By Helen Ang
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Does MSM have a clue why the rakyat – including me – will take to the streets in Protes on Sunday?
I ask because the story told by theSun is in service of power, not of the people … oops, ‘People’s Paper’ is that other tabloid-lah which reported thieves are now stealing petrol instead of cars.
How the disenfranchised are affected is the story MSM is not telling. Barang Naik will pitch people over the poverty line from the knock-on effects of the fuel price hikes.
Yet theSun says this: “And what Parliament approved on Monday (June 23) was the restructuring of unsustainable fuel subsidies, including the June 5 increases”.
Why “unsustainable”? Did the paper’s great investigative journalism reveal thus, or was it merely giving the last word to authority?
‘Yes, Minister’ as usual; theSun spins to absolve BN of blame. “What is happening is a global phenomenon beyond the control of the government”. “By and large most people agree with the explanation …” [above]. “There is no doubt that few people have any quarrel with some of the moves announced …”
http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=23480
Since I must be only one of the, without doubt, very “few people to have any quarrel” with the policy prescription, I’ve had to re-read theSun’s ‘Combating inflation must be a national effort’ (June 25) a half dozen times to try and understand why I’m stuck in such a miniscule minority.
But please, you read it. Then tell me if the article is saying that we’re better off [than Burma?] because “elsewhere there are all kinds of rioting” due to petrol prices running amok.
The gist of theSun says: “Therefore, it is commendable that the government should decide on a gaggle of measures to combat inflation and to get Parliament’s endorsement for the moves.”
(To digress briefly, Oxford dictionary defines ‘gaggle’ as “a group of geese”, “a group of noisy or talkative people”; apt, Petronas is the goose that lays the golden eggs.)
Besides the road tax rebate, I’m not sure what the rest of the “gaggle of measures” is. theSun editorial does not elaborate.
Nonetheless, the paper’s competitor NST reported on June 27 Pos Malaysia executive director and group CEO Datuk Abu Huraira Abu Yazid saying 1.14 million claims, representing 68 percent of total eligible had been processed under Phase 1 of the road tax rebate. He said claims made so far amounted to RM528.3 million, about 80 percent of the total. An economist informed me that Pos Malaysia is collecting a generous commission on handling fees.
So there we have it: the RM660 million moved (give or take, what’s a couple of millions between friends), Pos M’sia charges, miscellaneous costs. And higher petrol and diesel pump prices, the latter increased by 63%.
To illustrate, transport of flour from Port Klang to sleepy hollow Bentong to the traders there (and subsequently to that guy who makes excellent rawa thosai and cow’s milk tea) are going up heftily. The main benefit of cheaper fuel is a lower rate of inflation, i.e. lower prices of goods.
And since inflation hits the poor hardest, the ones sent reeling may find their homes soon plunged into darkness too with the new electricity tariffs. However, since MSM sits cosy and with the bigwigs, it suffers a failure of imagination.
theSun editorial had one point to make: “It would have been better had there been some sort of consensus on the package of measures from both sides of the political divide … It would have, had the package of measures gone to any one of the parliamentary committees for endorsement before being presented”.
Basically the paper is saying that BN and PR should have worked together in a “parliamentary committee” and come to an agreement, instead of Umno Minister Shahrir cleaving the House in twain – 129 votes ‘for’ and 79 ‘against’ the motion on subsidies.
Aiyoo, a verbose editorial lavished on such wishful thinking. Given Anwar and Pakatan’s declared stance and the BN track record of non-cooperation, there could have been no bi-partisan position on this; so why bother.
As with any bombastic MSM editorial, theSun concludes with pro-establishment preach: “Also, has not the government leaders themselves called for everyone to be involved in efforts to combat inflation or to mitigate its harshness when it is fully upon us? Let us do what is right for the whole nation.”
To refresh your memory, the article is headlined, ‘Combating inflation must be a national effort’. Quite a tall order for the helpless poor, already despondent and frustrated, to contribute to this “national effort”.
