A Hike Which Is Not A Hike

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TO Malaysians who complaint about Pos Malaysia rising charges on February 1st, you are so naive about the fact that the postal company is lagging far behind other similar carriers in the world. I believe what the government and MCMC did was just to plug their ears for a couple of years.

After waiting for ten 'bloody' years, Pos Malaysia was only given 'better than nothing' hike to the services. The postal associations affiliated to the services were made to shut up and THANKING the government for the small rise.

Latest rumor is, another company recently awarded with licence by the MCMC is now making tonnes of monies, leaving Pos Malaysia as a second of third postal feeder operator in its own country!

Let me provide you with some figures which compare Pos Malaysia charges with DHL, FedEx and GDex, all are foreign-based companies allowed to operate in this country. Call it the 'newly-approved tariffs!

For instance, Pos Malaysia only charges RM20 for small packet below 250 gram compared to RM472.80 by DHL, RM68 by FedEx and RM166.05 by GDex. For parcels below 500gm, Pos only charges RM35, RM472.80 by DHL, RM68 by FedEx and RM166.05 by GDex.

Parcels below 2kg is charged RM110 by Pos Malaysia, RM675.40 by DHL, RM160.90 by FedEx and RM260.55 by GDex.

Now, how's that?

Currently, there are 119 courier player given licence by the MCMC, mostly enjoying their themselves in Malaysia. As Pos Malaysia, they were treated lowly by the MCMC and the ministry in-charge. Didn't minister Gobind Singh Deo ask for a comparative study before approving what MCMC had outlined for the 'new hike'?

Under Pos Malaysia's e-commerce arm, it only charges RM4.60 and RM5.10 for parcels below 500gm for intra-state and inter-state delivery compared with RM12.97 for both by GDex, RM7.00 by Nationwide Express and RM8.48 by another company.

Looks like Pos Malaysia is the sole loser in doing business on its own ground. With MCMC and the government making big bucks by giving other competitors to run in Malaysia, Pos Malaysia (I think) cannot rely too much on the MCMC.

As I said in earlier postings, Pos Malaysia should be freed totally from the government dictation. Since MCMC has nothing to do with postal portfolio, better for the government to let the company go by itself and given a free hand in regulating and implementing what is good for its staff and its future. Putting it under a regulatory body which is 100 per cent focusing on the telecommunication sector, the MCMC should call it quit!

The figures above are just about 5 per cent to indicate how Pos Malaysia has 'suffered' over the 10-year lull period. The government must realise that Pos Malaysia is a Malaysian company, fully privatised and pride of the nation.

Its hard to comprehend, isn't it? That we are providing everything to foreign companies operating in Malaysia but at the same time treating our own in a Tier-3 manner. Where is the sense of belonging of the ministry and the MCMC?

...MORE TO COME SOON...

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