On Petrol Price

I must really apologize for this very untimely update. Since this is a fairly new blog, most of you probably think that I’ve abandoned this blog. You're wrong. The reason for this rather overdue entry is actually because I was very busy selecting the décor for my new private jet! I wish T_T. The real reason behind my lateness is actually less grandiose and slightly more unimpressive. I was simply helping out the victims in the latest earthquake. Place your pledges here at celebrities.are.expected.to.attend.every.tragedy.com. Al Gore will tell you that it’s all because of global warming. Which leads to our latest hot topic! The recent hike in fuel price. Before I move on, I would like to highlight that the usage of the term global warming as a lead up to fuel is completely unrelated. Global warming is a myth. A bunch of hokum conjured up by hippies.

At any rate, lets move on to the price hike! You all may think that the 5 sen increase is a lot of money. Well it isn’t. You see at 5 sen a liter, assuming u have a fuel tank size of say 40-60 liters, that’s only RM2-RM3 more per fuel tank. That’s what? Two cups of limau peng? And that’s assuming you go to a filling station with your tanked fully drained of petrol. And what’s that about the government needing to subsidize our fuel? Well sir, the money for subsidizing fuel really has to come from somewhere. Short of paying more taxes or sacrificing on development of infrastructure, with the advent of higher fuel prices there really isn’t anyway of shifting more money into subsidies. There you go I’ve addressed all the issues regarding the price hike.

We are always taught to address both sides to a story when writing essays. Since I’ve addressed in full the other side of the story, now on to what I really think. WTF? Fuel price hike again? Today its 5 sen tomorrow its 50. When will it all end? You’d think that with our astronomical automotive prices, that the government could offset our fuel prices by just that much. But no. Yes the subsidies need come from somewhere but hello! We are a net producer of oil. Doesn’t that say something? Are we forgetting that by having higher fuel prices actually benefits our economy as a whole? Apparently someone seems to think so. Not me. Of course again the quantitative factors are justifiable. Somewhat. Nevertheless, lets look at the qualitative factors. Factors, which are not as easily identifiable as the higher crude oil price. Things like the effect it would have on us Malaysians in general. You don’t have to tell me that you’re dissatisfied. Lets look at it on a more macro perspective. For one kopitiams would start rising their prices. First they would raise the price of teh-o by 5 sen, then Dunhill’s by a ringgit. What happens then? Laborers who live on the margins of society cant afford a smoke all of a sudden. They demand greater pay from their employer, having to give in; you pay more for just about everything you can think of. Inflation. The trappings of an ostensible ‘market-economy’, laissez-faire if you will. But of course none of that really matters. What really matters is this. Driving erratically is part of our Malaysian lifestyle. Nay, I would go even further to claim it as our right. Now that fuel prices are higher, I'm forced to go easier on the pedal. Boooooo!!!!! Gimme cheaper fuel! Gimme my life back! This is what we all look like!