With theSun’s apparent disconnect from reality, its call “to do what is right for the whole nation” indeed reflects the paper’s amazing anomie.
Petrol (1): The U-turn gostan government
Petrol (2): The devil is in the details
The People's Parliament 
su
July 2, 2008
It definitely depends on where one “sits” in the entire fiasco. I, for one, am not against the fuel price hike, although I have to say that it has been much too steep, and no proper measures have been put in place to ensure that the majority of society can cope with the domino effect of prices of other things rising almost unanimously.
That the govt officials have had the balls to call for Malaysians to “change their lifestyle” so as to put themselves in a better position to face the inflation is one that reeks of selfishness and a total disregard of the society’s needs. To suggest taking the public transport, or turning to growing our own plants and vegies, or eating less rice, or the tons of other so-called advice and suggestions are pure jokes.
The ones hit the hardest are always the ones struggling to make ends meet. They might very well be the ones who don’t own cars. They are the ones who don’t qualify for the “rebate”, however miniscule that is. And yet they are the ones who will have to fork out whatever savings they have in order to face the inflation that might very well spin out of control. Some get paid less than RM1,000 for more work done than those sitting in posh offices and signing contracts. Some might even have to work at two/three different jobs just to make enough for them to live.
That fuel was “heavily subsidised” to the point that it became “unsustainable” was a problem for the govt to solve. But when they decide to solve the problem in complete disregard for the more serious problems that stem out of their decision, it is pure irresponsibility.
a concerned voter
July 2, 2008
To do what is right for the whole nation-the Sun paper.
Does that mean what we are doing now(trimming here and there)is still not right enough?And their 10% cut in entertainment allowance or limiting holidaying to Asian countries are right enough?
And Brother Haris,did you find your rawa thosai getting smaller and your cow’s milk tea getting more dilute these days? If no,lucky you and if yes,give a pat to the guy for doing right for the whole nation.
Rocket Science
July 2, 2008
Yes the poor will be hit the hardest by this. All the extra cost will be thrown onto the consumer to bare. There will be people who will raise the price of their goods just so that they could make an extra buck.
The problem with the fuel price is a Global problem. No one is disputing that one bit. But Malaysia produces Crude oil. So we are making more money than before. So why say that the subsidy cannot be sustained anymore.
slogan
July 2, 2008
I don’t understand….
we are an oil producing country.
Why we the rakyat need to fork out more than non oil producing country?
Are the government of the day is stupid or the people of this country is stupid. Come on…. don’t say that “Government heavily Subsidizing” so they need to re-align to current market situation.
Pure Bullshit….. Mere Political Talk. STOP.
Think……
S$2.20 per liter in Singapore (no oil resources) and in Malaysia (net exporter)it cost RM2.70.
Please…..don’t do all the stupid calculation on exchange rate. REMEMBER…
Singaporean employee paid in Sing. dollars. So they pay for their fuel in Sing. dollars. In Malaysia we get RM so we paid in RM. Then why need to compare after exchanged the price to RM?
Daryl
July 2, 2008
Aiyoyo
Want to compesate rakyat for fuel increase by letting POS company disperse out the money. Want to fight corruption but see what happen if you put money in front of thieves like BN politicians and goons. Money will be stolen a little bit here and there.
In US I got my money deposited directly into my bank account by IRS after the President annoucne that I am qualified for the additional payback. I don’t even need to press a keyboard to get the money. Either it is send to you in the mail or direct deposit to your account.
shar101
July 2, 2008
Hahaha! Helen’s learned a new word – anomie – which I believe was contributed by another TPP reader.
Certainly an apt word to describe the ‘malaise’ we’re confronted with daily in every conceivable way, and then some.
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Anywayz, back to the serious issues.
Is there an accountant out there who can delve into and decipher Petronas’ accounts?
On the Petronas website, click open Corporate, Company background and then, Investor Relations (duh!?) in which you will find the Audits.
