by Dr. Chen Man Hin
The latest jump in pump pricing by 42% has caused an upheaval in the economy and much unhappiness among motorists and the people. businesses are stalling, and there is undertainty about the future. the sudden severe rise has caused a social and economic earthquake.
The shocking increase was unnecesary, and here are the reasons why it was a bad mistake.
MARKED DISPARITY OF PUMP PRICES BETWEEN MALAYSIA AND OTHER OIL PRODUCING COUNTRIES.
Malaysia’s pump price should be equilvalent to pump prices in other oil producing countries, as for example:-
Saudi Arabia RM 0.38 per litre
UAE 1.19 / litre
Egypt 1.03 / litre
Bahrain 0.87
Qatar 0.68
Kuwait 0.67
Iran 0.35
Nigeria 0.32
Turkmenistan 0.25
Venezuela 0.16/litre
MALAYSIA 2.70/LITRE
COST OF PRODUCTION PER BARREL OF OIL
Statistics indicate that the production cost per barrel of oil for the above countries vary around US$ 4 per barrel. The world average is US$ 7 per barrel.
A barrel contains 44 gallons or 176 litres oil, which works out at US 2.27 cents per litre or 2.27 x 3.3 = 7.49 sen per litre.
As the production cost per litre is only 7.49 sen, it is beyond comprehension to see how the pump price could be raised astronomically to RM2.70 per litre.
There is no justification for pump price of petrol to be RM2.70 which is way above the price set in other oil producing countries in Middle East, Africa or South America.
This is an example of bad governance. Our natural resources should be used to help people and not to profit recklessly at their expense. Prime Minister Abdullah has a lot of explaining to do.
Petronas should be more transparent and be people frieidly.
Petronas is making huge sums of money. Tun Mahathir claims that Petronas made a profit of well over RM70 billion last year, and should therefore be able to keep down fuel prices instead of unreasonable price increases.
OIL PRODUCTION. Petronas produces 650,000 barrels of oil each day, out of which 250,000 barrels were for export and the balance of 450,000 barrels for domestic consumption.
At US$130 per barrel, less US$10 for production cost, profit per barrel would be US$120.
Estimated profit per year would be 250,000 x 120 x 365 x 3.3= RMR 36.1 billion
If we include profits from natural gas, investments in other countries, Petronas’s earnings would reach record levels.
PETRONAS WEALTH TO REDUCE SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF RAISING OIL PRICES
The evidence is definitely against any increase of pump prices for Malaysians. Pump prices should return to a reasonable level – the same as in other oil producing countries.
Instead of spending money on subsidies for fuel, the funds should be used for the benefit of the people and marginalised poor with better schools, more hospitals for the sick and housing for the homeless.
PETRONAS TO REFORM
Since its inauguration in Parliament in mid seventies, its operations have been shrouded in secrecy. It is time for Petronas to be answerable to Parliament, to open its accounts to the people and to institute new policies for a healthy and vibrant industry.
#1 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 12:38 pm
What sort of responsible government is BN ? What sort of government allows a person implicated by the royal commission of inquiry on Lingamgate to continue as a minister ? What sort of government promotes a person who lost RM12 billion of the country’s reserves speculating on foreign exchange to the post of finance minister ?
What sort of government increases fuel prices by 40 pct, and electricity prices by 20 pct, then a week later “awards” billions in goodies to certain states ?
What sort of government has a cabinet which spends RM 20 billion in one year ? And makes a big point out of reducing such expenses by RM 2 billion ?
Sigh….we deserve better. And “better” means no more stealing.
#2 by k1980 on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 12:40 pm
Kasim’s proposal for two or three tier pricing in petrol:–
Bumis— 10sen per litre
Mamak celup like DrM — 9 sen per litre
Illegal immigrants (muslim) —11sen per litre
Non-Bumis— RM10 per litre
Illegal immigrants (non-muslim) —RM11 per litre
#3 by qookhoo on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 12:41 pm
LOL…
It just a joke to see how Kas Am thinks & shallow his or her mind (if there is any)… As proud Kas Am is to how the “BN” treats the people like us (real people who work hard & still can’t have a decent living), it’s the cloud & pretty picture painted to confused shallow minds. It’s never the intention since the very first “Sultan”.
