Posted on by Kit

Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?

When in Kota Kinabalu last Saturday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced “goodies” to tackle “long-standing issues” in Sabah which needed “urgent” solution, including:

• Abolition of Sabah Federal Development Department (JPSS);

• RM1 billion special allocation for rural development;

• Direct channeling of development allocations of 11 ministries;

• Federal government to allocate RM1 million each to MPs and RM400,000 each to assemblymen in Sabah;

• High-powered Cabinet Committee headed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to tackle Sabah’s long-standing illegal immigrant and refugee problem;

• Appointment of Sabahan Prof Datuk Kamarulzaman Ampong as the vice chancellor of` Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) effective June 18 and another Sabahan Yusof Saringit as federal Chief Financial Officer for the state; and

• Petronas and Sabah Foundation to build a power plant with the capacity to generate 300mw in Kimanis.

The real motive for Abdullah playing the role of early Santa Claus is not because of any solicitation for the welfare and interests of the people of Sabah as they had long disappeared from the radar of the Barisan Nasional (BN) federal government, but to consolidate Sabah Barisan Nasional support as a consequence of the March 8 political tsunami in Peninsular Malaysia and in particular to buy the loyalty of Sabah BN MPs to ensure that they will not collectively withdraw support from the Barisan Nasional federal government.

Was Abdullah given such a glowing report of Sabahan reactions to his “goodies” last Saturday in securing the loyalty of Sabah BN MPs to ensure the stability of the BN national government that it also encouraged the Prime Minister four days later to announce hefty and unconscionable oil price increases ranging from 41 to 63 per cent?

Is Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?

129 Replies to “Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?”

  2. Sabahan should thanks Anwar for all his efforts done.
    Because of his statement of cross-over of 31 MPs, it has trigger AAB to come out more goodies for Sabahan without hesitation.
    Dumb and stupid UMNO never think of that!!

  3. This Goverment has lost their direction….suppose The Rakyat interest should be the main priority…but instead political interest has been put in heavier weight….Look like the D days…is going to coming soon….

  4. i guess he thought sabahan people r that stupid like him???he thought by giving this goodies can keep them away from the PR?It never came to his tiny,sleepy brain what sabahan people need.and how about the Sarawak people?i want to take this apportunity to remind him that sarawak is part of malaysia also.in case he had forgoten. go study our sejarah n geografi.

  6. Yeah, how about us Sarawakians? Anwar please spin an equivalent story on our MPs jumping ship then we’ll get MORE full goody bags than the Sabahans up north… hehe

    Then in August not only will fuel subsidies disappear altogether, it will also be taxed.

  7. Maybe the Taib’s administration has done a good job. They spoon-feed their ppl till they are ‘well-fed, sleep well’ situation that they forget what is happening outside Sarawak macam ‘Negeri dibawah tempurung’

  8. Sabahans should thank DS Anwar Ibrahim and YB Lim.

    But than all Malaysians have to suffer for one State ?????

    It is worth it , IF Sabahans exercise their votes wisely.
    It is a waste, IF Sabahans are still ignorant of the truth.

    I hope the former prevail.

  9. The log and short of it all…. UMNO is not sincere to the Malaysians,
    And when a government keep thinking of bribing and …throw some sweets..as deserts to anyone…..means that government is clearly doing all the wrong things….and now trying to use money to cover up.
    The only source of huge funds available… is from Petronas and that is control by PM.
    Dollah needs not to play politics with voters..as he seems to feel …at least majority are die hard UMNO supporters and voters.
    So ..out come the biggest solution…..to earn more money for UMNO…at the risk of loosing popularity,
    Remember…they are also trying to show Singapore…..how to stop Singaporeans buying cheap petrol. That’s thinking of….a one track minded brain……..without second thought…these Singaporeans is finding Malaysia … a cheap destination to bring family over to have a holiday.
    Maybe second thought was given…and noted looses are from one distinct race..the Malaysian Chinese….”who cares” maybe is UMNO attitudes. After all….they only care for their race…religion and party…and all BN parties…may now be not important to UMNO…..sensing so many of them…are now criticizing UMNO…and UMNO hates been told off….especially by his own…ungrateful BN politicians.
    I think UMNO is cock sure…that by increasing the petrol …..they will be rich enough to cover all the corrupted looses and have enough balance fund …to make Malaysians greedy and drunk with happiness….three years from now….and all BN will crawl back…like good running dogs…lick their balls and start to unite to for the 13th election.
    They also need to do fast…in case Anwar do succeed to take over…..but they know….Anwar love to play position politics….thus right now…no hurry for Anwar.
    However……Anwar should know…Malaysians are counting on him….to say what he means and mean what he says.
    And Malaysians are saying..this is the right time to take over.
    If he cannot do that…than UMNO will be stronger….no matter what they do.

  10. Probably this is another strategy by BN aftering offering the goodies for the Sabahan, they could even use thier subsidized money for their coming snap election….3 month from now.
    This is madness!!
    So be prepare!! Sparta!!!……oop Pakatan!!

  11. Come September all will be forgotten with high Fuel Prices…..as Hari Rya approaches….UMNO-BN government decide to SLASH fuel by 50% and all Malaysia will maaf zahir batin. UMNO-BN popularity sky high and Coalition dismayed that their power grab planned failed…

    The spin will be UMNO-BN listen to people….what have Barisan rakyat done apart from whinging whining….even at state level they are doing Squat!…

    Even PAS with their 2/3 majority in Kelantan have NOT removed Apostasy law….which is Against the People Declaration of Freedom of Religion……Doing Squat.

    …oh by the way world crude are anticipated to fall by then even though it was $USD139 all time high today….by then the world will be in deep recession anyway …so the experts says….+ after olympics……time to mop up and see who still survive. That is life…while UMNO-BN remains in power…we the rakyat will remain Rats serving the Leeches……

    The mind set have not reached a state of Whatever it takes…….but the conditions are there now.

  12. Goodies for Sabah not for the State Barisan Nasional but for Abdullah to secure Sabah UMNO’s support. He badly need Sabah UMNO to retain his Presidency Seat. The goodies after you contra with the current fuel price hike does not mean anything anymore. Likewise you purchase the petrol first and enjoyed the rebate upon renewing your road tax and insurance.

    Sound like “Bonus Link” whereby points are claimable in the form of goodies or the holder enjoyed further discount through other purchases.Abdullah is running out of idea how to combat the fuel price hike faced by Malaysian. He simply adopted the scheme that even my son in primary education able to dictate the saga.

    According to the recent news Abdullah is to accompany our Agung to celeberate Gawai Dayak in Kuching tentatively be held at Kuching indoor Stadium on the 10th June 2008.

    While the rakyat is still facing tremour on the high cost of living here comes another big do of celeberation. The Agung and Abdullah wants us to change our daily life style. Reduce the ceremonial function.Do away with festive celeberation in big scale and so on. Hidden cost on police personel , staff of Unity Department (JPNIN) , Art and Culture Department , State Goverment , attires (batik) , food , tranportation for Ketua Kaum and supporters to be at the airport and ferry them later to Kuching Stadium, Students,Teachers,Civil Servant, Agung’s entorage,Abdullah’s entorage,Hotels and accomdations for rural folks,cultural troop from Miri, Sibu,Sri Aman and need be from Limbang and lawas,allowances and many more in list. All these expenses are in hunderd of thousand ringgit for two hours celeberation in Kuching.

    The Ministry of Unity , Art and Culture Malaysia should reconsider to organise the celeberation knowing well every Sarawakian need it be Iban , Chinese ,Malay and others are still in the stage of mourning. Might as well used the extra money to subsidies petrol in the Long Houses where the the celeberation is more meaningfull to the Dayak Community.

    YB Datuk Afdal should organise the celeberation in Batang Ai and we rest assure that the Agung himself and Abdullah will enjoy the true Gawai Dayak Celeberation in a moderate manner. Cut cost brother Afdal.

    May YB Jabu Numpang proposed the celeberation be organised in the LONG HOUSES some where in Seratok. YB used your bloody head.

    ” Gawai Guru Gerai Nyamai ,Abdullah makai kitai medak”

  14. I read that the Agong is also calling for a change in lifestyle. Is he going to take the lead in cancelling the project for the new palace, now estimated to cost RM 650 million and rising ?

  15. Monsterball:

    I disagree that the losses from the price hikes will affect mainly the Chinese. I think it is the poor Malay and the poor Indian who make RM 10 – RM 20 per day who will be the most badly affected. Imagine that their daily rations of rice, flour, sugar, vegetables and meat will now be reduced by 20 – 30 pct. Badawi knows that he is taking a risk – he is now the most unpopular PM ever in history – but he is hoping that the funds freed from the subsidies can be utilised for new contracts that will ensure that he gets the votes in December to survive the UMNO election.

