Points to ponder

Current crude oil prices in the market is going down as we speak but the funny thing is that the prices of basic goods and fuel prices in Malaysia are still the same i.e expensive, as if we are still in the epidemic of expensive black gold syndrome.

I give to you the history if Malaysian oil prices since 1990 for your own reference as taken from Wikipedia ( you can read it here).

If you notice the current crude oil price (as at 28/10/08 - $62.09/barrel) will soon match the former crude oil price (fuel price @ RM1.92/litre) before the 78 cents increased middle of this year.

Harga runcit minyak Malaysia (RON 97)
Tarikh	Harga baru	Perubahan	Harga sejagat1	Perubahan
	RM/liter	Peratus (%)	AS$/tong	Peratus (%)
Sebelum 1990	0.89	-	18.33 (1989)	-
1990	1.10	25	24.49	33.6
1 Oktober 2000	1.20	9	24.68	0.8
20 Oktober 2001	1.30	8.3	25.90	4.9
1 Mei 2002	1.32	1.5	30.86	19.2
31 Oktober 2002	1.33	1	24.53	5.3
1 Mac 2003	1.35	1.5	31.54	28.6
1 Mei 2004	1.37	1.5	40.28	27.7
1 Oktober 2004	1.42	3.6	53.13	91.8
5 Mei 2005	1.52	7	56.26	5.9
31 Julai 2005	1.62	6.6	58.70	4.3
28 Februari 2006	1.92	18.5	61.64	5
5 Jun 2008	2.70	41	121.00	96.3
23 Ogos 20082	2.55	(5.6)	114.60	(5.3)
25 September 2008	2.45	(3.9)	109.20	(4.7)
15 Oktober 2008	2.30	(6.1)	84.07	(23)

What should happen when fuel prices fall down?

1. The market price for fuel should be cheaper to the consumer;
2. Thus, cheaper transportation cost to supply goods;
3. Thus, cheaper running cost to manufacture goods;
4. Thus, cheaper goods to the consumer; except we still have to fork out extra RM to buy basic goods, and when I say basic i.e. rice, flour, sugar etc.

Although, thankfully the fuel price is decreasing every month, and I expected the new price cut should not be more than RM2.00/litre.

If the price of fuel is shrinking, why the goods is still expensive? What can you relate it with construction industry?

That is for you to ponder...

In my opinion, Malaysian still lack of boycotting culture whereby it is a powerful instrument to overturn the seller. I give you an example.

Let say the current price of chicken is RM7.00/kg but suddenly the Persatuan Penjual Ayam decided to increased the price of chicken to RM8.00/kg for whatever reasons. What Malaysian normally do is that, they still buy the chicken with their mouth grumbling non-stop.

You see what happen? They still buy the chicken albeit they didn't agree with the price increased at the first place.

What they should have done then were to buy something else other than chicken, fish is a healthier alternatives right?

If you say one person could not make a different, what if 100 people decided to boycott chicken, what if 100,000 people, what if 1,000,000 people? What will happen to the seller if the buyer decided to boycott chicken? That is for you to ponder...

The point is that, fight for your right! Fight for fair prices!

image courtesy from http://www.northernlightonline.com/galleries/scotland/petrol_pump.htm