DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang today issued the following statement
In a local press (Nanyang Siang Pau) it was reported that the Ministry of Primary Industries has assured that oil and diesel prices would not go up in the next three months.
This is a most unsatisfactory assurance, for it not only does not solve the present diesel shortage crisis in the country, but clearly indicate that Malaysians would most likely have to suffer a third oil price increase within a period of one year following the first oil price increased in December last year.
It is now quite clear that the recurrence diesel shortage, causing great inconvenience and hardship, to taxi-operators, school-bus operators, lorry-drivers and the hundred and thousand of school children and workers who depend on diesel run vehicles for transport is largely the result of artificial market shortage created by the international oil companies.
The international oil companies want another round of price increases especially for diesel, which the Government is postponing until after the General Elections in about 3 months time.
Another round of oil price increases 3 months from today is completely indefensible and the very fact that the Minister of Primary Industries is contemplating a third round of price increases for oil products is indeed very shocking.
The Prime Minister and the Minister of Primary Industries have repeatedly state that there is no shortage of oil supply from the Gulf oil producing states. Then what is the cause for the shortage of diesel, which is threatening to paralyse taxis, school-buses, buses and lorries?
Malaysians cannot allow the oil companies to manipulate their lives, and the people expect the Government to take a tough stand to protect the Malaysian consumers from the greed of the international oil companies.
As the Arab oil producing countries are sending their Foreign Ministers to the Islamic Conference in Kuala Lumpur this week I suggest that the Minister of Primary Industries, Dato Taib Mahmud should discuss with them firm and concrete measure to ensure that diesel and other grade of oil will free flow into the Malaysian petrol stations.
Finally, the time has come for the Minister of Primary Industries to submit a proposal to the Cabinet to nationalise the international oil companies to put an end to all the price and supply manipulations, and to ensure the uninterrupted flow of petrol and diesel at reasonable prices for Malaysian needs.