A Fair Price for Oil

As the world’s population grows larger, and a country increases its wealth, so does the demand for energy. So high has the demand in energy particularly oil that the cost of it touched an all time high of $147 per barrel.

This had severely impacted many economies and ultimately eroded the net disposable income of many people. The rise in inflation due to the increases in price of oil has had a domino effect on every single sector and industry that largely depended on it as fuel for its vehicles, power generation, and manufacturing.

Many analysts had pointed that strong demand from China pushed oil prices to the heavens. In tandem with that, commodities such as palm oil, soy and wheat and raw materials such as steel, concrete and copper too reached all time highs.

There are many who claim that speculation and manipulation of oil supply and demand in the international market was the main reason driving the absolute absurdity in the oil price.

Whatever the reason is or was, the effects of rising oil price per barrel had finally bared its toll on us back at home. As prices touched an all time high, the Malaysian government rose petrol prices at the pump by 41% on 5th June. The effects of a 41% hike came reeling in with the inflation rate hitting an all time high of 8.5% in the months ensuing it.

But what’s more interesting to note is that after touching an all time high in June, oil touched an new low of about $32 in November. This new low is something not seen in many years!

Politicians in Malaysia are quick to use the fuel price as an issue to gain political mileage. Take for example Lim Kit Siang proposal to give out RM6,000 annually to poor families. And just where will the money come from? You guessed it! From Petronas’ profits. But now, that the price of oil has dipped and is hovering around $40-$50 per barrel, how does he propose to continue such a populist and unrealistic manifesto?

I’ve never agreed to his suggestion. I find that the suggestion is irresponsible and serves no good to the nation or the poor. First, a company is established to generate profits. A company that does not intend to generate profits is an NGO or a welfare organization. Petronas is not a welfare organization. It is a company responsible to manage the oil resources in the country and to generate profits that would benefit the nation through taxes that it pays to the government, the creation of jobs and flourishing businesses. The company needs money to ensure that it continues to grow and has enough to invest abroad and expand its presence both locally and globally.

Lim’s suggestion to pay out RM6,000 annually is short sighted and is a selfish suggestion only aimed to get votes during the elections. It is unrealistic and utterly stupid to suggest such a thing. Besides, how can he help the poor get out of poverty by giving them money? A good Chinese proverb sums it up “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime”.

Historically, the last time oil was hovering around $40-$50 per barrel, the pump price was about RM1.52. Today it’s RM1.80. Critics argue that the government is making RM0.28 per liter of fuel sold.

My stand? RM1.80 is fair. Demand and consumption of fuel then, is far more smaller compared to this day. We have more vehicles on the road and sea, more industries and factories that need electricity of which the primary source of fuel for electricity is diesel.

Malaysians seem to forget that Malaysia’s economy is a heavily subsidized one. Not only is oil heavily subsidized, but so are other commodities such as flour, sugar, rice and cooking oil. A subsidized economy where prices of goods are kept artificially low can not be maintained over the long haul. The most limited of resources is money, and since money is limited, it should be put to good use to derive an optimum impact to the economy.

As the government has been heavily subsidizing petrol and diesel through out all these years, it is only fair that the government taxes consumers for using petrol and diesel when crude oil price is low. The profits that the government makes through the sale of petrol and diesel can than be used to pay for subsidies for daily food staples and commodities as well as improving the public transportation system.

A lower fuel price would not help reduce carbon emissions from vehicles and other industries. It will only spur it as people become complacent and less attuned to critical green issues. Green initiatives will probably get less attention as the need and the pressure is not present to drive home the message that the world is on a brink of  an ecological crisis! -IAG

Malaysias’ Children Deserves A Color Blind Education System

Iqbal Abd Ghaffar

Whether it be for political mileage or in the name of national unity, the contender for the top UMNO Youth Post, Mukhriz Mahathir put forth a contentious issue into the limelight.

The mother tongue, vernacular education system adopted and practiced in Malaysia since independence has in my opinion put national unity and the realization of Bangsa Malaysia as distant as the far edges of the Universe. (I’ve once read somewhere that Malaysia is the only country that allows an education system in each of the 3 major race’s mother tongue).

True unity would really be hard to achieve if from the very early years of a child’s development, they have been separated, segregated, and clustered according to their skin color. They are to only mix and mingle with their own kind, in the name of preserving their culture, thinking and practices.

In the name of creating a true blue Bangsa Malaysia and in the name of National Unity and integration, i strongly believe that the mother tongue primary school education system to be of utmost rubbish! It is one of the most stupidest policies to be implemented. It has only gave birth to two generations of Malaysians who can hardly speak Bahasa Malaysia fluently.

It’s not the issue of language but it is an issue of national unity and integration. A true cohesive identity for a single Malaysian race is hard to define. We are still recognized as “Melayu, India, Cina, dan lain-lain” (Malay, Indian, Chinese, and others). We are still referring to ourselves as a race, by our skin color and by the language we use. Why can’t we just refer and call ourselves “Bangsa Malaysia”?

This is the failure of NOT having a single education system. This is the failure of our politicians to allow such a system to go on for so long that it breeds racism, chauvinism, and a feeling of threat and suspicion against one another.

Why should national unity and integration take a back seat to pure racial pride? What benefit does it bring us?

I, for one, am a rojak of all sorts. I went to a kindergarten that taught maths in Mandarin, playtime in English, and reading in Bahasa Malaysia. I then continued four years in an American School surrounded by students from all over the world. Then I continued the remaining years of my primary education in a British school where my classmates were 90% Chinese and most of them couldn’t utter a sentence of Mandarin.

The shock came to me when I had to enter government school for my secondary education. Not only could I not converse Bahasa Malaysia well, I found that the students were only hanging among their own skin colors!

I had a problem with that.

First of all, I grew up being color blind, and I expect to go on that way. The only friends I made were those who could speak English well (and they were a rarity).

The point I’m trying to make is that school IS and SHOULD BE the place where children are to integrate. A child understands not of color. It is the adults who instill such prejudice.

And in that same process of growing up, I have not lost my identity. I have not lost my customs and culture (though I may not know all, but is that important?). I still celebrate Hari Raya, I eat with my hand and occasionally use cutlery and chop sticks. I am still able to converse, write, and think in my own mother tongue. I know who I am!

I have many Chinese and Indian friends who have not forgotten their customs and practices, despite them having the opportunity to continue with international education all the way to secondary and tertiary levels. They still eat with chopsticks and hands. They still celebrate Chinese new year and Diwali. They can still converse in Mandarin and Tamil respectively, but they haven’t lost their identities…so what’s the BIG PROBLEM with a single education system for god’s sake!?

I am blessed to have parents that never taught me or my siblings about being biased to any race or recognize people by its colors. However, the Malaysian education system continues our former colonialists “Divide and Rule” policy.

It is high time that a National referendum be held. The referendum should seek the Malaysian public and NOT the politicians to decide on the future of our education system. Don’t allow narrow-minded-extremely-chauvinistic-selfish education groups, political groups, and NGO’s and to decide and persuade what’s in the best interest of an individual race.

This is not about Ketuanan Melayu, Ketuanan Cina, Ketuanan India, Ketuanan Iban, Ketuanan Dayak and etc.

THIS IS ABOUT the future of KETUANAN BANGSA MALAYSIA!

IAG

The author strongly supports the stand of Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Prof Khoo Kay Kim and Datuk M.Kayveas to do away with the vernacular school system in support of a unified education system for Malaysia’s children.

The author also believes that the Dong Zong and the Jiao Zong are a bane to National Unity and Integration.