before i bought my current altis this year, i had seriously considered a hybrid car. despite a 50% reduction on import & excise tax, i decided that the toyota prius at RM175K & honda hybrid at RM129K were both still overpriced.
the recent budget has proposed a complete abolition of these taxes beginning next year, thereby reducing the price of these green cars to RM128K & RM100K, respectively. i'm already thinking maybe i'll change in a year or two. although i may be unconsciously reducing carbon output, i'm more aware of the fuel savings involved. after all, don't expect the price of petrol to remain unchanged in the long term & all indications are that it'll go up rather than down.
however, at above RM100k, these green cars are still beyond the reach of the masses. i guess this is where proton will join the hybrid bandwagon. Onn Yeoh, in an article in today's Sun paper, suggests the government do more for the environment, by lowering road taxes for these cars & offer special parking in the city. i wonder how the petroleum companies will respond to this proposal, considering these cars consume significantly less fuel.
my colleague Dr L won't be too happy, though. he just got a Prius in June.
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doc in private practice venting steam....because life is more than just stethoscopes, syringes & getting woken up at unearthly hours.
14 comments:
It will be best if the govt build special lanes exclusive for bicycles the cheapest, healthiest, greenest option esp for my small hometown :D
Why should hybrid car owners enjoy better facilities just because the green man says its environmentally friendly ? People become lazier not healthier, we may not breathe toxic fumes but will the road be any safer ?
MissyC,
old habits die hard & once people know how to drive, it's nearly impossible to get them on public transport, let alone ride bicycles. unless there are viable alternatives, people will still drive, like in s'pore. so, i guess the next best thing is to encourage hybrid/electric vehicles.
road safety is another issue altogether. as long as people are bent on speeding, carelessly changing lanes, driving while fatigued or under the influence of alcohol, etc, accidents will always occur.
everyone seems to be getting a new car these days and now I'll not be surprise when people start grumbling as to why they did not wait towards end of the year for a better deal..........
lesson to be learnt - always scout around for a good bargain & only make purchase after the national budget is tabulated - lol !
:P still trying to understand the concept of hybrids.. if its solar powered, maybe yes ok, its environmental friendly.. for hybrids its powered by electricity when charged then turns to fuel so how can it be friendly to the environment? Energy efficient in the long run ? I doubt judging the way people drives everywhere even for a short distance, leave engine running while they run off for so called short errands ! We live in a pampered world.
The prices are still pretty steep in spite of the reduction in import and excise duty.
Recent budget announcement is just lame. Nothing really benefiting the rakyat.
UG,
unless one is extremely fortunate, it's impossible to time the purchases correctly. a few people thought the 50% reduction in excise/import duties for hybrid cars will be withdrawn next year because the govt has been slow to respond to environmental issues, so it was a surprise to most that the duites were removed altogether next year.
MissyC,
hybrids, as the name implies, runs on both petrol & battery. it's the battery-powered portion that eliminates CO2 emission & is the main source of power in the prius, thereby saving petrol usage by more than 50%.
to be completely environmentally-friendly, the alternatives currently available are the electric & hydrogen-powered vehicles, but that's at least a decade away from being commercially viable.
Mei Teng,
i agree. the budget didn't really benefit the masses. it's an open secret that the govt is running out of money.
the income tax people are going to be very busy auditing accounts & expect the govt to offer new amanah saham units.
I wish I can afford a hybrid car ... until then I will be driving my 10 year old Perodua Kenari :)
Haha. The big guys in Malaysia won't be very happy. They are Malaysia's wealthiest.
to say i am not quite satisfied with the govt's handling of the country's finances would b an understatement
Sbanboy,
try next year?
Yvonne,
you mean the petroleum people?
Beng,
you are one in an increasing group of people who feel that way.
& you know you can make a change with your vote.
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