KUALA LUMPUR: Reconsider the proposed subsidy reductions aimed at university students who came from T15 families, says Rasah MP Cha Kee Chin.
Cha said that taking away educational subsidies from this group would create inequality and gaps in terms of opportunity among university students.
"The students attending educational institutions are children. We shouldn’t treat them differently, they entered university based on their achievements.
"Their success should be celebrated. We don’t want some students to pay more or less than others – this is unfair," he said when debating the Budget 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Oct 28).
Cha urged the government to reconsider its proposal as this would affect the students both mentally and psychologically.
When tabling Budget 2025 on Oct 18, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the T15 income group who enrol in fully residential schools (SBP) and public institutions of higher education will not be able to enjoy subsidies in stages.
"I’m sorry, I disagreed with this proposal," said Cha.
However, Cha added that he was all in with the targeted subsidy for RON95 fuel, provided the government also reconsiders the target groups.
"I welcome the suggestion for it but the T15 group might be affected, instead reconsider the income group by targeting the 'ultra-rich' in the top 0.5% or 1% high income earners.
"We have seen the success of diesel subsidy rationalisation and we acknowledge that it has saved the country a lot of money," he added.
He welcomed Anwar’s commitment to review the definition of those who will be affected by the targeted fuel subsidy.
On Sunday (Oct 27), Anwar said that the government is looking into removing subsidies from only the top 10% of income earners, a shift from the classification of high-income earners that are exempt from subsidies from T15 to T10.
Meanwhile, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, on Monday, said that the definition will be finalised within a month.
