KUALA LUMPUR: Consumer groups have lashed out at the government for urging the rakyat to tighten their belts in the coming year, following the onslaught of price escalations brought by hikes in electricity tariff, toll, and public transportation, as well as subsidy cuts.
Consumer Association of Subang and Shah Alam (CASSA) president Jacob George said that as long as the government itself wasted the rakyat’s money, it was not fit to tell Malaysians to manage their finances better.
“To tell them to tighten their belts while they are already struggling to make ends meet is unreasonable. The present spin that BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia cash vouchers) is enough to help is pure nonsense. How can it help any Malaysian when price increases are shooting across the board?” asked Jacob.
“Consumers are panicking, we barely have any disposable income left, everyone is already struggling to make ends meet. We are all hurting. So to introduce all these price hikes in the coming months will be shocking for everyone.
“Yet, at the same time, you have politicians wanting pay rises at obscene levels, and the government overspending rather than cutting down costs by retrenching civil servants and reducing wages.”
Jacob said no amount of financial management tips would help the rakyat weather the financial storm that awaits them next year, and that the only solution was for the government to stop the impending price hikes immediately.
“The government must set up a commission comprising government officials as well as consumer representatives such as myself to come up with a blueprint to assist this situation.
“Until the blueprint comes, we must freeze all price increases and subsidy slashes, and stop pretending that BR1M and Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia – where the items are rubbish, anyway -will help consumers in any way.”
He said that before the government resorted to increasing prices to manage its budget deficit, it should also first cut the salaries of the members of parliaments and menteri besars, as well as retrench the already bloated civil service.
“We will support the price increase if there is a need. But right now, CEOs of government linked companies are still rolling in money and enjoying all their perks. So why further burden the struggling consumers at this point?
“It is not fair, it is vulgar, it is a haram economy. We cannot go on taxing Paul, Kasim and Muthusamy just to help the Mydins and the Syed Mokhtars,” he stressed.
Government can help
Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) president Paul Selvaraj told FMT the onus was on the government to introduce policies that would cushion the blow for consumers.
“There are things the government can do to help consumers reduce expenses, such as provide and improve upon the basic necessities and services we need.
“One of the most important items Malaysians have to purchase is houses, but are there enough affordable houses? Right now they are so expensive, and take up a huge chunk of our salary,” said Selvaraj.
“The same goes with public transportation – it is so bad, that everyone is forced to buy a car, and then we fork out a fortune to pay off the loan as well as petrol and toll.”
He said healthcare, too, could be expensive for Malaysians, and the government should step in to reign in the costs.
But Selvaraj suggested consumers could play a role as well by scrutinizing their expenditure more closely.
“We need to cut down on our driving, our credit card purchases, our consumption of electricity and water.”
“More importantly, you have to compare prices of every product you purchase. Are you getting the best deal out of your money? And are you really putting aside enough money to retire when the time comes?”
He advised consumers to refer to websites that provide price comparisons of products, loans and services, given that finance could be a tricky topic to grasp for the average consumer.
Also read: Tighten your belt in 2014, say economists
Free Malaysia Today
Consumer Association of Subang and Shah Alam (CASSA) president Jacob George said that as long as the government itself wasted the rakyat’s money, it was not fit to tell Malaysians to manage their finances better.
“To tell them to tighten their belts while they are already struggling to make ends meet is unreasonable. The present spin that BR1M (Bantuan Rakyat 1 Malaysia cash vouchers) is enough to help is pure nonsense. How can it help any Malaysian when price increases are shooting across the board?” asked Jacob.
“Consumers are panicking, we barely have any disposable income left, everyone is already struggling to make ends meet. We are all hurting. So to introduce all these price hikes in the coming months will be shocking for everyone.
“Yet, at the same time, you have politicians wanting pay rises at obscene levels, and the government overspending rather than cutting down costs by retrenching civil servants and reducing wages.”
Jacob said no amount of financial management tips would help the rakyat weather the financial storm that awaits them next year, and that the only solution was for the government to stop the impending price hikes immediately.
“The government must set up a commission comprising government officials as well as consumer representatives such as myself to come up with a blueprint to assist this situation.
“Until the blueprint comes, we must freeze all price increases and subsidy slashes, and stop pretending that BR1M and Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia – where the items are rubbish, anyway -will help consumers in any way.”
He said that before the government resorted to increasing prices to manage its budget deficit, it should also first cut the salaries of the members of parliaments and menteri besars, as well as retrench the already bloated civil service.
“We will support the price increase if there is a need. But right now, CEOs of government linked companies are still rolling in money and enjoying all their perks. So why further burden the struggling consumers at this point?
“It is not fair, it is vulgar, it is a haram economy. We cannot go on taxing Paul, Kasim and Muthusamy just to help the Mydins and the Syed Mokhtars,” he stressed.
Government can help
Meanwhile, Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) president Paul Selvaraj told FMT the onus was on the government to introduce policies that would cushion the blow for consumers.
“There are things the government can do to help consumers reduce expenses, such as provide and improve upon the basic necessities and services we need.
“One of the most important items Malaysians have to purchase is houses, but are there enough affordable houses? Right now they are so expensive, and take up a huge chunk of our salary,” said Selvaraj.
“The same goes with public transportation – it is so bad, that everyone is forced to buy a car, and then we fork out a fortune to pay off the loan as well as petrol and toll.”
He said healthcare, too, could be expensive for Malaysians, and the government should step in to reign in the costs.
But Selvaraj suggested consumers could play a role as well by scrutinizing their expenditure more closely.
“We need to cut down on our driving, our credit card purchases, our consumption of electricity and water.”
“More importantly, you have to compare prices of every product you purchase. Are you getting the best deal out of your money? And are you really putting aside enough money to retire when the time comes?”
He advised consumers to refer to websites that provide price comparisons of products, loans and services, given that finance could be a tricky topic to grasp for the average consumer.
Also read: Tighten your belt in 2014, say economists
Free Malaysia Today
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