I was stuck in a massive jam after I went to pick up a friend from the Penang airport. No matter how hard I tried to avoid the petrol stations, it seemed like the whole of Penang was out on the streets looking for oil, before the price hike at midnight.
While listening to the radio, I heard one caller phoning in to the deejay and saying something to the effect of, “Here I am stuck in a jam on the way to a petrol station to fill up. I wish I could stay at home like my friend Mr Abdullah and shake legs cos he doesn’t need to go out and fill up.” It took me a couple of moments to realise that he was speaking about the PM! Even the deejay responded, “I would rather be like your friend Mr Abdullah”!
This, then, is the shape of things to come. A 40 per cent hike in petrol prices plus a 20 per cent rise in electricity tariffs. Welcome to the free market and the “brave new Malaysia”.
The experts who advised on a 40 per cent increase figured they would give tax rebates to those with smaller cars.
But what about the makciks and pakciks and other retirees in the market staring at higher food prices, sparked by the latest round of oil prices? Who will help them with their food bills and higher bus fares? They do not all have cars, you know. Where are their rebates? If the private electricity corporations can get massive amounts of subsidised natural gas – why not heavily subsidised education and health care and food for ordinary Malaysians?
No one is saying that the price of petrol cannot be increased. Sure, the rich should pay more for the petrol they consume. It might even encourage fuel conservation. But this increase is way too sharp and will cause tremendous burden to the poor in terms of the knock-on effect on food and other essential items. And there is more to come? God help us! A gradual price increase spread out over a couple of years would have been much more tolerable.
The government must now tell us – and I am dying to know – what Petronas’ profit for the year ended 31 March 2008 is. Please tell us. Even if the final figures are not available, the preliminary figures should be out by now.
The profit before tax for the full year will probably be in the region of RM80 billion (on the back of revenue of RM200 billion) if the results of the first six months are any indication:
FInancial period Half year ended 30/9/2007 – HY ended 30/9/2006 – % Change – FY 31/3/2007
Revenue RM102.9 bil – RM88.8 bil – 15.8% – RM184.1 bil
Profit Before Tax RM42.3 bil – RM40.1 bil – 6.2% – RM76.3 bil
Check out the summary accounts here.
Also, have a look at this:
- HIGH: BG Group, BHP Billiton, Petro-Canada, Shell, StatoilHydro, Nexen, Petrobras, Talisman Energy
- MEDIUM: BP, Chevron, Conoco-Philips, Eni, Hess, Marathon Oil, Repsol, Total, Woodside
- LOW: CNOOC, CNPC, Devon Energy, Exxon-Mobil, Kuwait Petroleum Corp, Lukoil, ONGC, Petronas
Now, this is supremely ironic. Petronas can’t turn around and say Transparency International is biased because Petronas itself in the past has funded the operating expenses of the KL Chapter of Transparency International, otherwise known as the Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity! I suppose the irony is lost on Petronas. So why not transparent? What has it got to hide? Show us the detailed accounts!
We are repeatedly told that subsidies bad, very bad for you, my child. It distorts the free market-lah. You want to talk about subsidies? Let’s talk about subsidies. Tell us how many billions of ringgit in subsidies have been given to the IPPs in the form of lop-sided power purchase agreements that have enriched a small coterie of well connected tycoons and their firms. The business weekly The Edge once identified the IPP beneficiaries as Genting Sanyen Power, YTL Power, Malakoff Bhd and Tanjong Plc/Powertek Bhd. “These companies are controlled by the families of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay, Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and Ananda Krishnan, four of the richest families and individuals in the country,” the paper pointed out back then. See also: Petronas oil profits slip away
Tell us how much in subsidies has been dished out to bail out the banks over the years. And let’s not forget 1998, when Petronas, through its shipping carrier Malaysian International Shipping Corp Berhad (MISC), acquired a debt-laden shipping concern, Konsortium Perkapalan Bhd (KPB) in a deal some analysts felt amounted to a bailout of Mahathir’s son, Mirzan, whose KPB was then floundering under debts estimated at about RM1.7 billion.
Tell us how much of Petronas funds was used to subsidise the development of Putrajaya.
