PASIR MAS: PAS Central Information Chief, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, has described the government’s move to withdraw cooking gas subsidies for small and medium traders as a form of ‘legalised robbery’ against the people.
According to him, the move, which took effect on 1 May, reflects the arrogance of the Madani Government, which is increasingly losing touch with the people’s suffering.
He stated that food vendors and small businesses are now forced to switch to using 14kg commercial gas cylinders priced at RM70, replacing subsidised cylinders that cost RM26.60.
This, he said, represents a cost increase of over 160%—a spike that is excessive and burdensome.
“With just three cylinders used daily, a trader would have to bear over RM6,000 per month just for gas. Previously, they only spent about RM2,300.
“This RM4,000 increase is not made up. It’s simple math that doesn’t even require an economist to understand,” he said in a press statement today.
Ahmad Fadhli stressed that the government not only failed to offer a fair transition plan or any support mechanism, but also continued to pressure traders with policies implemented without open consultation.
He also questioned what happened to the spirit of reform and the “people first” pledges frequently echoed in the past.
“Is this the true face of Madani? Oppressing small-time vendors in back alleys while cronies continue to wallow in mega projects? Truly shameful,” he added.
He warned that this move will trigger higher food prices, erode purchasing power, and spell doom for many small traders.
For instance, he said, nasi ayam currently priced at RM9 may have to be sold at RM11, while traditional local snacks (kuih-muih), long kept at 50 sen apiece, might need to be sold at three times that price.
Ahmad Fadhli also rejected the government’s weak argument that this step only targets business owners and not the general public, pointing out that when traders are burdened with soaring costs, retail prices will inevitably rise—hitting consumers the hardest.
“If the cost goes up by RM4,000 a month, do you really think traders will keep selling at the old price? Of course not. So, in the end, it’s the people who suffer,” he stressed.
In the same statement, he urged the government to immediately reverse the decision, stop the pressure on small traders, present a transparent targeted subsidy plan, and allow for at least a 12-month transition period before any implementation.
He warned that if the government remains stubborn and deaf to the people’s voice, the people have every right to reject them in the next general election.
“The reform they touted has turned into ‘reformoney’—enriching cronies while impoverishing the people. This is not governance; this is modern-day robbery. More precisely, a Madani Robbery,” he concluded. –HARAKAHDAILY 29/5/2025
