KUCHING, Oct 7: Exempting Sarawak and Sabah from the new targeted petrol subsidy programme, to be implemented next year, showed the federal government’s commitment to the two Borneo states, said Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii.
He highlighted this in welcoming the announcement made by Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution on the government’s new petrol subsidy programme which will float the price of RON95 and see eligible recipients receiving between RM48 (motorcycle owners) and RM120 (car owners) every four months.
For Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, there will be no subsidy scheme but the price of RON95 in the two states and the Federal Territory will be capped at RM2.08.
“The special consideration sent a strong message of appreciation to both the East Malaysian states on our contribution to the federal government as well as a recognition of our special status in the federation,” he said in a media statement today.
“In the initial stages while planning for the programme, we made a few positive engagements and given our feedbacks to the different ministries in order to give special consideration based on the needs and demographics in Sabah and Sarawak,” he added.
Yii also called on the federal government to have proper monitoring mechanism in place to ensure that the targeted petrol subsidy programme will not be abused.
He pointed out that the government must ensure that the programme will benefit the intended parties instead of being used to profit the rich.
“I also urge for the border patrol to be more vigilant so that the subsidised fuels are not sold to neighbouring countries or even commercial factories where these subsidies are not intended to benefit,” he said.
According to a national daily, the targeted subsidy scheme, which is set to take effect in early 2020, will only be given to car and motorcycle owners based in Peninsular Malaysia who are also recipients of the Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH).
For cars, only those with 1,600cc engines and below or vehicles over 10 years old with engines larger than 1,600cc are eligible.
For motorcycle owners, the subsidy is only given to those with engines of 150cc and below, or seven-year-old bikes or more above 150cc.
A total of 2.8 million people will benefit from the subsidy programme, which will cost the federal government about RM65.4million a month.— DayakDaily
