PM Anwar Ibrahim dismisses claims that 300L a month for Budi95 isn’t enough – most use less than quota
Claims that the 300 litre monthly quota under the Budi Madani RON 95 (Budi95) programme are not sufficient have been dismissed by prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who said that consumption data showed that most Malaysians use far less than the limit, the New Straits Times reports.
He said that criticism that the allocation was too low was not supported by real-world usage patterns recorded since the implementation of the programme, and that the average fuel consumption among users stood at less than 100 litres per month, while about 90% of Malaysians consume no more than 200 litres monthly, reiterating that indicated by Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, the secretary-general of the treasury, ministry of finance, last week,
Anwar said claims about the limit not being enough are not borne out by the data. He added that the figures demonstrated that the targeted subsidy mechanism was calibrated to actual needs, rather than theoretical assumptions, and that the government continued to monitor usage closely.
He described Budi95 as a major administrative success, citing its scale and smooth execution since its introduction. He said that the system processes about 3.1 million transactions daily, a level that would normally pose significant operational challenges, but has instead functioned smoothly. “This is not a small number. Millions of transactions take place every day, yet the system is running in an orderly and efficient manner,” he stated.
The prime minister said that the approach had helped curb leakages associated with blanket fuel subsidies, while ensuring that government assistance reached those who genuinely needed it, without compromising economic stability.
Over 14.6 million Malaysians have enjoyed subsidised RON 95 petrol under the Budi95 programme as of February 11. The programme is expected to save the government at least RM2.5 billion this year, subject to movements in global crude oil prices and exchange rates.
