Malaysians of all walks of life, ages, races and genders are seen talking, more or less, openly in public places like in coffee shops, hypermarkets, shopping malls and centres or in the streets, parks and gardens whenever they meet someone they know or when they find a chance to throw out their frustrations and anger.

They will talk about what’s in store for 2014 especially with the government revealing of late the various price hikes on essential services, items and consumables as well as withdrawal on subsidies for petrol and sugar in the year, likewise for the introduction of 6 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year.

Already the Customs have made an announcement in the news that they will commence collecting the 6 percent GST for imports into the country.

It was a surprise to many businessmen in Subang Jaya when they went to renew the operating licences as usual in the new year at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) when they were told (on the spot) that the fees had gone up and they now have to pay the new fees to get their licences renewed.

To those involved, (to them) it was inconvenient to shuttle to and fro to renew the licences because they did not come prepared with the money. They also said no advance notices were sent out to inform them of the new licence fees for 2014.  To MPSJ, please come clear on the matter about who’s right and who’s wrong!

Meanwhile in the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) there is already a tussle going on between PJ taxpayers and the city Mayor over the price hike on assessment for 2014. However, will this increase apply to other ratepayers living in different parts in the country - well, your guess is as good as mine.

Spiralling effect of price increases

The bottom line is that the rakyat is burdened by the spiralling effects of price increases and already the ripples are hitting hard like a row of dominos.

Exactly, prices for food and drinks in coffee shops and in food and beverage outlets have gone up. Bus fares to Singapore and for inter-states travel, too, had gone up.

And so are costs for essential services like electricity supplies and water in the country, except Selangor where water is free if your water bill is less than RM12 a month.

Furthermore, children who have to ride on school buses are not spared the price increase. And, to housewives and homemakers, they are finding the value of the ringgit shrinking faster every day and that means they will have less money for marketing or rather buying food for the family.

This is an appeal to the government that there is a way to help them achieve a strong economy or financial standing (status) with a win-win situation, and that is to help the working-class rakyat get more pay. Then, they (the latter) will feel happier to pay because they will have the money to do so.

In order to make this a reality, the government should reduce the corporate taxes and extend longer tax and duty free incentives to lure foreign investors to start up businesses in the country, as well as changing some current stringent employment laws and equities to make Malaysia a choice nation for investments; but most importantly to make it mandatory that employers pay out high and commensurate remuneration for employees and also wages for factory and plant workers, while enjoying the incentives and benefits.

At the end of the day, when the working-class rakyat are paid a Developed World sort of remunerations or wages, then they will have more money to spend or pay but for now, they should be prudent in their spending.

No matter what, the rakyat hope that they should not be made always the sole victim (scapegoat) for the government to pull the wool over their eyes as and when a need arises because unlike sheep, given time, wool will grow back quickly but not from people who are poor or are already living in poverty, hardship or from hands to mouth.

Please take note, Malaysia has a lot to catch up on, already our currency has weaken because we now need to pay RM2.60 plus for one Singapore dollar. The prediction is, soon we may have to pay RM3 for one dollar. How could the government let this happen when both nations could use their currencies at par freely before Singapore left Malaysia?

Exactly, the dollar in Malaya was then traded at par to one Singapore dollar until the nation’s currency changed to ringgit. In fact, it started to slide downwards against the dollar year by year;

something Malaysians do not expect would take place. Apparently, Malaysia has almost everything under the sky say, like for agricultural produces, petroleum and gases, manufactured goods and electronic cum computer products including cars.

So, Malaysia has “everything” anybody could think of and, thus, is proud to say that the ringgit has remained strong in the market over time, but how and where is the showing when it comes to buying dollars today. It does not hold water.

This is a worry to many Malaysians and also to those foreign investors who deal in foreign currencies with foreign vendors or suppliers. In fact, they will lose money in foreign exchange when they pay up for what they import or buy overseas, with the ringgit weakening by the day.

It is good to talk less and do more to get the value of ringgit up, to catch up with other stronger currencies from rich nations and, so do not compare the ringgit with poorer nations, otherwise, the value of the ringgit will falsely misrepresented and continue to weaken further when other stronger currencies in the world appreciate.

The main criteria (objective) to bring Malaysia to a developed nation status, is to help get the rakyat become richer and live a better lifestyle but at the rate they (the rakyat) are being taxed left and right, it will make life more difficult and the poor become poorer, instead.

Or it will turn Malaysia into an austerity- drive stricken nation soon, in the next few years- let alone if the government continues to spend “lavishly” on wasteful projects/events and, above all when federal (public) money continue to be siphoned or amassed by unscrupulous, deceitful people.

Think about it, cash is king!

LAU BING is a community activist and writer in Subang Jaya.