Petrol price increase will affect urban poor

Published: Wednesday September 4, 2013 MYT 12:00:00 AM 

Updated: Wednesday September 4, 2013 MYT 10:29:15 AM

THE 20-sen rise in the price of RON95 may save the Government money, but the rise in the people’s salary is not in tandem with the cost of living. The urban poor will be the most affected.

I hope unscrupulous people will not take advantage of this price rise to hike up prices in other areas.

The Government should overturn any negative perception of the petrol price rise by ensuring that the money saved will be used wisely to build more roads and affordable homes.

While the effect will be felt most strongly in the short and medium-term by the lower and middle-income groups, the people must learn to make immediate adjustments in the way they manage their expenses.

The price rise is a structural fiscal adjustment and will pave the way for the next radical and predictable step to implement the GST in 2014.

We should view the RON95 price rise in a positive light.

Our RON95 subsidy level is one of the world’s highest. Any rise in revenue, by cutting the subsidy, is supposed to be channelled to programmes for the poor. So why groan? Isn’t this what any responsible government should be doing?

LEE HUI SENG

Kuala Lumpur