KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Teachers’ Union (KGKS) has appealed to the government to review the monthly diesel subsidy quota of 200 litres under the Budi Madani Diesel (Budi Diesel) program for educators in the state.
KGKS president Murkam Hussien said many teachers in Sabah relied on diesel-powered four-wheel drive vehicles daily, especially in rural areas.
“KGKS members believe that limiting the diesel subsidy quota will affect teachers who commute daily to work, particularly in rural areas.
“As such, the 200-litre monthly quota is seen as insufficient to meet their actual needs, and that is why KGKS is urging the government to review this limit,” he said in a statement on Friday (June 26).
He added that the implementation of the Budi Diesel mechanism should take into account Sabah’s geographical conditions, especially the long travel distances, reliance on diesel vehicles, and infrastructure challenges in rural and interior areas.
“Any increase in diesel costs will ultimately have a direct impact on the cost of living for educators, particularly those in rural or interior regions,” he said.
Calls have been growing in Sabah urging the federal government to tailor the targeted diesel subsidy scheme to meet the unique needs of the state.
Apart from asking to increase the quota to 300 litres, political and civil groups have asked the government not to implement its July 1 plan, which provides diesel subsidies only for a vehicle’s registered owner.
They have argued that it was common in many parts of Sabah where vehicles owned by a family member are used by other members to carry out their duties.
