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Sunday August 24, 2008

DAP questions timing of petrol price reduction


KUALA LUMPUR: DAP has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to reduce the fuel price by 15 sen but questioned it’s timing, right in the middle of the Permatang Pauh by-election campaign period.

The party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said the reduced price, from RM2.70 to RM2.55, was good but asked why Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had done it now when he had previously said any restructuring would only be done from Sept 1.

“His sudden announcement to reduce the price today (Saturday), clearly shows it was made intentionally given the Permatang Pauh by-election.

“As a leader, he should say what he means and mean what he says. We welcome the move (to reduce the fuel price) but it cannot be denied that it is because of the by-election,” Lim told a press conference at the 15th DAP National Congress here yesterday.

In George Town, many people felt that the 15 sen reduction in the petrol price was insufficient to help ease their financial burden or cut back rising inflation.

Businessman Kamal Paramasibam, 53, said he was disappointed because he was hoping for a 30 sen decrease.

Bank manager Tan Hong Boo, 51, said he was happy to hear the good news and had waited until yesterday to fill up.

Pasembur hawker M. Rahmat Ali, 37, and cuttlefish hawker Abdul Wahab Shaik Mydin, 38, said they hoped the price of raw materials would also go down along with the fuel prices.

They are also hoping for good news in Budget 2009 on Friday.

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