Friday, June 6, 2008

Fuel Price Hike Protest at Kuching 05-06-2008

Some 150 people gathered in Jalan Kulas Jalan Satok, In front KFC Satok Kiching, Sarawak. This afternoon at about 4:30 PM to protest the sharp hike in fuel prices which came into effect at the stroke of midnight.

The peaceful protest attracted a huge crowd of onlookers who cheered from the sidelines and many gave the thumbs up in approval.

1 comment:

Krishna said...

PETROL PRICE INCREASE AND NATURAL GAS VEHICLE
A taxi driver friend gave me an education I will not forget. It was just after the hike in petrol prices by 40%. He said that he does not know why people do not fit their vehicle with tanks to use Natural Gas Vehicle. (NGV). He said that he has been using it for 13 years without any complaint. If anything, the engine is always clean. Tractors Malaysia is now fitting Proton cars with the tank for only RM 2300.00 and non-proton cars have to pay Rm 3200.00 only. He can travel to Singapore and back on NGV taxi for only RM 28.00.
Until then I only thought that taxis are the only ones using NGV. I only saw taxis in the queues to buy NGV. I really felt like an ignorant kampong boy.
If there is such a cheaper and cleaner energy alternative for motor vehicles, what has the government done to promote its use and save on the billions spent on subsidies? The price hikes and withdrawal of subsidises would have been painless if there had been an effort to get the people to switch to the alternative source of energy. Even now it is not too late to go an aggressive campaign to get more, if not all vehicles NGV use enabled. Here are some suggestions for the government by a kampong boy, namely me:
1. Advise the Rakyat to first of all convert all their vehicles to be able to use NGV.
2 The government should subsidise half the cost of the conversion.
3. All new Malaysian cars will be fitted with NGV tanks from the factory. Government will pay half the cost of the tanks and fittings. There is no harm subsidising imported cars to do the same.
4. All petrol stations in the country will be enabled to dispense LPG not just a few Petronas stations which currently causes unnecessary queues at LPG dispensing stations.
5. Petrol consumption in this country will go down.
6. The saved petrol can be sold in the world markets at the current exorbitant prices and increase our foreign exchange earnings.
7. With the earnings Petronas can buy all the highways and let the vehicle owing rakyat use the road for RM 10.00 per vehicle per year.
8. It can finance all the infrastructure projects in the country.
9. Most of all you will not have an incensed public waiting to throw you out in the next election.
10. My rushed searches on the net did not come up with any information if diesel powered vehicles, lorries and buses, can also go for this alternative. It is worthwhile to make a quick study as it will help bring down the cost transportation and consequently bring down the cost of living.
11 Read a report by Rasvinjeet S Bedi in the Sunday Star today. One user, upon conversion, cut down the cost of her monthly petrol bill from Rm 400.00 to only Rm 50.00. Just imagine what the savings can do to pay for the escalating costs of food. The cost of installation can eb recovered in less than a year!
12 To a government which has promised to do everything possible to alleviate the suffering of people, it is sin not to consider these suggestions for quick implementation.
13 Fit all government vehicles with this cost savings device immediately.
14 Train up all the armed forces vehicle maintenance mechanics to help with the installations.
Next week I am going to convert my 24 year old faithful Mercedes 230 from a petrol guzzler to a gas guzzler. Other kampong boys are advised to follow suit and save on petrol.
If you want to know more, search the net. There are other alternatives which are available for as low USD 49.00.
Krishna M Singh
23 Jalan Nuri Indah 6,
Taman Bukit Nuri Indah
70300 Seremban
Tel 012-6013431