Special New Year Greetings From Barisan Nasional Government

This year Malaysians will need to spent extra monies from their incomes , as Barisan Nasional government had announced the increase on price of certain items in 2010. The items which prices had been increased with effect from 1st January 2010 are :-

1.  Sugar. The price of sugar has been increased for 20 sens per kilogram. Before the increase, the price of sugar in Peninsular per kilogram was at RM 1.45 and RM 1.55 in Sabah and Sarawak. According to the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Zain Mohd Dom, who made the announcement, said the increase in the sugar price was necessitated by the rise in the price of raw sugar in the world market, and that the government still subsidised the price at 80 sen per kg or RM1.008 billion for the year.
2. White Bread. The government also announced that it withdrew its subsidy on white bread and removed the commodity from the price control scheme.
3. Cigarette Minimum Price Regulation. With effect from 1st January 2010, the smokers will need to pay more on their cigarettes as BN government had came up with the minimum price for cigarettes regulation.With this regulation, a minimum price for 20s cigarette will be sold at RM 6.20.
4. Credit Card Service Tax. Card holders will need to pay RM50 credit card service tax on all principal credit card and RM25 for every supplementary card. The tax according to BN government was to discourage unwise spending by card users.
   
Government decision to increase the price of sugar, white bread and cigarettes, and the introduction  of Credit Card Service Tax will have serious consequences on the public especially the lower income group.

Plights by some Iban in the Longhouse  

My recent visit to Kampong Empaling and Kampong Tekuyong, both are under P202 and N25, when told about the price increase on certain items that affect them such as  the price of sugar and cigarettes, most of them were not happy with the government.

According to them, in 2008 when the government increased the price of petrol, most of  the price of  the items were shoot-up. The effort by the government to reduce the  price  of petrol in the same year did not help much as its did not bring down the price of  the items.

Their village heads, TR Ngulu and TR Jawan also informed Bukittunggal that most of the subsidies promised by BN government such as the subsidies for petrol and diesel for their generators,  and the rice subsidy until now has not reached them. They added with the new price increases announced by the government it will affect the life of people in the longhouses badly.

My Advice To the Voters in the Longhouses.

PM Najib slogan "“1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” " is just a rethoric. So far,  he and BN government have done nothing in helping the people.

Enough is Enough. The people of the longhouses must supports the PAKATAN RAKYAT in the coming State Election.

Mupok Aku

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