KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 — A total of 13.1 million Malaysians have made transactions under the Budi Madani RON95 (BUDI95) programme, with a spending value of RM2.66 billion in the first month of its implementation from September 30 to yesterday.
The Finance Ministry (MOF) said that the total involved the purchase of 1.33 billion litres of subsidised RON95 petrol, with a total government subsidy of about RM800 million.
"This includes over 23,000 fishermen and registered boat users who do not have an active driving licence, especially in Sabah and Sarawak,” it said in a statement today.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the implementation of BUDI95 ensures that Malaysians enjoy the subsidy benefits directly without complicated processes, besides enabling the government to redistribute the savings back into the development and welfare of the people.
The MOF said since the implementation of BUDI95, a total of 16.55 million Malaysians have been eligible to enjoy the RON95 subsidised price at RM1.99 per litre, exceeding the original projection of 15 million people.
Under the BUDI95 programme, all Malaysian MyKad holders aged 16 and above who possess active driving licences are eligible to purchase up to 300 litres of subsidised RON95 petrol per month.
According to the ministry, since October 13, the government has raised the ceiling on monthly eligibility for full-time e-hailing drivers to 600 litres per month, thus benefiting nearly 58,000 e-hailing drivers nationwide.
"On average, BUDI95 recipients under the private category recorded a usage of 98.2 litres per month for October, way lower than the stipulated minimum monthly eligibility of 300 litres.
"As of October 26, less than 0.7 per cent of BUDI95 recipients have fully utilised their monthly eligibility before the end of the month,” it added.
The MOF added that only 0.6 per cent of private users had fully used up the monthly limit of 300 litres. Among registered boat users without a driving licence, only 0.3 per cent had used up the full monthly limit.
As part of its commitment to strengthening the implementation of BUDI95, the government will carry out improvements from time to time, including reviewing the additional qualification limits for e-hailing drivers so that it is more equitable and comprehensive.
The ministry also said it had identified several unusual usage patterns, including recipients who used up their entire monthly limit in a short period of time, as well as repeated purchases at stations near the country's borders.
"As such, the Madani government, through the MOF and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), will continue to strengthen monitoring at petrol stations, as well as among users, to ensure that the benefits of BUDI95 are not misused.
"The government will not compromise on any misuse or resale of subsidised petrol to ineligible parties, and strict action will be taken against those involved under the Control of Supplies Act 1961,” it added.
