Pakatan Harapan increases water tariff, adding onto people’s sufferings

Pakatan Harapan clearly is never able to empathise with people’s sufferings, when it announced the hike in tariffs in the midst of the economic downturn now, practically causing people to huff and puff!

Remember when PH launched its 14th general elections Manifesto, how it had vowed to alleviate people’s burden? But when it is the government now, not only does the economy continue to be on the downswing, basic utilities tariffs, including electricity and natural gas, have gone up, much to the burden of the people. And now, even the water tariffs are not spared. 

According to the World Bank, Malaysia’s economic growth last year had slowed down from 5.9% to 4.9%, and our high-riding cost of living in the urban centre is a major cause of concern. During such difficult times, the government should carry out its sacred duty of taking care of the people, and not add salt to people’s wounds.

The PH government must realise that, electricity, natural gas and water are the basic essential necessities of the people and businesses. When the tariffs increase, it will trigger a chain effect across the market. When businesses find their production costs increase, they will have to pass the costs down to the consumers via higher prices.

In the end, the people will suffer the double jeopardy!

We know now that the PH Manifesto is not a bible, but there had been far too many U-turns.

Therefore, we hope the new PH government can consider the difficulties the various sectors are facing now, and with its famous spirit of U-turning, to delay the hikes in various tariffs, and just concentrate on revitalising the economy. Until and unless the economy recovers, the government should not raise this issue again. 

Increase in tariffs under the PH government

Electricity:     Increases from 1.35 sen to 2.55 sen （per kilowatt）

Natural gas:  Increases from RM31.92 to RM32.69  (per MMBtu）

Water:           Pending announcement

Nicole Wong Siaw Ting
MCA Youth Chairman

-MCA online-