Subsidy Reduction Can Improve Competitiveness, Efficiency And The Living Standards Of The People If Supported By A Minimum Wage, Increasing Real Wages And Removing Gas Mega-Subsidies For The Independent Power Producers(IPPs). <\/p>\n
DAP does not agree with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that Malaysia provided among the largest amounts of subsidy in the world for daily essential goods such as petrol, sugar, gas, electricity tariffs and rice. In fact Malaysia provided the largest gas subsidies in the world per capita in terms of population. <\/p>\n
Up to end 2010, Petronas has extended about RM131.3 billion in gas subsidy to both the power and non-power sectors. If the gas prices remain unchanged (power sector at RM10.70 per MMBTU; non-power sector at RM15.35 per MMBTU), about RM27 billion in 2011 would have to be incurred. <\/p>\n
The greatest beneficiaries of the RM131.3 billion gas subsidies are IPPs who also benefit from a guranteed buyer through the compulsory Power Purchase Agreement signed by Tenaga Nasional Bhd. The Economic Planning Unit or EPU\u2019s role in this sorry episode resulted in Tan Sri Ani Arope resigning in protest as CEO of Tenaga, who also referred the EPU as the \u201cEconomic Plundering Unit\u201d<\/p>\n
That is why BN\u2019s failure to remove gas subsidies for IPPs does not lend credibility to Najib\u2019s assertion that BN\u2019s subsidy policy is to provide reasonable amounts of subsidy to the needy target groups. Are IPPs amongst the eligible and needy target groups when they earn billions of ringgit in extraordinary profits from enjoying RM131.3 billion in gas mega subsidies? <\/p>\n
Subsidy reduction can improve competitiveness, efficiency and the living standards of the people if it is supported by measures such as the setting of a minimum wage, increasing real wages and removing gas mega-subsidies for the IPPs. Reports show that 40% of households in Malaysia earns less than RM1,500 in average monthly income.<\/p>\n
How then can our poor maintain their standard of living with such rising costs when subsidies are removed but our wages have not kept up with inflation? Between 2000 and 2010, wages increased by only 2.6 per cent, meaning that in the last ten years, there has been wage stagnation and our wages cannot match the rising cost of living. <\/p>\n
A minimum wage and increasing real wages is necessary towards a fairer and more prosperous society. Najib\u2019s admission that less than two million of the 12 million workers pay taxes demonstrates the severity of wage disparities and caused by the lack of minimum wage and rising real wages. There is a need to develop the services sector and a consumption-based economy to graduate to a high-income economy, therefore requiring economic policies that leads to job creation, wage increases, sustainable industries and innovation is essential. <\/p>\n
Malaysia is seen to be running a budget deficit that is fast spiralling out of control in proportion to its growth. Household debt to gross domestic product (GDP) is highest in Asia after Japan, from approximately 64% in 2008 to close to 76% or RM581 billion in 2010. In other words, our budget balance and debt control is deemed to be unsustainable in the long run. <\/p>\n
That is why DAP questions the rationale, logic and justice of subsidy cuts for small items like sugar and diesel that saves hundreds of millions but not big-ticket items like gas mega-subsidies to independent power producers (IPPs). <\/p>\n
