Thank you Pak Lah! Thank You Samy Vellu!

Thanks to the government of the day, my daily expenses have increased. The increase in toll rates at LDP have increased my daily toll expenditures from RM2 (return trip) to RM3.20 for a similar trip (a difference of RM1.20 per day). You multiply that into say, 25 working days - an additional RM30 will have to be spent per month, which works out to be RM360 per year for those having similar situations like me.

You may think it is marginal but other consequential impacts are not yet taken into account. For example traders & businesses may blame the increase in transportation cost as an excuse to raise prices of goods. There might be an increase in the Consumer Price Index of essential goods. Some of the essential items that I need to buy for my family such as infant milk formula, diapers, baby food and other groceries have increased by 2-5 ringgit.

No doubt the government is trying to lessen the impact by reducing the road tax charges recently. But whether that will have a real impact on the net disposable income of ordinary people out there seems to be very marginal as road tax is renewed on a yearly basis.

Expenditure is going to be a bit tight this year.

C'est la vie!