| Pakatan offers FREE petrol! Posted: 02 Sep 2013 10:14 AM PDT The 20 sen increase in retail price per liter of diesel and a low-cost 95 RON-grade petrol by midnite today was inevitable as it is in line with the government's initiative to cut costly subsidies. Economically, it provides the government with extra cash to finance some development projects for the rakyat. Politically, however, the opposition sees it as a 'bullying tactic' that will affect the livelihood of millions of middle-and-lower income groups - the easiest way to sensationalise it. But Pakatan Rakyat fails to weigh the decision by DAP-led Penang government in imposing a 100 per cent water surcharge on the rakyat. Take a look at this two 'sensible' and 'non-sensible' explanation by BN and Pakatan: SENSIBLE KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will raise the retail price of diesel and a low-cost 95 RON-grade petrol by 20 Malaysian sen a litre each.
The price hike, effective from midnight, is in line with the government's initiative to cut costly subsidies.
"This is one of the subsidy rationalisation measures by the government," Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the finance minister, told a news conference after chairing the Fiscal Policy Committee (FPC) meeting on Monday.
Currently, the government bears an 83-sen subsidy for a litre of RON95 petrol and RM1 for a litre of diesel, he said.
Dr Najib said the government has allocated RM24.8 billion for fuel subsidy this year.
"The 20-sen subsidy reduction means the government still provides 63-sen subsidy for a litre of RON95 and 80 sen for a litre of diesel," he said.
The subsidy cut will save the government an estimated RM1.1 billion this year and another RM3.3 billion in 2014, said Dr Najib.
To soften the impact of the petrol price hike, he said the government will announce higher cash payouts to low-income families when it tables the budget on October 25.
Dr Najib also said that the government will scrutinise the implementation of public sector projects carefully in order to arrest the declining current surplus.
"The projects with low import contents will be given priority, with emphasis on those which will generate strong multiplier effects to ensure that the country's growth is not affected," he said.
"Also, projects with high import contents will be rescheduled to ensure that they do not negatively affect the balance of payments," added Dr Najib.
Nevertheless, he said, the Mass Rapid Transit Lines 1, 2, 3 will proceed as planned. The Southern Corridor High-Speed Rail project is still under negotiations.
"We will scrutinise which projects will be rescheduled and which will proceed," he added.
Over the medium to longer term, Dr Najib said, the government will study ways to boost the country's economic competitiveness and diversify the export markets.
"Tourism will be given greater focus in the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2014," he said.
Dr Najib said the Fiscal Policy Committee has reaffirmed the government's commitment to achieve a fiscal deficit target of about three per cent of gross domestic product by 2015 and to attain a balanced budget by 2020.
Based on FPC's assessment, the external environment has become increasing challenging, he said, adding that moderate current account surplus in the balance of payments as well as the continuing fiscal deficit could bring about medium-term risks to the economy.
"Thus, the move to strengthen fiscal position is important so that the economy would become sustainable and this will increase the rakyat's (people) and investors' confidence in the economy," he said.
Dr Najib said: "At the moment, Malaysians are enjoying the subsidies including the high-income and the foreigners. Therefore, we need to implement a subsidy system which focuses on the low-income group."
On the increase in inflation after the petrol price hike, Dr Najib said the inflation rate was still low and the effects on the people were minimal. NON-SENSIBLEAnd as expected, Pakatan Rakyat was fast to politicise it. Chua Jui Meng said it will force the odinary folk to go to 'ah longs' or money lender. (What? If I am a money lender, I wont lend a single sen to those without the ability to repay their loan! What are you talking, Chua?) Jui Meng also warned that such "irresponsible" policy would force the ordinary folk to encumber themselves with more debt.
"Just days ago in Johor, when I was giving a speech, I asked, has the price of cars gone down, has the price of electricity and water been reduced, how about food and transportation, are these cheaper now? Can you buy a house, is property more affordable now"" said Jui Meng.
