Cutting RON95 price by 6 sen was not easy, says Anwar

 The prime minister says he needed time to deliberate on its financial implications.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said those who are unhappy over the 6 sen reduction in RON95 petrol ‘didn’t hear the full explanation’.

PETALING JAYA:

 It was not easy for the government to decide to slash the price of RON95 petrol, even if only by six sen, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said consideration of the financial implications was why he needed time to deliberate before announcing the price reduction from RM2.05 to RM1.99 per litre on Wednesday.

“Countries like Thailand and Singapore may have adjusted their prices earlier, but ours is still lower, and this is for the benefit of Malaysians.

“(You) want to be ungrateful or disagree, it’s okay, but please know that this was not an easy decision.

“Some say it’s just a six sen difference, but they have not heard the full explanation,” Bernama reported him as saying at the 2025 National Anti-Drugs Day celebration at Dataran Darulaman in Kedah today.

Yesterday, opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin said the government’s move to lower the price of RON95 petrol to RM1.99 per litre towards the end of the year is “not thanks to Anwar Ibrahim per se”.

Hamzah said the government can only afford to do this because oil prices are dropping globally, adding that many other countries in the region, including Thailand, have lowered their petrol prices over the past few weeks.

Anwar also addressed criticism over the government’s decision not to extend fuel subsidies to foreign nationals, reiterating that foreigners do not pay taxes.

“I’m puzzled when the opposition says we are burdening foreigners, claiming they too contribute to the country. I don’t understand. In what part of the world are foreigners treated the same as citizens?” he said. - FMT