    This is all about his reluctance to resign – and the only way to appease the Ketua Bahagians in UMNO is through the crony system of dishing out contracts.

  16. The billion to Sabah? I dare say that even before the monies is disbursed, they are already earmarked by big conglomerates/businessmen from West Malaysia and politicians in Sabah who have vested interest in this contract, in that contract. We’re Sabahan would have to be contended with crumbs that fall from the tables of corruption. Sure, UMNO/BN can brag about how developed Sabah has become since they took over the management(or rather, the mismanagement)of Sabah. Sure there a lot of shopping malls sprouting in Sabah, especially in Kota Kinabalu but who owns these businesses(shopping malls)? By and large, they are 90% owned by West Malaysians and Sarawakians. None the wiser kampung folks are conned into parting their lands for peanuts. Just go to Kundasang and you would find that most of the prime lots are owned by West Malaysians??? Sabah is being ripped apart, disassembled and sold part by part by “corporate raiders”. Sabahans can’t even find jobs in their own land. They have to go elsewhere to become cleaners,security guards,prostitutes… The late Datuk Peter Mojuntin and Tun Fuad Stephen must be turning in their graves looking at the plight of their people now. Wake up SABAH! Take back your pride and your land. We’re like buffalo being pulled by the nose here and there.

  17. i believe that AAB will go on air next week to explain to all malaysian why the govt need to increase the fuel price so much .he already felt the giant political tsunami is building up.i hope they can open a hotline which people can communicate with him on live.let him know the PAIN we r suffering now!!

  18. Absolute sin from AAB!

    UMNO dare to sacrifice peace and social harmony in May 1969, why not this fuel hike which seems the pain level is not as bad as 513. Indeed, the fuel hike could be more costly by ruining the economy stability and lastly our living.

    Yea, thanks a million to PAK LAH. A leader ‘that’ lead us backwards. Leading us to worse life style, worse standard of living, worst of everything. BRaVO! and hail those BN voters. U should pay for it! not us.

  20. RM1 billion special allocation for Sabah rural development: Oh yah! They forgot to inform that there is a fairly large hole in the money bag. When the bag leave KL, some money will start fall out, followed by more money leaving the bag when it reached Kota Kinabalu. So, guess how much money will be left when the bag finally arrived at the rural areas? Well, if it’s any consolation, at least the rural folks can use that bag for clothing or something.

    Allocation of RM1 million each to MPs and RM400,000 each to assemblymen in Sabah??: Sounds more like monthly allowances of some sort for these poor hard working MPS & Assemblymen. Sort of like appeasement for them not to squabble among themselves.

  21. I believe at the time the “goodies” were promised to Sabah BN MPs, the Federal Government’s coffer was dry. Pak Lah, after leaving Sabah, had to think of ways to keep up his promise – hence the petrol price hike!

  22. Like I said earlier (posts strangely seem to disappear into remote corners of cyber space these days!).

    The truth is Sabah is a pawn in the power game.

    Now that BN MPs are starring at defeat in the face, they are ready to sell away their mothers and throw their grandmothers under the bus if the need arises.

    If there was a ripple in the ocean which represents the ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ movement, that ripple is in danger of turning into a wave. This is bad for national unity and it does not matter if the federal government comes under the control of PR.

  23. SAPP chairman c.u.m. ex Sabah Chief Minister Yong Teck Lee commented on theStar few days ago citing a middle class employees with RM4K-RM5K average in Kota Kinabalu would face the problem after such petrol price hike shows that BN did actually get support from Sabahan or otherwise?

  24. I think that the PR, in panicking the BN by saying that their MPs will jump ship, has forced the hand of the PM.
    In efforts to raise funds to appease the Sabahans, he has made a very unpopular move! It will doom the BN in any elections, now or in the future.
    I further think that those MPs, who considered jumping ship, will still jump ship because they saw the hopelessness of the BN situation. Their future lies with the PR. They are not too stupid not to realise it.
    So, for the BN, do also die. Don’t do also die!

  25. We know the international rates are above the USD 130/barrel. We understand the fact that the fuel prices are increasing worldwide and we also know that major scientists are still contradicting on why this phenomenon is happening. Some blame Bush and his plunders around the world and some blame climate change and there are others who say petroleum ‘wells’ are getting scarce.

    Again we go back to numbers. One barrel or crude oil is 159 litres. And approximately 46-47% of a barrel of crude oil will turn out to be the fuel that we use in our vehicles.

    46% of 159 = 73.14 litres.

    And at the current rate of RM 2.70/litre, this constitutes to RM 197.48 of fuel per barrel of crude oil. This is only 46% of the barrel, mind you. There is another 54% that are still refined and traded in the markets. These products include bitumen, kerosene, and natural gases and so many more.

    Using the indicative value of RM 3.30 = USD 1 (it is actually RM3.26 today), we get that a barrel of crude oil produces USD 59.84 worth of fuel. And this makes a balance of USD 70.16 that has not been accounted for. In actual fact, we still pay for this as they are charged in the forms of fuel surcharge by airlines and road taxes for the building of road (because they use the tar/bitumen) and many more excuse charging us but let us just leave all that out of our calculations.

    USD 59.84 compared to a barrel of crude oil, which is approximately USD 130, turns out to be 46% of a barrel as well. So this is where I got curios. Where is the subsidy if we are paying 46% of the price of a barrel of crude oil when the production of petrol/barrel of crude oil is still only 46%?

    Now, the government has a very ugly predicament in front of them. The taxation of foreign cars to protect Proton has been deemed unfair by these calculations and the price of fuel is currently at world market price. So I hope our PM retracts his statement in The Star as it seems like a joke after all these calculations. Who is helped by this move? Not the poor. Not even the rich. Everyone is affected. Cost of living rises and everyone will feel the pinch.

    As far as I know, only the politicians who live in Putrajaya and come for their Parliament meetings in Kuala Lumpur (approximately 60+ km) are the ones to gain as they claim their fuel and toll charges from the money of the RAKYAT. It is so disappointing to see this happen time and time again to the Malaysian public, where they are deceived by the propaganda held by the politicians and the controls they have over the press.

  27. ………………………Is Sabah the reason for the hefty unconscionable oil price hikes?…………………….IF AN EXPENSE IS NOT BUDGETED FOR THEN IT HAS TO COME FROM SOME OTHER SOURCE(S) OF INCOME- WOULD THIS BE A FAIR CONCURANCE?

  28. even PM allocate 10 Billion to sabah also useless because Sabahan will not benefit from it.
    trust me, my friends in sabah said majority of sabahan will vote DAP and PKR in next GE!!!

  29. Uncle Lim is very diplomatic. I’d say that the reason is to pay off potential frogs and also to benefit any company that will be taking up the task of building more buses, for instance Scomi.

  31. To those who enabled “Mr Clean” to return to power by voting BN on 8.3.08, you will be pleased to know that your “Mr Clean” has succeeded in cleaning out the pockets of the rakyat

  32. Hey….all those supporters of umNO-BN and gang….im happy to hear that you are still enjoying and celebrating the naik harga.

    Good choice that you’ve made for supporting umNO-BN…and i believe all these naik harga is nothing to you all supporter of umNO-BN. And dont worry…more will be delivered to your doorstep.

    umNO-BN should have increased the minyak even higher. Continue the good job and support them (umNO-BN) so that you and your children will continue to suffer.

    Who will suffer??? I’m sure you know who…..

    Please lah…use your brain to think. Don’t be so bodoh. OK? Are you really that bodoh ??? You dont have to prove that you are bodoh. OK?

    Just for once ( DO IT RIGHT THE SECOND TIME ) …..choose PR.

  34. knock ! knock ! knock !

    Uneven distribution of wealth !

    Didn’t other Barisan Nasional supporters all over the country help ?

    Consolidate its’ power is true and so much more truth because Philippines is eyeing Sabah too.

  36. Godfather….I am talking about Johore Bahru..and certainly few guys selling satay…and other Malay selling food stuffs.. .will also be effected. So are some Indians…but percentage wise…huge will be on the Chinese….loosing out..with less Singaporeans tourist to Johore Baru.
    I maybe wrong…..but that’s my honest view.

  38. Sabah is part to blame , not to forget the food price increases world wide particularly the rice . BN government announced plans to increase rice or food productions , allocating billions provisions choosing SARAWAK as the main state with initial FUND of 200 millions plus more to follow . This acts indirectly is creating funds to please the SARAWAKIAN MPs not to jump ship .

  39. monsterball:

    “Lose” is relative. Of course the Chinese will end up “paying” for much of the increased costs of fuel. Just like the Chinese contributing to more than 90 pct of income tax, so the Chinese will end up bearing more of the costs of fuel. The impact on the daily lives of the rakyat, however, will be different. The hardcore poor will be affected the worst, especially the low wage earners with little or no negotiating power against their employers.

