A Story of a farmer killing his Golden Goose

Or So it seems.

You see, the Poor Malaysian is going to be made far much poorer, with the least of outcry by politicians who cry foul of fuel subsidies and so forth.

Who are the ultimate losers?
“, “You see, o­n average, an honest Singaporean who drives into Malaysia drives in with 3/4 tank full of fuel, and of that, he is o­nly to save about $10 *(Based o­n a standard Proton Wira 40L fuel tank) as he can get a ’subsidy’ by filling up at the most profitable Gas Station: Caltex in the tebrau (Which by coincidence is owned by HM Sultan of Johor)

But to come into Malaysia, that Singaporean have to fork out $2 for Singapore Causeway Toll and another RM2 at the Johor Baru gantry (Operated by PLUS) just to get his bum into Malaysia. That excludes the deterrent traffic jams caused by the incompetent fools manning the Immigration & Toll booths plus the Singaporean every kiasu ICA to check the cars coming out who try to sneak out without the proper 3/4 tank fuel (and the occasion illegal immigrant).

So where does the economics of having to pay another RM20 (S$10 / USD5) to the Malaysian Federal Government justify the increasing fuel costs and loss of subsidies due to diesel snannywags from Thailand (and the Northern States).

Why can’t they just do what Singapore did? Impose 3/4 tank full of fuel? If that still don’t deter them, then place a petrol station right smack in the FTZ area so that they have to pay the full cost of fuel, UNSUBSIDISED and FULLY TAXED before they can proceed into Malaysia ‘Mainland’.

I am a Singaporean, and even when I take the bus, I spend at least RM250 at the mall, and RM20 just to fill up my tummy to justify the urge to be a glutton for the day. So where they try to cut down o­n the traffic, they also cut down o­n the amount of visitors coming in, 25,000 cars a day! That with 3 in a car equates to at least 5.7 Million Ringgits being lavished o­n the local Malaysian Economy.

It’s bad enough that the Premium Quality Fishery catch and Vegetables are sent to places like Giant in Singapore first and the 2nd grade goes to export to Europe, lest not we forget that the local farm markets o­nly sell those that can’t be sold in Singapore or overseas due to poor quality or exceed the permitted levels of poisons in them!

So who is poorer now? The Malaysian who think he can make a few more Ringgit by working in Singapore riding his Singapore Vehicle to and forth , commuting daily.(Did I forget that Malays & Bumiputeras can’t work in Singapore o­n the request of the federal goverment?)

My commentary and advise: Park+Ride my fellow people, Don’t Drive that car. Don’t Ride that motorbike into Singapore. Use the bicycle instead. Yeah.. you will make the same amount of traffic snarl o­n the Singapore end of the causeway but you don’t get taxed! Otherwise, do like what the EU did, if you enter Schengen , you must have a valid disc, and if you enter Swiss, you pay a visitors permit : 120€ or so for the year. In the Malaysian aspect: pay the flipping Malaysian Tax if you wish to but not o­n a PER-EXIT basis.
If you want to be fair, charge ALL VEHICLES IRREGARDLESS OF ORIGIN, Domestic or International Alike, Private or Public (Including Taxis and Buses). Or Singapore can impose emergency surcharge again….

That is my commentary for the day.

Excerpt from the NST o­n Sunday 23/7/06: