Petro politics

UMNO Youth Exco leader Sazmi Miah proposed that a ten percent salary cut for all ministers, their deputies and civil servants be imposed in line with unpopular Cabinet decision to increase petrol prices. Currently ministers and deputies would take a ten percent reduction off their entertainment allowance.

I don't agree with the notion that there should be salary cut for the civil servants and those working in the private sectors simply because the executive seem to earn much much more. Ten percent off the premier's entertainment allowance is RM1,886.50. This amount alone can be an average pay for an average Malaysian working in Kuala Lumpur. A PTD officer's first salary could be slightly lesser than that.

In this case Sazmi was definitely off track in calling the rakyat to take a salary cut.

Another point of argument is there should be no reason for the increase to take place when Malaysia is part of OPEC. In USD, Malaysia's current petrol price is 0.84 cents, whereas Kuwait's is 0.21 cents.