KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — PKR’s Rafizi Ramli has challenged Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz today to a debate on the fuel subsidy cut, after the minister allegedly called him a “stupid kid” for suggesting that Cabinet ministers pay for their own fuel.
Rafizi (picture) insisted that he is ready to learn from the tourism and culture minister despite the alleged insult, and noted that a debate or a forum would be the best avenue to do so.
“Taking into account the remark made by Nazri yesterday, I am willing to debate or confront him in a forum to learn from him the reasons why Barisan Nasional (BN) is burdening the people by increasing the price of fuel,” the PKR strategy director wrote in a blog post here.
“I am sure he can display his intelligence soon by meeting me face to face, and let the people judge how bright he really is.”
Nazri had suggested yesterday that government leaders in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states should offer to pay for their own fuel consumption before telling BN ministers to do the same.
He also advised his political foes to lead by example before making such “idiotic” suggestions after the federal government raised petrol and diesel prices at the pumps yesterday morning.
“I want him to tell Selangor mentri besar and his excos, the chief minister of Penang, and the Kelantan mentri besar to pay using their own money as well,” Nazri told reporters, referring to Rafizi who floated the idea earlier yesterday.
“They should start first, do not just talk. We were not the ones who suggested this, because we serve the people,” he added.
The informal PR pact that includes PKR, PAS and DAP controls the three states named by Nazri.
Rafizi explained today that it is irrelevant to ask PR state leaders to pay for their own fuel, since citizens pay their taxes to the federal government and not the states.
“Despite that, I will officially write to all PR mentri besar to provide the steps that can be taken to reduce their fuel spending which is being incurred by the people,” Rafizi added.
Yesterday, Rafizi suggested that Cabinet members including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak pay for their own fuel since the government had claimed that undeserving parties were enjoying the benefits of a blanket fuel subsidy that it cut yesterday.
The demand was made in protest against Najib’s announcement to cut RON95 and diesel subsidies by 20 sen a litre, in a move the opposition lawmaker claimed would burden most Malaysians.
The pump price for RON95 petrol was increased to RM2.10 per litre and diesel RM2.00 yesterday, up from RM1.90 and RM1.80 respectively.
In his announcement on Monday, Najib said a 20 sen per litre reduction on the RON95 fuel and diesel could save the government RM3.3 billion beginning next year, bringing the total amount of fuel subsidies to RM24.8 billion per annum.
Anticipating a public backlash, the Najib administration said it would announce measures to ease the burden of the lower and middle-income group in the 2014 Budget, including the possibility of increasing the amount of the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) cash handout from the current RM500.