Look at the history lesson taught in school. The malay is still proud for these “Sultan”. Well go figure on this. The recent election’s results has shown the true color of these “Sultans”. Defender of the official religion?? Well, what is there to defend? The very religion that cause most of the war & indifference.
As for the “Bahasa”, it’s a laughing stock!!! The malay in local service can’t speak proper “Bahasa”. Which version is being adopt, bahasa baku, bahasa melayu, bahasa malaysia? Don’t even think about promotion english. The younger generations today can’t have a clear head on what to adopt.
The oil & petrol rise is just a sore respond to rising neighbor petrol price. Boarder in the north & south are the one that has the spurs of petrol usage due to lower price. Well years ago, Malaysian goes to Singapore & Thailand for shopping dues the lower price in terms of branded goods & daily stuff. How did the government respond?
Petronas is just a tools by BN to get the most money from the resources & people to enrich the cronies. Go figure.
If the government can’t be criticize, then feel free to leave & let people who can take the heat.
cheers…
#4 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 12:55 pm
Kasim Amat:
I got a better suggestion on tiered pricing for fuel based on NEP. I think UMNO should get membership cards that are eligible for fuel at 10 sen per litre. That way, you are guaranteed of members’ loyalty forever. Then what you and I need to do is to come up with a profit sharing scheme – you use your membership card for cheap fuel, I become the middleman to sell the fuel at slightly below market prices, and both of us can drive around in our Bentleys.
How about it ? Win-win situation for the both of us. Oh, and while we are at it, why don’t you and I get the contract for printing smart cards for UMNO that can also be used at the petrol pumps ? You don’t have to do any work; I will execute the deal for you.
Malaysia Boleh ?
#5 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:01 pm
///Let’s support the government and help the country prosper peacefully without any hatred and grudges against one each other. NEP is not for the rich, it is for the poor/// – Kasim Amat.
Explain then how the above tallies with or justifies what citizenwatch posted above including “Time Asia magazine issue on March 15 2004, South East Asian economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore Daniel Lian, figures “that the country may have lost as much as U$$100 billion (RM320 billion) since the early 1980s to corruption.”
#6 by Kasim Amat on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:03 pm
Multiple tiers on petrol price is necessary and the Bumi should be forbidden to sell it on to Non-bumi. Unless necessary, I will not waste time to response to meaningless postings.
#7 by kingkenny on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:13 pm
“”Saudara Saudari, we need to accept that we are in Malaysia and Orang Melayu is the major ethnic group of this country. Let’s support the government and help the country prosper peacefully without any hatred and grudges against one each other. NEP is not for the rich, it is for the poor. Tun Mahatir again yesterday at the talk organised by Warisan Pekembar confirmed that Malaysia was the only nation in the world where the main ethnic group had admitted other races and endowed them with rights.”"
Kasim Amat at it again!
=================================================
For your information Kasim Amat Bodo, we accept that Melayu is the major ethnic group in Malaysia. What we do not accept and will not tolerate anymore is how this country is being managed. Nothing to do with denying Malay as the “major ethnic group” here. So, make yourself understood!
NEP is for the rich, not for the poor…there is a saying where if there is a dog and a man in the sea, who do you save first?…this obviously apply to the giving of tenders and projects…I doubt some Tom Dick & Kasim from the kampung will get the projects even he is a Malay! It will surely go to Deputy Botak’s or AAB’s family’s first!!
Kalau tidak, manalah KJ dapat wang bukak kedai butik di KLCC oi! Manalah Rosmah ada duit shopping saja hari-hari?!?
Ingat sikitlah mangkuk!
And lastly, it shows your level of extremism when you attend some senile and racist EX-official speech, that guy could collapse & die anytime if DSAI just went up to him and just say ‘Hello’….all that he is doing is to prevent DSAI coming to power…and this mamak is using Malay to cover his courageless backside!
Think for a while here Kasim…:)
#8 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:13 pm
OK, if we forbid “bumi” fuel to be sold to non-bumis, how about you and I get the contract to label the fuel as “bumi”. We can put a colouring to the fuel – maybe pink for bumi and colourless for the rest. We can supply the pink dye to all petrol stations. Boleh? You and I get the concession. Government pays us a lump sum per month. Tak payah tender – just negotiated concession.
#9 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:16 pm
You see, Kasim Amat, you don’t have the ideas, but I have plenty of ideas, so in true BN spirit, you and I must work together to achieve the win-win situation. You get the contract, I do the execution – this has been the NEP way for the past 30 years.