And does Petronas still want to subsidise the Formula One racing team and the National Philharmonic Orchestra? Going by free market “user pay” principles, the F1 spectators and classical music fans should absorb the full cost of running the racing team and financing the orchestra, shouldn’t they? Or do the country’s elite prefer to listen to subsidised classical music while the people suffer? Instead of saying “let them eat cake”, they might say “let them listen to classical music.”
Perhaps CDs of the Orchestra’s classical music could now be distributed to soothe the frayed nerves of Malaysians feeling the burden of the soaring cost of petrol, utilities, food, tolls and medicine.
With the Tsunami of March 8th, BN and AAB have obviously lost the plot. AAB now finds himself having a zillion and 1 problems in his hands and he is, as it is, playing a game of “Bashing the Chipmunks” (10 chipmunks popping out of their holes and poor AAB having only 1 club to bash them . Quite a tough job especially when you are busy chasing your own tail at the same time. BN is a sinking ship as it is and it would look like AAB is just re-enacting the sinking of the Titanic – If he can’t run the country, if all the hantus in UMNO are circling around him to put an end to his miserable life AND If you the Rakyat rejected him by creating this Tsunami, what he is now doing is teaching all that rather than retiring gracefully, he is bring the country down with him. The price increase on fuel and Electricity will start an avalanche of price spiraling upwards and as you rightly pointed out, all non govt servants (especially the middle class and people of lower ranks, the pensioners, the maciks and paciks, the sole proprietors are going to have a difficult time surviving this situayion.
Be assured, the stock market will come tumbling down as well.
Thank you, Prime Minister AAB and the BN govt. you have earned yourselves immortality by your wanton destruction of this beautiful country – The very classic epitome of pocket Ceasars playing the violin (and talking crap) while the nation crumbles.
However, BE ASSURED, the Rakyat will remember and they will know what to do when Election Time comes around again. BN and their component parties will surely bite the dust and disappear from the surface of this beatiful land. All we hope is that you guys will be around when the new Govt. starts taking criminal ation against all the corrupt. May you the corrupt ones (If the songkok fits, wear it!!) and your descendent tremble with fear when the day of punishment comes.
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rebet RM 625 bagi saya tak memadai,
Akan tetapi saya tak mahu desak kerajaan untuk naikkan rebet itu, kerana sebarang kenaikan rebet itu tidak memberi kesan kepada golongan miskin tak berkenderaan.
Oleh itu, saya minta jasa baik pihak tuan untuk promotekan gerakan mendesak kerajaan untuk memberikan subsidi makanan untuk setiap rakyat Malaysia yang diambil daripada penjimatan akibat kenaikan harga minyak, (saya anggarkan penjimatan lebih 20 bilion)
RM 50 seorang 13.8 bilion setahun sahaja.
Jemput baca:
http://sebolku.blogspot.com/2008/06/hanya-138-bilion-sahaja-untuk-kupon.html
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Saya tak ada masalah dengan kenaikan minyak (still quite piss)tapi yang paling marah adalah PENIPU!!!
Dah berapa kali kita kena tipu? Hari ni cakap tak tapi esok bammm!!! Terus jadi. Tak ada penjelasan apa pun. Minta maaf pun tak ada. Ini ke sopan santun orang melayu?
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Come on lah, Badawi has not lost his plot. This oil price increase is brilliant political move. Election not due for the next 4.5 years. Extra cash revenue per year RM56 bil (RM1bil =RM1,000 mil) so it’s RM56,000,000,000,000 we are talking about. Definitely enough to retain those 30++ MP who want cross over to Pakatan with lots of change. DSAI’s Pakatan in deep trouble now, unless snap election is called. Now only DYMM Agong can help Pakatan. Also, if lost snap election (very unlikely) they can also grab a few bil before they make their exit. Brilliant very brilliant move. Wish some people go to hell and be burned there for eternity for this. And pls do not talk about subsidy as there has never been any subsidy since day 1. Look at this, farmer plant vegetables, sell some and consume some. Price of vegetable increase 100X, sold vegetables give more profit. Own consumed vegetable – is it subsidy?
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It’s not easy to figure out all the financial figures
Made partially known selectively to the general public
For it’s difficult to point out with our own fingers
How money is spent in manners invisible to the public
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng – 050608
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Thur. 5th June 2008.
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Mr.anil,
Day by day u getting bolder and sometimes as a joker in beetween.
