comment by Leong WK — June 5, 2008 @ 10:33 am
Does all these so call profit channel back to the benefit of the Rakyat? Petronas, Tenaga, TM and so on… are making profit but then we are still have to pay more.
Comment by pftshoot — June 5, 2008 @ 11:22 am
Sigh… I hate it when these prophecies of yours (relating to gov’s reactions/responds against our misery) come true in future (and I don’t see any reason why not…)
Comment by 猫子 — June 5, 2008 @ 12:00 pm
OIL price go up, everytime i heard from government neighbour country oil is high. our price very low.
Then must increase. Then WHY Indonesia and Brunei is cheaper?
There are so many complains and thoughts from people, i not going to speak all of it.
i just one to speak out one of my DOUBT!!!!
where is the tax car go???????
Why government follow the oil price increament and then never follow their other tax format?
lets take same car, and calculate the tax. if this tax is omit, how many litre you can pump???
Thailand Toyota Vios 1.5E M/T - Price includes 7% VAT and air conditioner 554,000 baht
http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?amt=544000&from=THB&to=MYR&submit=Convert
Currency Conversion Results
544000BAHT = RM53,953.35152
date 05 june 2008
Malaysia - Toyota Vios 1.5E Price - Peninsular Malaysia Individual Private RM 79,200.00
RM79200 - 54000 = RM 25,200
if this tax is omit, how many litre you can pump???
RM25,200 / 2.704(per litre oil)= 9319 litre!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
everyweek i pump about 40 litre….
9319litre / 40 litre = 233 weeks TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!
233weeks / 4 = 58 months = about 5 YEARs!!!!!! FREE OIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT you think of it????????
Why give RM625 per year????
Why not reduce car tax??????
Why need to protect Proton Car???? Why not Protect the Public RIGHT????????
There are so many WHY that we can not understand…….
WHY?????? because of WHY, that WHY i choose PKR and DAP on the 3/8/2008 election….
For government servant, ask yourself, had you benefit when oil increase?????????????
MADE THE CAR TAX AS THE SUBSIDY…
Comment by lim — June 5, 2008 @ 2:55 pm
ALL i want to speak already speak by public.
STOP ALL USELESS PROJECT (so call white elephant)
MADE USE EVERY CENTS THAT BENEFIT PUBLIC.
Very regret choose BN!!!!!
Definately my vote will not BN again. I RATHER choose sole party vote if DAP or PKR or PAS not in the election.
Comment by lim — June 5, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
The increase in fuel price may not need Parliament’s approval but you may want to check whether the subsidies paid todate in excess of the approved budget allocation for 2008 requires approval, since taxpayers money is used to pay the oil refining companies (Petronas, Shell, Esso and any others?) for petrol and diesel.
Pax.
Comment by Hitam Had — June 5, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
Oil and food crisis, something that has surfaced several times before. But each time the consequences were enormous; the french revolution, the russian revolution, and now a MALAYSIAN REVOLUTION perhaps? Everyone knows that our Malaysia’s public transport system sucks, big time! So, what is the goverments agenda in increasing the fuel price? Because of the raising subsidy? The goverment must have realised that this drastic move will trigger so many unwanted things, but still they proceeded. Brace yourself’s there might be something big coming up.
Comment by Bala — June 5, 2008 @ 4:29 pm
This is the first installment of increase. AUGUST being the 2nd installment - to float the pricing as according to market price.
PR needs to lobby for vote of no confidence. Announcement of petrol increase timed when 1st Session of Parliament just ended. PR will win big if there is snap election. That’s why they must keep Pak Lah.
‘Saving’ gained from price of petrol increased will be channeled to 9th Malaysian Plan, to benefit cronies of the ruling parties and to keep the ‘feeding’ of their political survival. If their ‘projects’ do not have funds, it will entomb their survival. Therefore, the exercise is not to benefit rakyat but to ensure their political survival & existence.
Comment by OPEC oppression — June 5, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
This drastic increase is done on purpose. It is done to incite
the populace to react and protest. Following which many will be arrested, incarcerated under the ISA, probably some will be shot by using the goons of umnoputras to play the role of the rioters. Then marshal law will be invoked and Parliament dissolved. BN will come alive again with its hungry corrupted cronies like what happened after May 13th.
We the people must not fall into this trap. We have to come out with something new else all the hard work by PR will be wasted. Just please do not do any street protest. This is exactly what the BN wants.
Comment by merlin2001 — June 5, 2008 @ 10:40 pm
I believe the time has come … to really take the country’s fate into our own hands.
Comment by jeffrey chew — June 6, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Po Kuan..
Pak Lah wants us speak the truth!!!
But seem that he still NO EAR to hear it..
we know there is inflation and higher oil price over the world…but Barisan Nasional can’t raise petrol price as much as 40% & 60%
M’sia is produce OIL…
How can Barisan Nasional treat us like that?
NOT FAIR AT ALL..=_=..
Comment by eric chor — June 6, 2008 @ 1:43 am
Dear cili padi, what about indah water? Do I pay or not?
