Waiving of power bill a wrong move

My article in today's star, opinion section.

Friday September 5, 2008

Waiving of power bill a wrong move

THE Government is ill-advised on its decision to waive the electricity bill for all whose monthly electricity bill is RM20 or below.

There are many rich people whose house electricity bill is below RM20! Why? Because it is their second, third or even fourth house!

If we were to look at new housing estates, we will see that many houses are unoccupied or semi-occupied. They are either looked after once in a while by relatives or occupied only once a week. And this is where the electricity bill is less than RM20!

The Government should instead figure out how to give a rebate of RM20 to those low and medium income households whose electricity bill is below a certain amount such as RM100.
This action will benefit more of those who require it than the rich whose bill is at least RM200.

K.C. KHOO,
Penang.