‘I suggest the government look at ways to increase corporate taxes for these companies and plough back the collected taxes to reduce the burden. The profits they earn now are just way too much.’

Fuel hike: 78 sen more to RM2.70 per litre

TeokeLomangoop: Seems to me the biggest beneficiaries of high fuel cost (either through subsidies or market prices) are the oil companies. They are keeping awfully quiet in all this turmoil we are now experiencing.

I suggest the government look at ways to increase corporate taxes for these companies and plough back the collected taxes to reduce the burden. The profits they earn now are just way too much.

Joe Fernandez: Effective June 5, the fuel price will be reviewed monthly to be 0.30 sen less than the market price per litre. The market price today is RM3 per litre which gives us RM2.70 per litre at the pump for the next one month after the 0.30 sen discount.

The principle of 0.30 sen per litre discount stays. This means if the market price of fuel goes down to RM2.90 by July 5, the price at the pump after the 0.30 sen discount will be RM2.60 per litre.

If the market price of fuel goes up to RM3.10 per litre by July 5, we will have to pay RM2.80 per litre at the pump after the discount of 0.30 sen. The principle must be accepted. What we can dispute is the 0.30 sen discount per litre. Maybe it should be 0.50 sen per litre. Discount (or subsidy) means taxes foregone by the government.

Don't focus on the fuel price at the pump. Focus also on the poor state of the public transportation and the fact that most cars on the road have only one person inside it. We need to stop buying cars and change our lifestyle.

Public transportation is the way to go. Why drive to work and leave the car in the parking lot to bake in the sun the whole day, only to drive back home in the evening? Take the bus or tram to work. Car pool.

The Watchman: I think it's time the people respond to the hike in fuel prices in a fury never seen before in Malaysian history. The total inaptitude of the Barisan Nasional government in managing this crisis is unacceptable.

These are the people who claimed they represent the rakyat, but very clearly only represent their own selfish interests. Petronas, in all aspects, is a national asset belonging to the people. But the Umno-led BN government treats it like its personal bank.

Frankly, how can a net oil exporter like Malaysia, face a crisis of this magnitude? If oil prices go northward, it should benefit Petronas. And there should be enough money for the country to live on.

Now the question is where have the billions in oil revenue gone to? The bank accounts of our wonderful leaders in the corrupt Umno-led government? I personally believe that the billions currently channeled to run the National Service 'death camps' should be used to manage the oil crisis in the country.

The National Service programme is a failure, regardless of what the deputy prime minister has to say. So terminate the NS programme and redirect the funds to better programmes that would benefit the rakyat.

Choo Wai Choy: This is crazy! Fuel increases closed to 80 sen. Never ever happened before. I'm sure there will be street demos. I don't expect to see less cars on the road as public transport is hopeless. One thing for sure, everybody has to cut corners and tighten their belts.

However, for myself, I will concentrate on ways to supplement my income by seeking some pocket money with online endeavours. My blog proves to have just the correct timing, having launched it last week. It will surely help ease my burdens.

A Patriotic Malaysian: The rakyat is today punished for the wastage and corruption of all the years of rule by the Barisan government. Malaysia would today be a very rich country if not for the billions of dollars wasted on projects and corrupt practices which continue to bleed the country.

But for all these crimes, there would be no problem in giving scholarships to all deserving students irrespective of race and religion, no need to remove subsidies on fuel and electricity, no need to continue the NEP because the rural poor would have benefitted from the riches rather than the few elite Umnoputeras.

It is time that the government be changed to Pakatan Rakyat. To all right-minded Barisan MPs, in the present situation, it is not unethical, in fact it is your duty to be a ‘patriotic frog’ - jump and change Malaysia for the better. It is your duty to the people who voted you because they deserve better.

To all Malaysians who love this country, stand up now and be counted. Support all legitimate means at hand to overthrow this corrupt government. Do not let it off without punishment for all the past leaders and their cronies who have plundered the country, destroyed the judiciary, imposed unjust laws, jailed innocent people and sold the rakyat's trust. Enough is enough.

Non-government Supporter: Increasing the price by that much of amount will killing everyone in Malaysia. I have come out with an idea for what a new subsidy plan should be. The government shall continue to subsidise all citizens of Malaysia at the price of RM1.92 per litre of petrol.

Each person only gets to pump oil at RM1.92 per litre for, let’s say, up to RM200 per month. Above that RM200 quota, the motorist will then have to pay the unsubsidised rate.

Better still, they could make it a step-by-step quota. For example, for the first RM100 spent on petrol, the price would be RM1.92, for the next RM100 at RM2.70 followed by RM4 for anything above RM200 spent in a month.

Kelvin: With the economy already heading for a recession, the steep fuel price hike will surely have a killer effect. Lo and behold, Malaysians can now brace for hardships. The 41% increase will be followed shortly by another round of inflation.

The government will be paying each car owner only RM625 per year which is equivalent to about RM52 per month. How are we Malaysian going to cope ? Companies in the red will soon be retrenching workers and how do you expect these workers to get another job in these trying times?

With the petrol subsidy reduced substantially, duties on cars have to be totally scrapped. The government cannot have the best of both world, ie no subsidy but high excise and import duties. It takes the average Joe’s five years' of sweat to fully pay off his car loan and another five years to pay off the duties imposed on his car.

Is it morally acceptable for the government to impose high duties on car buyers which normally takes five years to settle? The PM just says that Malaysians have to adjust their lifestyles in tandem with the price hike. This is only fair if the PM and all his cabinet ministers do the same.

Malaysians will not take it lightly if they still see the PM and his gang spending public money like there is no tomorrow. Malaysians now in hardship will rise up against such happenings. The PM and gang will have to walk the talk. Remember that God and Malaysians are watching you closely.

Rajee: I am a student who questions the aim of our government to increase the petrol charges all of a sudden. Is this what we as the public get when we chose this government?

If this continues, in the future, we the residents who are living a normal life would only be able to afford to use a bicycle. This is not the way for the government to help the citizens to upgrade their lifestyles.

They are causing fear in the citizens’ minds and hearts. The main thing that the government should understand is that not all the citizens of Malaysia are earning the minimum of RM3,000 per month so please consider how miserable their lives would be if the government keeps on increasing the prices of everything.

Today petrol, what else tomorrow?

Peter Wong:

Pak Lah risks himself for the people by doing the right thing. Few political leaders will take such a risk especially during the current political situation. I salute him.

Arianna:

What is Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and and his band of merry 'robber' advisers thinking? After dropping a millstone over our heads, he expects us to celebrate and not demonstrate?

Already, I am truly aghast at his and BN's government terribly poor handling of the economy and now the fuel hike. No, Abdullah, you are not only killing our economy but are stripping many of the rakyat to near nakedness in our already poverty state.

Since 1997, the government had given some RM58.2 billion in oil subsidy out of which, RM26.7 billion were for the independent power producers (IPPs). This only for IPPs, not to mention those for other industries.

How much of these subsidies actually went to us - the rakyat Malaysia - if we took into account the smuggled petrol and those sold to foreigners at borders and within the country? Probably less than RM15 billion.

Instead of making these industries pay the market price, having tighter enforcement on smuggling activities and setting a different tariff for non-Malaysians refueling at neighbouring borders, the BN government decided that ordinary Malaysians should pay more to help in subsidising these industries and unqualified people.

Not to content with the fuel price hike, now TNB also hikes its tariff (for Peninsular Malaysia). After this, will surely come the tsunami of barang naik and higher transport fares.

Abdullah, the BN government and your band of merry 'robber' advisers, you bring nothing but hardship to the rakyat. The rakyat will reciprocate come next general election. That's a promise.