#10 by cheng on soo on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:19 pm
Hei, Saudara Kasim & Godfather, can I join in yr petrol business venture? (somebody proposed 10 sen /litre for bumi, RM3.30/litre for non bumi??, still cheaper than Spore or Thailand lah). by selling 10 sen /litre, Msia also create a world record, cheapest oil in the world. MALAYSIA BOLEH !
Saudara Kasim, surely gomen cannot stop all Bumi to sell petrol to others to make a living, want to promote entreprenieurship among Bumi lah!
#11 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:26 pm
cheng on soo:
Sorry lah, you are DAP member, so you don’t qualify. The Ali Baba business cannot have an opposition partner. Besides, Kasim and I have to take care of so many others in UMNO, there is not enough to share.
#12 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:32 pm
Kasim:
In order for the pricing differential to succeed, and to avoid a black market for bumi fuel vs non-bumi fuel, we need to be able to label the fuel accordingly. We must get the contract to label the fuel. Don’t let it go to KJ or a Badawi crony. You and I can do it. If you run into political problems, just offer some free shares to KJ or a Badawi crony.
#13 by badak on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:34 pm
The main reason why our petrol price is high is because ,Our crude oil is sold way way below the market price.And yet we are paying market price for our oil import.WHY Because PATRONAS had peg our crude oil at below RM 11O a barrel.
#14 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:38 pm
Godfather, I think rebranding the fuel as “halah & non-halah” would be better appeal, don’t you think? Heck, we can easily mass export that to the Middle East. Imagine, First “halah” fuel in the world! Quick somebody inform our brillient PM about this.
I propose we elect saudara Kasim as the CEO to lobby UMNO for this concession. Then to hell with all Malaysian while we quietly become “kaya”. Good idea lah!
#15 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:41 pm
Halal or non-halal fuel ? hmmmmm….Kasim, what do you think ? Maybe not a good idea because it means that all PAS members can also benefit from the low bumi price. Also, it could trigger a rush for many Chinese to convert to Islam in order to gain the benefit from halal fuel….
rainbowseahorse, not a good idea for UMNO.
#16 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:43 pm
Last thing we want is for the country to turn 90 pct Muslim to benefit from halal fuel. No, Kasim and I will stick to “Malays who support UMNO only”. We do the smart cards and the labelling to prevent bumi fuel from falling into the wrong hands.
#17 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:45 pm
If we introduce the concept of halal fuel vs non-halal fuel, then there is no role for Kasim and I to do the labelling. It will simply fall under the Halal Hub, which is promoted by KJ and some Badawi cronies. Tak boleh lah, we must share-share, eh, Kasim ?
#18 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 1:50 pm
It doesn’t matter how the fuel will be accepted in Malaysia mah! Small market!
As long as it is “halah”, we can convince the Arabs that this should be the ONLY fuel that all Muslims should be using…not forgetting those 120 million odd Chinese Muslims in China too.
Now all we have to wait is for saudara Kasim to accept the post of CEO and to put the deal through with UMNO.
Mass Chinese convert to Islam? Excellent and additional bonus as this is EXACTLY what UMNO desires. More reason for the re-branding!
#19 by Kasim Amat on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:00 pm
Admin – I think you should ban Godfather, rainboweashorse and Cheng On So from posting because of their stupid comments. They have intentionally transformed this blog into their imaginary playground and treat all the readers as idiots!
#20 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:03 pm
Alamak, Kasim Amat, how can you say this ? we are trying to be helpful to UMNO with our suggestions. You were the one who proposed tiered fuel pricing for bumis and non-bumis. Without labelling the fuel or provide smart-cards to bumis, how can this be achieved ?
We must continue the NEP tradition of the past 30 years, if we hear you correctly. So you and I should cooperate and make your tiered fuel pricing proposal a reality.
#21 by cheng on soo on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:08 pm
IF really got multiple tiers of pricing for petrol, then do all petrol kiosks need to partition their undeground tanks? that could be another businesss lah,
Saudara Kasim, U want to ban us, but it was U who first proposed to hv 2 or 3 tier of pricing, we just remind U what may happened!
#22 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:11 pm
Now we are all talking like UMNOputras ! Opportunities exist at every corner ! Hidup NEP !
