Since few weeks ago, Malaysia is besieged with crisis after crisis and these seem endless as if there's some kind of concentrated efforts to undermine the government. The most ridiculous of all is the 'dire' shortage of cooking oil. Almost everyday we heard and read news about acute supplies of cooking oil all over the country. As if to add the insult, the government through the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer imposed the so called quota for purchases of cooking oil although they claim that it is not a permanent directive.
The irony is that we are the biggest or at least one of the major producer of palm oil. We have vast jungle of oil palms and whenever there's opportunity arise, everyone dreams to be a palm oil planter having thousands of hectares of palm oil. Now, the government is seriously considering bio-fuel from palm oil. Such may remain as a dream considering the current situation. All these reflect weaknesses of government machinery. I t was reported that subsidised cooking oil are abundant at the Thai-Malaysia border albeit the high price tags. Malaysian made cooking oil is highly sought after due to their quality and cleanliness.
Once again, we have to share subsidies provided by the government with others. These shameful facts would not happened if everyone are doing their shares as loyal Malaysians. Anti- smuggling agencies and unscrupulous individuals too certain extent are to be blamed for the sufferings that we all have to endure. If they are sincere in fulfilling their responsibilities all these can be avoided. Excuses such as limited personnel are no longer valid as smuggling is well known as an obstacle for economic growth ever since.
Sharing is indeed a good thing but what happened is no sharing but stealing of what are rightfully ours to saviour. Sadly, we usually become pro active when it was too late and most of the time we never seemed to learn something from similar incidents. Apart from excuses we also become experts in finger pointing saying that such and such is not our fault but others. Due to our weaknesses, we become hostages to unscrupulous traders, manufacturers and wholesalers. We are not strict enough to say to ourselves and others ; enough is enough but we tend to be lenient and are experts only at uttering threats. If the government are strong enough they should consider using the ISA against those irresponsible as what they have done could threatened national security at long run. Government should not limit ISA to only political activities. Even though there are abundant laws on trade and smuggling but until today those fail to achieve what they are supposed to accomplish.
The environment suffered to the extent that it will take years and billion ringgits to ameliorate the damage caused by oil palm plantations for the so called economic growth and yet we all still suffer. Malaysian Palm Oil Board should consider abandoning altogether the quota in oil palm based cooking oil so that such shortage will be the thing of the past. Fomca' suggestion that we should allow import of cooking oil from outside is absurd because what happened is not due to shortage but because of hoarding by those involved in the distribution chains. All these happen because consumers prefer cooking oil in packets as their prices are cheaper. Such should serve as an eye opener to those involved by changing the packaging so that cooking oil becomes more affordable.
If we analysed these disturbing trends it will point to one major issue - subsidies. Starting from the school fees, diesel, cooking oil and lately flour, these commodities are all currently being subsidised by the government. Now, various sections of the community are starting to urge that subsidies should undergone thorough restructuring. They opined that society should now face the realities of the changing world whereby it is no longer economically viable. We should start to free ourselves from being over dependent on assistance since we have been independent for at least half a century. I t is sad to see parents complaining about their children in the school fees furore when in reality they are the one who supposed to care for their off springs.
The ability to make donations to less unfortunate fellow human beings in all parts of the world really reflects that Malaysians are becoming affluent and thus need not be pampered all the time anymore. What happened might be the doings of some very powerful yet visible hands to cause the government to rethink its subsidies policy so that many if not all subsidies that we have enjoyed for a long time will be gradually or even drastically called off. Such is not impossible and we should be wised enough to prepare ourselves for that eventuality.
Such happenings though very hard to endure should be seen as a blessing in disguise. Everyone should start to learn to be more independent and to prepare ourselves to become more self sufficient. History has really taught us during the Second World War where our predecessors used anything just to survive and they had proven that it could be done if not we would become what we are today or we even will not be here today. Germany and Japan once defeated nations themselves have now become among if not the strongest economies of the world. While our counterparts in ASEAN are enduring high if not exorbitant prices we are still lucky to have subsidies. Therefore, it is only appropriate to call upon the smugglers to stop whatever they are doing and the relevant agencies to improve their services as what they are expected to do.
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