SHAH ALAM, March 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has chided the Opposition today for playing up the RON95 petrol subsidy cut, saying it will not affect 80 to 90 per cent of the public.
He said the government is undertaking the subsidy rationalisation process so that the rich, high-income earners and foreigners do not take advantage of Malaysia’s low fuel prices.
“Don’t just listen to everything. Many policies and programmes have been introduced for the people’s benefit but during Ramadan also they want to hurl slander at us,” he told reporters here, referring to the Opposition.
“When we increased electricity prices, it only affected the wealthy. The same applies to fuel price adjustments for RON95.”
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said Putrajaya has studied the impact of the move, and found that only foreigners and the wealthy would be affected.
“Those earning RM50,000 per month had to pay more, but it didn’t affect the majority, including the journalists here, unless someone is involved in dirty money,” he added, jokingly.
Yesterday, Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the mechanism for the targeted RON95 subsidy is still being fine-tuned and will involve a two-tier pricing system as well as potentially involve using MyKad.
He said that the government does not want to make any pre-announcements regarding the subsidy’s implementation at this time, and an announcement is expected after the first half of this year.
