MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today announced price hikes for petrol, diesel and electricity. He said the new price for petrol is RM2.70 a litre, effective midnight tonight. The price goes up by 78 sen from the current RM1.92, an increase of 40%. Abdullah also announced that the price of diesel would be increased by RM1 from RM1.58 to RM2.58. He also said that Tenaga Nasional Bhd would be raising electricity rates by 18% for homes and 26% for business users. To assist those within the lower income group, a rebate totalling RM 625 will be given to those driving below 2,000cc vehicles or pick up truck/jeep up to 2,500 cc, while those above this engine capacity will only be entitled to RM200. Those on motorbikes with engine capacity up to 250cc, RM150 rebate will be given out. Further in the press release statement to Syokkahwin.com, the PRIME MINISTER’S office states that:
“Bayaran tunai ini akan diberi apabila pemilik kenderaan dan motosikal membayar atau memperbaharui lesen kenderaan bermotor (cukai jalan). Bayaran ini meliputi kenderaan dengan cukai jalan yang berkuat kuasa mulai 1 April 2008 hingga 31 Mac 2009. Bayaran tunai ini akan diberikan secara Kiriman Wang (Money Order) di pejabat Pos Malaysia, di seluruh negara, mulai 1 Julai 2008. Untuk sekian lama, rakyat Malaysia termasuk sektor komersil dan industri, telah menikmati diskaun yang tinggi bagi gas yang disediakan oleh PETRONAS. Pada masa yang sama, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) terpaksa menampung kenaikan harga arang batu.
Dengan penstrukturan semula subsidi gas dan kenaikan harga arang batu, Kerajaan telah meluluskan satu struktur baru tarif elektrik bagi membolehkan TNB menyerap kos bahan api bagi gas dan arang batu. Struktur tarif baru yang akan berkuatkuasa pada 1 Julai 2008 ini, akan diguna pakai oleh semua pengguna domestik (rumah), komersil dan industri di Semenanjung Malaysia sahaja. Satu struktur tarif baru akan diumumkan tidak lama lagi bagi Sabah dan Sarawak.
Selaras dengan hasrat Kerajaan untuk melindungi sebaik mungkin kebajikan golongan berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana, struktur tarif elektrik yang baru ini tidak akan menjejaskan pengguna yang menggunakan 200 Kilowat Jam (kWj) ke bawah setiap bulan dengan anggaran bil elektrik adalah kurang daripada RM43.60. Ini bermakna, 59 peratus isi rumah di Semenanjung Malaysia akan membayar kadar yang sama selagi mereka mengekalkan tahap penggunaan yang sama.
Harga minyak masak (Gas Petroleum Cecair atau LPG) dan Gas Asli bagi Kenderaan (NGV) tidak akan berubah. Harga bagi LPG dan NGV tetap pada kadar sedia ada iaitu RM1.75 setiap kg dan 63.5 sen setiap liter.
This is bad for MALAYSIAN economy, inflation definitely is going to go up to more than 4%. As of now it has reached beyond 3.0% level. So people be prepared on prices increase of general goods. For electricity it really hits at the right point. Those richmen using electricity more than ordinary people should pay more, money saved from gas subsidy given to them can be given back to rakyat. Independent Power Producers (IPP) have been enjoying significant profits from gas subsidies at the expense of rakyat as buying gas at very cheap rate of RM6.40/mmbtu from PETRONAS, whereas the market rate is at approximately RM27/mmbtu. With the increase in purchase costs, money saved by PETRONAS from subsidising these IPPs can be given back to rakyat (normally in the form of higher dividend payment to the government).
There are many reasons why PETRONAS should not continue subsidising the petrol increase:
- subsidising will create artificial demand in the market, people will use petrol as if it were unlimited resources. Demand should be controlled so that we have enough for our future generation.
- Why Shell and Esso not subsidising the petrol? After all they also extract oil from our homeland MALAYSIA. We should get more money from them for consuming our resources.
- If we extract more money from PETRONAS, what else left for them to use to pay their staff? Their staff are very underpaid in comparison to other companies in the industry. Would you give your own pocket money to pay for other people’s luxury? Seriously when you think about it! Additionally, PETRONAS need money to explore fields outside MALAYSIA. Exploration is risky, sometimes you hit the jackpot, sometimes you don’t. Each oil well costs more than RM 50 million to explore!
- What happens if we no longer have PETRONAS that is no longer producing oil and gas? This could happen in 8 years time if PETRONAS don’t continue to explore and look for oil. They need to build capabilities in deepwater. All these cost money and not in millions but billions my friend! If we don’t have PETRONAS, more than 30% of MALAYSIAN annual GDP income is gone! Who’s gonna pay for your health care, child education, scholarships, public transport etc? We need to support PETRONAS in this respect for our future generation. Anwar Ibrahim knows nuts about all these! He’s only goods with words without making clear sense at all!
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