TASHKENT, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants traders to reduce their prices of goods so that consumers can enjoy the benefit of cheaper petrol and diesel in the country.
The prime minister said the problem was that prices of most goods had yet to go down despite the drop in fuel prices in the country for the fifth time, with the latest starting Tuesday.
"When the fuel prices went down, the prices of goods have not gone down as well. This is what I don't like to hear," Abdullah who is on the second day of his four-day official visit to Uzbekistan told Malaysian journalists here.
He said the traders were only interested in making a big profit, thus burdening the people.
The pump price of petrol will be RM2 a litre starting tomorrow, less 15 sen, while diesel will be RM1.90 per litre.
Abdullah said the government kept its word by reducing the pump prices following the downward trend of global oil prices.
However, the government was always at the losing end as people would still be angry with the government when the pump prices went down because the prices of goods did not go down as well, he added.
Abdullah said the people should not blame the government all the time as they, as consumers, had a role to play too in checking rising prices of goods.
"I am glad to hear that some non-governmental organisations plan to boycott some business premises for not reducing their prices," he said.
Abdullah hoped that consumer associations could enlighten the business associations on the plight of the people through discussions.
-- BERNAMA
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