The end of the RM0.01 problem!

Have you ever been caught in a situation where you have to pay a sum of like maybe RM9.31, RM9.32, RM9.33, RM9.34? RM9.98 or even RM9.99? Fret no more, as of April 1, 2008, the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has implemented a new system of rounding for over the counter transactions.

This would help prevent both merchants and consumers to have a steady supply of 1 cents for transactions. Apparently the government spends RM18billion yearly to mint 1 cent coins.

There maybe changes in the petrol pricing system as consumers may be charged at a increment of 5cents/10cents instead of the old 1 cent when pumping petrol.

I feel that this move is a good one for me as I have been stuck in situations where I was given a whole lot of 1cent coins as change at a McD joint or sometimes certain merchants who're short on 1/2 cents, they just wont bother to give me back my exact change or sometimes when I'm short of a few cents the merchant would charge me 10 cents instead. Damn too much right?

Anyhow, this is one small little effort from the government that will help make the every day life of a Malaysian living in Malaysia better (By having a slightly lighter wallet/purse).

Would this make the Malaysians happy enough to forget about the PM's response to the BERSIH protest and Malaysia's Information Minister's interview with Al Jazeera News on the BERSIH Protest?

For more reading: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/14/nation/19460993&sec=nation

Images credits to thestar.com.my