PUTRAJAYA: The definition of the top 15 (T15) income group as outlined under Budget 2025 will not be based solely on household income, says Rafizi Ramli.
The Economy Minister explained that the government was formulating a more even approach balancing various factors, including locality and government obligations.
The government was still finalising the definition to ensure a fairer distribution of subsidies, he added.
"(The definition) will take into account many other factors, not like what is being (spread) on social media – that if your salary is (at a certain level), you will not get subsidies," he told reporters after launching National Statistics Day 2024 here on Sunday (Oct 20).
Education groups and Malay trade chambers have called on the government to clarify the definition of the T15 income group, which will not benefit from government subsidies under Budget 2025.
"I have to remind everyone, we have to go through due process.
"And we want to make (subdidy distribution) fairer than before. We are looking at a 30 million population and we need to look at all the variables," he said.
In unveiling Budget 2025 on Friday (Oct 18), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said there will not be any more education subsidies for members of the T15 community who enrol their children in fully residential schools and public higher education institutions.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said targeted subsidies for RON95 petrol will be implemented in mid-2025 but added that 85% of the population would still receive them.
