Petrol Price RM 2.70 – up 41% Electricity tariffs up from July 1

Petrol Price RM 2.70 – up 41%
Electricity tariffs up from July 1
5th June 2008

Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has now established himself as the most inconsiderate and uncaring Prime Minister of the country.

Abdullah has shocked the nation with a 41% increase in the price of petrol. With the global increase Malaysians generally expected some increase soon but no one expected the rise from RM 1.92 to RM 2.70 per litre.

To make the burden even more severe, Government has approved TNB’s plan to raise electricity tariffs from July 1. Just a day earlier Government announced the removal of ceiling price on chicken and allows traders to manipulate as they wish.

Malaysia has a petroleum exporting country substantially benefit from the sharp increase in the price of petroleum in the world market and all Malaysians have the right to expect their Government to use part of the increased petroleum profits to subsidize the price of petrol.

Government’s announcement demonstrates their uncaring approach. The steep increase not only will affect our driving habits but will have a serious spiraling effect on cost of transport, food, other commodities and generally have an impact on our standard of living.

It is easy for Abdullah to shout from the ivory towers that Malaysians should change their lifestyle and learn to bear the burden imposed on them calmly because the tax payers make sure that the PM’s lifestyle is not affected in anyway.

Wages

Having imposed an unbearable burden to the people a caring Prime Minister would have taken the trouble to advise the employers in the private sector to urgently consider a special wage increase or a cost of living allowance. Unfortunately Abdullah did not even utter a word on the matter.

G.RAJASEKARAN
Secretary General