By Doreen Ling
KUCHING, Nov 25: As of Nov 19, this year, 7,480 private boat and longboat owners across Sarawak have applied for the BUDI Madani RON95 Subsidy Programme (BUDI95), underscoring the heavy reliance on river transport in the State’s rural and interior regions, says Deputy Minister for Transport Dato Henry Harry Jinep.
In a response to Ngemah assemblyman Anyi Jana during the question-and-answer session of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today, Henry said that his ministry is working closely with the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Sarawak Federal Treasury Office to coordinate the implementation of this programme, with efforts to register private boat and longboat owners intensified together with the Divisional Resident Offices and District Offices.
He said that out of that amount, 5,765 applications are eligible, while the remaining are still undergoing assessment and eligibility approval, which will be done in stages.
“Specifically for Sarawak, the BUDI95 programme has been expanded to include private boat and longboat owners who do not have a driving licence, given that many rural and interior communities still rely on rivers as their daily mode of transportation.
“This is one of the Sarawak government’s efforts to ensure that rural and interior Sarawak residents who are truly eligible do not miss out on enjoying the BUDI95 petrol subsidy,” he said.
Further breaking it down by division, Henry said that Kapit topped the list with 3,218 applications followed by Mukah (931), Sibu (832), Sri Aman (794), Sarikei (505), Limbang (282), Serian (272), Kuching (250), Samarahan (141), Bintulu (136), Betong (73), and Miri (37).
In answering a supplementary question about the categories of boat usage and basic individual criteria considered during the screening process for BUDI95, Henry replied that the categories are as follows:
- Daily and personal needs: Boats used primarily for personal or family movement, not for income generation.
- Main economic activity: Boats used for livelihood purposes such as fishing for own consumption or sale, transporting one’s own goods, or travelling to the workplace.
Meanwhile, the basic screening criteria to ensure accuracy and transparency in the subsidy allocation are:
- Individual ownership of the boat.
- Applicant must be a Malaysian citizen.
- The boat owner does not possess a driving licence and does not hold an active driving licence.
— DayakDaily