    The Chinese, as usual, will be able to work their way out of this mess. They can either pass on the costs through the cost of their goods, or they can bear it for the time being.

  40. High-powered cabinet committee to be headed by Najib is deceiving Sabahans. You know why? Najib has played the role to issue MyKads to the foreigners. Therefore Sabahans should demand a royal commission.

    Govt must also send goodies to Sarawak. CM Taib should be sacked be investigated as he is the riches man in Sarawak, maybe in Malaysia even!

    Ya lah oil hike is due to goodies for Sabah. The Chinese says “wools came from sheep”. Govt has nothing to lose but all citizens esp Sabahans.

  41. Why bang heavily on Petronas ????????????????????????? for fuel subsidy ? What about Oil Palm ? Felda,Selcra,Felcra and others. Are their not making profit and the Goverment were paid taxes accordingly.Where the money gone to ?

  43. TO BERNADETTE

    YOU CERTAINLY DOES NOT SUBSCRIBE TO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION …………………………………..

    SORRY GUYS FOR USING YOUR POSTS AS ILLUSTRATIONS.

    ANYWAY CAPITAL LETTERS MAY TANTAMOUNT TO SHOUTING BUT CERTAINLY DOES NOT AMOUNT TO SHOUTING- DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT THEY ARE BEING USED.

    1. sjchange Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 20: 30.02
    BN UMNO never discuss with PAKATAN RAKYAT at all?
    PAKATAN RAKYAT voted by RAKYAT!
    disrespect PAKATAN RAYKAT = contempt of RAKYAT
    1. ihavesomethingtosay Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 19: 02.11
    WAIT TILL THE GOMEN ANNOUNCES FUEL HIKE ALLOWANCES FOR THE PUBLIC SERVANT, then we will definately be F@CK!
    lupus Says:
    Today at 18: 09.26 (4 hours ago)
    BN = WE SUPPORT EVERYTHING the PM says, which includes PRICE HIKES!!!!
    [deleted]
    1) WE ARE NOW PAY ONE OF THE HIGHEST PETROL PRICES IN THE OIL PRODUCING NATIONS!!!!!
    2) WHAT IS THE TRUE INFLATION RATE ? IS IT 5 % ? 8% OR 40% DOES THAT MEAN WE WILL ALL GET A HIGHER THAN INFLATION PAY RISE OR A PAY CUT ?
    3) BN MUST LOOK TO BURMA FOR EXAMPLE – BURMA ONCE WAS THE RICHEST ASEAN COUNTRY BUT DUE TO MORONS FOR A GOVT, IT NOW ONE OF THE POOREST. WE ARE GOING THAT WAY..
    SOLUTION, VOTE BN OUT IN THE NEXT GE. DO NOT LIKE THEIR FORK TONGUE LIKE YOUR FACE INTO VOTING FOR THEM!!!!!!
    I SAY MALAYSIA FOR MALAYSIAN, NOT FOR BARISAN NATIONAL. LET START TO TAKE BACK MALAYSIA FROM THESE EVIL MORONS AND POWER BACK TO THE CITIZENS AGAIN
    1. OCSunny Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 21: 58.59
    COULD IT BE THE GOVT IS IN A CRITICAL FINANCIAL SITUATION? HOW COME? SIMPLE. FORWARD SALE FOR OUR CRUDE OIL FOR YEAR 2008 AT AVERAGE US70 PER BARREL BUT NOW HAVE TO BUY FOR OWN CONSUMPTION AT CURRENT US135 PER BARREL. SO NO MONEY LAH !!! HOW TO SUBSIDIZE?
    1. wesuffer Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 22: 33.05
    PROTEST PROTEST PROTEST
    I CANT WAIT FOR PROTEST FOR HIKE FUEL !
    2. wesuffer Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 22: 33.43
    WHAT A F*** IDEA OF PAKLAH !
    3. wesuffer Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 22: 35.22
    DEAR ALL SABAHAN AND SARAWAKIAN….PLEASE WAKE UP NOW
    DONT SUPPORT FOR BN ANYMORE…
    SEE WHAT HAPPEN TO ALL MALAYSIAN NOW.
    WE WILL BEING KILLING SOONER
    1. wesuffer Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 22: 38.24
    WHEN HE SLEEPING, WE NEED PAY FOR RM 1.92
    WHEN HE WOKE UP, WE NEED PAY FOR RM 2.70 LIAO
    1. wesuffer Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 22: 49.55
    GOVERNMENT IS NOT STUPID, OF COURSE THEY KNOW HOW TO CALCULATE AND THEY HAVE AN EXPERT INSIDE ALSO. BUT ONLY GOVERNMENT ALWAYS THINK RAKYAT IS STUPID ONLY.
    SEE HOW LONG BN CAN SURVIVE AFTERTHIS.
    THINK THEY WANT TO TRY EARTH QUAKE 10. MAGNIDUTE TO SHAKE THEM OFF
    1. ENDANGERED HORNBILL Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 07: 46.58
    CEMERLANG, GEMILANG, TEMBERANG !!!
    ‘Som mor’ lan? (What poppycock?)
    SOME MORE lan? (More cock and bull?)
    TEMBERANG? ( Talk cock)
    1. syntax Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 08: 02.29
    WAHLAU EH!!!!!!!!!!…RM625 for us by end of every road tax renew???Come on……BEGGER CASE AH!!!!!!
    WHY NOT PROTEST IN PENANG!!!?????!!!
    CHANGE GOVT AND SEE WHAT CAN WE HAVE PLEASE!!!!!
    1. blablowbla Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 09: 13.13
    WE ALLOWED HIM TO BE THE PM AND FINANCE MINISTER,HE IS TRYING HIS LEVEL BEST TO OVERCOME PETROL SUBSIDIES/PRICE HIKE PROBLEM,THIS IS WITHIN HIS CAPABILITY!
    DUN EXPECT AN JACK OF ALL SPORTS,EXPERT OF NON TO PERFORM,WE ARE EATING OURSELVES,WE DESERVED IT!
    HE DOESNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ECONOMY,WHAT A BIGGEST JOKE ON EARTH AND YET HE HOLDS THE MONEY!
    WHEN WE ARE ON-BOARD,IT DOESNT MATTER MAS OR AIRASIA,AT LEAST 80-90% OCCUPANCIES (AIRASIA IS 99%!),THIS IS ECONOMY,BUT WHEN HE FLIES ON HIS OWN AIRCRAFT,SAME CONSUMPTION,IT MERELY CARRIES FEW PPL,AND THIS IS REVERSED-ECONOMY,ESPECIALLY AT THESE VERY MOMENTS!
    IF A DONKEY CAN BE A KING OF A JUNGLE,DOOMED DAYS ARE NUMBERED!
    1. OCSunny Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 21: 54.26
    COULD IT BE THE GOVT IS IN A CRITICAL FINANCIAL SITUATION? HOW COME? SIMPLE. FORWARD SALE FOR OUR CRUDE OIL FOR YEAR 2008 AT AVERAGE US70 PER BARREL BUT NOW HAVE TO BUY FOR OWN CONSUMPTION AT CURRENT US135 PER BARREL. SO NO MONEY LAH !!! HOW TO SUBSIDIZE?
    1. choonchoy Says:
    June 4th, 2008 (3 days ago) at 21: 39.35
    How can 1 expect PM to understand the impact of the price hike! He failed stats and could not read Econimics. All he could manage was religious studies. The chain reaction will also impact the GLCs and directly impact the gov’s income and scare the scrap out of the foreign investors. And thank you MR PM for the stupid jam caused by the poor rakyat wanting to save a few bucks, unlike you we have to work for a living not snore for it!
    HERE! HERE!
    VOTE OF NO CONFIDANCE FOR BADAWI!!!
    VOTE OF NO CONFIDANCE FOR BN!!!
    VOTE OF NO CONFIDANCE FOR UMNO!!!
    1. mohammadharrisjalil Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 01: 14.10
    Oh My God Oh My God!!!! KAMI SAYANG PAK LAH…. SAYANG SANGAT SAMPAI KAMI MENANGIS KESAYANGAN!!!!!!!!!!!!
    2. lakilompat Says:
    June 5th, 2008 (2 days ago) at 01: 16.31
    THANKS TO ALL SIMPLE MALAYSIAN WHO VOTED PARTI BARANG NAIK WIV A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
    HOW PARTI BARANG NAIK TREAT BACK THE SIMPLE MAJORITY MALAYSIAN?
    FUEL PRICES INCREASE RM 2.70 PER LITRE
    ENERGY COST INCREASE 20%
    MALAYSIAN BUYING HIGHER COST NATIONAL CAR COMPARE TO SOUTH KOREA PRODUCING THEIR OWN NATIONAL CAR. WHY OUR NATIONAL IS SELLING AT CHEAPER COST IN FOREIGNER COUNTRY? NOBODY INTERESTED IN OUR CAR BECOS IT IS USING INFERIOR QUALITY PRODUCT FROM CRONIES SUBSIDIARY. OUR NATIONAL CAR CAN ONLY BE SELL IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRY.
    MALAYSIAN ARE PRODUCING OIL, BUT OUR OIL IS MEANT FOR OTHER COUNTRY LIKE CHINA, THE COMMISSION ALL POCKETED BY COMPANY WHO FACILITATE THE DEAL. ASK URSELF, WHAT RAKYAT MALAYSIAN GET FROM ALL THESE OIL DEAL WITH FOREIGNER COUNTRY? THE GOVT. SAID IT IS OSA (OFFICIAL SECRET ACT) CAN’T BE QUESTIONED.
    IN THAILAND, THE INDONESIAN MAID IS DRIVING A HONDA CRV TO THE MARKET, BECOS IT IS CHEAP THERE. BUT HERE EVEN A KELISA WILL COST MORE THAN A REASONABLE CAR FROM FOREIGNER COUNTRY.

