I REFER to the news report, “Abdullah: Fuel price cut not politically motivated” (NST, Aug 24) in which Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was quoted as saying that traders needed to pass the benefits of lower fuel prices to consumers. “Please hurry up and reduce the prices. Help one another.”

Traders should heed the prime minister’s call to reduce prices.

Not reducing the prices (which were raised as a result of higher fuel prices) would in a sense amount to economic sabotage — an unpatriotic act.

Consumers’ associations should, besides making statements to the media, do something concrete for their members by opening up cooperative stores.

The prices of goods set by these stores should serve as a benchmark for others to follow. Such a move will send a strong message to retail outlets and their powerful “guilds” to set realistic prices for the goods sold by their members at their outlets.

M. GANESHADEVAKuala Lumpur

Source: NST – August 26, 2008