Double Whammy

As I was driving home earlier, I saw queues stretching at least a few hundred meters from the petrol station. Many of them in Kanchil, Wira and with their children inside.

The government announced an increase in fuel prices today. The price of petrol is now up 40% and diesel a whooping 64%.

On top of that electricity tariff will also be raised up to 20% for residential households and 26% for commercial outlets.

For me, this increase is painful. Painful not because I cannot afford the hike but the fact that many of the poor will suffer from the spike in oil prices. Most of the cars I saw queuing at the petrol stations are not not luxury cars but the average Proton's and Perodua's. With the price increase I will still be going on my short trip to Hat Yai. I will still be having great food there and buy gift for my friends and family but come tomorrow, many of the lower income group will have to, stop buying clothes for their child, stop visiting their parents back at the kampung because its too expensive to travel and stop all the small luxury that they may have in their daily routine.

I know a patient of mine that only earn RM600 a month. He has 5 kids that are still schooling. He lamented on the increase of rice recently. They no longer eat white rice but the cheap broken rice that are sold at the shops because most of the kids need to get new school uniforms. With the increase in oil prices, their 8 year old Wira needs approx RM100 for a full tank. That's 1/6 of his salary. How can this family possibly survive?

Even if this group of people do not have cars they will still be reeling from the knock-on effect of an increase in oil prices. Public transport may increase and for sure price of commodities will go up. Again this group of people will suffer while people like me would still be having our dinner at restaurants albeit at a more expensive rate.

Whats worse, the government plan to do off with subsidies by August (although they will give a 30 sen discount off market rate). This will see oil prices going even higher in the coming months.

*shrugs*