PAS Youth and the Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) today added their names to the long list of protest against the sharp increase of fuel prices.

While PAS Youth, like many others, trained its crosshairs on Petronas, Abim, on the other hand, called for a 'special price subsidy system' for the lower income group.

Petronas should bear the subsidy cost for the price of petrol since the company enjoyed an increase in profits since last year, said PAS Youth vice-president Mazlan Aliman in a statement.

He said the national oil giant was drilling in billions following the increase of oil price in the international market, and it is only fair that Malaysians get to share the cake.

"According to the financial year ending March 2005, Petronas had recorded a profit of RM58.03 billion compared to RM37.44 billion in the previous year. At a critical time such as this, we believe that it is appropriate for the profit to be distributed to the people.

"The best way for the people to enjoy the profit would be for the company to bear the cost of subsidy financed by the government," he said.

Mazlan said this was a legitimate and rational proposal since Petronas had in the past been instructed by the government to channel its funds to save several troubled development projects.

Effective yesterday, the price of diesel in Peninsular Malaysia increased by 23 percent to RM1.58 per litre while petrol now cost 19 percent more at RM1.92 per litre.

Mazlan called on the government to seriously consider this proposal to prove its sensitivity to the needs and interests of the people.

"The government should not abuse the people's goodwill. The mandate given by the people is not a ticket for the government to impose policies without considering their interest," he said.

Special price

Meanwhile, Abim president Yusri Mohamad called on the government to alleviate the burden of those from the lower income group by introducing a special price subsidy.

"In running the country's economy, the interest and welfare of the people especially those in the low and medium income groups must always take priority," he said in a statement.

He said the public's patience is wearing thin with the continued increase of fuel prices since their income failed to correspond with this.

Yusri also said it is the government - not the people - that must bear the brunt of the rising oil price in the international market.

"Has the nation's budget come to such a critical stage that the people are forced to bear the cost?" he asked

He also questioned whether the government's spending policy had a role in the failure to contain problems.

"Could its earlier decision to buy back failed projects from the private sector be one of the reasons for the failure. If that is so, then the government must own up to its mistake instead of pushing the burden to the people," he added.

Electricity tariff

In a related development, Parti Keadilan Rakyat Youth vice-president Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin said the government should reconsider the plan to increase electricity tariffs.

"The people are not only facing an increase in the price of goods but also hikes in various taxes and interest rates. It is disheartening that all these are taking place when the majority of Malaysians have not enjoyed any positive economic development for the past three years

"PKR Youth believes there is no reasonable grounds for the government to further torment the people by allowing a hike on electricity tariff," he said when contacted.

He also warned Tenaga Nasional Berhad that the Youth wing will not hesitate to take 'political actions' against the electricity service provider if it decide to go ahead with the tariff hike.