KOTA BARU: Eighty-five per cent of Malaysians are unaffected by market diesel prices because they still enjoy the government’s subsidised rates, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said only 15% of users are affected by the fuel price increase due to the current global energy crisis.
“I did a study yesterday. The high diesel price does have an impact. On whom? Fifteen per cent of the people. Eighty-five per cent of people are not using diesel at the market price; they are using subsidised prices.
“But what is being highlighted is the 15% that are affected. The 85% are not mentioned at all,” he said during the opening ceremony of the new terminal at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport here yesterday, Bernama reported.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, explained that the government provides exemptions for school buses and certain strategic transport lorries.
He also raised an issue discussed at a state legislative assembly regarding claims that fishermen are affected by rising market diesel prices.
“Fishermen use subsidised diesel prices, not market diesel prices. So do not give that example,” he said.
Separately, the Finance Ministry provided an update on current fuel prices, confirming that subsidised RON95 under the Budi Madani programme remains at RM1.99 per litre for the period of April 16 to 22.
For unsubsidised retail prices, RON95 and RON97 have each dropped by 25sen per litre to RM4.02 and RM5.10, respectively.