Comment by robin chong — June 6, 2008 @ 3:44 am
Now you know why election had to be called at March 8….UMNO-BN had to deal with Global Inflation and Credit Crisis. Now after election…still with powerful mandate, UMNO-BN is laughing all the way to the bank and 5 more years.
DAP if you are SMARTER its time to ASK Politely Tengku Razaleigh to join DAP or Muhiddin Yassin and make a mandate from Today ALL PM is only one term or 5 years. This is politics for a better Malaysia. Don’t just sit and watch PAS, PKR doing the jostling……after all we are only human who wish for a better Malaysia.
Obviosly the Petronas money over 50 years, if used to improve the Train systems ALL over Malaysia, we would have bullet train by now and an options in life to ease the burden of Rising Commodity and Inflation.
To understand Petronas….you need to get Tengku Razaleigh….
Comment by bumi non malay — June 6, 2008 @ 6:48 am
Dear Ms Poh Kuan,
here’s 2cents worth, i feel the people need to know how would effect their daily lifes…. how does it translate in purchasing power, lets say a basket of goods, we need to do the math and depict the disparity, for instance a household income of 2k, 3K and 5K, lets have 2 schooling goin children, 3 children and a family of 5.
We must include mortages ie home and car payments in it, the 18% TNB increase should be reflected…
Go tiger and get all yr Pakatan MPs to circulate it to the people than pressure the BN MPs and MLAs from BN to provide the solution for the respective areas.
Maybe, just maybe, we Pakatan might get the 2/3 thats needed to rule and change the direction….. All of you must remember PEOPLE POWER is real and you must explore to the fullest.
Comment by sinnersaint9 — June 6, 2008 @ 7:25 am
petrol price getting higher everything will be infected. the government always want to compare price with singapore, do they know although singapore have a high petrol price but they also have a effective public transport. for our public transport, most of the time is not effectiveness and unreliable. for example the KTM, most of my colleague they come late to work because of delay of KTM and this also will effect the productivity of working and if this happen, do u think how is the development of country will be effect. for our bus system, is more not reliable. we can waiting and waiting but the driver manage to sleep inside the bus and don’t want to take passenger, is it this we have to compare with singapore? Singapore government govern by fair gov, whoever have potential and ability, they can be the pm. but here we just have 1 race that can become pm. singapore government officer they willing to travel using the economic class flight and try to use watever need and lower down watever can cut off, but in malaysia is not, they not even take 1st class sometimes they will fly using the private plane… is it all of this we need to compare to singapore? Singapore don’t need any astronout project but they still even can develop in their way why our country need to send astro traveler and use 4 million on it, why don’t they use this money for do other thing instead of sending a astro travelers for nothing. hope that malaysia government will wake up and look around don’t do such stupid thing and have a great vision and not the stupid vision.
Comment by albert — June 6, 2008 @ 8:34 am
what can we do now? struggling for our new life? what for the rebate? just want to give some sweet to us and close our mouth. frustrating to hear this striking news.
Comment by enny — June 6, 2008 @ 9:43 am
The government is too hasty in implementing such a hefty increased int he prices of petrol and diesel.With the huge profits earned by Petronas last year (About 70 billions ringits) and the substantial contributions from export of Palm oil and Rubber, the government can, at least, maintained the oil subsidy for another year.After that, the oil subsidy can be removed gradually.Meanwhile more concerted efforts should be made to improve our below-par Public Transport Systems.The government action to provide rebates for the lower and middle income groups is too insignificant to have any effects on the expected increase in the cost of living.I believe not enough planning is done. unless there is an ulterior motive!
Comment by sklee — June 6, 2008 @ 11:29 am
How can they make the announcement to increase the fuel prices up to 40% and have it to take effect within less than a day? Even if they should do this for reasons they can think of to convince us, do it with a sensible thought.
We are considered very blessed to live in Malaysia, a country free from most major natural disaster, do we then have to suffer from such crazy decisions made by the government? I sometimes wonder have these people been enjoying themselves as being the government had lost the feeling of difficult lifes?
Let’s talk about the rebate system. How true will this be? Should this be true, how much could RM 150 (for motorbikes) could help you? This amount is being given to us a year later when we have to pay for our fuel each time we are out. At the same time, we need to buy our basic necessity needs items.
(Fong: I do agree with this view. They “take” our money first and we “claim” later. When our road tax has yet to expire and we do not have enough money to pump in petrol, what shall we do?)
Let’s imagine those who hardly earn much and is relying highly upon the vehicles to survive. By the time the rebate comes in, how many people in the family would have gone through hunger nights?
Shouldn’t the government do something to help improve our economy situation instead of making it worst? With what is happening right now, I have not much hope for this country anymore. How disappointing…
Comment by Vivienne — June 6, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
What can we do? Umno rule….
Comment by Piston — June 6, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
Why would Badawi do such unpopular move? I only fear for the problem might be bigger than we can imagine. I can only be thankful that I’m at Arkansas and not Malaysia. I only fear for my aunt and her family. Her husband makes about RM1000 per month only and they have 4 kids. How can they survive with this amount? What about the low income family living in KL, Penang, and JB?
I only hope BN will learn from their mistakes and will try to stop the corrupt practices.
