We are past the halfway mark of December. Only a few days left to the announcement on the new tax structure for cars. In the mean time, sales of cars continue to dwindle while potential buyers wait.

Many postpone their purchase not purely for the sake of waiting. They want new tax details to surface. A car is the second biggest purchase (in terms of price) after a house for many - a 5 percent swing either way matters. When the details emerge, potential buyers will then be able to make an educated decision, rather than on speculations and sentiments. Nobody wants to be caught pants down in a Kia Carnival - Naza Kia situation.

In the present situation, the only sensible decision one can make is to wait and see. This brings me to an Edge article which quoted an analyst as saying that the price of foreign makes will remain the same. This is not such a big concern. At worst, it will be one of the many government let downs which we have become accustomed to by now.

Much more worrying however, is the analyst's prediction that the price of local cars will increase to around five percent. If this turns out to be true, it amounts to a slap in the face of the Malaysian public. This is tantamount to saying: "This is your punishment for waiting".

There are many reasons why we want more affordable cars. One worth highlighting is the state of public transport. It is at best average, at worst hopeless. I have experimented with leaving my car at home for one week. It is an experience which I will neither want to go through again nor one which I would recommend anyone to. The problem starts with the non-integrated ticketing system. Then there is the monorail which stops short of KL Sentral. There is the infrequent off-peak Komuter trains. Stations which are located everywhere, except for at the places where one actually wants to be. This compounded by the horrible feeder bus service.

Those in the position to make decisions on car affordability should lock away those tinted Mercs with fancy plates. If not for a week, try the public transport system for just one day. Only then will they understand our need for more affordable cars.