While the world is watching on the high rising crude oil price, the real oil crisis creeps in and affecting every individual in Malaysia… Malaysia is shortage of cooking oil!
From next week, a customer will only be able to purchase a maximum of 5kg of cooking oil at any one time. Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shafie Apdal in making the announcement on the rationing of cooking oil today, said it was necessary in facing the cooking oil shortage crisis in the country. [Bernama]
Didn’t see this coming at all… cooking oil has been in abundance at the hypermarkets I frequent (in PJ/KL). It’s reported that Kelantan, Pahang, Melaka and Kedah were worst hit by the crisis and major supermarkets there were facing difficulty in replenishing the stocks.
Shafie has advised consumers not to panic as it would only worsen the situation. The irony is, the rationing exercise is certainly going to worsen the situation in short term… my first thought when reading the news was “better go and buy some oil ASAP.” I bet I am not the only one who is thinking about this… it’s not panicking; it’s just being a human.
With the price of crude oil rising above 100 dollars a barrel, it’s inevitable that our petrol price is going up pretty soon.
Malaysia is not facing bankruptcy danger even if we keep the price level… what Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak claimed prior to the New Year Day was obviously to demean the opposition parties instead of solid economic facts. Najib said that the opposition’s promises to reduce oil prices if it were to form a government will only bankrupt the country, because it’s not possible…
It doesn’t take a genius to realise that the government controlled Petronas would be making extra money following the rising oil price as well… the government is probably not losing too much with the subsidies compared to a few years ago (if there is any loses at all).
Khairy Jamaluddin was right though when he said on Umno’s General Assembly in Nov 2007 that the petrol subsidy could be better spent on other developments. My point of view is still the same… that it would be a wise move to cut the petrol subsidy ONLY IF the money are spent at the right place (education, health care etc.) and not going to dubious projects like Angkasawan or buying a new submarine… or perhaps the worst - to waste and corruption.
Considering that Malaysia won’t be having much petroleum resources left (probably finished in a decade or two without new findings)… our government need to be proactive in finding new energy resources (bio-diesel, solar power etc.) and reducing petroleum consumption. We need a better public transport system to start with; it’s a pain to travel in Malaysia without a car.
At the meantime, we the common citizens just have to be prepared for the next price hike.
Opposition politicians and some bloggers have been heavily criticising the Monsoon Cup which is set to run on 27 Nov - 2 Dec 2007 in Pulau Duyong, Terengganu… but is Monsoon Cup really that bad?
FYI, Monsoon Cup is the last stage for this season’s World Match Racing Tour, a Grade 1 event recognized by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). Although sailing is not popular in Malaysia, the event is not as insignificant as some politicians claimed.
I can remember the criticism about organising F1 in Malaysia prior to the first race in Sepang, but organising the F1 race is probably one of the best decisions Malaysia has made in the 90s. The return is not just the financial gain during the race, but involves global branding which could help attracting foreign visitors (and probably investors) constantly.
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UMNO Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin said during the UMNO General Assembly about our subsidy system…
“Why should we give subsidised petrol to the already rich, who drive luxurious cars with high capacity engines? It should be meant only for the man riding a kapcai (low-cc motorcycle).”
He added that billions of ringgit could be saved and the money used instead to develop village roads, build more public infrastructure and construct schools.
His statement is half true. Malaysians have been pampered with all kind of subsidies all these years… perhaps it’s time to let the petrol price roamed freely and save the money for other benefits, to help the poor for example.
I would applaud if the billions Ringgit saved could be used to develop our villages… but I am afraid that we might use it for something else… paying for a crook bridge (that was never built), spending on new toys or sending a traveller to space. Who can guarantee that the money saved from the cut subsidy would be well spent?
In my words…
“Why should we spent money to send a man to space, who rides on a billion dollar spaceship with super capacity engines? It should be meant only for the men riding on wheels.”
Employers wishing to recruit foreign workers must now advertise the job vacancies in their companies with the Electronic Labour Exchange for two weeks before their requests can be considered.
Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad said the employers must show proof that they had advertised with the labour exchange set up by Human Resource Ministry…
“If proven that there has been no response from locals within that period, then the employers can apply to employ foreign workers and their applications will be considered by a committee.” [Bernama]
I have written in an earlier post regarding this matter, that Malaysian companies have not taken enough initiative for the past decade to hire locals to fill their vacancies, but went straight for foreign labour instead because they are cheap, and easy to find.
I am not sure what is the Electronic Labour Exchange, how it works or how effective it is… the move is however welcome nonetheless; at least it shows that the government is giving some thoughts to control the influx of foreign workers and opening more job opportunities for locals instead.
Prime Minister and UMNO president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi opened the UMNO General Assembly on Wednesday (Nov 7) at the Putra World Trade Centre. The following is the full text of his opening address [TheStar]…
STRENGTHENING CONFIDENCE – VENTURING INTO A NEW ERA
Alhamdulillah, with God’s will, we are convene for the 58th UMNO General Assembly.
2. Our assembly this year takes place in the glow of the 50th Merdeka celebrations. This is also our first assembly for the next 50 years. Beginning the first national elections, UMNO, as part of the Alliance and subsequently Barisan Nasional, has formed the national government based on the principle of power sharing. It also spearheaded the drive towards independence.
3. The Malayan Government, considered to be lacking in experience, faced myriad challenges. Twelve years after independence, the nation was riven by racial riots that threatened its survival. Thanks to mutual understanding and a strong spirit of cooperation, we overcame this test. That dark time in our history became a valuable lesson that taught us the need to strengthen our unity.
4. In the aftermath of this tragedy, the Government introduced three major measures. First, the Rukun Negara was introduced as a national ideology to ensure national unity and safeguard the integrity of the nation. Second, the New Economic Policy was designed to develop our economy based on fair and equitable growth. Finally, the Barisan Nasional was introduced as an effective and inclusive political vehicle. The implementation of these three measures has brought success, guaranteed our survival and brought us the prosperity that we enjoy to this day.
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I have mentioned a few times that I am supportive of the NEP’s ideology, but not the implementation. Quite often we see that a few Malays are reaping the rewards while most of the others that really need NEP are neglected.
An article from AFP that shares similar point of view…
Nearly four decades of controversial positive-discrimination policies were supposed to lift Muslim Malays like fisherman Maskan Mohamad out of poverty.
But despite the programme, which has alienated the nation’s ethnic Chinese and Indian citizens, Maskan’s family have empty bellies and little hope as they struggle to survive on a handful of dollars a day.
“All I know is how to fish. My family are all fisherman and even my children are fishermen because we cannot hope for anything more,” says the 62-year-old, who earns about 400 ringgit a month (119 dollars).
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The Edge has reported that Walt Disney Co is looking to build a theme park on a 500-acre site in the Iskandar development zone in Johor. [Reuters]
Malaysian press are rather quiet about this.
It would be a good thing for Malaysia if the plan becomes a reality. It will boost our tourism, offers job opportunities and raise our country’s name internationally.
Malaysia should be a good place for Disneyland to startup; we do have the crowd and Malaysians do like theme parks in general.
I am a bit skeptical on building it in Johor though; I am not really sure how Johor is like in recent years. Perhaps it could be a better place than Klang Valley, but I think building it somewhere near Kuala Lumpur is a better option.