Malaysians are being VICTIMIZED due to govt incompetence - Nie Ching

Soon after the celebration of the 56th Independence Day, Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the increase of the price of RON95 petrol and diesel by 20 sen per litre effective 3rd September 2013.

This step of increasing the price of RON95 petrol and diesel without improving the public transport system and administrative efficiency has put the people as scapegoat of the Government incompetence.

In order to ensure that the petrol subsidies will only benefit the Malaysian, the Barisan Government sent out a written directive to all petrol stations in Malaysia on 16th July 2010 to bar the petrol station in selling RON95 petrol to any foreign-registered vehicles.

With regards to that, the former Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism, Ismail Sabri Yaakob had also announced that any petrol station owners who sell RON95 petrol to foreign-registered vehicles may have their permits withdrawn when the policy came into force effective 1st August 2010.

However, according to the written answer that I have received from the Parliament, two years after the implementation of the aforesaid policy until mid of 2012, there were only 6 petrol stations were taken with actions. Amongst the 6 petrol stations, there were 4 petrol stations located in Johor, the other two were located in Kelantan and Kedah.

It is clear that the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operative and Consumerism has failed to enforce the aforesaid ban policy. Throughout the country especially in Johor, foreign-registered vehicles are still purchasing the RON95 petrol without any actions taken.

I strongly condemn that the Government has failed to improve the public transport system and reduce the subsidies to the crony especially to the independent power station, apart from failing to stop the diesel smuggling activities and ban the foreign-registered vehicles from purchasing RON95 petrol. The people certainly become the victims due to the Government incompetence.

Teo Nie Ching is the DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary and MP for Kulai