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Government had adjusted fuel prices upward when world oil price went up earlier this year but not lowering them when world oil prices dropped last week

 


Media Statement

by Chiew Chin Sing


(Sarawak, Friday): The Sarawak State Assemblyman for Kidurong Chiew Chin Sing said that the fact that the government had adjusted fuel prices upward when world oil price went up earlier this year but not lowering them when world oil prices dropped last week, is a selfish act on the part of the government.

Within a year the government had raised oil prices three times including the 30 cents raise on fuel prices and the 5 ringgit per bottle raise on LPG, during the last price hike. As a result prices on goods shot up while consumer purchasing power shrunk. There is hardly enough money in one’s pocket and life is hard.

 

While world oil prices had dropped by 36% to US58 per barrel from its height of US 79 per barrel, it is not right that our government is not lowering the fuel prices in our country today . How could the government be so numb to as our pains from the pinch of the higher fuel prices.

 

On the other hand if we look at other countries, petrol stations are immediately lowering the fuel prices when world fuel prices drop so that the people can immediately enjoy the benefit of the lowered fuel prices.

 

Almost immediately one can see the surge in the number of car at the petrol stations in those countries. More people are buying fuel for their vehicles and businesses pick up at the stations. The lowered fuel prices mean that the people can go further and do more work. The market also become more vibrant and comes to life.

 

Today businesses everywhere in our State are slow. What we need is  stronger consumer purchasing power so that business can run again  and money circulating . If only our government would learn from other countries and lower our fuel prices when world oil prices had dropped so much, our businesses would be much better off.

 

Chiew also said that when the world oil prices increased, the government was harsh and took away our subsidy immediately. Today, although fuel prices had dropped, yet we are paying as much as other non oil producing countries, even though we are  an oil producing country ourselves.

 

Even the non oil producing countries are lowering their fuel prices in the wake of the dropping world fuel prices but, we are not, even though we are an oil producing country ourselves. We are in fact paying the  high fuel prices to subsidize Petronas  so that she can make more and more money.

 

When fuel prices went up, airlines companies were quick to increase air ticket prices, but today when world fuel prices had dropped, are  the airline companies prepaid to lower their ticket prices to its pre fuel price hike period.

 

I therefore call upon the government to be fair and since she had increase our fuel prices when world fuel prices went up, she should  lower them also when the world fuel prices come down so that the people will not be further burdened anymore.


(13/10/2006)


*Chiew Chin Sing, Chairman DAP Bintulu Branch,DAP Sarawak Deputy Chairman and Sarawak State Assemblyman for Kidurong

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