Thoughts

It has been like what? 3 weeks since the price hike of petrol prices? Many have criticized this move made my the government. A 70 cent increase from the previous price. Or a rough estimation of 40% increase. This increase has indeed put a strain and burden on everyone. The effects of petrol going up is also felt in other means of items and services. Food is slightly more expensive. Services charge extra nowadays. 

The government used to spend 17 BILLION, note the caps, on subsidies on petrol goods. Apparently, they are pulling back the subsidies to use the money for betterment of the nation. So far they are planning on improving the public transportation system, which so far I only know of the expansion of the LRT/PUTRA rail system. The government is now 17 billion richer.  But one can only wonder, why did the government take away our subsidies, and the next day decide to rebate us from the road tax? Hold on for a moment. I know you will say that it will lighten the burden even though not much but lets try seeing it from another way.

It is mentioned that this rebate system will give back to the people in a rough estimation of 5 Billion. Get the picture yet? No? Let me explain. The government took from us 17 billion, and gave us back 5 billion. Why not just take 12 billion from the start? Wouldn't that be and easier solution and less of a burden to us Rakyats? IF they had done that, the petrol increase would have only been about 30-40 cents. 

We all know that we can get our rebates for the road tax from any post office. Question is, why the post office? You have to bring your car grant, which at times even JPJ can't know if its fake or real, and now we're taking it to the post office where the staff have no idea what so ever about these documents? Wouldn't this be more susceptible to fraud? And we're not talking about small amounts of money here. This gives these crooks a place to gain access to a part of the 5 billion. Why not the bank? Why not JPJ offices? Where the staff are more trained and skilled.

Which brings me to the whole problem, why did our petrol prices have to go up? The government says that they need money to fund projects to make Malaysia a better place. Isn't there other places to get back the money? Why not enforce tax collection?  A lot of businesses and individuals evade tax payments. If I'm not mistaken, our annual tax collection is 50 billion. Mind you this with all these people evading and cutting taxes. If the government had better enforcement, I'm pretty sure they would at least be able to collect double the amount collected now. They said that the petrol prices have to go up because of the increase in crude oil prices in the international market. Which cost around 130 USD per barrel? Problem is, WE ARE AN OIL PRODUCING NATION.  We export our crude oil and import lower grade ones for our consumption. It is refined right here on Malaysian shores. And remember, the per barrel prices, are for CRUDE oil, not petrol. Say if this really affects our production of petrol, lets do a bit of maths. A barrel contains 158 liters of crude oil. So with it being 130 USD( lets just take a 4 ringgit exchange for 1 usd) it will cost about 520 ringgit per barrel. Which makes it about 3ringgit per liter. Keep in mind a barrel of crude oil can make about 78 liters of petrol and other by products.We are exporting our oil which we get money from and we import a smaller amount for our own usage. Naturally won't we earn more than enough for us to pay the cost of importing it? What about the taxes companies like Exxon or Shell have been paying?  Other oil producing nations have petrol prices under 1 dollar in their own currency. Oh yea, I think Petronas' annual profit was in the news last few days, I think it was 70 billion. So some one tell me why we can't afford to subsidize the petrol for the Rakyat then? Like I said, there's many other ways the government can find income with out burdening the general public.

After jacking up the petrol prices suddenly, the government tells shops and services not to increase their prices. Are they insane? Everything needs transportation. And transportation needs petrol. Is it fair for these people to keep the same prices and earn less? And the government can tell us to change our life styles. And what? Not eat rice? Not eat chicken? Not use lights or fans in the house? How can they ask us to change our life styles when what's affected is essentials of the society. Every single price increase is affected by the increase in petrol. 

I'm sure you all know our electrical tariffs are up together with the petrol prices. Apparently, TNB can't sustain it self at the same rate. After the tariff hike, guess what TNB did. Senior management got a salary increase of 100%! If they can't afford, shouldn't they be cutting down cost instead? AND the salaries of the CEOs of the GLC companies. Dato' Nazir of CIMB bank, earns 9 million a year. AND WE ARE PAYING FOR IT. Maybank is a bigger bank and it's CEO earns about 3 million a year, from us the Rakyat too. But 9 million a year ? Ridiculous! No wonder the government doesn't have money. 

The current government has been in seat for 3 years. Petronas earns about 60 Billion a year. SO thats 180 Billion. Wonder where has that gone. And this recent 17 billion. Wonder where its going now.