OPINION

Thursday November 27, 2008

Fomca, don’t make life harder for us

I RECENTLY read about Fomca’s proposal that the floor price of petrol be set at RM3 per litre. Apparently, this is to encourage prudent use of petrol, promote the use of public transport and push for development of alternative energy.

Does Fomca think that Malay­sians don’t want to take public transport? Are Malaysians really that rich that they would prefer to spend hundreds of ringgit on petrol than to save money by taking public transport? Of course not.

If I had a chance, I would take public transport too. The problem with the Malaysian public transport system is that it is so inefficient.

This is a fact that has been acknowledged by even our Prime Minister when he had to put up with the late arrival of the KTM Komuter on that one day that he took public transport.

What about the people who have to take it every day? Guess how tired they are, having worked for an entire day and than having to wait for ages just to get home and rest?

With regard to Fomca’s push for the development of alternative energy, does it think this development is carried out by the consumers who are paying for petrol? Is that why it believes that by increasing the petrol prices, there will be development in alternative energy?

I am an accountant and I have no control over whether anyone manages to come up with a viable solution for alternative energy. So basically, I will just be paying a fortune for petrol while waiting for this development.

From what I understand, Fomca is supposed to protect consumers. It seems it is now trying to dictate how people live their lives by coming up with what it thinks are the best practices for people to follow.

It is better to take public transport, to find alternative energy to take the place of petrol. Yes, this is true, but unless Fomca wants to personally go and improve the public transport or even guarantee its efficiency or be the leading party in the development of alternative energy, please do not make life more difficult for people than it already is.

I’ve been taking the KTM for 11 years and can count on one hand the number of times that the train has been on time.

Do your job and protect consumers. Stop making life harder for us. The global econo­mic crisis has already taken care of that.

MELISSA,

Shah Alam.