THE government will not withdraw the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidy, says Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He said the ministry’s task was to address LPG leakages through misappropriation and smuggling.
“We remain committed to providing LPG cylinder subsidies to the public. Fundamentally, this subsidy is for consumer use, a subsidy for the people’s kitchens,” he told Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) who sought clarification on whether the government would withdraw the subsidy.
Although the subsidy is primarily for household consumers, Armizan said it also benefits micro and small businesses, particularly in the food and beverage sector.
“For this reason, the food and beverage sector must ensure that prices remain reasonable for the public,” he added.
He said 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.
