FREE YOURSAY No choice? Why IPP deals not banished?
FREE YOURSAY ‘Why do rakyat have to pay to subsidise the lopsided IPP contracts?’
No option but electricity tariff hike, says PM
Onyourtoes:
PM Najib Razak, you still have other options to raising power tariffs - like for example, re-examine the IPP (independent power producer) agreements.
For investment where the returns are guaranteed, the rate should not be much higher than risk-free rate. If you don't understand what I am saying, please consult your Finance 101 textbook.
Quigonbond: Najib, fuel costs around the world rise and fall, except for Malaysia. Fuel price here can only go up and up and up.
And since you justify electricity tariff's increase to rise in fuel cost, will you also undertake that if global fuel price falls, tariffs will fall?
I bet not, because money going into TNB (Tenaga Nasional Berhad) like any other GLCs (government-linked companies) are wasted on white elephants, be it some glossy commissioned report written by international consultants that end up collecting dust on the CEO's desk drawer, or ‘ lawatan sambil belajar ’ (study trips) that's neither useful nor relevant, or importing overpriced products from half way around the world because there is a budget to spend.
Please spare us the agonising platitudes and start asking TNB to tighten its belt before asking Malaysians to make further sacrifices.
2Kali5: Please tell us how much each of the IPPs make a year, then we will believe you that you have no option.
Negarawan: There are certainly other options: stopping massive corruption, stopping massive wastage of public funds, increasing productivity and efficiency, giving priority to important projects of national interest, etc, etc.
Unfortunately, these other options are unheard of and alien to Umno.
Kit P: Indeed, why do the rakyat have to pay to subsidise the lopsided IPP contracts which seem to be sacrosanct?
BN and PM Najib are the reverse equivalent of Robin Hood - robbing the poor to pay the rich IPP cronies.
CiViC: Oh, how stupid can this explanation be. When TNB makes profits, no ordinary citizen gets a share. So why is it their losses has to be compensated by public funds?
Man On The Street: The present government is always complaining that there is less fund available for government services and expenditure.
But, there are no efforts at all to reduce the government's wastage or look for new avenues of revenue. Instead, this government always takes easy way out such as price hike, reduce of subsides and taxation to increase the country's revenue.
The government has no innovative ideas on generating revenue for the country. Is it turning into a "lazy" government?
Anonymous_40f4: First, they increase the tariffs with all sorts of excuses. Then TNB includes an increase in deposit in the next bill and we are forced to pay. So TNB get richer and richer by robbing the already poor and suffering rakyat.
BN doesn’t care because they depend on the rural votes in Sabah and Sarawak to stay in power.
Old Timer: If the government is prudent in the management of taxpayer's fund, the country would be rich and no need to raise tariff.
And if TNB was managed by capable people, chosen based on merit and not race, TNB would be profitable and can absorb the rising cost.
Dalvik: I can instantly name two things you can do:
1. Reduce the fixed price that TNB has to pay IPPs
2. Reduce the reliance on the IPPs, since they are too expensive
Dear PM, you also have another choice - reduce the electricity usage at Seri Perdana. Less usage will help to curb the price hike.
Even a candlelight dinner is a romantic option, no?
Pputeh: Najib, you said you had no option but to increase the electricity tariffs.
Read all the comments below and above and you have so many suggestions from Malaysiakini readers on how to go about doing your job and carry out cost-cutting for the betterment of everyone.
No consultation fees needed. If only you will open your eyes and ears and listen rather than sue .
Abeng: Car price in Malaysia is the second highest in the world. No option too?
Basically: No option for whom? The ruling elite spends like money falls from the sky while at the same time telling us we have to pay more to foot our bills.
There are plenty of options not taken yet, except none of them will benefit the ruling elite and their cronies.
I have an option. I won't tick BN on my ballot paper.
Carlim: Only in Malaysia can a monopoly incur losses. Malaysia Boleh!
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