PAS Youth Federal Territories today blasted the federal government for the price hikes in fuel and sugar announced yesterday evening.

Its vice president Mohamad Suhaimi bin Abdul Aziz, in a statement today, had strong words for the government’s “usual excuses” of couching the hikes as “subsidy adjustments and cutting of national spending” and that “they could no longer afford to subsidise the rakyat”.

NONE “To add insult to injury, some leaders say that the price increases will not burden the rakyat, and that our petrol prices are still lower compared to other countries,” said Mohamad Suhaimi.

“But fact is petrol price hikes definitely affect the people's lives. With the price hikes, what will stop businesses from raising the prices of their goods? Nearly all businesses use petrol and diesel, nearly all foodstuffs rely on sugar.

“What more, there is the silly excuse by a national leader who said the government wanted the rakyat to be healthy and free from diabetes, therefore they raised the sugar prices,” he said.

“Do they also want the rakyat to ride bicycles to work, or use public transport when the leaders themselves use official government vehicles wherever they go?

He said that compared with many countries Malaysia was rich in natural wealth, but sadly the rakyat “does not have the right to enjoy the fruits of the land”.

‘Cut lavish mega-projects instead’

He questioned the necessity for price hikes - that should be the last resort - when other measures had not been explored. Meanwhile, he said, “for the benefit of certain parties, the government is willing to spend more.”

NONE “The Menara Warisan is to be built at a cost of RM5 billion, with no benefit to the common people. Better the money be spent on petrol subsidies,” he said.

“And what about all the monstrous and lavish mega projects, surely they should be cut back before the basic needs of the rakyat are cut.”

“Perhaps it’s true the hikes will not burden the rakyat, because we have no more tears to shed.

azlan “Issues of increase in wages and allowances and minimum wages have never even received the government’s priority.

“The people are not being burdened by the price hikes, it is the burden of BN that we can no longer bear,” said Mohamad Suhaimi.

This is the latest in a series of hikes following Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's announcement of a 5 sen increase for diesel and petrol on July 15. 

The price of RON97 petrol has gone up twice since, while the sugar price hike is the third this year. It was raised by 20 sen on Jan 1 and another 20 sen on July 15.

‘Support Pakatan water campaign’

Meanwhile Parti Rakyat Malaysia (PRM) said the price hikes were “not timely”.

prm congress meeting 160706 koh swe yong “This move will be a burden to the people, especially the wage earners,” said party secretary general Koh Swe Yong ( right ).

Koh also voiced support for the Selangor government’s efforts to defend the rakyat against hikes in water tariffs.

“We call on the government to live up to their talk of ‘People first’,” he said, lashing out  atthe federal government for being more concerned with private water company Syabas than the people's  welfare.

“Instead, they are siding with a private company and supporting their move to raise the water tariff, in order to raise their profits,” he said.

He said PRM opposed the privatisation of water as the company’s main concern was maximising profit. “Furthermore, if the company makes a loss, then they should re-nationalise the concern and give it back to the rakyat to handle.”

He called on the people to support the Selangor government or risk the success of Syabas in getting its tariff hike triggering a ripple effect across the country.

Koh added that the federal government should declassify the contract with Syabas as it concerns the rakyat’s well being.