Detractors Slam Pmx S No Brainer Electricity Tariff Hike With Cheaper Electric Bill For Majority Rakyat

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MAN-ON-THE-STREET Malaysians are seemingly at odds with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s seemingly illogical argument that the recent rise in electricity tariff will not burden majority of the population.
This came about as they reacted critically to a Facebook video of PMX reiterating that the hike which came into effect on July 1 is only intended for highly profitable industries during his monthly meeting with staff of the Prime Minister’s Department yesterday (July 21).
“There’re those trying to spread lies and false narratives that the rakyat are burdened by the restructuring of electricity tariffs. Yes, tariffs have increased but electricity bills have decreased for majority of the rakyat,” asserted PMX who is also the Finance Minister.

“The reality is that 85% of consumers are exempted while the overall electricity cost has decreased by 19% from 55.95 sen/kWh to 45.40 sen/kWh.”
As PMX urged the entire civil service machinery and related agencies to work together to strengthen the explanation of government policies so that “real facts don’t continue to be drowned by slander and distortion”, some cheeky commenters remarked that “only Walanon (slang for PMX’s loyalists) would believe PMX’s fairy tales”.
Others went on to label him as “a liar the moment he opens his mouth” while a few found PMX’s justification as “not making sense no matter how one looks at it”.

This is when many sensible commenters stepped in to school PMX that it is simple logic that “when electricity tariff for industry goes up, production cost will have to rise in tandem” with the commoners having to bear the brunt of pricier goods and services at the end of the day.
“Can you stop confusing the rakyat that ‘when tariffs go up, bills come down?’.” lambasted a commenter with a seemingly constructive argument.
“Yes, tariffs go up for big industries. But those industries are the ones that provide basic consumer needs – food, drinks, factories, logistics. When their electricity costs go up, the prices of goods go up. In the end, it’s the people who end up paying more.”

Continued the commenter: “So, what’s the point of a household electricity bill going down by RM2 if the cost of putting food on the table goes up by RM50?
“Don’t hide behind the statistic ‘85% of consumers are exempted’ if the chain effect remains that it’ll burn a hole in the people’s pocket.
“Don’t spin if you truly want to help the rakyat … Economic facts cannot be manipulated like political slogans.”
Many echoed a similar sentiment with many furious commenters hit out at PMX for treating them as fools.

Well, one commenter wondered if the Madani government is able to mobilise its price check enforcement squad from the Domestic Trade and Living Costs Ministry to go from one factory to another nationwide to curb profiteering or to ensure there is no cost pass down of electricity tariff hike to consumers. 

- focus malaysia

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