Eyeing Najib's arguments on Malaysia's subsidy rationalisation

Langkah-Langkah Bertanggungjawab Dalam Mengurus Subsidi

Oktober 20th, 2013 

by Najib Razak

Sejak beberapa tahun yang lalu, dunia telah mengalami keadaan 
ekonomi global yang tidak menentu. Malaysia, sebagai sebuah negara 
yang menikmati pertumbuhan ekonomi yang pesat, pasti tidak 
terkecuali dari merasakan kesan kemelesetan ekonomi sejagat sama 
seperti negara-negara lain.

Saya percaya, amatlah penting untuk kita merasionalkan beberapa 
subsidi yang sedia ada bagi membantu kita mengharungi keadaan 
ekonomi global, termasuk merasionalkan subsidi minyak.

Pada bulan September lepas, saya telah mengumumkan langkah untuk 
memotong subsidi minyak sebanyak 20 sen, dan ini secara langsung telah 
menyebabkan kenaikan harga minyak.

Namun, walaupun langkah merasionalkan subsidi ini diambil, kerajaan 
masih memberi subsidi sebanyak 63 sen seliter untuk RON95 dan 80 sen 
seliter untuk minyak diesel.

Dalam tahun 2013, RM 24.8 bilion telah diperuntukkan untuk subsidi minyak.

Berbanding negara-negara lain di Asia, harga petrol kita masih lagi rendah. 
Harga seliter RON95 di Thailand ialah RM4.74, sementara di Filipina dan 
Indonesia pula, seliter RON95 berharga RM5.44 dan RM3.05. 

Pada bulan Jun yang lepas, kerajaan Indonesia terpaksa menaikkan 
harga petrol sehingga 44%. Langkah tersebut sangat tidak popular, 
namun kerajaan Indonesia sedar ia terpaksa ambil langkah-langkah 
yang perlu untuk memperbaiki ekonomi negara itu.

Langkah-langkah bertanggungjawab dalam mengurus subsidi

Saya percaya kita perlu mengambil langkah jangka masa panjang 
untuk mengurangkan kebergantungan kepada subsidi kerajaan pada 
masa kini, supaya kita tidak akan membebankan generasi yang akan 
datang kelak. 

Kita harus ingat bahawa Malaysia adalah sebuah negara pengeksport 
petroleum yang kecil, namun penggunaan domestik kita sangat tinggi. 
Walaupun kita mengeksport petroleum kita ke luar, kita juga terpaksa 
mengimport petroleum dari negara-negara lain untuk penggunaan 
domestik.

Kita tidak boleh mengambil langkah fiskal yang tidak bertanggungjawab 
dan terus menerus mengeluarkan RM 10 hingga 20 bilion dari kewangan 
negara bagi tujuan subsidi minyak, sedangkan wang ini ia boleh 
disalurkan kepada bidang-bidanglain yang lebih penting seperti 
pendidikan dan peningkatan infrastruktur.

Pastinya potongan subidi ini merupakan perkara yang berat untuk 
diterima oleh beberapa golongan masyarakat – kami memahami keadaan 
ini.

Oleh itu, saya ingin meyakinkan semua rakyat Malaysia, terutama sekali 
yang berada dalam golongan berpendapatan rendah, bahawa langkah
-langkah yang sesuai akan diambil untuk membantu anda mengatasi 
keadaan kenaikan harga ini.

Kerajaan akan melaksanakan langkah ini secara beransur-ansur, dan 
harga barangan terkawal dan perkhidmatan akan terus dipantau untuk 
memastikan yang ia tidak dieksploit oleh mana-mana pihak yang tidak 
bertanggungjawab.

Saya harap langkah yang perlu ini akan disambut baik dengan hati 
terbuka oleh semua pihak dalam kita bekerjasama mencapai matlamat 
kita menjadi negara berpendapatan tinggi.

Eyeing the way forward after the UMNO Elections

Ordinary UMNO member who had served at Branch, Division, State and National level

Let’s forgive and forget and immediately get cracking

Open letter to all UMNO contestants in the UMNO 2013 Election.

Dear friends and colleagues, congratulations to those who had been given the mandate to lead the respective wings and divisions at all levels and also the supreme council seats. For those who are not yet successful and the time had not arrived, there should not be despair because the whole exercise is to serve the Religion, Country and our beloved race (Agama, Negara dan Bangsa).

As a leader or as a follower, each and every one of us has an important role to play in our daily life in serving our religion, country and race. There are no leaders without followers. If with GOD’s grace you are given the mandate by the majority to lead definitely you want supporters to help and assist you in achieving the Party’s goals and objectives. There is no exception when one failed to be chosen. As a follower, there is also a great responsibility to carry out party tasks and developing the umat. That is to support the chosen leader.

The time to test one’s popularity is over. Whether one is popular or not, does not mean that one is not a better party member. Whilst individuals provide the leadership, the party’s strength is in its numbers. A divided party is a weak party. A united party will be a strong party. A united party does not mean the absence of differing views in achieving party objectives. Members can differ in their opinions and views, once decided they move as a team and implement the agreed objectives.

When one wants to lead, it is to better the livelihood of one’s followers. Followers will have a choice to pick who they want to lead them. Sometimes their choice does not garner enough to be the victor. It would not be wise to abandon the party. One joins the party  not because of individuals or positions or what one gets from the party, but for what the party struggles and fight for.

The unity brought with it the strength to succeed in championing and winning the struggles, whether in achieving independence, whether in fighting the communists, whether in governing to develop the nation and solving the sensitive issues of religion and race. If everyone takes the attitude, I win I stay and I lose I bail, than there will be no unity in the party and the party will become weak. A weak party serves no one. When one wins one expects to receive wholesome support in order to be effective, so also it is true for one’s opponent.

Let’s shake, forgive and forget. Lets get cracking with the surmountable tasks that lay ahead in uniting the party and galvanising the community’s support for greater cooperation within the ummah. A divided ummah will allow invasions and interventions.

The party needs to look into its organisation structure so as to be efficient and effective in preparing itself to serve the community. The most effective way is to have representation at the respective levels. The present distribution of the branches is haphazard and do not have boundaries. First, there must be branches established in each Locality where they serve the locals. A Liason coordinating Committee will oversee these Locality Branches at the Polling Station Centres. Another Liason Committee overseeing the Polling Centres in one State Constituency and culminating at the Division level where the boundary is the Parliamentary constituency.

Liason Coordinating Committees at the Polling Station Units will be responsible for the Security and Development of its area. Three major bureaus should be established to look into matters of religion, education and welfare. Healthy lifestyle and recreational activities can be included in welfare services. Together, the committee as a whole looks after the area's security, community and economic development.

The economic well being of the community will be crucial in determining the community’s support. Therefore, ECONOMY is important. Land utilisation and development in the respective area can enhance the community’s contribution to the Gross National Product. Giving employment and human resource initiatives will help to generate income for members of the community and structured planning for the Area’s economic development will bring prosperity.

With a sound information and communication channel established amongst members, dissemination of information and feedback can be managed for the benefit of the community and these can be linked online to the Headquarters.

Those who had been chosen must get cracking quickly to organize themselves and lead the way immediately. No time to waste.