  46. real reasons for price hike,
    1. High world price
    2. Years (since 1981) of financial mismanagement by gomen, see where the money go, building by no public accountability, negotiated contracts, hugh arm purchase thro’ 3rd parties etc
    3. wasteful projects, PKFTZ, butajaya (create many artificial lakes, so can build fancy bridges) klia, no qualified ppl to man the projects, economic unviable bakun dam, msia phila.. orche..
    4 fail business venture, proton, perwaja steel, kuantan MEC etc.
    every time omen waste money, msian say never mind, so one day all msian hv to pay for gomen folly on wasting money. there are many other wastages, long enaf to write a book.
    Now msian start paying lah !
    If gomen don’t buck up, n continue their ways as it was, very,very afraid, we could end up like myanmar, or indon financially / economically. Worst case scenario, like zimbabwe.

  50. I see a quite few comments about super tsunami at the GE13. Why can’t it happen sooner! By that time the oil wells will be almost dry and all the funds overseas. By that time what good will it be. After all the PM would have executed his ‘Great Excape’ to Australia.

    Somethings I came across and thought to share.

    http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Malaysia/Full.html

    https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/my.html

    http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/while-malaysia-fiddles-its-opportunities-are-running-dry/2006/11/14/1163266550487.html

  51. Today I was very reluctant to bring my kids to pantau Dagang Lalang again. We go there once every 2 weeks, or every week end.

    I worry sick about my cost (petrol and fuel). But since my sons are special (they have autism) and they do need the physical stimulation of sand play and water play.. I bite my lips and just go.. it cost me around RM80.00 for the whole trip excluding toll.

    A reader comment that water to gas conversion is a scam, but I still belief it will help to double the mileage of petrol. It will not replace petrol. I have order the book and might setup something for sell if anyone interested,

    http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/petrol-price-hike.html

    Drop me a comment if you want to be contacted once I set it up. Or you can order you own copy.

    Shiok Guy

  52. mahathir overspend, flip-flop also likes to overspend, so, people, tighten your belt further, change your lifestyle, if you’ve still got one in the 5th year reign of mr big-flop.

    >:(

  54. Correct and proper understanding of the movements and utilization of the funds realized thru the recent [and future liberalization] of the Malaysian fuel pricing system is there with PETRONAS, its national oil company. But for the closed reporting system of this Malaysian national oil company, her citizens would correctly ask to peruse the governance of PETRONAS.

    And so to digress, speculations continue as to why AAB deemed it critical to plug the plug [almost entirely ripped it off] of its fuel pricing system in the middle of a working week to catch motoring public in record breaking traffic jams when the timing options could have so easily been over a weekend to enable the choice of escaping the traffic snarls.

    Can the Malaysian public, and particularly the motoring public, pool their resources together and ask PETRONAS and AAB to make PETRONAS accounts and reports [fuel pricing system] available to guide proper public understanding?

    Given the context of an all encompassing kindness therein with AAB [read the ex gratia payment aka kind heartedness of AAB], an official request in Parliament to make available necessary PETRONAS accounts certainly will have a positive outcome.
    Some talks are out there describing an alternative approach thru a boycott of PETRONAS stations for two months to force transparency in that organization.

    But PETRONAS is akin to Malaysian nationalistic icon. To effectively boycott, citizens at large must see the greater needs for transparency, and that such boycott is seen as patriotism in effect. The basis here is to get citizens to express their patriotism with PETRONAS and hope this would strike a chord; after all PETRONAS has always said it is working for the interest of the nations.

    So there we are: a prim and proper request to AAB complete with full briefing on the patriotism with the Malaysian public. This is the way Malaysian should go after their ends, instead of engaging in speculative coffee talks.

  55. Abdullah has a habit of splashing our money to preserve himself.
    Remember how he dished out RM 600 million to all the UMNO divisions in the Peninsular and Sabah but none to Sarawak?

    Then again he gave out , God knows how much, to Salleh Abas and the three judges. He used our money to spite Mahathir. It’s our money and yet we have no right to know how much was it was.

    Then he gives out the goodies to Sabah so that they won’t dump him and join PR.

    Do you think he cares about us. Its all about self and family preservation.

  57. “limkamput Says:

    Today at 00: 14.59 (8 hours ago)
    Catharsis, that is what Bernadette is good at, comment without reading, comment without substance”

    Thanks limkamput

    ……………….well Bernadette is free to have his/her two cents worth. This is what this forum is all about – freedom of expression.
    If I don’t like what I hear I just BIN IT but I will not resort to BIN LADINISM….then the world will be a much better place to live in

  58. Somebody here commented on the Johore state. Actually it is a state full of potentials. But if you ask the locals, they will blame their own local government for reasons such as high rate of crimes, systemless roads, increase standard of living, immoral activities and the list goes on.

    Every race is affected by the price hike. Even the NEP cannot stop it. Even the title of Ketuanan Melayu cannot stop it. It is as if the government is saying that Malaysians are so rich that they should start paying up. And may be it is true seeing how much the Federal government is giving to Sabah. As if there are no unsolved, lingering, unaddressed problems over the past 50 years.

  59. limkamput

    NOW WITHOUT THE CAPITAL LETTERS I JUST DO NOT KNOW WHERE I LEFT THE FORUM. CAPTITAL LETTERS IS USED SO THAT MY POST STANDS OUT FROM THE SEA OF small letters AND I CAN EASILY PICK UP FROM WHERE I LEFT THE FORUM

    THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE CAPITAL LETTERS………

  60. To my fellow citizen in Sabah and Sarawak,

    Petronas was started in the 1970s, what benefits have Sabah and Sarawak gained from it? Why on earth earth did you vote BN? If BN was an acountable and responsible gov, all states in the Federation would have benefited regardless of what party runs the state. Your two states have been plundered almost dry by BN and you still voted them just for a portion (little goodies) of what is your birthwright whiles they keep the rest.

    Trillions of RM gone missing!!! Now OUR oil reserves are less than 3billion barrels!!! Singapore with no ‘F’ing anything is a developed country. And we look backward to becoming a bankcrupt failed state like Iran,Rwanda and Burma.

    To TDM,
    What the HELL were you thinking when you handed the country to an Isalamic Scholar???? Didn’t you know anything about Iran’s history? What the situation was before and after the Islamic Revolution!!!!

    OUT WITH BN NOW!!!
    VOTE OF NO CONFIDANCE FOR BN!!!
    KICK’EM OUT NOW!!!

  61. We should tell AAB the our durian is among cheapest in the world because we produce durian. And apple here is more expensive compared with Australia because we do not produce it. Thus, if we produce oil, why we should sell it in world market price? The rally of oil world market price in fact bring more income to us!!!! But now it bring rakyat suffer!!! why this happen?

  62. Don’t expect Badawi to explain about global market prices, opportunity costs and economic impact. He failed entrance statistics, remember ? Shahrir ? couldn’t explain how he was born even if he tried. Nor Mohamed ? He’ll blame it on foreign exchange forces after losing RM12 billion of the country’s reserves years ago.

  63. If the title is correct, afraid, sarawak may start asking ‘goodies’, then another round of price hike, then johor (bn strong hold too)may also start asking, then another increase,
    Aiyah, pity the msian lah !

  66. “If there was a ripple in the ocean which represents the ‘Sabah for Sabahans’ movement, that ripple is in danger of turning into a wave. This is bad for national unity and it does not matter if the federal government comes under the control of PR.” undergrad2

    I agree.

  67. RM1 million each to 54 BN Sabah MPs + RM400,000 each to 59 BN Sabah state assembly men = RM77, 600,000/- plus RM1 billion special allocation for rural development aggregate not more than RM1.1billon??? That’s not counting under counter?

    Sabah politicians never have it so good – this historical opportunity for financial bonanza of being wooed by Opposition to cross over and BN to desist from so doing!

