KUCHING: The government is open to reviewing the basic quota of 200 litres of subsidised diesel at RM2.10 per litre under the Budi Madani Diesel (Budi Diesel) programme after implementation begins on July 1, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He said any adjustment must be based on actual fuel consumption data.
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"We will only know if the quota is sufficient once implementation has started.
"When we introduced Budi Madani RON95 with an initial quota of 300 litres, many people said it was not enough.
"But now, the data from January to May shows that only 0.76% (of the eligible group) use more than 200 litres.
"So we need to let the system run forward and (gauge its effectiveness)," he told a media briefing on Budi Diesel here on Wednesday (June 24).
Diesel vehicle owners in Sarawak had raised concerns that the 200-litre quota might not be enough.
Citing the increase in the Budi95 monthly quota for e-hailing drivers, he said the government was committed to improving the system where there were gaps.
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"Our experience has shown that we have adjusted where it is needed. This is our approach," he said.
For boat operators in Sarawak, Amir Hamzah said the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) will identify those eligible for the Budi Diesel initiative and submit the list to the Finance Ministry.
"We will activate their MyKad for the quota. If it is not enough based on their usage, they can discuss with the state and Federal Government to increase the quota, but it has to be based on their actual usage," he said.
Similarly, Amir Hamzah said Resident's Offices in Sarawak will identify eligible generator owners in remote areas for the Budi Diesel facility.
"Once their MyKad has been activated, they can obtain diesel at the subsidised price for their generators," he said.
Amir Hamzah also said there was no time limit for eligible diesel users who own qualifying pick-up trucks and jeeps to apply for an additional allocation of 100 litres, bringing their monthly quota to 300 litres.
"Those who buy a pick-up truck or jeep in the future will also be eligible to apply for the additional quota, so we don't want to close the application.
"It will remain open because we want to be fair to everybody," he said.
