KUALA LUMPUR: The government will not withdraw the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said that the ministry has been tasked with addressing LPG leakages in the form of misappropriation and smuggling through Ops Gasak.
"The government remains committed to providing LPG cylinder subsidies to the public. Fundamentally, this subsidy is for consumer use," he told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (July 22).
He was responding to a question from Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong), who sought clarification on whether the government would withdraw the subsidy, as raised by certain parties.
Armizan added that although the subsidy is primarily for household consumers, it also benefits micro and small-sized businesses, particularly in the food and beverage sector. This measure is to ensure that the public is offered affordable food and drink prices.
"For this reason, the food and beverage sector must ensure that prices remain reasonable for the public,” he added.
He further mentioned that the legal aspects specifically concerning the use of LPG by small traders will be detailed in amendments to the Control of Supplies Regulations (Import Prohibition) 2021.
The Control of Supplies Regulations (Amendment) 2021 limits the ownership and use of subsidised LPG exceeding 42kg at any one time without a scheduled controlled goods permit.
