LABUAN: Yesterday seemed to be a gloomy day for most of Labuan people who are already struggling with the high cost of living before the latest fuel price hike of 20 sen a litre.
The Labuan Consumer Movement Council chairperson, Hajah Fauziah Datuk Haji Mohd. Din yesterday said whenever there was a fuel price hike usually a chain of price increase in goods would happen.
“To transport the goods to Labuan from Kota Kinabalu is of course using diesel or petrol where it will surely affect the prices of the products being transported to the island for sale. There would be some traders here who might manipulate the issue to raise up the prices of their products.
“The government will probably give the BR1M (1Malaysia People Aid) to the people to lessen their burden, but it is only a short-term solution that I believe it’s not really effective as the qualified recipients only received the aid once a year which means that they only feel happy in a month while suffer for the rest of 11 months.
“I opine that the government should stop giving BR1M to the people while finding out a more effective solution to help the people. The BR1M allocation is supposed to be used to subsidize the fuel,” she said, adding that such a move by the government was not only affecting the group of people that the government tried to help, but also to the middle -class.
Fauziah said that the government should map out a long-term solution be instead of a short-term one, while advising the consumers here to be more frugal in their daily expenses.
“The consumers must use their rights to choose shops selling their products with reasonable prices. When we use our rights then it will give some awareness to the traders here.
“For those who used to eat outside, we should reduce our frequency to eat outside instead of cooking at our homes,” she said, adding that the policy of green earth introduced by the late Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein should be reintroduced to encourage the people to plant vegetables at their backyards.
Self-employed Haji Sony Haroun concurred with Fauziah, saying that some of the traders here might exploit the situation to raise the prices of their goods including at eateries.
He opined that if the government increased diesel price instead of only RON95, the impact might not be too much as most of those in the transportation industry were using diesel.
Meanwhile, PAS committee member, Haji Mohd Ismail Abdul Rahman lamented that the fuel price hike was indeed a burden to the people, as the goods here (island) would be more pricey after this.
“Where is the caring attitude of the government towards the people? Those who are not working and those with low income will be the most affected. The RM0.20 hike is not only on fuel itself but it will affect other prices of other items too.
“As we know, the prices of the goods including the food items here are already high then what do we expect after this? Why the government keeps on pressuring the people with such move. I do hope the BN leaders here would voice the welfare of Labuan people at the Parliament.
“The situation before was already painful for us after the first price hike of 20 sen last year and this year the fuel price was increased by another 20 sen. Where is their promise during the 13th General Election where they promised the people that they would never increase the fuel price,” questioned Haji Mohd Ismail.
Activist Julius Elias questioned the real reason behind the move to cut the fuel subsidy.
“Why it is so sudden as it was just increased last year. The local consumers will be punched at their stomachs after this with the price increase of the goods here. What a pity to the young people, those searching for jobs and also to those newly-wed who are just building up their families.
“The cost of living here ,as expected, will be higher due to the domino effect from the fuel price hike. I believe most of the people right now are angry with this move. Why the Selangor government through its newly appointed Menteri Besar, Azmin Ali refrained from increasing the fuel price in the state?
“The government may learn from the move made by the opposition in protecting the people’s interest and welfare,” he said, adding that there was no point for the government to give the BR1M to the people, while taking the aid back via other way by cutting down the fuel subsidy.
He hoped the opposition leaders here would be more active to voice matters concerning the people’s interest.
Meanwhile, a duty-shop operator, Lim Nyuk Kong hinted that the fuel hike would affect his business where his sales might drop.
“Now my shop is divided into two sides where I still run my usual business in one side while still thinking what kind of profitable business that I can do on the other side. In 2013, I managed to sell around 1,000 cartons of soft-drinks during the Hari Raya.
“This year’s Hari Raya I only managed to sell around 450 cartons. The effect of the first fuel hike last year, I believe, affected my sales. I think by next year my sales would probably become worse as the people would be more frugal.
“Last year, I could make an average sale of RM2,000 per day. But this year I can only make around RM600 sales per day. The business is so bad,” he said.