KUALA LUMPUR: Nearly 14 million Malaysians have benefited from subsidised RON95 petrol under the Budi95 scheme, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the figure, recorded as at Sept 30, represented about 85 per cent of the more than 16.5 million eligible Malaysians.
Anwar said beneficiaries could buy RON95 petrol at RM1.99 a litre by verifying their identity through MyKad, in a written parliamentary reply to Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok).
He said the government's latest assessment showed positive results in improving subsidy targeting, reducing leakage and protecting consumers' purchasing power.
The shift from blanket to targeted subsidies meant the benefits were no longer widely enjoyed by ineligible groups, including foreigners, he said.
The scheme is projected to generate annual savings of between RM2.5 billion and RM4 billion, depending on global crude oil prices, exchange rates and actual fuel consumption.
Anwar said the additional fiscal space would allow the government to strengthen assistance programmes, including Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah.
Eligible e-hailing drivers were provided with additional fuel entitlements of up to 800 litres a month, based on actual travel distances verified through data supplied by e-hailing operators, he said.
The government would continue reviewing Budi95 based on actual consumption, global energy prices and the country's fiscal position, he added.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd