CYBERJAYA: The government will announce a revised rate for the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) soon to ensure the continued viability of petrol stations following the implementation of the targeted RON95 petrol subsidy, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said a proposal to review the rate has been submitted to the Finance Ministry, following engagement sessions with petroleum companies and petrol station associations.
"The Finance Ministry has committed that, as an initial step, the priority is a review of the APM rate. The implementation of the Subsidised Diesel Control Scheme (SKDS) took considerable time.
"We are aiming to execute the Subsidised Petrol Control Scheme (SKPS) as soon as possible, ideally within a month of the targeted subsidy's launch," he told the media after presenting Fleet Cards at a petrol station here Friday (Oct 3).
Armizan said the government is satisfied with the close cooperation of oil companies and petrol station operators in ensuring the smooth implementation of the targeted RON95 petrol subsidy, adding that some minor issues were resolved promptly.
"The government had previously committed to reviewing the APM rate and addressing other long-standing industry concerns," he said, emphasising that the review is crucial as it directly responds to persistent appeals for operational costs and profit margins to be factored into the mechanism.
In a separate matter, Armizan asserted that his Ministry will take stern action against public transport companies that instruct their employees to use their identification cards to purchase subsidised fuel at the public rate of RM1.99 per litre.
"The RM1.99 subsidy is intended for individual citizens. Companies should not exploit this system, as they already receive a subsidised rate of RM2.05, which is already significantly below the market price," he added.
Recently, allegations that a company had instructed its employees to use their personal identification cards to purchase fuel under the BUDI95 subsidised scheme at RM1.99 per litre surfaced on social media.
According to the widely circulated messages, employees were reportedly asked to use their individual monthly fuel quotas for company-related travel, and even allegedly advised to use their family members' identification cards once their personal 300l monthly quota was exhausted. - Bernama