#23 by donng55 on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:13 pm
Hey Folks, let’s not let our friend Kasim Amat distract us from discussing the key points. He has the right to voice his opinions and others have to right to ignore his comments/ remarks if we disagree with them.
Above all, let’s not get irritated and react angrily. That is what he is trying to achieve, don’t you see it.
#24 by k1980 on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:35 pm
Talking of 2 or 3 tier of pricing for petrol, why don’t there be a 2 or 3 tier of salary scheme? Like this according to the ketuanan melayu concept:–
Bumis: RM10,000 per month flat for all kinds of jobs
Bumis(non-muslims): RM1,000 per month flat for all kinds of jobs
Non-Bumis: RM100 per month flat for all kinds of jobs
#25 by Richardqed on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:41 pm
I would suggest:
To admin — To make it simple, please just ban the joker called Kasim Amat. And really, it would be a good idea to do some IP tracking on suspicious saboteurs such as Killer and this joker.
To Kasim Amat — Since you hate DSAI so much, and you like to play the racial card just like Dr M, go make your postings on Dr M’s website.
To everyone else — Join forces. If the joker Kasim Amat attempts to twist and turn the facts, tear his statements apart sentence by sentence, and show them to be lies and baseless, idiotic statements.
#26 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:41 pm
Hmmm, ok saudara Kasim, we shall withdraw our nomination for you to be CEO. Still, based on your proposal posting above: “Multiple tiers on petrol price is necessary and the Bumi should be forbidden to sell it on to Non-bumi. Unless necessary, I will not waste time..” we should most definately not lose time in forewarding your brillient proposal to our government. In fact, we should propose an immediate peaceful protest for the government to adopt your proposal…abeit we change the fuel to “halal & non-halal” for marketing purposes as outlined above in earlier posting.
Weldone saudara Kasim!
#27 by Godfather on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:47 pm
Chill out, guys….it’s good to have fun once in a while, especially if we have the opportunity to p!ss on BN and its supporters.
Kasim Amat is here as an agent provocateur, to provoke and to divert attention, and to make baseless remarks. In a true democracy, we should let him voice his comments, most of which are so hilarious but which may actually represent the views of the UMNO grassroots.
#28 by nazryan on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 2:56 pm
Being Malay, I am truly disappointed of what being written by Mr. Kasim Amat. It shows shallowness/ disrespect/ stupidity with his lame excuse, examples, and arguments. In fact I feel pity for him. To all blogger, please do not associate his opinion with the majority Malays. As per PRU 12 result, Malay now days can’t be associate anymore with UMNO stand/ point of view.
As per my posting earlier on the ‘ketuanan Melayu’ thing. It is definitely a way to control other Malays to be obedience to the rich and sultan etc, similar to the Chinese emperor domination but today being misused in a multi-racial country.
As per many historical literatures, the Malays originated from southern part of China and I do believe the earlier settlement push the original natives into the jungle thus the ‘orang asli’. So in that case do we consider or rightly ourselves as being the ‘bumiputra’. And what so great of being hundred years earlier than other rightful Malaysian. Why can’t we live together and accept each other races and their beautiful cultural.
This in fact lead to another topics discussed, whatever races we’re from, the petrol hike affect every single family in Malaysia except if you’re super or filthy rich.
Thus to Kassim Amat, please tell your masters, I do not know which Malaysian can be proud or accept your justification rather than the UMNO-BN totok.
By the way, my grandmother was a Chinese, my grandfather was a Javanes (on my father side) and on my mother side Malay Minang and Malay Ceylones respectively. Err, how do I register myself then?
#29 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:01 pm
Kasim Amat Says:
1) “Admin – I think you should ban Godfather, rainbowseahorse and Cheng On So from posting because of their stupid comments”.
Ehh, saudara Kasim, I think this blog is created precisely for Malaysian regardless of race & religion, who believe in championing for good governance in Malaysia. We all don’t support the BN and most certainly not UMNO as you tend to do. May I suggest you go to UMNO’s blog where your kind will are most welcomed?
2)”They have intentionally transformed this blog into their imaginary playground and treat all the readers as idiots!”
My dear saudara Kasim, where exactly did we three fellow Malaysians treat a fellow blogger like an “idiot”? You proposes and we just help you to refine and even proposes make you the CEO of a potentially lucrative concessionary company with UMNO. But you seem to take offense pulak! Kalau tak mau jadi CEO, sudah lah! Kami pun tak paksa-paksa saudara Kasim jugah! Perhaps you should reconsider your “not so bright” proposal in future before you post!