"Household debt debt which is now at 83% of gross domestic product will shoot up to 100% of GDP because the petrol price hike has an inflationary effect. Najib and BN are forcing the people to borrow more money, to go to the Ah Longs because they can't make ends meet each moth. How much can BRIM (government cash-aid) help? I dare the government to implement GST next." They didn't stop just there. To the opposition, there must not be any hike in petrol prices because we produce the commodity ourselves! Is this a rational reason? DAP has expressed concern over the 20-sen hike in RON95 and diesel prices, pointing out that the medium and lower-income groups will be the hardest hit, despite the government promise of cash payouts to the poor to tide them over. DAP deputy chairman Tan Kok Wai said the price hike will cause a chain reaction, especially with the economy slowing down and the ringgit depreciating
"This will have a spillover effect. The medium and lower-income groups will be the hardest hit."
Raub MP Datuk Mohd Ariff Sabri, who is an economist by training, echoed that warning, saying that other prices will rise as retailers try to pass off the new costs to consumers.
He poured scorn on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's offer to raise the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) payouts, saying that it was not a "long-term solution", but instead a "smoke-screen" to address the people's anxiety.
"It is just a one-off thing. How often can you do this? It cannot address the problem of price increase of goods which will affect the livelihood of people," the DAP member of parliament argued.
He said long-term solutions included addressing runaway government spending and tackling corruption.
He predicted that the hike might eventually lead to an increase in electricity rates.
Deputy president Tan pointed out that the poor public transportation system will not help matters as the public will still depend on their own vehicles to travel.
Someone text me: "Bro, better tell those who complained - if they want free fuel, go dig it up yourself!" That makes sense! And I also believe Pakatan Rakyat can offer free petrol if it controls Putrajaya!  |
| Tanda Putera not offensive to DAP... but BFM89.9 FM feels offended! Posted: 02 Sep 2013 03:39 AM PDT Update: I got this text message from a buddy: " Umapagan Ampikaipaigan, used to be a commentary writer at NST and now a Deejay at BFM89.9 FM, at 5.30 just now on the same radio blasted the film Tanda Putera as very terrible, inaccurate history, highly racist, and bad production. He also makes fun of the proposal by Datuk Razali, Timbalan Menteri for the film be made a study material at school and university. BFM89.9 has nothing good to say abt the govt despite the fact Idris Jala's ETP continues to sponsor a show and advertise a lot on its radio..." Wow! I believe we have too many 'Umapagans' around. And I still wonder as to whether Ahmad Shabery Cheek has acted on my earlier posting about ' DAP agents at RTM news room'. However, many say he will not. Why, nobody knows! Earlier posting: Source: StopTheLies KUALA LUMPUR: Cinema fans who viewed Tanda Putera at GSC Mid Valley today did not feel that the movie was insensitive to Lim Kit Siang or the DAP. "The May 13 riots is a fact. I don't see it as an issue. The movie is more of a sad story in which leaders sacrificed for the greater good of the country," said 33-year-old government servant Zaidi Sidek. "DAP made noise for nothing," said Zaidi who took leave from work to catch the first show of the movie. The first show of Tanda Putera only attracted a dozen people. Of the dozen, majority were made up of journalists. This is due to the publicity over the negative portrayal of the Chinese community and certain DAP leaders in the movie. In the movie, there is a scene of a DAP member urinating on the flag and this was followed by the scene of the character of former Selangor Menteri Besar Harun Idris complaining to the prime minister about the incident. The movie is centred on the life of Malaysia's second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and his close relations with his deputy, Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman. Romiz Bukhari, a 32 freelance insurance agent meanwhile told FMT that the movie had cleared his misconceptions. "This movie showed that a leadership change was needed because one died and that these leaders were also trusted by their immediate predecessor," said Romiz. Insurance broker Hanim Azira Mohd Taib, 29, felt that Tanda Putera only depicted historical facts. "The movie only showed historical facts. We should now appreciate the sacrifices of our past leaders and the stability of this nation," she said. Also read: Tanda Putera ridicules Tunku Abdul RahmanTanda Putera should be subject of tertiary study |
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