Saturday 22 November 2008

Just another ordinary day

What I am going to write about today is not arranged in any particular order. They come out as I peck on the keyboard. What comes first to mind is displayed first, so what else is new?

Okay to begin with, something has been irking me for quite a few days now and each passing day it bothers me even more. We all know that the price of crude has gone down quite substantially. When the government decided on the monstrous, life burdening, heart crunching and stomach wrenching increase just after the elections, they said that the government was setting the price at market rate minus a 30 sen subsidy. They went on to say that as of that time the price of petrol would depend on the world price of crude with a 30 sen rebate. The government is not going to increase the rebate.

Then the price of world crude came tumbling down and with Permatang Pauh in the vicinity, the government reduced the price of petrol. A few reductions later, the ever tumbling price of crude made it possible for petrol to be sold below the pre-monstrous-increase price of RM1.92 without a 30 sen subsidy. This means that the government is not forking out anymore subsidies other than that Pos Malaysia enriching scheme of giving R600+ rebates for cars and RM150 rebate for motorcycles.

The price of crude today is even lower still and petrol is still sold at the recent reduced rate of RM2.00 which means the government is now profitting from every litre of petrol sold in the country. They are now not only not giving out 30 sen subsidies per litre but in fact making a profit on top of the taxes they are collecting from oil companies. So now, the government makes money from both sides, from sellers that is the oil the companies and buyers meaning us consumers. How caring.

Next comes the TNB, the GLC that paid for Mahathir's tea session with Bush, who screamed 'not fair' when crude and gas was at its highest persuading the government to agree to a burdening increase in electricity tarrifs. Now crude and gas has gone spiralling down but TNB, foreseeing more tea-parties probably with Obama, like the spoilt child it has always been, suddenly turned around and puts the blame on coal. Yes, crude and gas has gone down but coal hasn't, they said. Who knows they are secretly applying for another increase so that they can pay their dumb executives more for doing nothing?

The price of petrol has gone down quite a bit but transport companies are going to get to increase fares because of rising costs of everything else. In the first place if the authorities had been efficient, costs of everything else should at least drop a bit, not continue rising. If this is the case then transport companies have no business asking for an increase in their services. With this increase then other companies and businesses would have an excuse to not bring down prices of essentials. They would say, "Yes, the price of petrol has gone down but transportation price and production costs -- because electricity tariffs have not come down -- are still high so we would lose if we bring down our prices.

Now I feel nothing when crude continues to tumble but cringe in fear when they go up. My take home pay is simply not enough to see me through the month.

Before I stop I would like to touch on a certain Mak Cik who simply refuses to step down. Come on Mak Cik, you have been there at the top for so long, take a break, go smell the roses. As to her heir apparent who had suddenly forgotten her acceptance of the transition plan and her "my word is my honour' proclamation, I have only this to say, "tunggu la sat, awat tak sabaq-sabaq sangat"?


16 comments:

mantra-indeeptots said...

Salam cikgu

Someone told me that Petronas is in pain and those in Petrochemical industry could just wrap their business esp the small operators. Petronas cant even maintain their processing cost at the rate the oil price is pressing lower each day. This is not published...

I dedicated a song to both the opahs. Care to sing along? Its a number by Mr Bolton... SAID ID LOVE YOU BUT I LIED!

Whats new for me? KJ's cyberjokers are at war with me... Im having fun thou! Fortunately, the warlords came to my rescue... hehehe

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

Lol! Somehow I knew you would touch on that makcik. Hmm...you should see the caption of a picture of her at Laman Marhaen (at my links).

Unknown said...

Cyberjokers can't help themselves. They feel important doing the stupid things they do.
I think Whole lotta love by Led Zed is good.

Unknown said...

Shah,
You know why she did that? She must have think that she should be head because she won in the elections and Blondie lost.
She should gang up with uncle Samy.

Anonymous said...

Every man on the street is complaining about the one big 'stoopid' mistake the government made when they increased the petrol price, which caused the prices of other things to shoot up. Now petrol price is down to RM2.00. What about prices of other things that went up, supposed related to petrol price increase. An example, office despatch service rate used to be RM5.00 per delivery. When petrol price went up, a surcharge of 50 sen was imposed. What about now, petrol price 'sudah turun'? The 50 sen surcharge stays! TNB is the corporate 'buaya' and we have the smaller business 'buaya' too, all taking advantage of the petrol situation.

Unknown said...

peng,
That is what makes me angry. Do they know that we are angry? yes they do. Do they care? No. Why? Because most of those who hike prices are their people. Thats the danger.

Singh Is Kinng said...

Salam Cikgu,

Long time not been here, used to comment using anon, having fun with Tok Asid, Kerp, Pak Zawi etc. Now a publishing blogger, started two weeks ago.

Well that Makcik intended to have her name written in history text book as the longest serving wanita chief, and she steps down in full of grace and honour. But the plan changes as her deputy sang SAID I'D LOVE BUT I LIE.

Do come a visit at mine during you free time.

Wassalam.

Apa Kau Nak said...

Apa nak buat cikgu, penyakit pak menteri - takde kuasa nak kuasa, dah dapat kuasa buat tak kuasa. Ikan bilis macam saya yang tersiksa...RM50 hilang sekelip mata dalam pasaraya, barang dapat tak seberapa...

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

certain goods saw its price reduced. like nasi kandar and roti canai for example, both are now 10sen cheaper. but guess la if i could feel the difference, especially on the nasi kandar. every single plate i dig the price differs.

as for that makcik, she seems to be quite confident of victory. i too, cant help to believe she'll voctor through. while this certain 'akak', well, its make or break. she only needs to wait 3 months to take over but now there's every possibility she'll end up with nothing.

Mat Salo said...

I hope nobody here is going to 'baling batu'.. I'm the only one here who's sad that oil prices refuse to stay up... pasal I'm an oil man. Now I'm gonna have a pay cut. Unless that makcik koale wanna offer me some AP's as compensation. I was told showroom optional..

Chegu seems very rigorous: do you actually timbang yourself 'before' and 'after'?

No need for the 911/CIA files that keep dossiers on all Pakis and their descendants for 10 generations. I had Bukit Aman fax me complete info: "Itu chegu Penang kaa? Adaa. Dia ada connection sama RPK sebab datuk RPK dulu pun orang Penang. Gabenuq. Any sangkut paut, kecik macamanapun kita korek..."

Unknown said...

Piggy Singh,
The song should be whole lotta love. Congrats on your blog. Now yoy keep on writin ya hear.

Unknown said...

eskapisminda,
I spend more than 1 fifty note a day and that is by being very careful. mana cukup macam tu.

Unknown said...

Kerp,
Nothing has gone down in Penang. Just a few years ago 4 to 5 ringgit could get one a good meal but now for the same meal its gotta be 7 to 8.
Read somewhere they are going to bring petrol down by a further 15 sen. If only they could get TNB to do something. Hey I can be paying 300+ for electricity every month man.

Unknown said...

Mat Salo,
I think they were looking at the wrong lineage. They should try the Governor of Attock, maybe I am related to his doorman.

Malaysian Joe said...

Cikgu,

Like what they say, Heads I win, tails you lose.

If in the event coal goes down, they will tell you our executives pay has gone up... :). So tariff stays... :).

Unknown said...

Malaysian
So we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. How convenient.

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