Much will be said about the latest fuel price hike, but as usual the rakyat (read: voters) are nothing but ‘hangat-hangat tahi ayam’ each time they are angry with a government decision. Come election time, the rakyat will once again give their undivided support to the BN-led government.
But increasing petrol price byr almost 20 percent overnight amidst increasing utility tariffs and more expensive goods and services is really the last straw for the majority of income earners. Many now have to do two jobs or more just to make ends meet.
But I have an idea what the rakyat can do to show the government who is more powerful.
Boycott Petronas. Boycott its petrol stations, boycott its stores, boycott its cooking gas. Boycott anything to do with Petronas products or services that come into sight and that included the upcoming Formula One race at Sepang.
Why Petronas and not Shell, Esso or BP? Well, because those who run the thousands of Petronas petrol stations in this country are those who have ‘special links’ with the government.
Since most Petronas petrol stations are owned by Datuks or those with political links, the government surely does not want to see them suffer. Like it or not, if they are hurt (by the boycott), the government will feel the pinch too. Like the Malay proverb goes, ‘cubit peha kiri, peha kanan pun rasa sakit’ (When you pinch the left thigh, the right one feels pain too).
Did I say that the government no longer listens to the ordinary people? Does the government listen to cab drivers, vegetable sellers, hawkers, teachers, nurses or rubber tapers?
But it listens to Petronas which will make billions of ringgit of profit from this fuel price hike.
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