KUALA LUMPUR: The proposal to review fuel subsidies for the top income groups will be finalised soon, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said a paper on the matter was tabled almost a month ago by a committee under the National Economic Action Council (MTEN).
“The proposal has been reviewed by MTEN and studied over the past three weeks.
“However, we have yet to decide whether (it will be applied to) the T20, T15, T10 or T5 (income groups), as we do not want it to impact the upper middle class, for example.
“But in principle, we agree (to review the subsidy provided) and they are working to finalise it soon, I hope,” he told reporters after a meet-and-greet session with Indian undergraduates at Universiti Malaya on Sunday (May 10).
Anwar was commenting on the calls made by Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh to exclude the T20 income groups from fuel subsidies.
On Saturday (May 9), Akmal said the government must implement targeted subsidies more comprehensively, including reviewing the provision of RON95 petrol subsidy to the T20 group.
He said the subsidy should be channelled to the B40 and M40 groups who are more affected by the rising cost of living, as well as a step to strengthen the country's economy in the face of global uncertainties.
"In the current economic situation, we need to re-rationalise subsidies and implement them in a very targeted manner to those who really need them, including by re-channelling fuel subsidies from T20 to B40 and M40," said Akmal.
