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by Abdul Rahman Abdul Talib It is so typical of the Barisan Nasional government that whenever there is a problem with the country, it’s the people that has to pay for it. In the case of the oil subsidy, since it’s getting too expensive for the government to maintain, they will now transfer the cost to the people.
Malaysiakini reports that the government is planning to raise the petrol prices of the country to market level (RM4 per liter). It seems that the government is planning to introduce a completely different system of subsidy distribution. Even though the details of the plan is still unclear, we Malaysians should be very worried. I also do not understand why there is so much noise about oil subsidy being a wastage. Our government wastes much more on corruption, cronycism, nepotism and inefficiency. Instead of making so much noise on subsidies, the government should instead make efforts to reduce corruption to zero. If the government can control corruption and abuse effectively, I am more than sure that the RM56 billion spent on subsidies can easily be recouped. In fact, I feel that the government will only waste all the so-called savings down the path of corruption and abuse while the people have their lives made difficult by further bureaucracy just to save on fuel spending. It is so typical of the Barisan Nasional government that whenever there is a problem with the country, it’s the people that has to pay for it. In the case of the oil subsidy, since it’s getting too expensive for the government to maintain, they will now transfer the cost to the people. Bear in mind that the phrase “expensive to the government” means “less money for cronies and ‘rent seekers’” in UMNO. There’ll be less money for the 4th floor boys and the family of Pak Lah to squander, there’ll be less money for expensive but useless projects to make Barisan Nasional cronies rich, there’ll be no more money for useless and wasteful joint venture projects like the one recently exposed by MB of Selangor and many, many more examples.
Barisan Nasional, being corrupted as they are, will not want this to happen and as usual the cost will be transferred to the people. Their way of life must never be compromised.
Also, why complain about subsidy now? When the price of oil was low, there was no subsidy. And the price of oil will decrease sometime in the future, as supply adjusts itself to the demand. Then, when the price of oil decreases, the amount we pay now will be recouped. Datuk Shahrir’s proposal is a disaster waiting to happen. It will only introduce further unnecessary and ineffective bureaucracy. If he is worried about foreign cars filling their tanks in our gasoline stations, then we should just charge these foreign cars different prices. After all, what’s so difficult about identifying foreign cars. Their number plates are very much different from ours and their road tax is also different. Why do we go to so much lengths for a problem that is so simple to overcome? I am aware of the argument that subsidies are a waste of resources. My belief is that these arguments are made by economists bent on making the rich richer. How can subsidies be considered a waste when they make the lives of the people better, they help to improve the quality of life, they put money into the pockets of ordinary people? Please tell me how this is a waste. Isn’t the role of a government to make the lives of its subjects better? While it is true that the world’s oil prices are rising due to ever increasing international demands, Malaysia should realize we are an oil net-exporter country. Malaysia should be shielded by the increase in oil prices. I never did understand why the rising oil prices would be a big problem to us Malaysians. Even if our oil price is cheaper then our neighbors (except Brunei), it seems that we are more expensive in other departments – automobile wise. For instance, automobiles are much cheaper in Indonesia then Malaysia. For example, a Toyota Avanza in Indonesia is at least RM20k cheaper than ours. A Honda City, is at least RM10-15k cheaper than in Malaysia. As for Singapore, they have the best public transportation system in South East Asia. They, therefore, do not need to subsidize their petroleum for their citizens. Remember, our public transport system is still atrocious and unreliable. People have to drive just to go to the nearest LRT station when the right approach should be to have an LRT station at every housing area. So, how can the people travel with a clear mind when the Barisan Nasional government has no regard to the problems of the people? Until we have a public transport system comparable to Singapore, I say the subsidy will have to stay. Lastly, this is nothing more than an attempt by Barisan Nasional to further protect their hegemony and economic monopoly via their corrupt and decadent practices. Since the government is facing a shortage of cash, the people will therefore have to subsidize Barisan Nasional’s network of corruptors.
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i pray to the powers of the universe to help us now as it is already too late and beyond repair for anyone who takes over. yesterday the police were out in droves to block people from even going to petrol stations, really efficient.
how on earth can petrol stations by 12 midnight last night have the pumps adjusted for the new rates without any approval or calibration by the right authorities when the announcement was made on tv at 8pm.
what is the use of parliament when a decision such as this was made by ahmad abdullah badawi the prime minister in a matter of seconds that is to affect every single person in the country except those who are already rich and connected and corrupted and get petrol for free.parliament is a disgrace and clearly shows that it is just a paper tiger.