#30 by Kasim Amat on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:01 pm
Well, please go ahead and ban me. I am just correcting some of your readers’ views which have been seriously contaminated by the West and Singapore’s thinking. You can ban me but can you ban the whole of our community from speaking?
#31 by nazryan on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:09 pm
YB Kit…
How is your admin/ moderator being paid off? Allowance? Salary? Social service?
Do you have any extra allocation or subsidy to give to Mr. Kasim Amat since he is now a regular and seems to have a lot of time giving/ correcting opinion.
Kasim, you really light our life.
#32 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:11 pm
Yes Godfather, we all need people like Kasim to lighten our life as he can make us smile with his…ehhhh…most entertaining postings. Otherwise, this blog can get rather serious and lopsided towards the opposition parties lah! As you said, Godfather, Kasim’s view might just be the thinking of UMNO which help us bloggers to perhaps have a better understanding of how & where all those.. urrhh.. ”funny” ideas came about from UMNO’s camp.
#33 by Neobanchuan on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:17 pm
Fuel price hike is already a confirmed event. We should not lose our focus and we should continue to fight for our welfare.
#34 by Neobanchuan on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:19 pm
Since Kasim is apparently a spy from UMNO why don’t the admin ban him from posting?
#35 by rainbowseahorse on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:26 pm
Ban Kasim? No, no, no! We need people like saudara Kassim as a measure of UMNO’s level of thinking and intellect…. Plus, he is rather entertaining!
#36 by citizenwatch on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:44 pm
All of us should beware of those who blindly support UMNO and BN being planted in the pro-change blog sites or news portals. Their job is to say good things about UMNO and BN even to the point of obvious naivete. Other than here where a personage who acted more like a court jester who had just been shooed off by Godfather and rainbowseahorse, take the case of Chee Siew Sim who wrote in Malaysiakini:
Chee Siew Sim: The recent 41% hike in petrol is not a Malaysian problem but a world-wide issue faced by all mankind.
Why do the opposition parties and those demonstrators blame Pak Lah for this price hike? Pak Lah is protecting our future generations – we bite the bullet now rather than suffer five years down the road when Malaysia becomes a bankrupt nation due to the oil subsidy.
The price hike is justified and yet in spite of it our petrol price is still cheaper than in Thailand and Singapore. We have a compassionate PM who is still dishing out petrol subsidies and food subsidies; we should count our blessings.
#37 by citizenwatch on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 3:53 pm
The President of FOMCA Marimuthu should get his priorities right. After the price hike for fuel, he together with several consumer groups supported the hike and urged the people not to take to the streets to protest. They, as if in unison urge the people to change their lifestyle. And a few days later when PM announced that no more petrol hikes within this year, Marimuthu said the people should be thankful to PM and the govt. Marimuthu should fight for the consumers’ rights – period. Other than that he should just shut up!
#38 by Damocles on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 4:13 pm
The BN government tried very hard by trying to pull wool over our eyes by comparing the petrol prices of non producing countries with oil prodicing ones.
It just shows the duplicity of the government and which has been going on for as long as they are in power.
It’s time to dump them and adopt the PR!
#39 by oknyua on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 4:27 pm
The thread is about Petronas and Petrol prices, but some comments responded to a commentator called Kassim Amat.
Who is kassim? Turn to KPMU website and see the similarity of his usage of English to the postings there. Same flavour and taste, even smell!!
Mr Kassim Amat, post in KPMU, OK? That’s where you are from.
#40 by Damocles on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 4:28 pm
“Other than Petronas has made billions in profits, I think the PM knows nothing else about the company. – oknyua
We don’t expect the PM to be all knowing.
However, we (except you) expect our PM and all future PMs to, at the very least, be knowledgeable!
That’s the absolute minimum.
#41 by sj on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 10:57 pm
Ah, is good to be back to write again.
I think Kasim dude got it all wrong. We wont ban you just because you have different of opinions. But judging from your warped logic, you probably are one of those people who are hardcore BN supporters or party members who does not know how to differentiate between reality and delusions. As for us, we think the goverment is terribly corrupted and it has cause our country to be poor and subject to high inflations. Where even putting rice on the table everyday has been difficult.