    This move to cut down on petrol subsidies was already in contemplation way before 12th General Election but deferred so that it won’t – so it was thought – impair that much BN’s performance.

    Now that 12th election is over – and BN’s political stock is seen devalued – what is the difference if political stock is devalued further in the eyes of the people? The immediate priority is to appease rapacious Sabah politicians so that they do not cross over and cause vote of no confidence on ruling government.

    At least if this the last term and hurrah why waste money on subsidies (in the face of rising crude oil prices over which government has no control) when they could otherwise be allocated and spent in expensive government projects from which politicians and their cronies can make money and hopefully raise enough for use of a portion to buy votes in next election?

    The only danger is street demonstrations. We have the law and FRUs. Over time hopefully rakyat would adjust to higher costs across the board over which they could do nothing to prevent or stop.

    However if you think BN’s politicians are the only one susceptible to money politics and corruption – and that Pakatan Rakyat’s politicians displacing them are not – you have to think again whether there is empirical evidence to support that assumption.

    In general terms there is empirical evidence showing world over that Politics – it is all about money, its raison de etre – it’s the nature of the beast that government and politicians – any government and politician coming into power (here difference is in degree only depending how much the populace checked on them and hold them accountable) fritter, dissipate, siphon and misallocate funds and wealth of the country from natural resources and taxes, direct or indirect, which citizens dutifully pay and supply the hangman with a noose to hang us more. The only restraint is popularity/ballot box and here is where propaganda is important to explain, ameliorate the masses feel.

    It is only the method how it is done (whether sophistically camouflaged or blatant, through multi tiered or crassly direct) and the degree vis-à-vis the existing institutional check and balance requiring accountability that varies, from country to country.

    I would think that whilst there are people who enter politics and take on public positions for fame, glory and even public service and not so much self-enrichment, they are necessarily, in general, a minority, with the majority anywhere concerned with how to get rich and get away with it that power enables.

    So to hike petrol or not is an issue not entirely useful to logicalise – with the government/politicians of all people! We ought to know what are the underlying parameters by which politicians make such decisions when balancing the national budget. :)

    I may be very bias here, then again I plead cynicism by nature in defense..

  68. My sixth sense telsl me… Dollah is fed up with today’s educated Malaysians.
    He maybe saying….to himself…….”so you know so much….about the truths…and vote against UMNO and BN. Good… take back some of the truths………about yourselves!!!”
    He knew Malaysians love eating….chatting at 24 hours eating places…trade in…buy new car models….shopping everyday..enjoying this….enjoying that…..while all neighbours are slogging and spending carefully.
    So …the 78 sen oil increase is the first doze of few more….to come and see how Malaysians going to handle their relax and carefree lifestyles.
    Few more will come…you can be sure of that….as he is simultaneously exposing past PM left him nothing but empty cans and dirt….filth and worms…and yet…he has to bear non stop criticisims ….without all Malaysian Malays supporting him…..and put out a big street demonstration..to shut Mahathir’s mouth up.
    So for once….his 78 sens increase in oil prices….have no UMNO thoughts …..how to win votes and how to save his own race.
    For once….he is showing no race and religion politics.
    But is this the real scenario??
    Why should we be like neigbouring countries..suffering from world oil prices at all? We should be enjoying….as we export more oil than consuming …..plus the fact…our oil fetch higher prices…as they are purer than other exporters.
    The lost of income to Singapore and Thai petrol buyers…plus huge subsidies by the government..is a prelude to what they did to us now. It is again …convincing the majority….simple minded Malaysians…that don’t understand….how rich our country is..and we need not suffer at all.
    Yes….he is projecting…what a good responsible leader..he is…to correct our lifestyles…as he sees fit….there are many ways to do that…no by increase oil prices…the one and only one property rightfully belong to all Malaysians….yet is strictly under control by UMNO. It should be a public listed company…..plus few more.
    Why is government…also into businesses??
    So you see….there is not a shred of doubt..it is done…out of no choice…to save UMNO …to keep covering up…the cans of worms…..for ..if exposed by Dollah….he not only need to resign…but…almost all important members may need to go to jail for corruptions….and infact…..UMNO BARU…may need to close…..for another smart man to start… UMNO TIGA.
    Try funny with the one who gave us freedom….UMNO will be doomed!!
    God bless and keep..our late…beloved Tunku Abdul Rahman.
    Gone…..but never forgotten.

  69. There are only 25 Sabah MPs (24 BN + 1 DAP). They are all extremely happy ‘cos now federal monies are now directly under their control and will be shared among them and their SAs.

    And Sabahans will continue to be poor.

    Check the anscestry of many of them and you will find many of their forefathers were illegals but they are now “legalised” through marrying locals.

    You wonder why there are so many Pakistanis and South Asians in Sabah? They were all helping each other settle down.

  70. Singapore also “kena” from this hike. Prices of a range of goods with fresh food topping the list are set to go up in the island as the cost of trucking them rises. Practically everything imported from Malaysia, including building materials, will also cost more soon.
    Petrol there about equivalent of Rm5 per litre? The ordinary Singaporeans are feeling the squeeze. Though government there not giving subsidies for petrol, I am sure it does give direct subsidies (in other forms) to middle or lower income groups to help. The first cause of problem is greed : the high crude boil prices is due to complicity of hedge funds with some financial institutions making money by spreading rumours and pushing up the prices via futures/derivatives.

  73. (Godfather Says:
    Yesterday(7/6/08) at 18: 14.54

    I read that the Agong is also calling for a change in lifestyle. )

    NOW TALKING ABOUT CHANGING LIFESTYLE – we have to see how to change lifestyle for various categories of RAKYAT :

    (I) SUPER RICH (very small percentage)
    -no need to change life style

    (II) RICH
    – CUTTING SOME OVERSEAS SHOPPING TRIP ( 5 TRIPS PER MONTH TO 3 TRIP PER MONTH)

    (III) QUITE RICH (INCOME RM15,000 -RM20,000 PER MONTH)
    -CHANGING CAR FROM 4000cc + TO 3,000CC +
    – cut some high teas at 5 star hotels

    (IV) middle(upper) income group (mth income RM6,000 -RM14,000)
    -Changing cars from 3 000cc to 2500 cc
    -CUTTING SOME DINING OUT

    (V)MIDDLE LOWER INCOME GROUP (RM4,000 -RM6000)

    -cut ASTRO SUBSCRIPTION
    -CUT GYM MEMBERSHIP
    -SEND BACK INDON maid (can’t afford to pay salary anymore)

    (vI) LOW UPPER INCOME GROUP ( RM3,000 -RM4,000)
    -CUT ASTRO subscription
    -replace airconds with ceiling fans
    -eat lower grade rice

    (VII) LOWER middle INCOME (RM2,000 -RM3,000)

    -CUT ASTRO
    -USE fans
    -switch off light by 11p.m.
    -sell off car, buy motorbike

    (viii) LOWER LOWER INCOME (RM1,000 -RM2,000)
    -EAT 2 MEALS A DAY INSTEAD OF 3 MEALS A DAY)
    -USE bicycle instead of motor bike

    IX) HARDCORE LOW INCOME( BELOW RM1,000/ USD300 PERMONTH)

    -STOP WATCHING TV – ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CUT OFF FOR CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY BILL)

    -eat only 1 MEAL IN 3 DAYS(plain rice with salt) from previously 2 meal a day.

    -walk to go to work (even 5km)

    -if renting, move out to live under the bridge or cave.

    -eat and drink only to remain alive…….

    SO, this is what Pak lah means – about changing life style to cope with the increase in inflation triggered by increase in fuel price

    –

  74. Remove this deadly cancer, throw out that rotten tyranny!!!

    It is the right time that this grossly rotten, corrupt and incompetent flip flop tyranny that remove the fuel subsidies & increase the electricity tariffs should also be removed by whatever means necessary & to accomplish this, all & whoever, MPs from both BN or Pakatan Rakyat, it is your call now and as all the people of Malaysia are firmly behind you to remove this rot. Cannot imagine that a nett producer & nett exporter of Crude Oil has to do this, look at Brunei, Saudi Arabia and many other crude oil nett exporters, there are no increases of prices of Petrol & Diesel at their pumps as both & all are nett producers and nett exporters of Crude Oil and they are now enjoying a boost to their state coffers & economies with a whopping windfall in oil prices of the current US$139/- per barrel that earned them huge foreign exchange reserves from their Crude Oil exports. But in Malaysia the reverse is true as there is no boost to the economy, but only sadness prevailed because the foreign exchange reserves from Crude Oil nett exports earned are poorly managed or badly mis-managed and no one knows where all the profits over the years had gone and we are saying all the 700 or more Billions earned had disappeared and there is no accountability by the tyranny power that be. All Malaysians including those unborn ones have been betrayed by this cancer who has caused all these serious crimes, anarchies, chaos and inflations beyond comprehensions owing to the greed by this cancerous corrupted power hungry Moron who intended to stick to power beyond his welcome!!!

