SHAH ALAM, 29 Sept: Although there have been no announcement regarding an increase in oil prices which is causing a stir on social media websites, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Consumerism Bureau expects that the government will once again raise the price of petrol and diesel in the near future.
Its Director, Yahya Mat Sahri, said that the increase in fuel prices is difficult to be averted due to the weakness of the leaders’ financial management and corruption practices in the Umno-BN government.
“This is due to the depreciation of our currency which needs to be supported, the unbalanced income and expenses, expenses that are too high and the national debt which is also too high, as well as corruption not being curbed.
“The government is desperate to find financial resources and eventually, they place the burden on the people.
If it is this way, then the government’s work is easy. There’s no need to find other solutions. As long as it is an economic problem, it is handed to the people to bear it,” he told TVSelangor.
Yahya did not rule out the possibility that the government will take into account the results of the Sungai Limau constituency by-elections not long before making the decision to raise the price of petrol.
He also condemned the statement by the Deputy Finance Minister, Datuk Ahmad Maslan, who gave the excuse that it is due to the increase in international prices.
“He said that the increase is to be in line with the international market price, but in fact, the current international oil market is down. It is only we who are raising prices,” he said.
In addition, he said that the reason for the increase to combat the smuggling of petrol at the border also does not make sense as the problem has been going on for decades.
“This is not a new thing. It has been going on for decades. Why has it not been overcome till now? Every time the issue of rising oil prices comes up, the issue of smuggling is brought up to be given as an excuse,” he said.