YOURSAY ‘Malaysia exports petrol, not imports it. So by logic Malaysia should be making money when the price of petrol goes up.'

Ahmad Maslan: Richest 40pct enjoy 80pct of subsidies

Umno Portal: Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan must have not known what he is talking about. Let me explain. If the price goes up, the government needs to subsidise more to maintain the same price level to the rakyat.

But Malaysia has the best Tapin crude which fetches the highest price. So if the crude price is high, that also means that Malaysia will get better profit for its crude.

Malaysia is using the lower quality crude from Middle East for our local consumption. Where is the income from our best quality sweet crude? Unless it goes into a different pocket?

YF: Maslan, are you a deputy finance minister or a freelance minister? Malaysia exports petrol, not imports it. So by logic Malaysia should be making money when the price of petrol goes up. So why raise the price and let the rakyat suffer while the government gains?

If you can't understand this simple economics then you are not fit to be a deputy finance minister, or anything to do with governance. You might as well work as a clown since you are making the whole nation laugh with your silly antics.

Anonymous #02382443: As you sow, so you shall reap! You created a handout mentality among the people.

If only you had allowed the market forces to dictate in all sectors of the economy, the people would have accepted the increase of fuel hike as in all other countries. Unfortunately, you chose otherwise, so please do not try absolve yourself of the blame.

Bamboo: When the oil price is up, BN government hikes the price. When the oil price is down, we don't see the BN government lowering the price. So don't tell us that when the world price rises, the domestic price must also go up.

Black Mamba: Another one of those thoughtless minister, albeit a deputy one this time. If the government of the day is not for monitoring oil price hike then who is?

The government of the day is there to balance the trade deficit of the country, regulates the economy through their fiscal policies and of course, set up the right infrastructure for a free market to work.

You are not there to sit pretty and utter nonsensical remarks. If you can't manage, please roll over and let Pakatan Rakyat take the helm.

Onyourtoes: Yes, Maslan, I agree oil prices are set by the global market and the government only reduced the subsidy.

You know what, we should also allow market forces to determine the salary and perks of ministers, deputy ministers, senior government officials and heads of government-linked companies (GLCs).

Maslan, if the government reduces or withdraws the subsidy embedded in your pay and perks, maybe your take-home pay would be RM900 month, not that you deserve RM900 a month but because it was the minimum wage stipulated by law.

And you should be walking or cycling to your office, because certainly you don't deserve to be driven around in an official car along with free petrol.

This is what your deserve given your productivity and output - RM900 a month with a bicycle.

James Dean: As far as all ministers are concerned, the BN government is not responsible for anything.

Ahmad Maslan, if the BN want to be the government of the day the BN will and have to be responsible of the effects of this petrol increase. To deny responsibility as a minister in the government is truly flabbergasting.

Buddyoo: Why do we need a government which just passes on the cost to the rakyat?

Hplooi: The doctrine of ‘exceptionalism' demands ‘exceptional' management and discriminatory policies which will not promote check and balance and but requires ‘opacity' to sustain as a public policy.

This (opacity) and lack of check and balance will in turn accrete power to a smaller and smaller coterie of power-elite. It doesn't matter if you start with idealistic ideas.

Ergo, the current ramping up of initiatives focusing only on one (majority) race as a national economic policy is doomed to failure.

The conclusion from alternative scenarios with possible outcomes based on ‘game theory' (but with some modification to the original premise of ‘zero sum' and innate selfishness, etc) would be a good subject of study. Any ‘egg-head' or permanent-head-damaged dude keen to take this up?

NoCorruption: Less than 10 percent of the population are paying income tax. So all these are rich (I am one of them, haha)? He just doesn't dare to say 7 percent enjoy 70 percent of the subsidies.

CiViC: And the richest 40 percent controls most businesses that affects the poor directly and indirectly. Ahmad Maslan, do you have any economic sense at all?

Anonymous$&@?: Oh yes, Umno is not responsible for the petrol prices in Malaysia. Really? Maybe forces from another world like Altantuya Shaariibuu or Chin Peng are responsible? Umno is only responsible for robbing the rakyat, that we know.

Fourtan: If I were a wantan mee seller and somehow the wantan mee price went up, wouldn't I be a happy man and buy more things for my wife and children?

Unless, I were a bad father had a lot of mistresses and gambling debts. In which case, my wife should kick me out of the house.

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