What increace ? – we still cheaper in the region.
What inflation 5%? – 20 ringgit item become now more than 30ringgit.(rice)
What increase? – actually everything decrease in spending power.
As one of my customer said (foreign finacial analyst – Malaysia have everything accept brain)
rajraman – stayed home last night although my car tank empty because i worried all the traffic jam i mights to push my car to the petrol pump and 2day my phone on bar mode because no mood already to service customer.(maybe up to afternoon)
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Abdullah did mention he’s not doing it for the popularity. Which he aint getting for sure. But if it is really for long term benefits, it is indeed a bold move by him. And yes anil, I do agree the subsidy savings can be used for things that all the Rakyat can benefit from. Like food stuff. All malaysians can enjoy food subsidy, but not everybody can have a share of the fuel subsidy.
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Geram, Geram, Geram betul aku geram! Mana keadilan. Kerajaan tipu, kerajaan palsu!
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Good one, Anil. Let them listen to classical music. Also, let them watch cars going round in circles, chasing after each other’s egos.
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Anil,
maybe after all ,i must aggreee to Mahaguru 58.
He have the data regards the oil price per liter on oil producing countries.
FINALLY TUN MAHATHIR BECOME ALSO BECOME MALAYSIAN IN ONE VOICE.(check it out myself finally in his blogs with out leaving comments)
check it out.
Raj raman666- pay the credits due whenever dues,i dont own any credits cards debt.
DO THE GOVERMENT KNOW- this country economies is stagnant other than oil,rubber and palm oil?
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Brilliant move by Abdullah as now nobody will dare to hold the post of PM in a very unpopular government which will undoubtedly be ousted in the next election.. in the meantime just collect as much as possible; why does he cares .. he may not even be around by the the time of the next election.. Too bad though for MCA, MIC and Gerakan.. they better abandon ship now or sink with it come the next election..
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if PR taking over, will all this problem go away?can they do everything that they have promised?hmm..
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That’s “Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang” for us folks !!!
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I just can’t get it. This is political suicide but why did he do it?
Is he instigating the people to revolt? If so why?
He could have increased the price by say 10 sen on March 9, 15 sen in April, 15 sen in May and 20 sen in June etc etc.
The adjustment would have been gradual and the anger controllable.
In any case, Anil, do you know how much is spent of the PM’s jet and residence.
At no time after the last hike did the PM, his deputy and cabinet members ever indicate that they were tightening their belts or changing their life styles. But that what we were told to do.
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(They are) sucking our nasion oil reserved.
They are (allegedly) using the saving on fuel hike to divert the money to Iskandar Region. BN has committed to foreign investors to jointly develop the IR. RM17.3 billions needed to fund this project at the expense of rakyat.
BN only interested in saving their image not rakyat. We suffer for all thing will go up.
Remember come GE13-rakyat to topple the BN goverment. Maybe this is BN final bid before vanish-they have to (squeeze) as many as possible.
BN goverment is irresponsible goverment.
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Are we the first country in world to float fluel price?
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The govt has said that vehicle owners will get a rebate of Rm625 per annum to help them come with the new price increase on petrol. Big Hairy Deal!
While the Rm625 will help to reduce the ‘pain’ of the price increase in only a very small way, what does AAB and the govt have to say about the expected price increase of products and services as a direct result of the increase in petrol and electricity. The Rakyat will be hit very badly this time and yes while it might just be an ant’s where the rich and the cronies and families of the people in power, the man on the street, the paciks and maciks in the kampongs are going to suffer very badly.
Whether AAB’s move is a bold, daring or brilliant one, I for one will not stop calling for the fall of this utterly despicable and dishonest… government. People have previously warned/advise that it is better the devil we know (BN) than the angel we don’t (Anwar Ibrahim and Pakatan) For me, the devil be damned. I would prefer the unknown angel considering that the Devil has become a monster of mammoth proportions. God Help Malaysia and help us to destroy this Devil.
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Well, well done! What a lot of brilliant goons we have here in the M’sian parliament! They can come to the final figure for price increase in 48hrs(40%) And we wonder who the expert here that come to that conclusion ( the brilliant KJ?) Only decisions that benefit the ‘elite’ few and their cronies can be made in a flash! Other problems of the rakyat are term as irrelevant, not valid, no proof, are looking into it and what not they can think of cos’ it eats into their pockets!
