‘While I can accept the price increase, what really gets me furious is everything else that led to this. Our nation has been subject to abject mismanagement.’

On Fuel hike: 78 sen more to RM2.70 per litre

Ragunathan: While I can accept somewhat the price increase, what really gets me furious is everything else that led to this. Our nation has been subject to nothing less than abject mismanagement.

The source of this all was, and still is, the recalcitrant Tun Mahathir. Starting with toll concession agreements that are well hidden from the public eye to a public transportation system that is in shambles.

And the only thing we seem to cling on to is Proton but at the cost of high tariffs for any other auto brand. Everything is going up and we are forced to change our lifestyle by no fault of our own, but thanks entirely to Barisan's incompetence.

Dian Abdullah: The prime minister’s announcement that fuel prices will be reviewed every month really sucks. In true style, Pak Lah again has shown us that he and the cabinet have no idea how to manage our country.

Another deep wound inflicted by Pak Lah is the increase of 20% for our electricity tariff. Does TNB have to maintain a profit of RM120 million per year? Is it so difficult to have just a profit of RM5 million in a time of recession? A profit is a profit. It is just a matter of how much. Will the main shareholders die of starvation or is it because they cannot adjust for a smaller expenditure?

Chelvam Rengasamy: The price hike is inevitable, and somehow it was only a matter of time before we had too. But the government could have done more. The public transportation system is still unsatisfactory, public funds wastage is still going on.

One only have to look at the number of meetings conducted at every government department weekly. This meetings are often supplemented with kuih muih lunch and so on. Sometimes it is just mind-boggling the amount of money spent on food for these meetings. I certainly wish the government will look into this wastage.

Tan So Huat: As much as we all dislike Pak Lah, we must admit that he daring enough to tackle the problem head-on. To begin with, the ownership of passenger cars is simply too high in this country. Everybody tries hard to own a car. Even government servants in the lower grades also own cars.

Are we living beyond our means? Certainly yes. The government is also at fault for promoting the national car. Easy finance make everybody tempted to buy a car. After that, they find it hard to maintain because they should not be owning a car in the first place.

When the price of petrol goes up a bit, they complain a lot. These people should sell off their cars and return to public transport, thereby doing away with traffic congestion. But is there public transport?

The government is doing this a bit too late. But late is better than never. It is the right policy to cut fuel subsidies. No need to review. Do not listen to the opposition because they only know how to oppose.

CK Chim: The rebate is only a measure to hoodwink the ignorant as the impact of the price increases is far more widespread and will affect adversely everything from food, transportation to properties and energy etc.

How do you expect the rakyat to accept this when you have projects like the controversial National Service, white elephants like the crooked bridge, PKFZ scandal, PGCC, the ‘training centre’ in United Kingdom, space trips, etc, which cost billions and which do not bring an iota of benefit to anyone except the politically-aligned fat cats?

Frankly I sympathise with Pak Lah who has to bear the brunt of carrying out these unpopular measures which are the result of the excesses and gradual dismantling of the country's system of checks and balances by the previous administration. The current government is going to pay a heavy price and its not going to be pretty for everyone.

Mani:

I planned to buy a Perodua Myvi in two years’ time, but with this kind of fuel hike now, I’m re-considering it. I’m sure by the time I buy the car, the fuel price might increase to RM5 or RM10 per litre (who knows).

The government should not have ‘burned’ the people like this, think of the middle-income people with an average income, how will they survive? With this kind of price hike in everything, I’m pretty much sure that Malaysian will lead a life full of burdens.

Reluctant Taxpayer: A 40% increase for me is too much to swallow. Well Mr Federal Government sir, change our lifestyle as you have been telling us.

For an immediate start, Mr Federal Government should abolish the federal-appointed JKKs as there is a state-appointed JKKs around sir. Even if the allocation for them does not come to billions, every taxpayer’s sen saved is valued. Stop the wastage.

