HIGHER PETROLEUM PRICES
The Government has decided to increase the cost of petroleum fuel by two cents per litre. The price is now $1.37 begining 1st. May 2004. This will definitely cause a chain reaction to the other products and goods associated with petroleum. Anyway, almost everything in manufacturing and service sectors used fuel; at such, we have to be prepared to pay more, while earnings remain unchanged.
The reasons given by our Minister of Domestic Trade & Consumer Affairs Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal is because of the increase in the world crude oil price,and despite the price hike, petroleum products in Malaysia were still cheaper than those in neighbouring countries, including Thailand and the Philippines.
He said the Government would still be forking out more than RM800mil in subsidies and tax exemptions for petroleum products for this month alone. Mohd Shafie said it was also likely that the Government would incur revenue losses because of the higher prices. Citing an example, he said the Government’s revenue from diesel tax for this month was estimated at RM166.9mil compared with RM180.8mil last month.
I do not doubt this statement, but why can't our Ministers also analyze the things that cost less in other countries??? There are many things which cost more here in Malaysia than in other countries, but we don't seem to hear from those Ministers of their effort and actions aimed to ensure that Malaysians will similarly enjoy those benefits.
Malaysia is an oil producing country and Petronas is reaping many billions of dollars from those GOD given assets. Why can't Petronas use some of those profits to benefit the hardcore poor, like buying up all the excess low-cost houses and then renting it to the poor for maybe, $50ringgit a month? Khir Toyo should be suggesting to the Government on this proposal instead of suggesting that the rich people be allowed to buy those low-cost houses and then rent it to the poor, which will definitely be more than $50ringgit a month.
Come-on Khir, would you at least try this proposal or maybe suggest that Ministers and State Exco members who live in bungalows worth more than a million ringgit should donate these low-cost houses to the poor.
