“The people should not expect the pump prices to be constantly reduced just because crude oil prices have fallen below US$50 per barrel”, said Najib.  Why not? why does the Rakyat have to pay premium price for fuel while the world pays less? With world economy deteriorating the government still expects the Rakyat to pay premium price? I can’t understand the logic of this.  

“If we keep cutting the pump prices whenever crude oil prices fall then we will have to also increase the pump prices every time there is an increase in the international market”, said Najib again.  Well, haven’t we been increasing the pump prices when the world price increase? I guess he forgot the 40% increase in recently. 

What this country need is a system to enable the floating of the fuel price.  Today, the pump operators are being billed upfront for the petrol they ordered, and when the government announce the fuel price reduction, the pump operators are slap with a loss.  So, the fuel price cannot be easily float as the fuel price is volatile.  Other countries have done it, US especially, their fuel prices change everyday.  If they can do it, why can’t we? I am sure they have a system to enable the floating of fuel prices.  Why can’t we adopt this system?

So, when I read what Najib said over the press, I just can’t comprehend why the government don’t try to help the rakyat.  I guess they have been enjoying free fuel courtesy of tax payers money, so to them, it is trival, I guess the UMNO polling weights more in their mind than the Rakyat’s suffering.  It’s just depressing isn’t it.

On this day..

• Penang Bloggers - 2004