LOOKS GOOD: Taib (third right) and Ragad (second left) seem to be attracted by the food items at one of the stalls. With them are Morshidi (second right) and Fatimah (Ragad’s left).
RON95, diesel price hike needed to keep country’s financial problems at bay — Taib
KUCHING: The government’s decision to increase the price of RON95 petrol and diesel was prompted by the need to prevent financial problems facing the country from deepening.
Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who said this yesterday, admitted that the cut in fuel subsidy on Tuesday, which led to a 20 sen fuel hike, would burden the people “a little”, but it had to be done for the sakeof the country’s financial position.
Rather than having to face a big financial problem, it is better to reduce the subsidy, the chief minister told reporters covering State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Ghani’s Hari Raya Open House at the old State Legislative Assembly (DUN) building here.
“If the financial position of the country is affected, it will ruin the whole country.
“As such, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has no choice but to increase fuel prices a bit. His decision shows he puts priority to increase frugality in the financial sector.”
About 1,000 civil servants, including heads of government departments and agencies, attended the grand gathering.
Taib led the way by checking out the 18 food and beverage stalls offering a variety of local delicacies such as satay, ketupat, curry, rendang, roti canai and ice kacang.
The stalls were set up by ministries such as the Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Ministry of Resource Planning and Environment and Ministry of Tourism.
Also present were Taib’s wife Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang, Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh and Welfare and Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah.