1. Can you tangibly give a clear measure on how much "loss" Malaysia is making at the 2 border towns in fuel? It isn't too hard based on existing numbers:

Based on generic numbers at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johor-Singapore_Causeway
It states 60,000 vehicles a day travel both ways; Let's assume 30,000 each way. That leaves 30,000 that are going into Johor of which we can safely assume 60% are Malaysian bikes (a visual confirmation at the causeway can give you that) returning after work. That leaves 12,000 Singapore vehicles, of which we can then take into consideration that 40% cars = 4,800 that needs to comply to the 3/4 full tank rule, and 60% bikes = 7,200 that doesn't need to comply.

Based on the above numbers, we assume that 1/4 car tank is 15 litres, and bike empty tank at 10 litres.

(15 x 4,800) + (10 x 7,200) = 72,000 + 72,000 = 144,000 litres "taken" by Singaporean vehicles daily.

Since there are no numbers for the Second link, and taking into consideration that Tuas is an industrial area, and that the main traffic is Malaysians returning (based on my own experience), we just assume both causeways are having the same daily volume (disregarding the much higher ratio of Malaysians seen), we are talking 288,000 litres daily "taken" by a total of 24,000 Singaporean vehicles.

Based on Malaysia Statistics http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/index....emid=11〈=en

We are looking at 28.31 Million Malaysians. On the conservative assumption that only 30% have vehicles, we are talking 8.493 Million Malaysian vehicles on the road.

Based on that numbers, we are seeing that Singapore cars "taking" barely 0.0028% of your total fuel subsidy. That does not take into consideration the amount of money Singaporeans spend on shopping in Johor, holidaying in Desaru, partying at The Zon, just to name a few.

Let's go further to assume that the traffic from Thailand takes up DOUBLE what Singaporeans take by having a total of 48,000 vehicles entering from the north daily, that would equate to Thailand and Singapore "taking" barely 0.0056% of your fuel, but paying back to Malaysia via tourism and shopping.

Tell me, if you feel that Johor felt that it was a bad deal, would they still persist till this day in giving the fuel subsidies as "bait" to encourage spending? Would it be logical that "for the benefit of 0.0056% of the petrol clients" they keep the prices as such? Or is it for the 99.9944% of petrol clients which are Malaysians?

This post has been edited by Nicholas Chan: Oct 25 2009, 12:51 PM