You do not ask the people to serve the country when the people are poor and starving just to live by day by day. Go and study some history you illiterate punk before you come in and argue. I highly recommend you to go read the French Revolution. This is exactly what is going on in Malaysia. Marie Antoinette told the people to go eat cake when there is not even food left for the people of France. IS EXACTLY THE SAME SCENARIO AS UMNO/BN ASKING US TO CHANGE OUR LIFESTYLE WHEN THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO CHANGE FOR.
#42 by AirJ on Tuesday, 17 June 2008 - 11:20 pm
A barrel of oil does not equate to a barrel of product(s). Some are lost during processing, some are bottoms which are used as bitumen & coke. The production costs quoted here are from which source? Petrol for example are mixture of blends of products such as reformate (distilled naphtha further processed/reformed), naphtha, MTBE, alcohols, Butane, Alkyls, Isoms and others, depending on the spec people want to produce. All these products are upgraded (hence costlier) than distilled crude oil. Learn more about refining & petrol blending from Discovery channel. Simply coming up with own accords (mixed with lies) just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Regarding Petronas having a high percentage of certain race – it’s true. Many are malays. Why? Petronas is much like the government’s – the pay is average. Typical chinese grads who excel in their studies don’t want to join Petronas as the pay was not up to their likings. The likes of Shell & Esso & others pay better hence the reason there are more chinese in there. I would not say there is no racism in Petronas, there probably is but no more or no less than there is racism in other companies whereby chinese have majority numbers. As much as we hate to admit it, malaysians are generally racists. The writings of some here show you that.
But we should be moving away from it. I understand the unfairness feelings of the chinese and indians from the so-called ke-tuanan melayu thingy etc but you dont fight fire with fire. The fire will not die away. You educate and you cajole and you preach…
As to whether Petronas is efficient or not, the returns from capital of RM 10million (YES, only 10 million) amounting to billions of RM should have some say in that. The fact that Petronas is a Fortune 500 company, the fact that Petronas is the next big 7 (at par with Chinese National Oil Companies and other Giant NOCs) in line after the big Four (ExxonMobil, Shell etc) have some say in that as well. Dont politicise Petronas. It contribute nearly 40% to Malaysia’s economy. Don’t let it die like Pertamina or otherwise we will all regret it.
#43 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 12:15 am
I see a lot of exchanges here between Kasim Ahmat and the rest. Have I come to the right blog? Or is this a Kasim Ahmat blog? The last time I visited it was still Lim Kit Siang.
#44 by sj on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 1:13 am
” It contribute nearly 40% to Malaysia’s economy. ” by AirJ
Exactly the point, you said it yourself. Does a national resources that contributes the most income to a country deserves not to be scrutinised inside out? Reporting only to the Prime Minister itself is simply wrong and does not make sense. This is because like what we are now, Petronas is the piggy bank of UMNO/BN. Otherwise where do you think they get soooo much money to squander like that? I suggest the account should be opened and have Petronas to be reported under the Parliament. A country’s wealth must be monitored closely. Not shrouded in secrecy with OSA and threat of ISA. If the money does not go back for the benefits of the people, why do we even bother to let them dig the oil????
WHY? We might as well table a motion in Parliament to allow other oil company to dig for us where they would be more willing to give us a larger return and benefits.
#45 by sj on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 1:22 am
“Dont politicise Petronas.”
This is another old style of UMNO talking. Dont politicise this and that. Reality of the world is, if it involves money and power, there will be politics. You can never escape that. History has stated it as a fact and it has never failed. The question here is, is it a healthy politics or not. Where in Malaysia’s case, it is most OBVIOUS A NOOOOOOOOO DUH.
Healthy politics wont have people like Hishamuddin cabut KRIS and CUCUK BALIK KRIS. Healthy politics wont have members of the Parliament who said “KALAU TAK SUKA BALIK KE CHINA ATAU INDIA.” The politics in Malaysia is RACIST POLITICS and DISCRIMINATION.
Did Haliburton escapes politics? No. Did Shell manage to escape it when they dig in Nigeria? Of course not. I can give you more tonnes of dozens of company faces politics from each and every angle. So stop saying “Dont politicise _____________” you fill in the blank.
