PAS has called on all its branches to raise the political awareness of people in their respective areas by flying high banners on the recent hikes in the prices of four items by the BN-led federal government.

damansara memo to kpm 210206 idris ahmad “PAS hopes the information machinery pf the party and Pakatan Rakyat will rise to increase the political awareness of the people, especially those who do not have access to the new media,” its information chief Idris Ahmad said in a statement.

This way, he said, BN leaders would be “schooled” back to remembering “the power of the people”, which the ruling coalition seems to have “forgotten” following its wins in the Galas and Batu Sapi by-elections in Kelantan and Sabah respectively.        

On Dec 3, the government announced the reduction of subsidies on fuel and sugar, leading to hikes in the prices of RON 95, diesel and cooking gas by five sen to RM1.90, RM1.80 and RM1.90 respectively and the price of sugar by 20 sen to RM2.10.

Unlike previous reductions in subsidies, the recent price hikes have received little attention from the mainstream news organisations.

azlan Idris also took aim at the government's comparison of the prices of such items to those in Singapore to justify the increase in Malaysia.

This merely insults the intelligence of the people, as the republic is not an oil-exporting country, and further, the purchasing power of Singaporeans is far higher than Malaysians, he said.

“Why not take the example of Brunei and other countries that do have oil?” Idris asked.

He said all PAS branches must hang up banners in every village to make the people aware of the dangers of maintaining an “irresponsible” coalition in power.

Gerakan: What about higher water cost in Kedah, Penang?

Among the slogans that can be used on the banners, Idris suggested, are 'Barang naik, rakyat kena dulu' (Prices are raised, the people get hit first), 'Pemimpin kaya, rakyat terseksa' (The leaders get rich, the people suffer), 'Tolak BN, anda mampu mengubahnya' (Reject BN, you can make a difference) and 'Kemana hasil balak, kelapa sawit, getah, mutiara, pasir dihabiskan?' (Where have the timber, palm oil, pearls and sand revenues gone?).

NONE In a rebuttal to Idris’s remarks, Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang said PAS should  be more sincere, given the rise in the water tariffs in Pakatan Rakyat-ruled Kedah and Penang,

In Kedah, said Tan, the PAS-led government had raised the water tariff to between 25 percent and 100 percent. The water tariff had also been raised by PAS’ Pakatan partner, DAP, in Penang, he said.

“If PAS is sincere in helping the people, I propose that it takes steps to study the rise in tariffs in all Pakatan Rakyat states.

"I recommend that any price hikes therein be at 10 percent, so as not to burden the people,” Tan added.