malaysiakini and the FUEL REBATES...

malaysiakini has an article Gov't to revamp fuel rebate schemethat indicates the authorities realise the problems by such schemes.
To me the fuel rebate scheme was born of desperate thinking that did not extend beyond a one-month horizon.
Don't be surprised that with oil prices now half of what it was in June when fuel prices were hiked drastically, it is the taxpayers who are now sudsidising the government or the oil companies and not the other way around.
Of course when the fuel price went up that was the best excuse for private companies to jack up prices - now simple hawker food and bus prices have gone up by at least 30% and will not come down again.
Since Malaysia is still a net oil exporter we need an energy policy that reflects global oil prices but also takes into account the inflationary factor.
For example if the Ministry wants to control oil within a price range of say RM1.90 to RM2.20 a litre, it should account for the surplus or deficit when oil fluctuates outside the desired range.