Of Ron 95 "ayam pencen", "Bollywood" Kg Buah Pala and...

Dataran Merdeka 31st August 2009

1. This time, don't blame the government (sigh)..Malaysians have been forwarned sometime in May 2009 that the petrol price will be going north again.
2. As though to prepare the rakyat to handle the crunch, the Government promised to introduce RON 95 petrol which can be used in most cars (except the high performance cars) at the rate of RM 1.80 per liter, which is the same price as RON 97 (before 1st September price, that is).
3. Right on the dot, the government efficiently announced the price increase on 31st August 2009. That's the Merdeka present from the government to common folks like you and me...
4. Everything seems to be on cue, isn't it? No, it is not!!!
5. Way back in May 2009, if I can remember correctly, the government mentioned that RON 97 will increase from RM 1.80 to RM 2.00 per liter. But on August 31, the government officially announced that RON 97 will be selling at RM 2.05 per liter. That's a difference of 5 sen per liter.
6. Further, when I followed my friend to fill up the ptrol in Petronas on 31st August 2009, under Primax 3 is a small sticker stating that that particular station is selling RON 95 petrol. The price on 31st August 2009? RM 1.80 per liter!! I am not sure if Petronas has been selling RON 95 Primax 3 before but in previous filling in Caltex, RON 95 was selling at RM 1.75 per litre.
7. So tell me...is Petronas selling RON 95 fuel at RM 1.80 all along? Is this what our National Petroleum agency is selling us or are they shortchanging us, the rakyat???
8. It looks something like 1998 when times were bad. That's when the night markets introduce a new version of ayam known as "ayam pencen". Basically these were "expired eggs producing chickens" which were sold at RM 5 per bird compared to RM 6.30 per kilo for normal farm chicken.
9. You can still get a chicken at cheaper price but you may end up with some broken tooth whilst consuming them. Is this what the government is doing to us? Introducing RON 95 which is basically a new product name but Petronas may have been fleecing the consumers at RM 1.80 per litre price since who knows when?
10. And since we are still at Petronas...what happens to the oil royalty claims of Kelantan? When is the federal government going to decide? Najib's slogan of "Rakyat didahulukan, prestasi diutamakan" is at test here. When will Najib "dahulukan rakyat" Kelantan? or is Najib bent on "utamakan" BN's performance in Kelantan? For the sake of the nation, Najib needs to break down his own "ego-wall" and give Kelantan its dues...
    
11. Whilst we are talking about petroleum, after the weekend holidays celebrating Merdeka, the consumers will be feeling empty pockets now when rapidKL fare increase takes effect today too. No more return trip for RM 2. It now cost RM 2 one way. In short, 100 % increase.
12. What about the stage coach? I bet consumers will be feeling the crunch soon with Ramadan month and Raya coming. And we haven't touch the taxi fare yet...That's the Merdeka present, courtesy of Najib.
13. Up north (again), there'll be 2 Bollywood scripts in the making. One will be in Perak when PR's speaker is calling for assembly sitting on 2nd september 2009. I am not going to dwell on Perak's fiasco this tiome around...my only hope is that those who are responsible for the comedy of errors to make it right. Be it the yellows, the blues, the greens or the reds... and I am pretty sure they know who they are and who I am talking about...
14. Kg Buah Pala is the "Bollywood" script I am talking about.
    
15. On 13th August 2009, all vested parties in Kg Buah Pala has agreed that Kg Buah Pala will be torn down on 1st september 2009. The date was agreed after the stand off between the developer and Kg Buah Pala villagers on 13th August 2009.
16. Along the way, Kg Buah Pala residents failed in their bid on 21st August 2009 to get application for leave to appeal from the federal court.
17. Based on the agreement that the residents will vacate Kg Buah Pala on 31st August 2009, the developer should be moving in to tear down the village anytime after that. That' s the agreement.
18. Now it seems that the villagers are changing their stand again. They are not moving out and instead :-
    • wanted a secure compensation agreement from the developer;
    • claimed that the state government has yet to issue a demolition order to the developer;
    • villagers feel insecure with developer's offer of double storey houses;

19. This is pure "Bollywood"!!! When the issue first broke out, symphaties were with the villagers. However, when the villagers tend to ask more and start dilly dallying, that's the end of the straw.
20. First, the land does not belong to them. And the developer has been kind enough to bow to the State's government request to offer double storey house to the villagers but do the villagers accept it? No!!! they demanded more and claimed that the houses are too small and they want their extended families to be offered the houses as well...
21. Then, they go around selling their pitiful stories to the political parties and then paint sorrowful stories. To me, the villagers minds have been clouded and think that this is Bollywood.
22. Honestly, theGovernment has been patient enough to deal with them. If this happen in the east coast, the villagers will be long gone and the leaders charged with seditions.
23. Say what you want but I think Kh Buah Pala residents have been asking too much...out of nothing. To me, take what is offered because the land doesn't belong to them in the first place...
    

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are...