Kuala lumpur: Eighty-five percent 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 stated that only 15 percent of the population is experiencing the impact of increased fuel prices due to the current global energy crisis.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Anwar highlighted during the opening ceremony of the new terminal at Sultan Ismail Petra Airport (LTSIP) that while the high diesel price does impact some, the majority remain shielded due to government subsidies. He emphasized that the public discourse often overlooks the 85 percent benefitting from the subsidies, focusing instead on the minority affected by market rates.

In his capacity as Finance Minister, Anwar detailed government measures to assist the transport sector, noting exemptions provided for school buses and specific strategic transport lorries. He also addressed misconceptions regarding the fishing community, clarifying that fishermen benefit from subsidised diesel prices rather than market rates.

Additionally, the Ministry of Finance has confirmed the continuation of the subsidised RON95 price under the BUDI MADANI (BUDI95) programme at RM1.99 per litre for the period of April 16 to 22. Meanwhile, unsubsidised retail prices have seen a reduction, with RON95 and RON97 each decreasing by 25 sen per litre to RM4.02 and RM5.10 respectively, and unsubsidised diesel dropping by 75 sen to RM5.97 per litre for the same period.