KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Thursday night the government will take into account the people's feedback before making a decision to reduce or cut subsidies.
Stressing that the government has not made any decision on the matter yet, Najib said a decision will only be made after getting the people's views and feedback.
"But if we do something that will determine the well-being and our future, it's up to the people to think about it.
"Whether it's good for the nation in the long run or we want to stick to our status quo which we have today but may expose our country to certain risks," he told a news conference after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, was responding to remarks by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala that the country's debts would increase 100 per cent from the gross domestic product by 2019 if subsidies are continued.
Idris made the remarks at the open day today on the subsidy rationalisation plan proposed by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) of the Prime Minister's Department at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Pemandu, among others, suggested that subsidies for controlled items such as sugar, flour and cooking oil be phased out in stages.
Najib said the remarks were Idris' views based on projections but the decision on whether to reduce or cut subsidies would only be made after gathering the people's views and feedback.
"We want the people to know all the implications. If we don't do, these are the implications, if we do, these are the implications.
"This is a transparent process which we intend to do because this is a big issue. We want to share it together with the people so that they will understand that this is decision we have to make together," he added.
Stressing that the government has not made any decision on the matter yet, Najib said a decision will only be made after getting the people's views and feedback.
"But if we do something that will determine the well-being and our future, it's up to the people to think about it.
"Whether it's good for the nation in the long run or we want to stick to our status quo which we have today but may expose our country to certain risks," he told a news conference after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, was responding to remarks by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala that the country's debts would increase 100 per cent from the gross domestic product by 2019 if subsidies are continued.
Idris made the remarks at the open day today on the subsidy rationalisation plan proposed by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) of the Prime Minister's Department at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Pemandu, among others, suggested that subsidies for controlled items such as sugar, flour and cooking oil be phased out in stages.
Najib said the remarks were Idris' views based on projections but the decision on whether to reduce or cut subsidies would only be made after gathering the people's views and feedback.
"We want the people to know all the implications. If we don't do, these are the implications, if we do, these are the implications.
"This is a transparent process which we intend to do because this is a big issue. We want to share it together with the people so that they will understand that this is decision we have to make together," he added.
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