People And Govt Must Work Together To Manage Petrol Hike - M'sian Pm

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak said the government must work hand-in-hand with the rakyat to properly manage the issue of petrol dependency. "While the government endeavours to ensure affordable fuel price and improve public transportation, we also seek for your support and understanding," he said in his latest entry "Petrol Subsidy" posted on his 1malaysia.com.my blog. Najib in the entry recollected that the government had to decide swiftly on whether to allow the price to increase according to the market rate like most of the neighbouring countries or to subsidise the RON95, maintaining it at the current rate of RM1.90 (US$.62) per litre despite recent rising crude oil prices due to political instability in the Middle East. "I cling to the principle that the rakyat’s (people's) interest always takes priority in the government’s decision making process. "Transportation costs make up a considerable proportion of the Rakyat’s daily expenses, particularly for the urbanites. Therefore the onus is on us, the Government to slow down and manage the ever escalating fuel cost, without jeopardising other budgeted expenditures on development," he said. In order to maintain the RON95 at current rate, he said the government had increased petrol subsidy by almost 10 percent. "The government always accords paramount consideration when it comes to subsidy policies on RON95 petrol because it affects the rakyat’s daily expenses," he said. Najib said the long term solution to this problem of escalating petrol price was to reduce dependency on petrol. He said that the government was working hard on improving the public transport system to provide an alternative to private vehicle usage. To date, 38 new sets of six-carriage commuter trains have been purchased under the Urban Public Transport National Key Result Area (NKRA) to improve the KTM commuter services, he said. The two coach Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transport (LRT) is now supplemented with new fleets of 4-coach multiple units, and rail track extensions are also in the process, he said. "Long-distance travellers can also make use of the new double tracked ETS train services which now runs from Seremban to Ipoh, and to Penang and Perlis in the near future," he said. --BERNAMA