Dayak leaders response on fuel prices

Explain use of savings on subsidy
By Ting Tieng Hee
Source: Borneo Post

Government must let the people know in detail what the plans are, says Masing

KUCHING: The government must be able to explain to the people what the savings on the fuel subsidy are used for, said Minister of Land Development Dato Sri James Jemut Masing.

He said the hike in fuel prices was expected as the government could not afford to continuously subsidise them but it was important for the people to know the rationale behind the government’s decision.

“It is not good enough for the government to say that it is using the savings on fuel subsidy for development. It must let the people know in detail what the plans are,” he said when asked to comment on the price hike of fuel yesterday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had announced on Wednesday that the new price for petrol would be RM2.70 per litre (40 per cent jump) and diesel, RM2.58 per litre (63 per cent jump).

The announcement was part of the government’s new fuel subsidy scheme mechanism which seeks to reduce the fuel subsidy amounting to an annual RM53 billion.

The government’s move to float the fuel price in accordance with the global market price makes Malaysia one of the countries with low fuel prices in this region.

Masing, also Parti Rakyat Sarawak president, said the people would only see the rationale behind the price hike if the government explained to them in an honest and transparent manner.

“The people must be informed and Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties informed so they can explain to the people what is happening and what the government is going to do,” he said.

He said the hike in petrol price would be harsh on the people, especially those living in rural areas.

“I have also received SMSes this morning from longhouses in Kapit and the people there are very upset with the government for the price hike,” he added yesterday.

Masing agreed that if the fuel price hike is not handled carefully, it would affect the Barisan Nasional, particularly the coalition in Sarawak where the state election was expected in about three years’ time.

“It will affect the BN unless we explain because we have intelligent voters. Intelligent voters mean we require rationale intelligence and transparency in our dealings.”

His advice to people in rural areas in facing this challenging times was: “Be prudent and do not travel unnecessarily at the moment until the government works out definite plans to reduce the impact.”

Meanwhile Sarawak People’s Democratic Party (SPDP) senior vice-president Peter Nansian Ngusie said the price hike of fuel affected everybody, not just rural folk.

“People suffer when they travel to town, and everybody faces the same situation.”

“We should look at the whole oil market and the region where every country is facing the same problem. Compared with other countries (except Brunei), our fuel prices are still very much lower,” said Nansian, who is also assemblyman for Tasik Biru.

He advised the people to work harder to earn more to catch up with the price increases, spend less and plan their financial expenditure properly.

Nansian said price increases of items like oil or kopi-o were nothing new and it happened all the time, from the 1960s or 1970s until now. The most important thing now was to face the realities of life.

My view

At least Dr. James gave a better comment/respond on the issue. Yes, Pak Lah needs to go to the interior of Sarawak and smell the soil where we Dayaks live. See and sleep with us and feel the pain of buying expensive petrol and diesel. Tell us in our language and not the BN language which we do not understand. Speak in layman language and not those language of politics which only politician can understand.

To the Dayaks, RM2.58 is RM2.58 and nothing else.

On Peter Nansian’s view.. aiyaaaaaaaaaaaa that is just an echo of what Pak Lah have announced! Why can’t Nansian compare our fuel price with those of the other oil producing countries? Typical politician!

Yes everyone suffers, but you suffer less than what the rural folks feel. At this point of time, you should be giving realistic approach on what we should do.

Work harder so that we are ready to face the higher prices in our basic items? Ask the farmers to work till 9 pm so that they can earn more?

Why don’t the leader urge the Cabinet to build LRT from Serian to Kuching and charge the commuters RM1 per one-way trip..

Why don’t the leader urge the Cabinet to impose an RM50 per one-way trip from Kuching to Miri for bus fare..

Why don’t the leader urge the Cabinet to announce how much Sarawak is going sell her hydro power to the West Malaysian..

Say it YB, say it… and (what happen to the rest of the YBs???)