It is said that there are two certainties in life - death and taxes. Both are inevitable things we would rather not talk about. Death and taxes truly affect our approach to life - and since we often try to avoid thinking about either, we are not prepared to deal with them when they occur.

Malaysians have been paying taxes on fuel for years but I am confident that few Malaysians know this. They are more likely to think of the 'subsidy' that the government provides in order to maintain a low price at the petrol and diesel pumps. For many years, the government has maintained a system of 'subsidy' and fixed prices for fuel.

The effects of the 'subsidy' and fixed price have generally made driving easier and more convenient for Malaysians. However, along with the stability, there has also been a loss of consumer influence in markets.

Without price-related competition in the petrol markets, it becomes tougher for consumers to collectively exercise their influence on retail prices. Instead they act like fattened sheep, just waiting to be slaughtered.

When it was announced on June 4 that fuel prices would increase significantly, the truth was revealed. Like sheep, Malaysian consumers rushed to the nearest petrol station, spending long hours in near-orderly queues and causing massive traffic jams in order to save a small amount of ringgit.

Some drivers even ran out of petrol while waiting in the queues. All-in-all, it was an embarrassing, shameful, and humiliating event for the Malaysian consumer.

The government announced that they could no longer sustain fixed prices and price ceilings. They promised to maintain the price of RM2.70 per litre for the year and also introduced a floating 'subsidy' of RM0.30 per litre which would allow them more flexibility and give the market more control over petrol prices.

Since August, the price of oil has plummeted and the government has reduced prices five times and petrol prices are now at RM2 per litre for RON97, not much higher than they were in June before the massive increase.

But now new issues are arising over the government's handling of fuel prices. In October, as oil prices began to plummet, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad announced that petrol prices could return to RM1.92 per litre if the fall in oil prices was sustained.

Yet despite the fall in oil prices, fuel prices remained 'sticky'. On Nov 19, the minister announced that the government had stopped paying the RM0.30 'subsidy' since the beginning of November.

On November 1, the petrol price was reduced to RM2.15 per litre for RON97. But if the government had continued to maintain the RM0.30 'subsidy', petrol prices would be a more affordable RM1.85 per litre. And, with the most recent drop, the price for RON97 petrol would be RM1.70 if not lower.

Now that the government has revealed that they are no longer paying the 'subsidy' on petrol, the issue becomes more complicated. As oil prices bottom out and the 'subsidy' disappears, the tax on our petrol is finally being revealed.

The price that consumers are paying now reflects the taxes that were long hidden by the subsidy - out of sight and out of mind, as well as other monies that are somehow going back to the government.

It is not to say that the government cannot make money off of petrol sales or take the money back for Petronas, to pay back the money given up as ‘subsidy’ But this is our money, the rakyat’s money.

And we, the rakyat, have the right to know about the taxes that we are paying (before we pay them) and where those taxes are going to go. We see government tax on our bills at hotels and restaurants but the amount of fuel tax is still hidden from us.

It is not to say that petrol prices should be that much lower than they are today. The speculation on oil may be over but oil is a valuable and increasingly a scarce commodity. Hence, the price of oil is only going to increase over the long term.

It is also not to say that the government should feel ashamed or responsible for hiding things from the rakyat. Frankly, many of the wakil rakyat in Malaysia should be ashamed for sitting back and doing little for the rakyat whose interests they are supposed to represent.

With thousands of litres of fuel sold daily in Malaysia, the government will have access to new revenues. We the rakyat should be clear on where we want the petrol tax to go. It must not go into government coffers like our so-called 'road tax'. Petrol taxes must be used to improve transportation in Malaysia.

The government can start by directing the money into the following areas - public transportation, public transportation, public transportation, and clean and environmentally-friendly petrol and diesel that meet current international standards of Euro IV (or even Euro V). Our petrol and diesel now generally meet only Euro I standards.

We can say so much more about this issue. We can shout and rant and express our anger with the government. It may help us feel better but it will accomplish little.

Death and taxes are inevitable in life. Our only choice is to deal with them in the most positive way. And it is clear that the petrol taxes, finally revealed, must be used to truly benefit the rakyat.