If the billions that can be saved from this exercise goes back to the economy of the country and to the well being of the rakyat, then it’s a bloody good move. BUT WE THE RAKYAT DO NOT THINK THAT THIS WILL MATERIALISE!!! WE DARE YOU TO PROOF US WRONG!!
Or is this a last ditch effort to get your hands on whatever you can before being DUMP by the rakyat!!
Like earlier said, was consideration given to the vicious cycle that will happen with this HUGE increase overnight? The rakyat is already bleeding with the slowdown in economy yet the dagger is plunge into the heart! Am sure there will be another INCREASE of 40-50% come August, then what happens? Can’t it be made on a gradual scale so that we can get acclimatise with the situation?
Well, looks as though you are testing the strength of the rakyat. Do not forget, the PEN is mightier then the SWORD! Let’s see which conscious rakyat is left to want you people around. You have hammered yourself your last nail in your coffin….
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Thats very right Anil…
UMNO tells us suffering rakyat…
“CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE”
wHat more changes can I do Anil?
Here are the list to things I dont do cos I cant afford them.
1. play golf
2, smoke
3. drink alcohol or beer or anything of that nature
4. own a merc or proton wira
5. own a bungalow
6. join any club
7. eat even at low class restaurant
8. Own a streamyx..(sorry i go to cybercafe to contact u guys)
so what more changes can i do?
stop or reduce eating to once a day?
any other suggestion please BN?
while BN continue to waste money on National service bulls***, buying used soyuz spacejunk, play yoyo in space, etc etc….
BN does not change its own lifestyle, so best thing is rakyat change your lifestyle for you by throwing u out !!!!!
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“lf the private electricity corporations can get massive amounts of subsidised natural gas – why not heavily subsidised education and health care and food for ordinary Malaysians?”
Anil, go ask Mahathir, the IPP contracts were signed during his time.
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Yes, he has no brain. Now the Rakyat are affected. We have already felt the burden. The hike in oil prices will definitely has a chain effect….more to come..increase in transportation fees, crime rate, cooking oil, our favourite malaysian food nasi lemak and roti canai, people end up very stressful etc. Can he elaborate what he meant by Cemerlang, Gemilang and Terbilang?
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Hi Anil,
You know something…Mr Samy wants the petrol price hike to be RM1 but its only 78 cent. He was very upset because he couldn’t hit the target.
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Dear Mr Anil,
Your articles and analyses are always of high quality.
Congratulations!
One possiblity for the drastic price hike:
To use the revenue generated from the drastic price hike as funds to spread around and buy political support (so as to ensure political survival).
In other words, voodoo economics but Machiavellian politics.
Phua Kai Lit
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THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT INFLATION AND THE RISE IN PRICES OF ANYTHING IS ALL ABOUT THE BIG GUNS AT THE TOP AND HOW THEY ARE FOOLING WITH US. IMAGINE IT THIS WAY, ECONOMICS IS OBVIOUSLY CONTROLLED BY THE WEALTHY AND NOT THE POOR, OTHERWISE THE POOR WOULD BE THE WEALTHY ONES OF SOCIETY.PRICES JUST DON’T GO UP, SOMEONE MAKES THEM GO UP AND WHOEVER IT IS IT IS DEFINITELY FOR NO REAL PURPOSE BUT TO GENERATE MORE MONEY. EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE POOR WHO MAY WORK OUT THE MANY DIFFERENT EQUATIONS UPON WHICH THIS SCIENCE OF UNJUST PROFIT IS DEPENDANT EVEN THEY DONT ACTUALLY KNOW WHY THE PRICES RISE, IT’S ALL ABOUT MORE MONEY. EVER HEARD OF ROCKEFELLER AND REXXON.
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The so-called experts sitting up there “crunching” away at numbers and finally deciding are not getting their brains used correctly(got brains ah?). You do not make a management decision without thinking of the implications – good or bad that will be affected by that decision. Stupidos! These so called decision makers I bet never been to the interiors of Sarawak (where 50% of the people/voters)rely on river transport for their food/travel/sending children to school…..these poor folks do not own a proton for goodness sake – how do they get this special consideration called a ‘rebate’??? Sheesh, BN may have just given the “bullet” to PR on a silver platter.
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