Very appropriate: Fatt fatt (88) days after General Elections 2008

Driving on the roads yesterday evening was a nightmare. I'm sure most of you would have suffered the same experience. From the Butterworth ferry terminal to my home in Bukit Mertajam, the roads were jam-packed with cars all making beelines to the petrol stations. I counted seven petrol stations along the way. Maybe I miscounted and there were more. Queues were forming at the stations and spilling into the streets as drivers tried a final attempt to beat the midnight deadline when RM1.92 per litre would be a price of the past.

So much for election promises and assurances .... The new price for petrol is now:

While driving home, I could feel the worries building up inside me. There has to be a change in lifestyle as my family comes to terms with this price increase. Suddenly, our purchasing power is greatly reduced. Our dollar is shrinking. Surely, there will be a spiral effect...again. Prices of foodstuff will be going up and that's going to be a killer effect. Prices of services will also go up as everything will be passed down to consumers. Reduction of the electricity bill is needed. Less air-conditioning. Switching off the computer, and especially the monitor, after use and indeed, less downloading of files. Bringing in lunch to work. No more buying of unnecessary items. Less vacationing and definitely, less driving around.