  75. Congratulation to Sabah BN supporters. While the rest of the country are giving out cylones and tsunami in the PRU 12 Sabahan are truly the land below the wind and handed the golden seat back to AAB. Because of your support now the whole nation is hit by an earthquake even worst than Sichuan China. While Sichuan suffer 70,000 facilities we suffer 20 million facilities. The balance 6 million belongs to the rich and famous and also of course our seasoned crooked politicians. In Sichuan those who perished remains perished but here we are suffering a fate worst than dying. We had now become a living zombies and surviving whatever we can get hold off. Its time now for PR to come in and rescue us and deliver us from evil for we have now reach the end of the road. The only positive thing from this price hike is the nation is going to produce a lot of graduate thieves and con man because they are all sick of becoming zombies forever. It is either win lose but no draw.

  77. As one of the steps in the right direction, Sabah and Sarawak must appoint a real majority race Kadazan and Dayak chief minister. This will be the real Ketuanan Rakyat in practice. PM as UMNO head must be the one to initiate this change!

  79. All Malaysian, Listen to this, Those clowns in the BN know very well they will not be in power by next general election. So, they now created a big mess by increasing the fuel to the max ASAP and wollup up watever they can get while they’re still in the gov, before the pakatan take over. By that time pakatan its going to have a hard time u-turn in alot of things.. This clearly shows the BN really dont care about the rakyat, all they care is them self, where is MCA? MIC? they never care. pity all of us.. have to suffer under this seriously misgovern gov.

  80. Which is which?

    If you stand up holding an egg in your hand and then release it, it will certainly drop down to the floor and crack. Now what causes the egg to drop?

    A group blames the earth’s gravity for it will not drop if there is no gravity while another says it will never drop if you just don’t release the egg whether gravity or not.

    What has this to do with our recent historic fuel price hike?

    Like the first group, from my personal observation our government and the policy makers (many themselves probably are not crystal clear about the surrounding factors themselves) quickly joined in to blame the soaring world prices alone and thus justifying the inevitable price increase.

    Another group blames the way the government spend its money and wastage of public funds that had led the government into a state of very low and critical financial position therefore, is scrambling for immediate injection of cash flows.

    I belong to the 3rd group. I believe in the balancing of both. Simply put. Malaysia being an oil producing and exporting nation, the world price increase is a very favorable and wonderful plus indeed.

    We are blessed and have every joy to be in this oil business without which our economies would have collapsed ages ago from the way money are spent or wasted. We ride the prosperous oil-wave and happily reaping such “win-falls’ as they come. Meaning, business is extremely good.

    But sadly, little or nothing is ever mentioned about such national win-falls. In accounting question, can’t this win-fall absorb, contra or offset the present petrol subsidy? Isn’t this a ‘left and right pocket’ situation?

    Personally, this ‘fuel subsidy’ thingy is actually more like card shuffling. For the majority lay people it appears like the government is paying Petronas heavily for the differences on behalf of the rakyat in tandem with the latest world market prices. Otherwise, we are depriving Petronas from maximizing their profits under the current up-trend.

    Simple example.
    Petronas retail price = 3.00
    Rakyat pays at pump = 2.70
    Government subsidizing Rakyat by paying 0.30 to Petronas

    Right? No! wrong. Because the government does not and will never pay Petronas in such manner. Period. In fact, it is the other way round. Petronas helps to collect that 0.30 from the Rakyat on behalf of the government as taxes and pays the government in (fastest way possible) daily, weekly, monthly or as directed. Why? because the government needs the 0.30 badly and quickly.

    What the government means by subsidizing is that, under normal commercial practice, the government should tax that 0.30 or more from the Rakyat.

    But by not taxing, it suffers a tax deficit or some call it lost of income opportunity on the petrol sales to the rakyat. In simple term, this is called “Subsidy”.

    On the other hand, does it mean Petronas is taking this opportunity by raising its retail prices in tandem with the lucrative world current prices to reap our domestic consumers too? Perhaps or not we do not really know and unless one gets the privilege to sit in its executive board.

    I strongly believe that the real reason for the price hike is mainly and purely because the government needs cash injections badly and quickly harping lamely on ‘world price increase’ factor alone.

    As if that is not enough, we get salt rubbed into our wounds when it cunningly includes a build-in pre-charged mechanism (charging us more) with a promise of certain rebates some time in the future. Why make us pay-forward with a consolation of a rebate?

    From my view point the price increase factor is over played and focused only to hoodwink us from the real unpopular facts.

    I cannot deny the fact that every government needs endless source of funds to run a country. To short a long story, when a government is having severe cash flow problems (for whatever reason) it will require quickest injection of cash.

    Just waiting for commercial trade-tax and income tax would be time consuming and not fast enough under the prevailing situation. Petrol is always a favorite pick. It is quick solid daily cash.

    Immediately 4 questions pop in my mind.

    1. What happened to our National Petroleum Company Petronas’ win-falls’ all this while?
    No one seems to come out to shed clearly on this.
    2. Do you mean that Petronas is not satisfied over the ‘win-falls’ and is after us for more winfalls?
    3. Don’t you think that the government is actually enjoying a “double dip”? One from Petronas win-fall profits and the other from the domestic price increase? Bear in mind, either way, they all go back to the government.
    4. Why the government portrays as if our import of oil is more than our exports and having the lousy habit of comparing prices with countries ‘that produces not a single drop’ and whose per capita income is way above ours?
    6. What if the government is cash rich? Will there be a need to impose a price increase?

    Where is the logic? It is obvious that no government would declare that they are having severe cash flow problems due to extreme over spending. We need to read carefully in between the lines to know deeper.

    So sit down and think very hard over these pointers. Is this really all about adjusting to ‘world oil price increase? Or is it all about a government in a dire need for extra cash flow injection and citing the ‘world price’ as a good excuse to remove the so-called subsidy.

    Forthebetter

  81. Pingback: Sarawakians Expect Gawai Goodies From PM :: Bernama.com « Aarvidi’s Weblog

  85. Like they like to say about Singapore, Singaporeans earn more so they can afford market price, Indonesia and Myanmar citizens earn less than we do so they should also pay less than we do.

  86. If, as what YB Kit asked, the intent of cutting down subsidies and concomitant petrol/diesel hike is to allocate resources to stall cross-overs of East Malaysian politicians – and prolong a trifle longer the BN’s rule – this is a strategically wrong calculation that may well backfire and accelerate the opposite intended effect. At a time when BN has to adopt more populist policies, it has, right or wrong, done the reverse.

    Opportunist politicians (in both East & West Malaysia) whiff at the winds of change and will identify with the winning side of the future. (They want to butter their bread for the future).

    The petrol/diesel hike, and more important its inflationary effects on other services and goods across the board will exacerbate economic conditions, and galvanise by bread and butter issues an alienation of whole sections of rakyat cutting across racial, religious, religious, economic and social lines. It will increase rather than diminish the momentum for political change generated by political tsunami of 8th March.

    PAS and the PKR would mount a rally of 10,000 people next Friday at the capital’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers; NGO Activists are planning a major public demonstration, which they hope will attract 100,000 people, in the capital on July 12; in between smaller demonstrations.

    The dilemma confronting the government is that a strong police counter action will lead to casualties and aggravate the already bad situation. If, on the other hand, the police were to ‘hands off’, there will be no restraint on more protest demonstrations, becoming a culture that Malaysians were not until now, identified with, as dissatisfactions spread due to rising prices all round.

    Ad hoc and piecemeal measures to soften Petrol/diesel price hike are unlikely to cushion the inflationary effects and rising people’s anger.

    I see no way out of where all these are leading to except for a 100% reversal of the policy in reinstatement of the subsidies cut to bring pump petrol/diesel prices to original levels before the hike. Never mind lose face, admit mistake and do it.

  88. From streets to blogs….people from all walks of life complaining, voicing out our frustration. The hike is forsee by many but surely not at this level. With heavy subsidizing (plus unneccessary expenditures from the BN gomen), our depleted Oil & gas reserves, we must brace for more unexpected decisions (which favors a few) from BN.

    The choice is ours…. change the goverment… BN MPs whom is disillusion must motion for a no confidence together with PR MPs. Organized peaceful street protest or silent protest… PRU 13 is still faraway…anything can happenned in between…

  91. monsterball said:

    “ReformMalaysia……Godfather writer is an extremist.
    He can misread messages….and his mind can go wild.
    But… he is a real concern Malaysian.”

    If my burning desire to see the demise of the bunch of thieves known as BN is deemed to be extremist, then I plead guilty.