Much as we’re given a glimpse or rather a thumbnail view of what’s revealed, there’s no further details.
Furthermore, I’m interested to know more on “crude oil trading” which presumably is handled by Mitco. Petronas’ daily production is about 750,000 bpd of which about 200/250K are assigned to the futures market.
And we’re told that for every US$1.00 increase per barrel, this translates to about RM250 thousand (million?) additional income. Oil price was US$40-50 per barrel one year ago. Today, it’s hovering above US$140.
That’s a lot of mullahs since OUR oil is ‘sweet’ and not ‘sour’ thereby fetching a premium compared to Mid-East production.
Hang on.. Maybe we need an oiler too.
*No Dear, I don’t know why it’s raining stale rawa thosai outside. Could be a sign for a ‘feed the poor’ charity drive being bandied around in blogsphere by a kind soul.
And yes Dear, I’ll get hold of Rover before he gets sick eating the stuff when I’m done mucking up Haris’s blog… err.. sending these very important biz emails*
Dr.Zhivago
July 3, 2008
I dun care who decides or who is the government.
I am least bothered of “how bad is govt” and all..
But I would just like to respond to the rantings on the petrol price hike that has pinched some “rich guys” so badly too..
As for me, I am happy to see Petrol go up!
Its time people everywhere in the world get conscience of their Earth and Global warming.
Something has to be done to shake them off from their OIL addiction and let this be it!
On the other hand, Canada and Norway, oil producing countries as well, are paying 2-3 times of this current petrol price in their countries.
They channel their Oil money in to funds for the future and conserve their Oil resources.
But then that’s another issue,
Atleast this PINCH can help the Earth, make people go green on CNGs and EcoCars, rather than this culture of just brandishing cars like ornaments.
worldrichestunemployed
July 3, 2008
Shahrir is talking ****, he knows nothing about economy. I see his monkey face, I also want to vomit. He will make more suffering to RAKYAT!.
Michael Sun
July 3, 2008
Firstly, I am against subsidies. It creates a false economy and encourages inefficiency.
The world has faced the first oil shock in the 70s and survived well. With the present oil price there is a silver lining ie people will start to explore alternative energy. Time for us to use solar energy for our homes and NGV to run our cars.
The price of petrol in UK is GBP1.35 or roughly about RM9. The first reaction is that it is expensive. But “expensive” is relative. In UK, the minimum wage is roughly GBP 6 per hour. So if you work in MacDonalds you get GBP6/hour while in KL you get RM3.60 or less than GBP0.60p/hour.
Therefore the issue is our purchasing power and productivity. Since Merdeka, our economy has been sheltered and protected. Coupled with our Ketuanan Melayu/NEP policies we became inefficient and less productive. Where in the world do we have more government employees than taxpayers except Malaysia? This is even after all the money spent on computerisation and privatisation of utilities such as TNB, Telekom etc.
How is it that Hongkong and Singapore though more expensive places to live with no oil or natural than us, can still do better than us?
Sherlock Holmes would say, “Watson, it is elementary”. We have driven the best brains to migrate overseas and what we have left behind are the mediocre ones running the government service. Headed of course by Badawi who dropped out of Econs degree and opted for Islamic Studies.
Oil is just a component of the jigsaw. Switzerland is landlocked and yet its percapita income is way ahead of Malaysia.
The issue is what do we do with the savings from cutting the subsidies. Buy another new Airbus corporate jet our PM or Deputy PM or Rosmah?
Bigjoe
July 3, 2008
I beg to differ. I actually agree that what is happening is ‘beyond the control’ of the government. That include upgrading the public transport, helping the poor improve their income, stopping crime, stopping waste etc.
Oh! But wait, that is not a global phenomenon. Its our very own…
Seng
July 3, 2008
Helen,
Excellent article.
I agree with many of your points made.
It is obvious MSM has pre-judged Rakyat’s feelings.
