ID :
10671
Tue, 06/24/2008 - 10:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/10671
The shortlink copeid
Malaysia's Abdullah avoids confidence test
Kuala Lumpur, June 24 Kyodo - Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi avoided a crisis of confidence Monday when he won majority support in Parliament for his move to raise fuel
prices by nearly 41 percent.
The opposition had hoped to turn a government motion to debate the fuel price
increase into a no-confidence vote against the beleaguered prime minister.
An earlier threat of a no-confidence motion came to naught when House of
Representative Deputy Speaker Wan Junaidi Jaafar confirmed to reporters that no
such motion was filed.
A small renegade party in the ruling coalition, the Sabah Progressive Party,
SAPP, had threatened to support a no-confidence motion after accusing Abdullah
of neglecting the oil-rich but impoverished state.
When tabling the motion on the fuel hike, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister Shahrir Samad said, ''The price increases are beyond the government's
control and the government has no resources nor capability to shield the
country's economy from the effects of the global phenomenon.''
''For example, pumped petrol and diesel subsidies are expected to increase from
8.8 billion ringgit ($2.7 billion) in 2007 to 27 billion ringgit in 2008. This
is a heavy burden that the government can no longer bear,'' he added.
The June 4 decision to raise retail pump prices by 40.6 percent to 2.70 ringgit
per liter and diesel by 63.3 percent to 2.58 ringgit per liter, however,
sparked several street protests as the public grapples with rising costs for
items from food to electricity to transportation.
Inflation hit a 22-month high in May at 3.8 percent and is expected to rise
further.
Earlier, four opposition lawmakers, in long-sleeved shirts and ties, cycled to
Parliament to make a point about the hardship caused by the spike in cost of
living.
''We want the people to know that we understand their hardships and that we
will fight for them in Parliament,'' N. Gobalakrishnan said.
The move to cut subsidies and raise fuel prices come at a time when Abdullah's
hold on power is at his most tenuous following the March 8 national elections.
The opposition quadrupled their seats in Parliament to 82 while his National
Front ruling coalition's traditional two-thirds grip was ended.
The opposition also now controls five of Malaysia's 13 state assemblies.
There have been loud calls for Abdullah to resign, even from within his own
United Malays National Organization, the largest party in the 14-party ruling
coalition.
It was under this uncertainty that Abdullah sought Parliament's endorsement for
his policy to cut the subsidies.
The opposition had hoped for lawmakers from the ruling party to rebel and vote against the government motion, which would have added more pressure on Abdullah to force him to quit. But the motion passed 129 to 78. Not all lawmakers were present.==Kyodo
prices by nearly 41 percent.
The opposition had hoped to turn a government motion to debate the fuel price
increase into a no-confidence vote against the beleaguered prime minister.
An earlier threat of a no-confidence motion came to naught when House of
Representative Deputy Speaker Wan Junaidi Jaafar confirmed to reporters that no
such motion was filed.
A small renegade party in the ruling coalition, the Sabah Progressive Party,
SAPP, had threatened to support a no-confidence motion after accusing Abdullah
of neglecting the oil-rich but impoverished state.
When tabling the motion on the fuel hike, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs
Minister Shahrir Samad said, ''The price increases are beyond the government's
control and the government has no resources nor capability to shield the
country's economy from the effects of the global phenomenon.''
''For example, pumped petrol and diesel subsidies are expected to increase from
8.8 billion ringgit ($2.7 billion) in 2007 to 27 billion ringgit in 2008. This
is a heavy burden that the government can no longer bear,'' he added.
The June 4 decision to raise retail pump prices by 40.6 percent to 2.70 ringgit
per liter and diesel by 63.3 percent to 2.58 ringgit per liter, however,
sparked several street protests as the public grapples with rising costs for
items from food to electricity to transportation.
Inflation hit a 22-month high in May at 3.8 percent and is expected to rise
further.
Earlier, four opposition lawmakers, in long-sleeved shirts and ties, cycled to
Parliament to make a point about the hardship caused by the spike in cost of
living.
''We want the people to know that we understand their hardships and that we
will fight for them in Parliament,'' N. Gobalakrishnan said.
The move to cut subsidies and raise fuel prices come at a time when Abdullah's
hold on power is at his most tenuous following the March 8 national elections.
The opposition quadrupled their seats in Parliament to 82 while his National
Front ruling coalition's traditional two-thirds grip was ended.
The opposition also now controls five of Malaysia's 13 state assemblies.
There have been loud calls for Abdullah to resign, even from within his own
United Malays National Organization, the largest party in the 14-party ruling
coalition.
It was under this uncertainty that Abdullah sought Parliament's endorsement for
his policy to cut the subsidies.
The opposition had hoped for lawmakers from the ruling party to rebel and vote against the government motion, which would have added more pressure on Abdullah to force him to quit. But the motion passed 129 to 78. Not all lawmakers were present.==Kyodo