  92. “I see no way out of where all these are leading to except for a 100% reversal of the policy in reinstatement of the subsidies cut to bring pump petrol/diesel prices to original levels before the hike. Never mind lose face, admit mistake and do it.” Jeffrey QC

    This will be a sure way for Badawi to be booted out of UMNO, and for BN reps to just walk across the aisle to the Pakatan camp ! He’s made his bed, and he must lie in it.

  93. Petrol price increase by 41% effective from 5th June 2008 in Malaysia. Well i believe the first reaction that most of the citizens had are anger and worry. We are angry because we have to pay more for our expenses and we are worry of not able to cope with it. It is only natural that we start putting the blame on the current government.
    However if you ask any economists in the world, they will tell you that taking away the subsidies is the RIGHT thing to do. Abdullah had said the petrol price increase reflect the dilemma of Malaysian economy. Dr. Mahathir talked about our past purchasing power. The reality is we have been living in a somehow protected and virtual world by ourselves. Once the protected umbrella is taken away especially at this critical time, we felt helpless and don’t know to response. I still remember during 1997, an Indian engineer came here and work told me. In India, there are a lot of people who doesn’t not have skill will not get to work but in Malaysia, you can easily get a work. This more or less reflect our protected economy and it actually while retaining our purchasing power in the past but have actually without knowing making the GDP gap between our country and other opened economy wider.
    Now, is the time we must face the reality. We have to think again, are we having a too happy go lucky lives ? Are we ready to face the competitive world outside? What is our value? Oil price increase may not be a bad thing after all. It could be a real wake up call for all of us in Malaysia. Think about it…
    Thinking about it, i am not so mad at En. Sharil anymore.

  95. Mr Anwar reaffirmed that MP defection before 16th September 2008 will proceed as planned (Malaysiakini, Chinese Edition, 2008-6-8, 3.32PM). He admitted that he did meet with BN MPs from Sabah and Sarawak during his visit to Manila.

    He also said he has been officially confirmed to have regained his right to participate in politics. He intends to go back to politics via a by-election this year and many PKR MPs are willing to make way for him. He said the current high fuel prices have created the right time for the by-election and an advantage for PR to take over the federal government. He said the planned political defection is going on smoothly and he would not reveal too much details in order to avoid troubles.

    Some 50,000 new members were admitted to PKR 3 months after the 12 GE. Mr. Anwar welcomed 3 former BN leaders to join PKR today; they were Mat Lazim Derani, M Raken (who set up TAFE college) and Mohd Adam Harun.

  96. ReformMalaysia said:

    “….(viii) LOWER LOWER INCOME (RM1,000 -RM2,000)
    -EAT 2 MEALS A DAY INSTEAD OF 3 MEALS A DAY)
    -USE bicycle instead of motor bike

    IX) HARDCORE LOW INCOME( BELOW RM1,000/ USD300 PERMONTH)

    -STOP WATCHING TV – ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CUT OFF FOR CAN’T AFFORD TO PAY BILL)

    -eat only 1 MEAL IN 3 DAYS(plain rice with salt) from previously 2 meal a day.

    -walk to go to work (even 5km)

    -if renting, move out to live under the bridge or cave.

    -eat and drink only to remain alive…….”

    How many Malaysians are in these two categories ? Government statistics say that those living below the poverty line form about 4 pct of the population. Let’s say that those living under the category of “hardcore low income” and “lower lower income” constitute 10 pct of the population. That’s 2.6 million people.

    BN wants these people to change lifestyles ? No, if the hardcore poor has to change lifestyles, we might as well change the government. That way, we get rid of cronyism and nepotism as well.

  99. Pak Lah is now the chief fireman in Malaysia.

    He doesn’t plan; he snores and when a fire breaks out, he runs helter skelter in search of a hose and water.

    It’s too late! The Sabah fire rescue operation to save BN is too little too late. It shows the insincerity and poor planning of BN since Tun M’s period. Then Tun M ruled with his fist; today, Pak Lah goes on his knees and begs for time to serve.

    Can’t imagine anyone so brainless and directionless can ever be of any good to any country!

    Now Pakatan must come out strongly and get the crossovers quickly so that Malaysia may not melt under the intense heat with Pak Lah as the snoring chief fireman.

  101. the fuel hike will surely be able to save some $$$ for BN to pass on to cronies and of cos retain MPs from jumping ship.

    Now let us see if AAB can still get those MPs to move their butts to join PR now that the money is dangled in front of their eyes!

  102. I think lots of discussion here are devoid of logic. Why are we talking only of MPs from Sabah crossing over to PK? Why can’t MPs from Sarawak or Peninsula be doing the same? Are we saying that only MPs from Sabah can be bought? Alternatively are we saying that MPs from Peninsula and Sarawak can’t be bought or have been paid sufficiently already?

  103. Sarawak’s turn for goodies from Abdullah
    KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — Sarawakians are looking for some pleasant surprises from Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he makes a one-day visit to the Land of the Hornbill Tuesday.

    haih, so PM is going to go from 1 state to another giving out goodies so they won’t jump over to PR?

    To be frank, the more things they put into the controlled price item list, the more we pay for our groceries and food. 7 years ago when i came back to PJ, a bowl of noodles was 2.70, now its at least 4.00, 50% increment (6% p.a. increase) as compared to our CPI of 3% p.a. Problem with the National statistics is the CPI basket consists of too many price controlled items, and population in general don’t really get to purchase the items at the quoted price.

    Blame the Government for not promoting savings in those years that the economy was doing better. The artificially low CPI resulted in low interest rates, effectively a negative real rate, so everyone would rather spend than to save. Now at the hard patch, PM asked us to change lifestyle.

    The latest CPI of our neighbours ranges from 5-8% for APril and Malaysia managed to maintain at 3%, didnt everything ranging from Milo, rice to tyres go up back in April?

  104. I am traveling from North to KL via North South Highway very often. Today, it seems that there are lesser vehicles although busy. KL is rather slow around mid valley and bangsar. Oil hike after shock?

    If this continue (slow down of activities), it may have spiral effect on our economy. Hope my observation is wrong.

  106. Badawi is acting like a drowning rat – moving from Sabah to Sarawak to try to make monetary pledges to the local leadership, while at the same time trying to come up with money to keep the UMNO gravy train moving. He ends up trampling all over the rakyat. I say that we should let him drown.

  107. “Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi urged angry citizens to understand the reasons behind the move, and said the government would do all it can to alleviate the burden on the poor.”

    First you whack the people, then you want to find solutions to ease their pains? Why whack them in the first place?

    Why would a dog want to bite you if you did not kick it in its stomach?

  108. May I know who will make up the economic team of PK? Who would be the major players of Malaysia’s economic policies when PK takes over the Federal Govt. Who would be the advisors? I think Anwar and the rest of PK leadership should give some indications. Otherwise, it is between the devil and the deep blue sea. I don’t think this country can stand another year of yo-yo leadership. As I see it, the whole federal government is goofing in the dark. Either most of them can’t hold more than three variables in their heads or they don’t care anymore – just hit and run. It is after all the dying days of a dynasty. They announced the price hike as if they have no clue what the impact and reaction are going to be like. Hence, when come to compensating measures they have totally no idea. MOst of the measures are piecemeal and incoherent following the dictates of who among the industry players can make the loudest noise. It is pathetic we have such an incompetent group of people now at the helm of national leadership. Malaysia deserve better. But can PK deliver? I think we should start debating who among PK will be managing the Malaysian economy starting from now. What are their plans and major policy thrusts. We can’t wait till after they form the new government. It will be too late and by then we are all dead.

  109. Too many comments to read thru. Does not matter. All prices now increased – hawker foods, bus fares, essential goods, and god knows what else will increase in the next few weeks.

    Are these price increases justified? No! Actual net increase is slight but traders increase their prices unreasonably. What shud the rakyat do? Boycott! Who suffers? The Malay, the Chinese, and the Indian hawkers. Do they deserve it? Yes! They take advantage to increase prices unreasonably at every opportunity.

    Fuel price increase of 40.6% – is this necessary? No! Malaysia is net exporter of oil – high grade low sulphur content – at better prices than market price. This oil belongs to the rakyat. Malaysia makes more money than other oil exporters.

    Why AAB makes us suffer? Everything increase prices but gaji no increase! Enough lah with this BN govt!

    Anwar, when are you coming in? In WW2 battle of Britain Churchill said “Never in the history of human endeavour has so much been done by so few for so many”.

    So when is PR going to do for the rakyat what the BN cannot do?

    The country needs a paradigm shift now! Only PR taking over the country can do this!

  110. Unless PK also come up with concrete plans and policies, may i assume that there is no difference between PK and BN. Seriously, we need to know. Malaysia is on the edge of becoming a failed state if nothing is done quickly.

