Oil, my oil..

I wasn't angry or even upset. My emotional state was pretty neutral. I had expected it all along. What I didn't like was the way it was announced, I thought it was rather callous without as much as a warning.

Then that's how the government  has been behaving in this country. Take it or leave it.

I refused to queue  like the rest of the country to beat last week's midnight deadline of almost 40% fuel price hike . I didn't see the logic of it. You get caught in a massive jam with people losing their cool, and then how long is the fuel in the tank going to last anyway? I suppose it's the Malaysian habit of looking for the best bargains. Can't blame the people really!

There is nothing to get upset about with the oil price hike , in fact it is good for the economy, the government cannot afford to subsidise it anymore, and  now  we have to actually pay the market price .The economy is more real  as there is little distortion. Of course, it hurts especially  with the lower income groups, then this is where responsible and caring government comes in.

To fair to the government, it has been coming up with some incentives  to cushion the  hike.

It is not the fault of the government, the price is beyond its control. There is no shortage of the commodity in the world market, what's been happening is over speculation by oil traders. 

According to Idris Jala , MAS Managing Director, an ex-oil man, the real  price of the crude should be about US$40 a barrel, that we have to pay  three times more for it is a real crime.

Maybe the solution is for the oil producing countries to allocate the real needs of the world and leave the balance for the traders to play around with. Why should the rest of mankind suffer so that a few people  can make money? Or, maybe just  ban oil futures outright.

Whether we like it or not we have to accept the fact that oil is the driver of the world's economy, any changes to the price will affect  us all. Food prices will go further northwards and so will inflation.

All the street demonstrations will not change that fact, we have to learn to manage the situation the best we can.

Lifestyles have to change of course. Our mass media must be in the forefront giving practical advice to the people on reducing everyday expenses. Forget the golf games, instead spend more time growing homegrown vegetables!

I suspect there will be many books in the market soon educating the people how to cope with the changing circumstances.

President Ma of Taiwan now uses stairs instead of lifts, and addresses conferences in short sleeve shirts to minimise the use of air conditioners. In this tropical land, our ministers ought to do the same. Taiwan Ministers also leave their chauffeur driven luxury cars at home and drive compact sedans to work. Rank and file officials ride bicycles in the city's clogged traffic.

In America there is a growing admiration for the Amish, a religious community whose members still go around in horse buggies and shy away from electricity and other technological advances of modern life.

Who says living in rural Borneo in the current situation without electricity and basic amenities doesn't have its advantages?