KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 - DAP Secretary General Lim Guan Eng urged the government to further reduce the price of RON97 petrol to RM1.62 per litre, the original price before it was increased to RM1.92 in Mar 2006.
"Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad's revelation that the government no longer needs to subsidise petrol with the drastic fall in global oil prices highlights BN's lack of responsibility in refusing to further reduce petrol prices from RM2.00 to RM 1.62 per litre," said Lim in a statement.
Effective Nov 18, the government reduced the price of RON97 petrol to RM2.00 per litre, the fifth reduction since an increase to RM2.70 in June this year.
Shahrir also added that Malaysians are now paying for petrol tax and the government no longer subsidises petrol despite its earlier promise to maintain a subsidy of RM0.30 per litre.
The minister also expected savings from fuel subsidies to be in excess of RM10 billion if crude oil prices remains at below US$60 per barrel.
Lim proposed a daily revision of pump prices saying it is fairer and would reflect the declining oil prices.
"Malaysians are already suffering from paying high prices such as electricity tariffs and gas prices despite the drop in world prices. Only a daily revision of petrol prices is a fairer mechanism that can reflect the declining oil market," added Lim.
"The failure to further reduce petrol prices will only raise further questions why prices are raised quickly but yet they find it difficult to reduce it," said Lim.
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