A concerned Malaysian writes about Malaysian affairs. "You are the Change you Seek" Barack Obama

Monday, June 2, 2008

Some Crazy Ideas about the Fuel Subsidies.....

You would have read by now that the anti-inflation committee will be deciding on how best to reduce the leakage on fuel subsidies on Tuesday.

Guess they have plenty of work on their hands as your fried kueh-tiao went up from RM3.00 to RM3.50 during the past 3 months.
You can read the article in malaysiakini here.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/83777

There are a few letters in the MSM about the fuel ban, mostly from those who will be affected.
There is one letter I wish to highlight, from the Education and Research Association for Consumers Malaysia Petaling Jaya.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/Letters/2255453/Article/index_html

He/she proposes that vehicles be banned from leaving Malaysia with more than a quarter-tank of fuel!
While the idea is interesting, it needs to be tweaked a bit more. We all know that Singapore already has the 3/4 tank ruling so Singapore vehicles may fill up with perhaps RM40 for a day trip. The government has not provided any figures on the border traffic for Thailand and Singapore and the petrol sales so it is not possible to compare the "loss" at the borders.

I suggest this 3/4 tank rule can be imposed within a week at the Thai border and all foreign vehicles entering must have 3/4 tank on entering Malaysia. The Customs can install a fuel tank at the check-point where all those who fail inspection will be topped up at prices double that of the prices sold in Malaysia.

This will provide more breathing space for the authorities to come up with a better plan for reducing the fuel subsidies.

4 comments:

Trashed said...

A reduction in fuel subsidies should also be complemented by a reduction in annual road tax or import duties/taxes that make cars so expensive in Malaysia.

ella2 said...

"What goes around comes around". I remember when Singapore first implemented the 3/4 tank rule for Singapore registered cars leaving Singapore, we Malaysians had a fine titter about it. Remember how we mocked the Singaporeans for their cowed mentality and all that. I guess they are now having the last laugh (which, by the way, he who laughs last laugh best!).

Superstage said...

Just food for thought.... to by pass the 3/4 tank rule, some smart Singaporeans modified their fuel gauge. At a flick of a hidden button, the fuel gauge indicators would show that the fuel tank is either full or 3/4 full (whereas in actuality, the amount is much less).

All these while, the practice to "goncang" singaporean cars so that more fuel could be pumped is a normal affair.

And guess what, I was informed that some enterprising people are providing these modification services on our side of the causeway! Of course, if these modified cars are detected by the Singaporean authorities, the owners will be slapped with a hefty fine not to mention the vehicles would be liable to be seized.

H J Angus said...

trashed, ella2 and superstage,
welcome and thanks for your comments.

Whatever fuel subsidy plan is in place, there will be people who use their brains to outsmart the authorities.

I read somewhere that it is not good to try and fill tank to the brim as petrol pumps have some kind of "suck-back" device when the tank is full - so it will continue to pump and charge you but some of the fuel is recycled?