Comment by Yun Long — June 7, 2008 @ 8:40 am
Changing lifestyle is only applicable to Middle-class rakyats.
How about the low income group? Even before the rice and fuel cost increase, they had hardly survived - how can the incompetent Cabinet of Pak Lah/BN expect them to change their life styles? From eating plan rice 3 times a day to 1 time in three days ?
How much the government expected to save? RM40 billion? But what is the opportunity cost for that?
Negative Impact from drastic/abrupt increase of fuel price by 40% /63%
1.Poor families facing the threat of starvation
2.People lost purchasing power -domestic consumption plummeted, and at the end affect the business communities too from poor sales/less or no profit.-even face closure
3. When business become bad, government too will lost revenue from corporate tax
4.Cost of doing business in Malaysia become much higher -companies need to pay higher salaries to workers to enable them to survive. Effect - Increase in price of goods produced-both for local consumption and export markets- we lost competitiveness vis-a-vis other countries.(less revenue from export)
5.Closure of companies because of unbearable cost of doing business will cause many people lose their jobs
6.High unemployment rate will lead to higher crime rate in the country. Various social problems will surface.
So how much Malaysia loss by BN government wanting to save RM40 billion? Probably RM900 billion.
It is wise to save RM40 billion(while the government still have other choice) to lose RM900 billion? The RM40 billion saved ‘for development purpose’ probably instead used to solve the greater loss and problems that it generated from this wrong move.
IT TOOK US HALF A CENTURY TO BUILD MALAYSIA AS OF TODAY, BUT AN UNWISE ACTION BY THE ‘NOT SO WISE’ BARISAN NASIONAL LEADERS HEADED BY PAK LAH MAY DESTROY THE NATION WITHIN SIX MONTHS
Comment by AngryCitizen — June 7, 2008 @ 1:05 pm
Talk abt tax rebates to car owner!
On 04/06/2008, Trade Minister said our fuel price wouldn’t have any ‘adjustment’, and to newly fuel subsidy scheme (cash rebate by postal order) was executed on Apr08 till Mar09, hereby would like to ask and query HIM:
- Renewed my road on May08 before hefty fuel price, am I entitle for the tax rebate:RM625.00?
`YES`, with any further term & conditions, such as: “(1)renew my 09-road tax in advance? (2)wait and collect it when I renew 09-road tax?”. How soon can I collect it, on the spot…3days…7days…or month by months…or year by years, update and given us same accuse:”it is a standard procedure”? Will you act as Chief Minister of Penang, Mr. Lim Guan Eng, follow his CAT system to minimize unnecessary suspicious such as corruption, low performance, & etc.?
`NO`, stop lying and cheating me, plsss…! Show me your sincerity and trustworthy, to rebuild (barangx2 naik)BN reputation!
Previously I was others’ brand fuel user; when I knew and understood BN’ptronas fuel subsidy scheme, and started to use brand.P fuel for my car, to show my appreciation! However, from now on, everything is different and changed to Shell! Why…?
Hopeless and dissatisfy the day after PM announced BN.ptronas should lower and depreciated fuel subsidy in order to ‘cut cost’ for future development plans! Look at international fuel market price, daily increasing to USD100++, what’s a ‘millions or billions’ profit to Bn.ptronas, congratulation!
BN.ptronas & PM Ministry Cabinet, hereis my suggestion:
-I’m 45L car owner, no matter how best is the tax rebate scheme, even deducted the amount of RM625.00 /year and no change on 2008 road tax amount of RM90.00, I still ‘force’ to extra pay RM1,200.20 per annum!
-Don’t talk abt others, action on anti-corruption 1st! Smart and proper plan on M’sian benefits, such as public transportation system and daily f&b expenses, don’t waste our MONEY!
-Consider on NGV subsidy scheme, and encourage car owner to start installing and using NGV system? Why not implementing and subsidy on NGV system?
Do you know that, simple calculation shown that: even NGV system installation might be 1k++, however, monthly -yearly will save up ‘certain amount : my car can saved up RM2-3k per year!’. I think this is an alternative solution me (or all car owner?)! As YOU said, ‘cut-cost’!
With only one condition, try to authorize multi-brand company to provide similar product-&-services in order to prevent and minimize ‘traffic jam’.
MP. Fong, I’m not sure is it possible to bring topic of ’subsidy on NGV system, especially on installation and maintenance’ to Parliament? It might be more helpful and benefit to us, M’sian!
Warmest regards,
TQ.
Comment by Elwin Heng — June 9, 2008 @ 1:24 pm
As the rebates offered by the government is not only insufficient but inadequate, the government should seriously consider other measures that can help the poor directly.How about direct cash payments to those who do not own motor-bikes not to mention cars?They are going to be very much affected by inflation as a direct result of the big decrease in oil subsidy.Socal welfare payment is in order if the government do care for the poor!
Comment by sklee — June 9, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
Rebate… sounds stupid!
Rebate only for those with vehicles…
so those really poor who cant afford vehicles and has to pay more bus fare.
NO REBATE LA!
Comment by Edi神 — June 9, 2008 @ 9:36 pm