Effective midnight, the price of RON97 petrol, RON92 petrol and diesel will be reduced 15 sen per litre.
The new price of RON97 petrol is RM2.15 per litre, RON92 petrol at RM2.05 per litre and diesel at RM2.05 per litre.
This is the fourth reduction since the sharp increase in petrol price imposed in June.
It is understood that another fuel price review will be announced on 15 November.
The High Court hearing the murder case of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shariibuu today acquits Abdul Razak Baginda, a political analyst as the prosecution has failed to prove a prima facie case against him.
However, two other accused, C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, members of the Special Action Squad (UTK) will be required to enter their defence on the murder charge.
They were charged for murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on 19 October 2006 and 1am the following day. Abdul Razak was charged for abetting them in the murder.
Fuel prices at the pump is speculated to be reduced for the fourth time tomorrow.
Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) president Abdul Wahid Bidin said the association expects fuel prices that the reduction to take effect after midnight despite a directive from the Finance Ministry has not been received.
However, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad is said to have met with PDAM representatives on Wednesday, giving them notice of the impending reduction.
A reduction of 15 sen per litre for RON97 unleaded petrol from RM2.30 to RM2.15 is expected. Other types of fuel such as RON92 petrol and diesel are also expected to see a drop in price.
Should the government decided on the reduction to take effect tomorrow, an announcement on the reduction can be expected this evening.
Debra Chong
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 - Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to explain fully and in person the exact procurement process of what he calls the Eurocopter scandal.
Anwar told reporters in Parliament today that he was horrified to hear the Deputy Defence Minister admit in the Dewan Rakyat that the decision to buy 12 units of the Eurocopter EC725 Cougar to replace the ageing fleet of Nuri helicopters was done without any physical evaluation, but was based on mere “documents”.
“This is not acceptable. This, to my mind, is the most shocking revelation that I’ve heard about the method of procurement by the Defence Ministry,” he said.
“How can you allocate RM1.6 billion to buy Eurocopters presumed to be safe, the best, and state-of-the-art without having a look at the Eurocopters?” he said, while repeatedly emphasising the price.
Anwar had earlier criticised the federal government for making a ‘blunder” in releasing two sets of statements and figures over the package price for the Eurocopter deal.
The Defence Ministry had said that the Eurocopters cost RM1.1 billion before the inclusion of additional technical specifications, which would bring the total sum to RM1.6 billion.
Anwar noted that from his experience as a former Finance Minister, there was no need for two statements and two figures.
“If one figure given is a comprehensive and complete figure, we don’t need to come back and say the initial figure does not take into consideration this part or that part,” he said.
The Permatang Pauh MP said he had filed a motion with the Speaker to discuss the matter in the House and noted that it had been set for next Monday.
“I have made my views known that the only way to deal with something this major is an independent commission of inquiry,” he said.
He added that he hoped the Public Accounts Committee would continue its scrutiny into this controversial purchase and counted on his fellow Pakatan Rakyat MPs sitting on the committee to ensure full transparency.
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 - The Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah said today that governments should not set down discriminatory laws or policies but must ensure inclusive development through empowerment.
“No segment of society must be disrespected, discredited and disenfranchised,” he said in his address at the 21st LawAsia Conference here.
He said that no single group in any country should feel their contributions are unrecognized or unwanted.
While the Perak Raja Muda did not specify what laws or which countries he was referring to, his remarks comes amid a roiling debate over the country’s “social contract” and the government’s pro-Bumiputera affirmative action policies.
His advice also comes on the heels of the recent statement by the Rulers Council calling on all parties to stop questioning the social contract between Malays and non-Malays as it would cause unease.
In his speech today, Raja Nazrin called for the abandonment of what he called “the silo mentality where we only look up at what is happening and not beside us at what others are experiencing.”
He made a case instead for policies which empower through inclusiveness.
“Only with inclusive development through empowerment can societies become strong,” he said.
The lack of empowerment, he said, would lead to a sense of alienation and hostility that could result in “rash acts of violence.”
“We cannot morally turn our backs on the fundamental responsibility of ensuring that all stakeholders in our society, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, have a place under the sun.”
Among the prerequisites cited by Raja Nazrin for empowerment was for governments to strengthen the rule of law and to ensure greater political participation for citizens as stakeholders.
“It is only when citizens are also stakeholders will there be the widest sense of ownership of problems and challenges,” he said.
