Kuala lumpur: The government has agreed to raise the eligibility ceiling under the BUDI MADANI RON95 (BUDI95) programme for qualified e-hailing drivers to 800 litres per month, subject to prescribed travel conditions. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that this decision came after reviewing appeals from e-hailing drivers based on their actual fuel usage.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Prime Minister mentioned that in October, the government provided an additional quota for active e-hailing drivers by increasing the ceiling from 300 to 600 litres per month, benefiting 58,000 drivers. Additionally, airport taxis have been included among vehicles eligible for subsidised RON95 under the Subsidised Petrol Control Scheme (SKPS).
Anwar responded to a question from Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH-Bukit Bendera) regarding the progress of the targeted RON95 subsidy programme and the measures taken to address issues concerning airport taxi drivers, e-hailing drivers, and riverboat users. He highlighted that in October, 13.1 million Malaysians used subsidised RON95, with government subsidies amounting to RM2.6 billion.
The Prime Minister pointed out that the average RON95 usage by BUDI95 recipients was 98 litres, representing 33 per cent of the set monthly quota. He noted that less than 0.7 per cent of recipients fully utilised their monthly quota before the end of October. Additionally, nearly 24,000 registered boat users without driving licences were approved to receive BUDI95 by the end of October.
Responding to supplementary questions, Anwar explained that the decision to implement BUDI95 aimed to benefit all Malaysian citizens, including the T15 group, due to the enforcement cost challenges associated with defining income groups. He mentioned the possibility of future refinements to the system to better target high-income earners.
Addressing concerns about the impact of BUDI95 implementation amid external pressures like tariffs imposed by the United States, Anwar assured that the government is monitoring the situation. Despite reduced tariffs and exemptions for key exports, the government remains vigilant in ensuring transportation and logistics costs do not burden the populace. Malaysia has also signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States, reducing the average tariff rate and enhancing market access for key exports.