Kuala lumpur: From midnight, 16 million Malaysians will start receiving benefits under the BUDI MADANI RON95 (BUDI95) initiative to ease daily expenses. The initiative sets the price of RON95 petrol at RM1.99 per litre, down from RM2.05, with each individual eligible for up to 300 litres a month.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, checks at petrol stations in the capital found eager motorists waiting until midnight to be among the first to enjoy the BUDI95 benefits, with station staff on hand to assist in case of any transaction issues. BUDI95 was rolled out in phases, starting with 300,000 military and police personnel on September 27, before reaching over five million Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients under the B40 category on Sunday.

Nearly 20 per cent of military and police personnel made BUDI95 transactions on day one, with RON95 purchases hitting RM3.7 million a day after the programme expanded to STR recipients, the Finance Ministry said. BUDI95 offers a simple transaction process, requiring only a valid MyKad or driving licence for automatic eligibility verification, while payments can be made via the user’s preferred digital wallet app.

The initiative not only benefits the public directly but is also expected to contribute to the country’s fiscal balance, with subsidy savings that can be redirected to education, healthcare, and social development.