Secondly, the all-important public transport system must be improved. Thirdly, stop wasting taxpayers money on projects not beneficial to the general taxpayer such as the Taming Sari Tower, the one-sided toll concessions and the IPP agreements, etc.

Not only we - the general taxpayers - have to change our lifestyle but Mr Federal Government has to change your lifestyle as well.

Siva: To avoid all this, stop buying cars and go for bicyles. They are good for health and a made for daily exercise.

Eternal Optimist: I would like to think the Penang CM will take this turn of events as a challenge to develop plans for a first-rate public transport service on the island, at least, and the whole state if possible.

I am sure that if he can make significant strides to make the island's transport like that of a certain island city state down south, he will gain much deserved respect.

After all, the common complaint is that the BN government is inefficient/corrupt/incapable of doing things right - and that's something Pakatan Rakyat has professed to be different in.

Marion Tharsis: This big rise in fuel prices - though anticipated - is another nail in BN's coffin. There are other ways to cushion this worldwide effect. Scrap the Formula One race that is of no benefit to us, especially the poor and working class.

This massive sum Petronas is spending can be channeled into subsidising the fuel cost and thus keeping the increase to a minimum. This was one of the legacies of the past 'regime' under the ever critical and disruptive Dr M - his spendthrift and wasteful idea of 'Malaysia Boleh'.

Pak Lah, you are asking the general public to change their lifestyle but has there been any effort by your government to look into the projects at hand and try to shelf or put aside some of them and use the money for more pressing and urgent matters at hand?

Don't compare us with less or non-oil producing countries to justify your action. If oil prices are high then it should benefit us, an oil-producing country. In fact, the price should have no increase at all or be even further reduced.

Anwar Ibrahim has said he will not burden the people but help them in this current time of need.

It is now time for change. Give others a chance to helm the country.

Slipperyhead: You know, the strange thing about all this is that it's not a fuel price hike that bothers me at all. The reality is that the price of fuel is always going to go up, and subsidies are always never going to be enough to bring it down effectively.

The thing that I really find odd is why the government is deciding to make this increase so suddenly, and why is the fuel hike so disproportionally high compared to previous fuel hikes?

I find the fuel hike a very poor political move. Now I hear that Pak Lah has decided to effectively increase the price of electricity too! Two price hikes for essential items - both in the same week?

Why not increase it by 15 sen per year over the next five years or something like that? At least, BN gives itself time to spend the money to make the country richer through smarter developments. This way, by the time it reaches the market price, the people will be able to afford the high (and ever increasing) price of fuel.

Mirage: It is the right time for this grossly corrupt and incompetent tyrant government that is removing the fuel subsidies and increasing electricity tariffs to be also removed by whatever means necessary.

Anwar Ibrahim and PKR, it is your call now and all the people of Malaysia are firmly behind you. I cannot imagine that being a net producer and exporter of crude oil, the government has to do this.

Look at Brunei and Saudi Arabia, there are no price increases for petrol and diesel and they are now enjoying a boost to their economies with a whopping windfall in oil prices at the current rate of US$137 per barrel.

In Malaysia, the reverse is true as there is no boost to the economy and only sadness prevails because the foreign exchange reserves from crude oil exports are poorly managed or mismanaged and no one knows where all the profits over the years has gone.

Some are saying all the RM600 billion or more earned has disappeared and there is no accountability by the powers-that-be.

Ironic: I don't know why they didn't think about this. I suggest they should start ‘Bicycle Plan’.

They’re cheap, non-polluting and safer in terms of accidents.

Frustrated Parent in Malaysia: This hike is really confusing for the public and also reflects the incompetence of the government in handling this matter. The public is already burdened by the high toll charges, by the high import duties on foreign imported products, by the high cost of education and also the rising cost of living in Malaysia.

While the income and salaries of the working class have not increased proportionately to the rise in the cost of living, I feel this creates a big problem for families already struggling to make ends meet here in Malaysia.

The government continues to be deaf to the cries of the people of Malaysia.