THE system for targeted diesel subsidies is still in the works, with its completion set for the second quarter of the year, says Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
“We are expecting it to be completed either in June, July or August,” he said in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (PN-Putrajaya) during Question Time.
Radzi had asked the Finance Ministry to explain when the targeted subsidy for petrol would be implemented and what the requirements were to ensure that people in the B40 income group would receive the subsidy.
Ahmad said that of the RM50.8bil that the government spent last year to subsidise petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), the group that benefited the most was the M40 income group at 46%. This was followed by the T20 income group at 32%, while the B40 group made up 20% of fuel subsidy users.
“RM50.8bil is a huge amount for fuel subsidies. If it (the subsidy) is not given to the T20, we will save between RM16bil and RM17bil.”
Ahmad, however, said the targeted fuel subsidies for petrol would not be implemented anytime soon, adding that the ministry’s task force would collaborate with other agencies to see if it would be possible to implement these targeted subsidies.
