Your PADU system is obsolete: Rafizi trolled as sour grapes after seen as mocking Budi Madani RON95

 

CONSTRUCTIVE criticism or just plain sour grapes?

Former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli has been a vocal critique of the Madani administration, ever since giving up his cabinet minister post following his defeat as the PKR deputy president.

The latest petrol subsidy plan was no different as the former PKR deputy leader recently outlined five key weaknesses with the Budi Madani RON95 (Budi95) mechanism.

However, many on social media are wondering if this is constructive criticism or just a ploy by the Pandan MP to remain relevant.

This was the insinuation on X by detractor Efifi The Source Saharudin (@10befiend) who suggested that the Leeds University electrical engineering graduate was non-plussed that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had ignored his much-touted PADU system a.k.a. pet project when devising Budi95.

“Guy just pissed Dear Leader didn’t use his PADU data,” remarked the poster in reaction to a Malaysiakini (BM) (@mkini_bm) report of the five key weaknesses highlighted by Rafizi.

Guy just pissed Dear Leader didn’t use his PADU data. https://t.co/xVWlo8cZqq

— Effi The Source Saharudin (@1Obefiend) September 23, 2025

One commenter wondered if the 48-year-old is aware of his place as a “former” minister, denoting his waning influence or worse, irrelevance.

It was also suggested that the Besut, Terengganu-raised politician had erred in giving up his ministerial portfolio, hence negating his ability to influence important public policies.

More than a few voiced their concern over wasted taxpayer funds that were poured into the PADU system.

Editor’s Note: PADU or the Central Database Hub has as integrated data from 204 agencies to update 30.4 million citizen and permanent resident profiles as of June 2025.

According to the Economy Ministry, data from PADU enabled the government to identify target groups for intervention programmes, including subsidy distribution.

This huge sum was also pointed out in another post by opposition-slant Naratif Rakyat (@NaratifRakyat) on X with the current affairs portal sarcastically mourned ‘demise’ of the PADU project that it claimed had swallowed RM85 mil in tax payer monies.

RIP. Gone too soon, a tragic end. pic.twitter.com/K0sExp1gZc

— Naratif Rakyat  (@NaratifRakyat) September 22, 2025

Editor’s Note: Amid talk of PADU costing RM85 mil, Rafizi had in July clarified that the actual cost was around “RM20 mil plus” with “around RM10 mil went to IT development and RM16 mil used to hire temporary MyStep officers to assist with registration”.

The sheer wastage of public funds was also highlighted with a meme that did little to hide the observer’s ire.

This was when one commenter asked whose pockets did the so-called RM85 mil disappear into, insinuating that certain parties might have benefitted from the PADU project.

It was also surmised that by ignoring this expensively set-up system signals the demise of PADU as well as its chief proponent, Rafizi.

Earlier, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK)-educated politician had outlined five weaknesses with the implementation of the Budi95 targeted petrol subsidy roll-out. It was claimed the new system had fundamental flaws which were:

• Inability to save public coffers any substantial sum
• Roll-out was unfair and favoured higher income groups
• Long queues whilst buying petrol
• Burden on the rakyat
• New leakages

At the end of the day, one commenter’s view summed up what many anti-Madani voters are feeling at the moment – that both Rafizi and PMX are peas in the same pod. 

 - Focus Malaysia