Water rate hike: Why should rakyat sacrifice, asks ex-S'gor MB
The Pakatan Harapan government's plea for the rakyat to accept the proposed increase in water tariffs goes against its pledge that it is concerned about the people's plight, former Selangor menteri besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said today.
Taking to Facebook, Khalid said a good government would put the people's welfare first and not pander to corporate interests.
He was responding to an Utusan Malaysia report, in which Water, Land, and Natural Resources Minister Xavier Jayakumar asked the people to consider paying higher water rates as part of their responsibility, as well as out of "pity" for the government.
According to the minister, this is because the cost that the government bears for water utilities is too high.
Despite the proposed increase, he added, water tariffs in Malaysia remained one of the lowest in Southeast Asia.
Read more: Water rate hike - Johor, Sabah say 'no' but minister says all agreed
"If the news is true, then it is shameful, especially when the Harapan government is constantly preaching their 'people first' slogan," said Khalid.
Elaborating, he said the country did not need leaders who only talked, but wanted those who were committed to ensuring the people's welfare was looked after.
"An honest government will put the people's interests first, and not just please corporate figures. If politicians choose to act improperly, then why should the rakyat be the ones sacrificing?" he asked.
Jayakumar had said that water tariffs were expected to be increased this year with most state governments having agreed to it.
This corrupted man took money from the UMNO cronies to solve his debts and he dare talk about caring for the rakyat. These people should be put in prison and stoned to death.
Can we follow UK n Saudi in aset recovery from corruption . Pl exhaust all Avenue before screwing rakyat
And for those who goes on and on about increase in prices, that is because the RM has fallen to 4.1 from 3.6 and all our trade for import of goods are in US$? Why are most of our foodstuff imported? Because we got no workers to work on our land which have been left idle, we don’t even have enough workers to harvest our oil palm, no workers to harvest our fishes in our ponds etc. Why? Because most of us are of the misconception that the foreign workers are taking away our jobs when they are doing the jobs that we do not want to do. Food prices will continue to rise because of this and once our locals cannot expand their business or start new business, a lot will close shop, you will see the economy contract and then there will be more unemployment. I don’t know who is the smart economist advising Malaysia but I am just amaze with the level of mentality demonstrated so far. People complained about GST causing hardship before, now it’s taken away so why is there still so much hardship? Why now the need to increase water or Petrol prices? Because everyone is looking at the micro, and not the economy as a whole. We are like horses with blinkers now, can only see in one direction.