Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Youth has called on Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign as the nation's leader if he is unable to resolve the problems relating to the fuel price hike as soon as possible.

Its vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin (right) said Malaysians can no longer accept another failure by a weak premier who has repeatedly disappoint the nation by reneging on his promise to create reforms in government.

Declaring Abdullah Badawi as 'the weakest prime minister in Malaysian history', he said the premier has committed three failures:

1) Reneging on his promise to Malaysians by continuing to retain a corrupt cabinet

2) Displaying inconsistency over his treatment towards the media over the issue of the humiliation of Prophet Muhammad SAW

3) Betraying the Malaysian people by raising fuel prices despite the fact that Malaysia's position as a net oil exporter and capability to absorb the increase in world oil prices.

"After being given the mandate as PM for the past 3 years, we feel that Abdullah is too weak and incapable of running Malaysia. Malaysians deserve a competent, dynamic and compassionate leader. Malaysians want a change in leadership," Shamsul said in a press statement.

Be open on Petronas

He also said that Abdullah must openly announce the movements of profits generated by the national petroleum giant Petronas which had made immense financial gains from the rising price of fuel in the international markets.

"Abdullah must end his silence and explain to the public over profits gained by Petronas and how the profits have been spent especially at the time when Malaysians are hit with rising fuel costs which in turn will affect their disposable incomes," he said.

Shamsul also proposed that the premier to avoid further rhetoric and work to reduce the government's operating expenditures instead of withdrawing fuel subsidies.

"Analysts have mentioned that if government expenditures could be reduced and good governance were put in place, the costs of government operations and development could be reduced by at least 20 per cent simply by eliminating corruption and cronyism."

He then urged the government to take steps to:

1) Implement the promised open tender system rather the negotiated tenders that continue to remain in practice

2) Undertake to conduct an in-depth cost benefit analysis on all projects carried out by the government

3) Abolish draconian laws such as the OSA, ISA, Printing Presses and Publication Act, Electronic Media Act and the Police Act in order to make government operations more transparent and freeing the public to speak up against corruption and abuse of power.

4) Improve the public transportation system thus allowing the public with real choices on whether to use their private vehicles

5) Provide incentives on alterative fuels such as NGV thus reducing dependency on petrol and diesel fuels.

Change lifestyle committee

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang said the government should form a "Change lifestyle" cabinet committee whose current lifestyle is bleeding the public coffers.

Taking a jibe at the call by Deputy Premier Najib Abdul Razak for Malaysians to change their lifestyle following the fuel price increase, Lim said that it would be more meaningful if Najib were to lead the committee to to deliver the reform pledge and programme of the prime minister,

He questioned whether the government was really to prioritise excellence, productivity and meritocracy to create a world-class public service.

"Will there be enough cabinet ministers of indisputable integrity who are personally qualified to be members of the "Change Lifestyle" Cabinet Committee to spearhead government example of integrity, accountability and efficiency and deliver Abdullah's stalled reform pledge and programme?" Lim asked.