Raising Fuel Prices An Inevitable Move, Says Pak Lah

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today he hoped the people would understand that the government's move to raise fuel prices recently was inevitable.

He said the government had to up the price of petrol by 78 sen to RM2.70 per litre and the price of diesel by RM1 to RM2.58 per litre on June 5 though it was never its intention to burden the people.

"The price of crude oil in the global market is continuing to rise and the government has been forced to increase its fuel subsidy," he said when addressing community leaders and senior government officers at a lunch in conjunction with his one-day visit to Kelantan today.

The prime minister said that though the government had to continue subsidising the rising fuel prices, it would not raise them again this year.

"We understand the problem faced by the people and are doing everything possible to ensure that the recent increase in fuel prices will not further burden them, and we give the assurance that the fuel prices will not be raised again (until the end of this year)," he said.

He said he would elaborate on the issue of higher fuel prices at his meeting with the people scheduled for tonight at the Kelantan Poverty Foundation in Padang Kala here. (Bernama)

***** Pak Lah - between the devil and the deep blue sea.