Sunday, May 25, 2008

East Malaysian pays more

For decades, East Malaysian have been paying higher on products and services. Bintulu produces gas, yet the price of gas in peninsular Malaysia is cheaper. Sabah is a major oil palm producer in Malaysia yet palm oil in Sabah is costlier than in peninsular Malaysia.

Wait until end of next month and see if the Federal Government will standardise the prices of subsidised goods throughout the country as promised, following grouses raised by consumers in Sabah and Sarawak over price discrepancies.

Other unfair pricing include higher cost of locally made car compare to those car with better quality imported from Korea. In addition, local cars assembled for export market cost lower than the car meant for domestic markets.

Malaysia used to be the major exporter of rubber yet during those time, cost of tyre is more expensive than imported tyre.

Somehow, Malaysian is also very poor in economy. Take this for example, a rise in sugar price from RM1.70 to RM1.80 per KG will also increase the price of drink by RM0.10 per glass. A rise in flour price from RM1.50 to RM1.60 per KG will also increase the price of roti canai by RM0.10 per piece. Basically, for the case of sugar, the trader will break even on the rise of sugar price when he sell the 1st glass of drink !!!

Coming back to East Malaysian issue of pays dearly for goods, both Members of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak also insisted there is no problem in the state and no problem ever existed between the states and the federal government. Those MPs and the state government preferred to keep mum even on petty issue like different in prices in subsidized items and other goods which in fact is burdening the rakyat in East Malaysia.

Those MPs wouldn't feel the different because they can afford it in addition to all thing free, given by the government and their business partners.

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Source: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/25/nation/21359002&sec=nation (May 25, 2008)

Standardising prices of subsidised goods nationwide

By MARTIN CARVALHO and PAUL CHOO

MALACCA: The Federal Government will standardise the prices of subsidised goods throughout the country next month, following grouses raised by consumers in Sabah and Sarawak over price discrepancies.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi would make the announcement during his visit to Sabah early next month.

“For example, Bintulu produces gas, yet the price of gas in peninsular Malaysia is cheaper.

“This certainly makes the people of Bintulu angry because they can see the gas refinery yet pay higher prices for gas,” he told reporters after attending a forum and dialogue session with consumers on the rising prices of goods and cost of living at MITC in Ayer Keroh, near here, yesterday.

He added that this was also true for the price of cooking oil in Sarawak and Sabah.

Later, over a telephone interview, he assured Malaysians that there would be no increase in petrol prices at least until September, although Indonesia had raised fuel prices by 30% in the wake of spiralling global crude oil prices.

He said the move was to provide ample time for the special committee, led by the Finance Ministry, to evaluate the proposed subsidy management system, under which only deserving groups would be entitled to the subsidies.

Shahrir said a decision would be made by September on the various proposals as to how petrol ought to be subsidised.

“The situation is like this – at this moment all motorists are subsidised at the point of sale, meaning whenever they go to the petrol station and fill up their tank.

“What we are looking at now is how to provide these subsidies only to deserving groups.

“It could be via a special card registration method, using the MyKad or even through a car ownership basis,’’ he said.

“A decision will be made in September.’’

The world price of crude petroleum has hit US$135 per barrel.

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