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Transport Minister Anthony Loke has said the BUDI95 fuel subsidy for the top 20 income group (T20) remains unchanged for now
According to the New Straits Times, Loke said that while the government aspires to further rationalise the RON95 subsidy to ensure public funds are effectively directed to those who need it most, plans to remove access for wealthier Malaysians have not yet been implemented.
"It is status quo for now. The government has always been discussing subsidy rationalisation, but the most important thing is finding the best mechanism.
"The principle behind the government's BUDI95 policy is to make the system as simple and direct as possible.
"We have simplified the entire process, and the Cabinet has deliberated on this for a long time, with most cabinet members agreeing that it must be a simple system.
"BUDI95 is a simple system that allows all Malaysian citizens, using only their MyKad, to enjoy fuel subsidies within a controlled environment and quantity, while also minimising leakages.
"So we are keeping that system. There is no question of cutting subsidies for the T20 group for the time being," he told reporters today, 14 May.
On Sunday, 10 May, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government had agreed in principle to remove RON95 fuel subsidies for higher-income Malaysians
Earlier this week, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the upcoming rationalisation of Malaysia's RON95 fuel subsidy will not be determined solely by household income, with fuel consumption and other factors also expected to be considered.
Meanwhile, UMNO secretary-general Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki on Wednesday, 13 May, urged the government to carefully assess the real financial pressures faced by Malaysian households before proceeding with broad fuel subsidy rationalisation involving the T20 group.
Asyraf said that many M40 and lower-tier T20 households are still struggling with rising financial obligations, despite being classified as higher-income earners on paper.
Separately, on Tuesday, 12 May, Puchong member of parliament Yeo Bee Yin warned that it is the "wrong time" to remove RON95 fuel subsidies for higher-income Malaysians, adding that such a move could lead to broader inflationary pressures and wider economic risks.
