PKR today dismissed Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s opposition towards further subsidy cuts, which the federal government says will happen soon.

In a statement today, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution accused Khairy of staging a sandiwara (playing to the gallery) and changing his position from the one he held in 2008.

In June 4 that year, the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration had raised prices of RON97 grade petrol to RM2.70, a record high at the time.

NONE This triggered a record month-on-month inflation of 7.7 percent in June 2008, the highest in 26 years.

Saifuddin ( right ) pointed out that at the time, Khairy did not raise a similar protest against the subsidy cuts and had in fact endorsed the decision by the administration led by his father-in-law.

“According to the Dewan Rakyat Hansard , Khairy (who is the Rembau MP) said on June 23, 2008 that petrol and essential goods price increases show that the government was responsible, trustworthy and forward-thinking,” said Saifuddin, who is also the Machang MP.

Trying to be a ‘hero’

Khairy had said that although the public had to bear the burden of the subsidy cuts, the subsidy restructuring exercise was fair and progressive, said Saifuddin.

“My question is, why does Khairy, as a leader in Umno, change his stand in three years and why did he support subsidy cuts and price increases when his father-in-law was prime minister and not now?” he asked.

NONE Saifuddin said that the latest episode shows that Khairy was merely trying to become a public “hero” in view of possible snap elections.

Yesterday, Khairy ( left ) told a forum in Penang that the federal government should review the National Service programme which cost the public RM560 million annually.

Deriding the programme as a “summer camp” compared to proper military training, Khairy said that the effectiveness of the programme must be studied because it is a strain on the national coffers.

KJ wants Umno Youth to object

He also urged Umno Youth divisions to table resolutions to object against the government’s proposal to increase the electricity tariff and slash RON95 grade petrol subsidies.

“This is not the right time to remove subsidies on essential items as it will burden the public,” he said after officially opening the Bukit Katil Umno division delegates meeting in Malacca on Saturday.

Khairy has been the most vocal backbencher against subsidy cuts following the decision by the federal government to raise sugar prices by RM0.20 per kilo on May 10.

This is the fourth time sugar prices has been increased since Jan 1, 2010.

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