MALAYSIAN PETROL TAX, TAXIS, MELAMINE TEST & POLICE

Are we the first oil producing country in this planet to have petrol tax? We probably break the world record! I saw a few petrol stations putting signboards saying they don't have fuel today. This is very common sight in Malaysia. When fuel price shoots up sky high, they keep quiet. When it goes down, they said they are making a loss. Great logic.

Our neighbour, Singapore, has cut prices for the 12th consecutive time since July 2008. Premium 95 grade now stands at S$1.636 a litre, while the price of diesel is reduced to S$1.373. Malaysia had the latest price cut, which is only the 5th since August 2008. The new pump price for RON97 is now RM2 per litre while RON92 will be sold at RM1.90 per litre and diesel will be at RM1.90 per litre.

As for the taxis, the news about nearly 60% of the complaints filed with the Commercial Vehicle Licencing Board (CVLB) each month concerns taxi drivers refusing to use meters is long overdued. According to CVLB chairman Datuk Markiman Kobiran, taxi operators risk having their permits suspended or withdrawn if they do not use the fare meters.

Can they please implement it in Johor Bahru? Almost 99.99% of times when I board a cab, nobody is using the meters. I think out of 30 times I took cab, there is only once the driver followed the meter. They overcharged what is shown on the meter. Even worse is on some journeys which is far away, they expect you to pay two ways because they tell you they will not find any passengers at the destination you want to go. The best example is the airport because they have airport taxis. Apart from that, they charge you for using the car boot / trunk. Charges are higher if you grab one close to the immigration exit from Singapore. They are also choosy in the locations they want to go.

On another news, they said Malaysia takes two weeks to get results from melamine testing while Singapore only needs two days. Well, what's new? It's expected. I thought it takes two months but they just release the same results 12 days later (14 days - 2 days) after Singapore announces the results.

On the police, I am without words to comment. I just know how to shake my head.

The Star