#46 by Neobanchuan on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 2:35 am
Kasim Amat has obviously come to the wrong blog but his view has reminded us what is happening in our leaders’ minds right now. With the mentality of Kasim Amat and his masters, I wonder how many more years Malaysia need in order to catch up with countries like Taiwan or Singapore? Even China who used to lag behind us but has now surpassed us in many areas. With only few years of transformation, the high efficiency and transparency that China demonstrated in its public projects can only make us feel shamed and full of remorse. With my presence in China, I have seen everyone around the world coming to China to look for opportunities and do businesses. These includes small or big businessmen from Africa, Middle East or even Indonesia. Sadly, I have not seen any of our Bumi business owners ventured into this land. I have seen the Africans here learning to do business and negotiating with the cunning Chinese in the crowded wholesale markets. They are getting better and better and some has even opened up shops in China an their spoken mandarin is better than many of the Malaysian Chinese. Where are our Bumi business owners? Are they still sleeping or they are still waiting for the gomen to buy them the airtickets? They are just too comfort to come to China even though they know most of their imported accessories and raw materials are made in China. Perhaps they think it is worthless to come because there are already ready suppliers who imported everything for them and there is always a buyer who will buy from them the right price. How many more years can the gomen buy from them? Can the gomen keep coming out with projects to fund these businessmen? How long can they be weathered by the gomen? The world is unfolding itself and globalisation is directly threatening the survival of many businesses. Without being creative and keep innovating the business, there is only one route to go – Hell. I can say China is not going to give chance to anybody in this survival game. All the young Chinese are full of energy and creativity and they are hard working. So are Indian nationals. They won’t miss any single opportunity to learn and they are learning fast. For example, some Chinese youngsters are blaming the government for only allowing English to be taught in when they are primary 6. They feel shamed for not able to speak fluent English and they want to learn. See this kind of attitude? This is who we are competiting in future as a result of globalisation. Can we survive in the game? Big question mark. Even we Chinese businessmen are worried, and they are still sleeping? The ability to survive has to be learnt, not given. I wonder why our leaders cannot figure out this simple logic?
#47 by Godfather on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 7:37 am
Kasim Amat is merely the latest in a number of UMNO agents sent here to distract and to divert attention from the issues at hand. We all remember RealWorld, Killer and Shamsul. They could be one and the same person, but one thing is unmistakable – all of them plead innocence and plead for UMNO’s survival.
“Give the Sleepy Head more time.” “He is serious about reform.” “PR can’t do any better.” “All the allegations are baseless.” “What evidence do you have?”
All of these clowns come to this blog armed with the standard UMNO tape-recorder and they get laughed at, they get humiliated, they get p!ssed on. Then UMNO sends another for the same treatment. They still don’t understand that they can’t counter the TRUTH.
#48 by k1980 on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 8:04 am
When Pak Pandir and Mat Jenin change their lifestyles
http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll210/shankulasingam/PM-1.jpg
#49 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 8:41 am
If you ask me it is sheer waste of resources and lack of focus to employ cyber trooper from ranks of unemployed (graduated from US with reasonable English) merely to “distract and to divert attention from the issues at hand” or worse still act as “agent provocateur” to incite sensitive issues disrupting harmony.
Not being able to counter the truth is one thing, trying to preach to the converted without being armed with facts, logic and balance of discourse is counter productive to reinforce detractors negative perception deeper.
The better course is to shed the hypocrisy and come out open to admit one’s credential as a ‘sincere’ cyber communicator – this builds up a modicum of trust amongst those addressed – the mission of which is to engage Malaysians in a 2 way dialogue of government’s position, articulating the government’s position in cogent manner based on whatever facts and data made available by the government, collecting feed back for dissemination back to it for deliberation on how to improve governance and correct the negative stance of detractors. Never defend the indefensible as that erodes credibility of one’s message.
#50 by taiking on Wednesday, 18 June 2008 - 9:17 am
Someone said that Petronas is only a company and therefore it cannot be asked to do this and that.
Correct. Correct. Correct.
A company in law is a seperate entity.
So if I bumped into oil or gold or even antiques under my house I too would start a company to exploit the find.
But that is not possible.
I cant touch them.
I cant exploit them gainfully.
As a matter of fact, no one, whether a person or an entity, can.
For such things belong to the country.
So Petronas does not own the oil in our country.
When Petronas pumps the oil from the land of our country it does so for and on behalf of the country.
So what is this argument about Petronas being a company and cannot be asked to do this and that with the money it had gained from our oil.
Nonsense.