BN states to promote cost-saving habits

Tag : energy saving pump

PUTRAJAYA: Barisan Nasional state governments are to launchcommunity programmes to help people reduce their energy use andadopt other cost-saving habits. These include more use of public transport and developing ediblehome gardens under the federal government's Bumi Hijau campaign.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told BN menterisbesar and chief ministers this at a meeting yesterday.

Abdullah met all BN heads of state governments except TerengganuMenteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said, who is abroad performing the umrah,at the Prime Minister's Department here yesterday.

Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the stateheads were briefed on the current world oil price, its impact onthe local economy and on pump prices.
He said Abdullah urged the menteris besar to implement programmesfor the people in their states that would help mitigate the effectsof costly fuel.

"The prime minister asked us to ensure that all our stateassemblymen conduct programmes that can ease the people's burden,such as the Bumi Hijau programme, using public transport more, andreducing our overall consumption of fuel," Mohd Ali said after themeeting.

He said the state heads were also briefed on the development of thepalm oil sector in various states and discussed the use of stateresources such as wood from forest plantations.

State heads also discussed ongoing implementation of the "onedistrict, one industry" programme and its function in increasingrural incomes.

Other sources said the meeting also touched on feedback from thevarious states on the progress of their respective Ninth MalaysiaPlan projects and identifying and addressing immediate problemsfaced by the people in view of higher prices.

State heads and assemblymen were urged to continue explaining thegovernment's reasons for raising pump prices.

Asked whether the meeting touched on the use of official cars bystate executive councilors, Mohd Ali said the matter was notraised.