YOURSAY 'If higher BR1M can cushion fuel price hike, then why not just use BR1M money for the fuel subsidy and allow petrol price to remain the same.'

your say Maplesyrup: PM Najib Razak, guess what, the price hike also does not hurt me at all. One full tank would mean a higher cost of RM10 per week, adding up to RM40 a month.

For the rich, it is nothing, but for those who are struggling from pay check to pay check, what you said just goes to show how insensitive you are towards the plight of your subjects.

Asitis: Najib had run out of excuses. So the best he can come up with is that it won't hurt you so much. We'll just BR1M you more next time.

Or maybe he just doesn't care about coming up with intelligent excuses any more. After all, he is dealing with Umno-BN supporters who will support him whenever he BR1Ms them just a little more.

There is no need to use any intelligence with those of such ilk. Just BR1M, BR1M, BR1M and BR1M. You help me, I help you and everybody is ignorantly happy.

He can even make you a deputy minister if you like. Just make sure you toe the line. Even when we shoot your people, even when we destroy your house of worship, just toe the line. Don't worry, you'll be BR1Med adequately (and yes, from your own tax money).

Ablastine: If higher BR1M can cushion fuel price hike, then why not just use BR1M money for the fuel subsidy and allow petrol price to remain the same.

Increase petrol price, introduce GST (Goods and Services Tax), depreciation of the ringgit, depletion of EPF (Employees Provident Fund), failure of most GLCs (government-linked companies), and sky-rocketing budget deficits.

Keep it up. Malaysia should be just about bankrupt near the GE14.

Vijay47: How regretful I am. I should have listened to my father and gone to school instead of watching movies such as ‘Tanda Putera'. Now I don't know a thing about budget proposals and national fiscal policies and have to rely on enlightenment from those wiser and more savvy on economics.

The chancellor of the London School of Economics, one Bung Mokhtar Radin, has explained that today's petrol price increase will not burden the poor and lower income group as they do not use cars. No doubt they walk or stowaway to wherever they want to go.

Then the pride of the nation, the pundit most learned in matters financial and such, one Najib Razak, has reassured anyone who cares to listen, that the magic BR1M handouts will be increased to help the poor cope with the price hike.

But I thought that they are the very group not affected. I hope you can understand my confusion. Alas, like I said, if only I had gone to school.

Najib, sir, you are truly a great leader and prime minister. I was moved to tears reading your caring words of assurance that the petrol price increase is for the future of the nation, as otherwise the rakyat will suffer.

Well spoken, sir. Please do not pay heed to those who keep harping on submarines and diamond rings.

Onyourtoes: PM Najib, please don't wage war against the rakyat. What do you know about hurt? Do you know how much taxes we have to pay when we buy a car? It is about half of the price we paid.

Do you know most of us have to take loans to pay the car taxes? This is over and above the road taxes, licence fees and endless moronic tolls we have to pay each day.

What do you know about hurt when you and your colleagues and all top civil servants are provided with cars and endless supply of petrol - paid for by us, the rakyat? All you know is squeezing the rakyat when you are pressured to solve our deficit and debt problems.

But do you know that the cause of our deficit and debt is not due to subsidies and social programmes spent on the rakyat? It is rampant corruption, wastage, overpricing, white elephant projects, opulent and extravagant lifestyle of ministers, deputy ministers and top civil servants.

Dalvik: Najib, please start pumping petrol using your own salary, go out without having the road cleared for you (every drip of petrol counts when we are stuck in the jam), buy groceries using your own money (especially after the price hike, thanks to the petrol hike).

I'm sure you've done none of the above. So you have no right to say it won't hurt.

Pimai2tangtu: PM Najib and most Umno leaders have never suffered poverty. They would not know the hardship of getting just enough to keep the family going. So saying that the rise in fuel price not hurt the public is just a heartless and empty statement.

Magnus: "But we must understand that, this is not a political issue," said Najib.

Really? Then what is it since it is clearly elected politicians who direct and do the stuff of politics, like devising all manner of legislation and policies and working out the nitty-gritty mechanics of governance and public sector management of the economy?

Anonymous #039163649: Definitely, it won't affect the rakyat even if you raise RON95 price by a dollar. If they complain, it can be easily be dealt with, just play the race/religious card, create enmity between Malays and Chinese and all will be okay, the burden will be forgotten and you will emerge heroes.

If that fails, you make them stand in attention for Negaraku in cinema halls for six months and if anybody whimpers, you may play the patriotism card and raise racial tension and again emerge heroes and whatever burden the rakyat face, they will forget.

Just go right ahead and raise the price as much as you want. Any stupid economist predicts that there will be inflation due to spin-off effects from fuel price rise because everybody uses fuel, you have a choice of sealing them shut either using the race, religion or patriotism trump card.

If that fails, you still have ‘Tanda Putera' to fall back on.

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