MSM has made MANY Ass-u-me-ptions about Rakyat, rather than actually surveyed or ask Rakyat.
Totally agree with this – “Why “unsustainable”? Did the paper’s great investigative journalism reveal thus, or was it merely giving the last word to authority? ”
Totally agree with this – ““By and large most people agree with the explanation …” [above]. “There is no doubt that few people have any quarrel with some of the moves announced …”; “I’ve had to re-read theSun’s ‘Combating inflation must be a national effort’ (June 25) a half dozen times to try and understand why I’m stuck in such a miniscule minority. ”
And I could go on and on.
It’s obvious MSM is trying to “brain-wash” the public.
This is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
Keep up the great work in exposing this terrible and shameful practice of MSM.
ong ah lock
July 3, 2008
why do you, helen ang, dissect the sun-rubbish tabloid, to such great analytical detail, when you know fully well it’s own and written by a stained crony of many decades. why do you waste such incredibly huge amount of resources and brain, to rubbish a rubbish piece of paper.
aiyomanaboleh
July 3, 2008
Some postings above agreed that the hike will be good in the long term. These posters I guess are in a position to absorb such increase, probably middle class.
The issue is not with the middle class and above. The issue is with the borderline cases to the poor. What’s gonna happen to them? Can you a middle class poster go with bare rice or without a meal in a day?
I don’t have the figures but my guess will not be too far off to say that the bulk of the population falls within the bordeline cases to the poor. So what are we gonna do to help this group? Leave it to the government?
The trouble with our economy and the way it is managed is that alot of money are almost always spent on the middle class and the rich. Look at the cumulative expenses that the country has coughed out for items like the F1, KLCC, Putrajaya, the new hospital by Petronas and others that only the middle class and above get to enjoy. This is a one sided way of distributing the wealth of the country. What have the government done for the not so well off. Maybe, the government itself is well off, so its policies is always slanted towards that end and the poor forgotten.
Look at Sabah, Sarawak and Trengganu. You guys are complaining of the jams and the need for expansion of roads etc when in these 3 states, people have to walk miles and miles for basic amenities.
Subsidies have to be given but only to those that deserve them and if implemented properly, will not cause a big dent in the government’s coffers. After, the money does not belong to the government for them to keep, but to be used for giving a better standard of living to its citizen. The poor should therefore gets more and the rich likewise less.
Then again, the problem is not the subsidies but the implementation of them. The latest being the siphoning off of subsidied fertilisers. Enforcement agencies in our country apparently have never being able to do a good job when come to subsidied items. We have problems with diesel, rice, fertilisers etc.
You and I are still OK as we express our thoughts during lunch time, the issue of the hike eating into our lifestyle is there but not threatening but spare a though next time as Helen has done above.
Helen Ang
July 4, 2008
Dear Dr Zhivago,
Canadians and Norwegians are Top 3 on global indices in standard of living and human development best practices whereas I’m not sure many here have heard of CNG or seen an EcoCar.
Malaysians hardest hit by the consequences of the hike are not the ones wasting petrol on oil guzzlers; they don’t even own cars. More expensive diesel (transportation of goods) makes the prices of everything else go up, like rice and foodstuff.
Those living on the margins are pinched because there is no lifestyle to change without there being any luxuries to cut back on. For them, life is the barest of essentials and sadly, they do not have Internet to tell you this.
Our government has been irresponsible in effecting the oil subsidy retraction because it has pulled the rug out from under the feet of the have-nots.
When the BN powers-that-be makes ‘conservation’ their excuse and talks about people using cars less often, I would like to see the officials of this government take public transport first. I also wonder if they are even capable of writing a 250-word essay on what ‘conservation’ is.
Thank you for taking the trouble to respond, and even though I can agree with the points you’ve raised – e.g. cars brandished as status symbols (I dislike that some employers make it the duty of their Indonesian maids to polish the cars daily) – you also helpfully illustrate my post heading about how one’s stand depends on where he is sitting.