Cartel is illegal in Singapore. So why are petrol prices allowed to move in unison?

[tanhansing]

Months back, I read that some "Fa Gao" (Chinese Prosperity Cake) manufacturers were being investigated for fixing their selling price. There were apparently only 4 such manufacturers in Singapore, they all knew each other, and decided to up their margins by "ganging up".

Months before this, some pest control agencies also found themselves in the same hot soup. Again, there were 4 such large established ones here that simply felt...they were not earning enough.

Cartel is anti-competitive and as such is banned in Singapore.

So tell me guys, why is Shell, Mobil, Caltex and SPC (4 again!?!?) allowed to move their prices one after another? Isn't it illegal too?

Maybe when large MNCs are doing it, it's perfectly fine. When smaller guys did it, it's profiteering. What a joke.

My next post:
Still on petrol. When is the government lowering its 30% fuel tariff to help the smaller guys out?