Sharir, you are NOW BULLsh*tting as one Lingam did

From the Star Online:

Wednesday June 11, 2008
Shahrir: Petrol money used as subsidy in many areas



Part of the money used by the Government as subsidy is Petronas’ contribution from its annual revenue.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said the national oil company did not subsidise petrol at the pump but gave the Government part of its revenue to be put into a consolidated fund.

“It is money from the fund that the Government is using to subsidise petrol, agriculture, education, welfare, and now food. We give all these aids with the help of Petronas.

“Ever since the fuel price increase was announced, people have been demanding to know why Petronas is not helping out. What they don’t know is that the company has been helping out all this while.

“The Government, on the other hand, pays from its coffers to petrol companies as fuel subsidy.

This is also being enjoyed by Petronas,” Shahrir told reporters after attending his first monthly gathering with the ministry’s staff since his appointment as the minister.

He said the public needed to understand the situation so that there would no longer be accusations that the company was not using its billions of ringgit in revenue to help people.

“Petronas is helping out. Let me assure you of that,” he said, adding that it was important to lift or reduce subsidy so as to discourage wastage and to give higher value to the assets or commodity.

“I am of the opinion the public is not appreciative of the value of goods because they need not pay the actual price. Subsidy has led to wastage. Now, with lesser subsidy, people will tend to be more careful about how they use goods like petrol because they have to pay more.”

DESIDERATA: I once used to hold MP from Johor Bharu in some esteem especially for being outspoken against the Government's decisions although it went against the UMNO-BN line. I believe it was one on key issue he was left with no choice but give up the BBC chair.

But since his AP in Pak Lah's Cabinet after GE2008, Sharir has become a gOvernment APologist of the highest -- or is it the lowest? -- order.

Hey, Sharir, what "A Voice" and many others are saying here is that Malaysians should ENJOY LOWER PRICES because, C&P from a recent piece I wrote:

*** Malaysia is a net exporter of oil i.e. we in fact do import lower-grade oil fror domestic use, and export our higher grade oil;

*** Being of higher grade, the oil Malaysia exports commands a PREMIUM price over the price we pay for imported oil, hence every time the world oil price rises,
MALYASIA GAINS IN TERMS OF GREATER REVENUES;

*** The only trouble is that the GOVERNMENT IS ALWAYS HARPING ON RISING SUBSIDIES, BUT MY ARGUMENT (also Sdr SALAHUDDIN's I infer) IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS "MUM"ON WHERE THE "EXTRA" REVENUES GAINED BY PETRONAS ARE GOING TO, assuming everything being equal from the preceding year... since I started tracking the FY reporting for past three years?

DESI now says: "SHARIR, you did learn from a lawyer-maestro of the VK LINGAM"S TAPE FAME -- ooops, correct, correct, correct that to INFAMY! -- "I am only BULLshitting and bragging!"