Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today explained why Putrajaya is unable to introduce the new subsidy mechanism in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan by next year.
He said this due to the lack of information on the usage of small boats which is the main transport mode for the people in Sabah and Sarawak.
A large number of Sabahans and Sarawakians reside along many rivers in both states and depend on boats for their daily commute.
"These small boats are using portable engine which use petrol as fuel while some used the petrol generator set in their houses," he said during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat today.
"Currently, there is no main source data which (we) can use to identify the owner of small boats and generator set for us to channel petrol subsidy to the users," he told Ronald Kiandee (Harapan-Beluran).
As such, he said the government decided the pump price in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan continue to be capped at RM2.08 per litre, for now.
"This, in fact already the petrol subsidy," he said.
Ronald asked Putrajaya to state the rationale of not providing targeted fuel subsidy for the B40 group in the Borneo states.
"When newspaper reported there (Sabah) not getting petrol subsidy, Sabahans have imagined that the government introduce a policy that neglected the need of the people there," said Ronald.
The targeted petrol subsidy mechanism will only be implemented on January 1 2020.
In Peninsular Malaysia, the government said it will introduce a new subsidy mechanism that will benefit vehicle owners currently on Bantuan Sara Hidup (BSH) welfare payments, and the disabled.
Qualified car owners will be paid RM30 per month while motorcycle owners will be paid RM12 a month.
Payments will be made quarterly to BSH-linked bank accounts. - Mkini
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