Is the World An Excuse For Us?

Yesterday, as I was busy listening out to explanations given by a client here in Bangkok when I received 3 smses. And it was about the impending fuel hike. Yup, the 40% or 78 sens fuel price hike.

In Mahathir's era, prices were not as erratic and certainly he could afford a 5-20 sen increase. In Abdullah's era, I guess the norm is 50 sens or more given petrol price has risen from USD20s to USD120s per barrel.

After the meeting, as the driver was taking us home, I was told that here in Bangkok they pay 40 Baht per litre. That is about RM4 per litre, at least RM1.30 more than what we are paying in Malaysia. Somehow, the Thais are still driving their vehicles on the road, they are paying the higher price. Life is not exactly easier but things are more abuzz here.

Even my client mentioned Bangkok is an exciting place. Because of the unstable political scenario here, things are moving as fast as it should...yet.

In Malaysia, we have political uncertainty. And certainly, the old petrol price are unsustainable. But to hit the public with 41% increase? It is not the rich I am worried about. It is the everyday ordinary rakyat. How can they cope? This fuel hike will invariably be the cause for many more price hikes to come, be it goods or services.

The Government keep harping that it is a global phenomenon and it cannot be helped. But is that kind of explanation an end to itself? To the ordinary people who earn less than RM2K, if their petrol bill is RM200, techically, a simple calculation means they have to fork out another RM82 or 8.2% of their net pay if they are earning 2K. And of all times, it is increased now in the midst of so much uncertainties.

And I wonder what happened to demonising the Thais and Singaporeans as terrible foreigners who took advantage of our subsidied fuel? The way it is potrayed by the media is as though they contribute nothing to our local economy. Isn't it silly considering that our border economy has been shaped with these people patronising our local economy?

I am terribly confused at times. We seemed to be blaming everyone outside the country but our own. We blame the global economy and said it cannot be helped that the fuel prices are high. We blame the Singaporeans and Thais for buying our petrol and use our subsidies. But what about the IPPs that produce subsidised electricity for manufacturers that export our products cheap globally? Aren't we subsidising the rest of the world? So why pass the buck only to the rakyat? Shouldn't we at least pass some of these cost back to the rest of the world?

Or are we helpless inflation-dumping ground for the rest of the world?

Will this be the tipping point that will ultimately unravel the present rule?

I shudder to wonder what else is install for us...