Subsidies are the crumbs of corruption thrown at the rakyat, after the Government has eaten the cake. Yet, we still yearn for more crumbs. Often, people say, the Government subsidizes sugar, petrol, etc. Bullshit. The Government is merely using our money to pay for the goods. It is not the Government who is subsidizing. It is our money.
Take petrol for example. My lousy Proton Wira has a RM 8000 excise duty on it. Yup - please do not think Protons are tax free. If you work it out, it will take me about 12 years to get back the equivalent in subsidies. Will my Proton last 12 years. I doubt it. In the mean time, petrol is wasted as the price is artificially low. That's our money. On top of that, some jokers in Singapore and Thailand are happily using our money for cheap petrol. I don't mind subsidizing their petrol when they are spending money in Malaysia, but not when it is consumed out of Malaysia.
But I hear you. Some say, the poor will suffer without subsidy. Really? Who is the poor? Generally, we will agree it is the fishermen and farmers. Let's take these two for now. Why are they poor. Because there is a price cap. Controlled item. So, the government is really screwing the poor isn't it? Paddy farmers in Vietname is rich, as prices of rice is sky high. But in Malaysia, it is a CONTROLLED ITEM.
So, price caps and subsidizes have caused a runaway effect. The poor becomes poorer. And our neighbours are sucking our pockets dry from subsidized products. The hot news now is it is easier to get Malaysian sugar in Thailand than in Malaysia. So, do you think BN can govern? They cannot even sort out our sugar supply.
Suggestion is simple. Get rid of the subsidy. Get rid of the tax. Get rid of the price control. Let market forces rule. I hear you ask - what about the workforce, the operators in factories? Surely, they will suffer. Read my next article!
Take petrol for example. My lousy Proton Wira has a RM 8000 excise duty on it. Yup - please do not think Protons are tax free. If you work it out, it will take me about 12 years to get back the equivalent in subsidies. Will my Proton last 12 years. I doubt it. In the mean time, petrol is wasted as the price is artificially low. That's our money. On top of that, some jokers in Singapore and Thailand are happily using our money for cheap petrol. I don't mind subsidizing their petrol when they are spending money in Malaysia, but not when it is consumed out of Malaysia.
But I hear you. Some say, the poor will suffer without subsidy. Really? Who is the poor? Generally, we will agree it is the fishermen and farmers. Let's take these two for now. Why are they poor. Because there is a price cap. Controlled item. So, the government is really screwing the poor isn't it? Paddy farmers in Vietname is rich, as prices of rice is sky high. But in Malaysia, it is a CONTROLLED ITEM.
So, price caps and subsidizes have caused a runaway effect. The poor becomes poorer. And our neighbours are sucking our pockets dry from subsidized products. The hot news now is it is easier to get Malaysian sugar in Thailand than in Malaysia. So, do you think BN can govern? They cannot even sort out our sugar supply.
Suggestion is simple. Get rid of the subsidy. Get rid of the tax. Get rid of the price control. Let market forces rule. I hear you ask - what about the workforce, the operators in factories? Surely, they will suffer. Read my next article!
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