  111. Pak Lah and Najib have at various times said: the people must be resilient!

    Talk cock again! Do they even understand the meaning of resilience and the economics of it!

    And stop being so damn hypocritical. Why don’t you and your ilk spend some of your millions on holidays in Malaysia instead of overseas, eh?

    I have seen an upsurge in illegal stalls sprouting up on road shoulders – mostly by your people, Malays! After 50 years, see what the damned NEP has done for the majority of Malays whilst the minority of crony Malays lick their oily palms and struggle to get off their fat rumps and bumps.

    Keranamu BN, Malaysia cepat jadi Zimbabwe.

  112. //UMNO dare to sacrifice peace and social harmony in May 1969, why not this fuel hike which seems the pain level is not as bad as 513.//VoteDap
    ______________________________
    Please try not to use the ghost name 513 anymore. UMNO and MCA and Gerakan have used this ghost to blackmail the Chinese during every GE since 1969. This ghost has been successfully exorcized on March 8, 2008. Don’t bring back the dead ghost.

  113. “Problem with the National statistics is the CPI basket consists of too many price controlled items, and population in general don’t really get to purchase the items at the quoted price.”

    it is time a more independent agency does the computation and tracking of the average consumer prices..

    when was the basket of goods and services selected last revised by our stats dept?

  114. “Unless PK also come up with concrete plans and policies, may i assume that there is no difference between PK and BN. Seriously, we need to know. Malaysia is on the edge of becoming a failed state if nothing is done quickly.” Limkamput

    I think this statement is unduly harsh on PK. We have to look at things as half full rather than half empty. Is Tony Pua going to be less of a finance minister than Nor Mohamed ? Is Anwar going to sleep more on the job than the Sleepy Head ? Throw a stone, and you will find a person more suited than, for example, Mike Tyson or Tengku Adnan. Once the stealing stops, the rest is easy.

  115. Not only the petrol price hike creates uncertainties to the already bad business climate; existing businesses especially retailers, big and small, is going to find it hard to cope, cost cutting measures like retrenchment will be the top choice among business owners. But cost cutting may not helps either, it is just a short term solution and is likely to fail as purchasing power diminished further due to chain reaction in the coming months. Jobless rate will also increases as business owners hold back new domestic investment.

  117. Bro Kit,

    Well we better get ready for more Price hikes! The Sarawak MP’s have alreday said they wanted similat “goodies’ for Gawai! They have also said that it has to be no less than what Sabah got! Wow! Which other BN State is next?!
    How much more do we have to take?!

  118. Dear Sir

    For the good of the country (and to stop Malaysia from
    continuing on the road to becoming a Third World “failed state”),
    the Pakatan Rakyat needs to form a shadow cabinet and decide on what public policies to implement when power changes hands.

    Please do not be distracted by BN’s Karl Rove-style “wedge issues”
    such as the wearing of songkoks (Just wear it!). The economic future of our country is threatened by kleptocrats, incompetents and Machiavellians. Examples such as Zimbabwe show how short (and fast) the road to economic and social ruin is!

    Phua Kai Lit

  119. For the sake of Sabah, it is “Robbing Peter to pay Paul”, what happens when it comes to Sarawak? Will AAB rob Paul to pay Patrick? It simply means AAB has three pots with only two covers or perhaps only one!

  120. Thanks to Tun Dr. Senile call for High Crude Price to Hurt USA-Isreal …….looks like Malaysia suffering more instead. GO to this link to freely publish comments on Che Det Blog. No Censorship!!

    Lots of problems coming soon for Malaysian as School Bus operator Boycott picking up your children. Not allowed to raise their fare with threat to their license and livelihood……..I prefer to quit the business rather than be greater debt. UMNO-BN cronies can afford to do business this way….orang biasa Cannot!!

    LINK

  121. Anwar mentioned to keep the identity of the possible crossover BN MPs in order to protect them. On the other hand, he mentioned about meeting some of these MPs in Manila. I think BN will be desperate to find out who actually flown to Manila last week. Very soon we will know the answer.

  122. when BN is managing the people money, do they have the authority or power to just distribute the wealth on their wish, i am sure good goverment must have the good guidelines or transparancy when come to money; these RM1M per each MP and Rm400K per state really make me jealous-lah.

    will the RM1m each end up into their pocket ?

  123. If Sabah was the main reason for the fuel price hike, then what will happen after Badawi visits Sarawak tomorrow ? Make promises, and then follow it up with another price hike ?

  124. The only way to solve the present crisis is ala Saddam Hussein, i.e. for malaysia to invade Brunei. Then the Americans will blast malaysia back to the stone age where everyone would be happy because there was no bloody use for petrol during the stone age. And like Saddam, our PM will be singing the song below as he is led by the americans to the hangman’s noose…

    And now, the end is here
    And so I face the final curtain
    My friend, I’ll say it clear
    I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
    I’ve lived a life that’s full
    I traveled each and ev’ry highway
    And more, much more than this, I did it my way

    Regrets, I’ve had a few
    But then again, too few to mention
    I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
    I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
    And more, much more than this, I did it my way

  125. “malaysia to invade Brunei.”

    How Malaysia going to touch Brunei? the shukoi jet we ordered are not yet delivered since the big fat najis got his large pay check. The scorpene submarine have not deliver all yet, we don’t even have the dock to keep them and the group of trained marine to operate them.

    If Indonesia come to invade Malaysia, since many of their foreigner workers are here can easily spy on our govt. weaknesses, assasin our leader with bullet on head becos current M’sian policy is to reduce and contaminate them, then there is possiblity Indonesia will launch attack on Malaysian.

  126. “RM1m each end up into their pocket ?” in respond to James Wong,

    Why not, whose money do u think help Curry open a boutique TENC at the pavillions, KL? whose money is it for Curry to owed billions of ACM Libra shares? whose money is it for Curry to owed stakes at Air Asia, Rapid KL, Rapid Penang. Whose money is it to build so many toll booth to collect from the people? it is like selling lemon juice to the people.

  128. Welcome to the New Era of Global Inflation!

    After the government made the sudden decision to raise petrol and diesel prices with effect from 5 June 2008, Malaysians will be quickly entering a new era of globalised inflation ranging from between 5-7% per annum in the next one year. Is this good or bad after years of enjoying the shelter of government subsidies (basically our own money)?

    Well it depends. Most sensible bloggers and economists are correct in concuring that a fuel price hike is necessary and will enhance the efficiency of the economy. We have lived under the shelter of excessive subsidies for too long and need to adjust our consumption habits. However, the whole debate about the fuel price hike of 41% to RM2.70/litre plus the efforts to provide a rebate needs to be simplified into 4 issues:

    (1) The quantum of the increase is a shock to consumers and companies’ pockets and this 41% hike in the fuel bill has never ever happened before in Malaysia’s history. Who knows whether we will enter into a steep economic slowdown while most of our trading partners in the US , Europe and Japan are now going through economic stagnation? Is the government and the central bank so confident that they can fine-tune the economy after this shock treatment?

    (2) About RM7.5billion or 55% of the savings from the government’s reduced subsidy is given back to the people who are apparently car and motorbike owning lower income groups. So in a way, this is a form of income distributive policy by taking the subsidy previously enjoyed by both rich and lower income groups to give to the lower income car owners. Besides, the RM625 is not sufficient to cushion the higher cost of fuel.

    (3) Is the government really short of cash when out of the estimated RM53 billion of subsidy (without fuel hikes), its actual direct subsidy is less than RM20 billion.

    (4) Instead of using the other 45% of RM13.7 billion to subsidise food, why not improve the public transport system and lower the import duties on cars so that our standard and quality of living will be on par with Thailand and Indonesia where the prices of cars are much lower? Alternatively, build a wider and more efficient rapid train system similar to Singapore’s.

    Aside from the issue of leakages through inefficient spending, these issues will probably be played up by the Opposition.

    Let’s see whether the political backlash will lead to some solid debates in parliament and eventually more efficient use of resources. Read more at http://www.jeremiahliang.blogspot.com

  129. Well, no Sabah is NOT the reason for removing the fuel ‘subsidy’. Period. Much much more to it..

    Here’s a comment at M2day:
    ‘Malaysia supprts the violence in thailand by assisting terrorist there raise funds by selling our subsidised diesel in Thailand and probably in Phillipines too.’ by sydput.

    Nail squarely hit there.

    Removing the fuel ‘subsisidy’ to directly stop the financing was demanded of AAB from the international collation of the principled and willing.

    AAB has to do it; he is either on their side or against. Just like Perves Musharaff was asked ‘are you on our side or against us’ just hours before they blasted the Afghan hideouts.

    With backing like so, AAB has NO choice but pull the plug on a Wednesday evening in the middle of a working week. Some aslo suggested the ‘pineapple face’ case was also discussed to add haste to AAB pulling the plug. Never mind the traffic jam.

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