The Prime Minister claims that subsidies are akin to \u2018opium\u2019, then why not first remove the \u2018Big Opium\u2019 like corruption that costs RM 28 billion yearly or gas mega subsidies to independent power producers (IPPs) that would cost RM25 billion this year? Any people-centric government would do that first before removing the \u2018Small Opium\u2019 of subsidies in sugar, diesel and petrol which hurt directly the masses, 10 million Malaysians who does not even earn enough to pay taxes. <\/p>\n
Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Kuala Lumpur On 7 June 2011.<\/p>\n
—– BM Translation —— <\/p>\n
Pengurangan Subsidi Dapat Meningkatkan Daya Saing, Kecekapan Dan Taraf Hidup Masyarakat Sekiranya Disokong Oleh Kadar Upah Minimum, Peningkatan Gaji Dan Menghapuskan Subsidi Minyak Kepada \u2018Independent Power Producers\u2019 (IPPs). <\/strong><\/p>\n DAP tidak bersetuju dengan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bahawa Malaysia menyediakan subsidi terbesar di dunia untuk barangan asas seperti minyak petrol, gula, gas, penggunaan dan tarif elektrik serta beras. Hakikatnya, Malaysia menyediakan subsidi terbesar gas di dunia per kapita dalam hal populasi. <\/p>\n Sehingga akhir 2010, Petronas telah menambah sejumlah RM131.3 bilion subsidi bagi kedua-dua sektor janakuasa dan bukan janakuasa. Sekiranya harga gas tidak berubah (bagi sektor janakuasa pada RM10.70\/mmBtu; dan sektor bukan janakuasa pada RM15.35\/mmBtu), kira-kira RM27 bilion dalam tahun 2011 harus ditanggung. <\/p>\n \u2019. Penerima faedah RM131.3 bilion subsidi tersebut adalah IPPs yang juga menerima manfaat daripada pembeli-pembeli yang dijamin melalui Perjanjian Pembelian Kuasa yang ditandatangani oleh Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB). Peranan Unit Perancang Ekonomi atau EPU dalam hal ini telah menyebabkan Tan Sri Ani Arope melepaskan jawatan beliau menunjukkan protes beliau sebagai Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif di Tenaga, yang turut merujuk EPU sebagai \u201cEconomic Plundering Unit\u201d. <\/p>\n Kegagalan BN untuk menghapuskan subsidi gas kepada IPPs tidak menunjukkan kreadibiliti dan ketegasan Najib bahawa polisi subsidi BN adalah untuk memberi sejumlah subsidi yang sewajarnya kepada mereka yang sepatutya. Adakah IPPs adalah dalam kalangan kumpulan sasaran yang memerlukan dan memenuhi syarat sedangkan mereka memperoleh berbilion ringgit dengan keuntungan yang luar biasa daripada untuk menikmati subsidi berganda bernilai RM131.3 bilion? <\/p>\n Pengurangan subsidi dapat meningkatkan daya saing, kecekapan dan taraf hidup masyarakat sekiranya disokong oleh penetapan kadar upah minimum, meningkatkan gaji dan menghapuskan subsidi gas berganda untuk IPPs. Laporan menunjukkan bahawa 40% isi rumah di Malaysia memperoleh pendapatan kurang dari RM1,500 sebulan. <\/p>\n Jadi, bagaimana masyarakat miskin mengekalkan taraf hidup mereka sekiranya kos sara diri meningkat apabila penghapusan subsidi dibuat tetapi pendapatan atau gaji tidak mampu menyaingi kadar inflasi? Antara tahun 2000 sehingga 2010, kadar pendapatan meningkat hanya sebanyak 2.6%, bermakna dalam tempoh sepuluh tahun yang lalu, pendapatan tidak berubah dan kadar pendapatan masih tidak mampu menyaingi peningkatan kos sara hidup. <\/p>\n Penetapan kadar upah minimum dan peningkatan gaji adalah perlu untuk memastikan masyarakat menikmati keadilan dan kesejahteraan hidup. Najib mengakui bahawa kurang daripada dua juta