Night rush in Penang too

There were mad rushes for fuel before midnight across Penang yesterday, causing massive traffic congestions.

Cars were piling up at petrol stations in Georgetown, Butterworth, Seberang Jaya, Prai and Bukit Mertajam. Some of the queues were as long as two kilometres, causing affected roads to come to a standstill.

Petrol and diesel prices have gone up today by 78 sen and one ringgit per litre respectively today, after a government announcement yesterday. Since the announcement, petrol kiosks have been crammed up by motorists.

“I have never seen such a crazy rush for fuel,” said petrol kiosk attendant, Izhar Kassim, 27.

Motorists expected to save up to RM30 ringgit by filling up before the price hike became effective at midnight.

Save Ourselves (SOS) coordinator BK Ong described the rush as ‘an irrational response of consumers’. Penang Consumer Protection Association’s K Koris Atan referred to it as ‘stupid consumerism’.

N Thambirajah, a motorist caught in a bumper-to-bumper congestion that lasted for hours on Jalan Masjid, which have five petrol kiosks said, “Why are they rushing? Can’t they buy fuel tomorrow?”

Taxi driver Shah Jahan, 47, waited for nearly 50 minutes to get his fuel. He quipped, “Taxi drivers are struggling to make ends meet. This hike will decrease our daily income by at least 30 percent.”

The mad rush caused several petrol kiosks in Georgetown to close shop early as they ran out of fuel or staff to cater to a massive number of cars.

Similarly, traffic chaos was also evident in Malacca city with motorists trying to beat the deadline to fill up their vehicles with cheaper fuel (left).

Upgrade public transportation

“It was an irrational and irresponsible act of governance,” said Ong on the government's decision to hike the fuel prices.

He said the government should have upgraded the public transport system in the country before announcing the hike.

Ong claimed that government policies over the years had nurtured an over dependence for private vehicles while totally ignoring the importance of affordable, efficient and reliable public transportation.

“If the alternative public transport modes have been put in place, the public would not feel the pinch so badly,” he added.

Koris Atan called on the government to channel the RM17.3 billion gained from the removal of fuel subsidies to improve public transport, food security, agro-subsidies, public health care system and education.

“The money must reach the lower income group and needy people. It’s the government social responsibility,” he said.