YOURSAY 'The money saved by the Umno government from the petrol and diesel subsidies can be better utilised to buy another two submarines.'

your say Swipenter: The 1Malaysia PM says that it won't hurt much and the BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) would cushion the increase of RM0.20 in RON95 and diesel. Is that true?

We are already feeling the pressure of inflation due to our depreciating ringgit. What is more frightening would be the implementation of GST (Goods and Services Tax) and the much anticipated increase in electricity tariffs in the very near future.

Without fail that would get inflation spiraling to new heights. As it is now, the ringgit is not an internationally easily available currency. Trying to get ringgit overseas is like hunting for a rare currency. Not many want to take the risk to trade in an unstable and depreciating currency.

We are going to face hard times so get prepared for the painful adjustment to a lower standard of living as the cost of living goes up without a corresponding increase in spending power. Simply put, we are getting poorer with a lower ringgit due to our excesses, corruption, capital flight, declining competitiveness and high level of debts.

Fair Play: The rakyat should have expected the attendant problems as a result of the economic symptoms so far exhibited. As the saying goes, "when it rains, it pours".

First, Fitch Rating downgrade Malaysia's outlook to ‘negative' from ‘stable', next the depreciation of the ringgit and the declining current account balance, and now petrol price increase.

Next on the list are the likely GST implementation, power tariff increase, possible non-participation in the TPPA (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement) could lead to slower economic growth, inflation, credit squeeze, likely loss of jobs, etc, etc.

Hard times are definitely coming. The 'baiting' of the other communities (e.g. Tanda Putera) would pale in comparison in the light of the strong economic headwind heading this way because everyone will be affected.

FellowMalaysian: Crude oil prices has remained stable and band bound in the past three years between US$90 to US$120 per barrel.

It was US$118 in February 2013 and is hovering around US$114 now. Why didn't the government increase the petrol price in February when the world's crude oil prices was higher than today?

It is not just coincidental that government-controlled petrol prices and the prices of other basic commodity prices has shot up after GE13 in May. This is akin to punishing the people for not choosing BN four months ago and especially the urban folks where cars are an absolute necessity for survival.

If BN has any guts, petrol prices should have increased in February. For BN to claim that they always have the people's welfare in mind is just another of their tricks out to deceive the people.

Clever Voter: Everyone has heard of the phrase there is no free lunch. Greater efforts should have been done to trim the civil service, cut down on waste and curb all ministers' travel expenditure. There are just a few ways to avoid cost increase.

In the final analysis, it's the people who will bear the brunt of the corrupt and wasteful lifestyle of a "caring" government.

Ferdtan: The sneaky BN (Barang Naik) struck just a few months after winning the general election by increasing the petrol and diesel prices. Pakatan Rakyat had promised to reduce the prices in their manifestos and BN, instead of maintaining the prices, they increase them.

Pakatan planned to renegotiate with the owners of the one-sided ridiculous profitable IPP (independent power producer) contracts to defray the high cost of subsidies to the public with regard to the petrol prices.

Why didn't BN government just do that first? It would only affect a few ‘privileged' crony billionaires having lesser profit, as compared to the millions of Malaysians who would suffer increased cost.

The 47 percent of the voters who voted for BN in the last election must be happy. Take RM500 for BRIM in one pocket once in over 50 years, and pay for a lifetime from the other pocket for the increased cost of petroleum.

Onyourtoes: What fuel subsidies are you talking about, PM Najib Razak? How much did you collect in import duties, sale and excise taxes each time we buy a car? We pay almost half of the value of the car in the form of taxes. When we took car loans, much of it was used to pay taxes.

Yes, BN does not depend on urban voters, who are the main users of fuel. But they forget, the subsequent higher cost pass through will affect rural voters as well. Of course, the next election is still five years away.

This is the problem of having a corrupted and incompetent government. They will squeeze from the rakyat while the vested interests of all the cronies will continued by protected.

Odin: I think if we do not really need to use a car, then we use a motorcycle. That is one way to fight back and at the same time reduce our expenses. Besides being much cheaper to maintain and run than a car, a motorcycle offers other advantages such as not getting stuck in traffic jams and ease of parking.

I normally use the motorcycle except when I take my dog to the vet or need to transport bulky or heavy items. What when it rains? one may ask. Oh, no problem. Givi makes excellent rain jacket, trousers and shoes. The jacket is doubly secured to ensure total water-proofing and has a vent for ventilation. These are worn over our normal attire.

OMG!!: Instead of reducing the subsidies why doesn't the ruling elite eliminate corruption and rent seeking? Why do they not stop wasteful spending, such as arm purchases and funding ‘Tanda Puteri'?

Why are the ruling elite's children are sent overseas for their education? The rakyat will be angry, with or without the opposition making it an issue.

Awakened: Malaysia is a net oil producing country. The issue of removal of oil subsidy must be looked into together with the high taxes of our cars and also the availability of efficient public transport system.

While I agree that the subsidy mentality must go, the BN government must also remove the APs (approved permits) and also reduce the huge taxes which the government impose on all the cars.

The BN government has failed by its delay in executing efficient public transport system in major cities, and impose high taxes on all cars to protect Proton for the last 25 years. Today, owning a car is a necessity because there is no efficient public transport system.

The high car prices, because of huge taxes by the government, has burdened the rakyat. Now, with the increase in oil prices, the BN government is increasing the burden further on the rakyat.

Doc: The money saved by the Umno government from the petrol and diesel subsidies can be better utilised to buy another two submarines.

Chitra-ngada-: To BN, 20 sen per litre is minuscule because they don't ever pay for anything with their hard-earned money while the rest of us do.

I feel for the people who are already struggling with all kinds of price increases. And now this. Everything will go up as price increases of RON95 and diesel will affect the cost of every service and product. They say BR1M will help. No, it won't!

Stried: On Merdeka Day, our taps went dry. The next day it rained, causing flash floods everywhere. But our taps remained dry.

And yesterday, our PM tried to ‘entertain' us with another price hike in fuel. Malaysia - the Land of Endless Possibilities.

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