berbanding 12 juta pekerja yang membayar cukai menunjukkan jurang pendapatan dan menyebabkan kadar upah minimum tidak ditetapkan serta tiada kenaikan gaji. Adalah perlu untuk mengembangkan sektor perkhidmatan dan ekonomi berasakan kepenggunaan untuk beralih kepada ekonomi yang berpendapatan tinggi, maka suatu polisi ekonomi yang mengarah kepada pembentukkan peluang pekerjaan, peningkatan gaji, perkembangan industri yang berterusan dan perkembangan inovasi adalah penting. <\/p>\n Malaysia mengalami anggaran defisit yang berlegar-legar di luar kawalan dalam ketidakseimbangan pertumbuhannya. Hutang isi rumah berbanding keluaran dalam negara kasar (KDNK) adalah yang tertinggi di Asia selepas Jepun, antara 64% pada tahun 2008 kepada hampir 76% atau RM581 bilion pada tahun 2010. Dalam erti kata lain, baki belanjawan dan kawalan hutang adalah tidak seimbang untuk jangka masa panjang. <\/p>\n Inilah sebabnya kenapa persoalan DAP adalah rasional, logik dan adil terhadap pemotongan subsidi ke atas barangan seperti gula dan diesel yang mampu menjimatkan ratusan juta ringgit tetapi bukan pemotongan subsidi ke atas barangan seperti subsidi gas berganda kepada IPPs. <\/p>\n Perdana Menteri mendakwa bahawa subsidi adalah \u2018candu\u2019 atau opium, jadi mengapa tidak menghapuskan \u2018Big Opium\u2019 seperti rasuah yang menyebabkan kerugian RM28 bilion setiap tahun atau subsidi gas berganda kepada IPPs berjumlah RM25 bilion tahun ini? Mana-mana kerajaan yang berjiwa rakyat seharusnya melakukannya dahulu sebelum menghapuskan \u2018Small Opium\u2019 seperti subsidi gula, minyak disel dan petrol yang pasti akan menyebabkan masyarakat umum menanggung beban, 10 juta rakyat Malaysia tidak mampu membayar cukai. <\/p>\n ———– Mandarin Translation ———- <\/p>\n \u82e5\u8981\u901a\u8fc7\u53d6\u6d88\u6d25\u8d34\u63d0\u9ad8\u7ade\u4e89\u529b\u3001\u6548\u7387\u548c\u4eba\u6c11\u7684\u751f\u6d3b\u6c34\u5e73\uff0c\u5176\u524d\u63d0\u6761\u4ef6\u5fc5\u987b\u662f\u5236\u8ba2\u6700\u4f4e\u85aa\u8d44\u3001\u589e\u52a0\u5b9e\u9645\u5de5\u8d44\u3001\u53d6\u6d88\u72ec\u7acb\u53d1\u7535\u5382\u6240\u4eab\u6709\u7684\u5de8\u989d\u5929\u7136\u6c14\u6d25\u8d34\u3002 <\/strong><\/p>\n \u884c\u52a8\u515a\u4e0d\u8ba4\u540c\u9996\u76f8\u62ff\u7763\u65af\u91cc\u7eb3\u5409\u7684\u8bf4\u6cd5\uff0c\u5373\u9a6c\u6765\u897f\u4e9a\u662f\u4e16\u754c\u4e0a\u4e3a\u65e5\u7528\u54c1\u63d0\u4f9b\u6700\u591a\u6d25\u8d34\u7684\u56fd\u5bb6\u5982\u6c7d\u6cb9\u3001\u767d\u7cd6\u3001\u5929\u7136\u6c14\u3001\u7535\u8d39\u3001\u767d\u7c73\u3002\u5b9e\u9645\u4e0a\uff0c\u4ee5\u4eba\u53e3\u6765\u8ba1\u7b97\uff0c\u9a6c\u6765\u897f\u4e9a\u63d0\u4f9b\u6700\u9ad8\u7684\u5929\u7136\u6c14\u6d25\u8d34\u3002 <\/p>\n \u622a\u81f32010\u5e74\uff0c\u56fd\u6cb9\u5df2\u7ecf\u4e3a\u53d1\u7535\u4e1a\u53ca\u975e\u53d1\u7535\u4e1a\u63d0\u4f9b1313\u4ebf\u4ee4\u5409\u7684\u5929\u7136\u6c14\u6d25\u8d34\u3002\u5982\u679c\u5929\u7136\u6c14\u4ef7\u683c\u7ef4\u6301\u4e0d\u53d8\uff08\u53d1\u7535\u4e1a\u6bcfMMBTU 10\u4ee4\u540970\u4ed9\uff0c\u975e\u53d1\u7535\u4e1a\u6bcfMMBTU 15\u4ee4\u540935\u4ed9\uff09\uff0c2011\u5e74\u7684\u6d25\u8d34\u989d\u5c06\u662f270\u4ebf\u4ee4\u5409\u3002 <\/p>\n 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Supported By A Minimum Wage, Increasing Real Wages And Removing Gas Mega-Subsidies For The Independent Power Producers(IPPs). DAP does not agree with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak that Malaysia provided among the largest amounts of subsidy in the world …<\/p>\n