Preparations for the RON 95 petrol subsidy rationalisation programme continue, with the government saying that it is currently working on getting petrol station operators to upgrade their systems to ensure there will be no queues at the pump when the programme – which will utilise MyKad for the necessary verification – is implemented.
According to second finance minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, the move will allow the payment system to recognise each customer’s eligibility for the subsidy through his/her MyKad, with the intention being to make the filling process as smooth as it is now, FMT reports.
“We want to ensure that customers do not experience any significant changes when the fuel subsidy rationalisation takes effect. What we don’t want is for people to have to line up to claim their subsidies when they go to the petrol station as opposed to now when they can complete their transaction in a few minutes,” he said.
He said he was confident that the government will be able to implement a system – which is likely to be based on a two-tier pricing format – that can be adopted at all petrol stations before the end of the year.
He added that the government’s decision to utilise the MyKad would provide it with an effective mechanism to prevent leakages, citing the successful implementation of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) programme, which had over 5.4 million recipients as of April 1, as an example.
“More than 4,000 shops already have the SARA system up and running. The amount is loaded through the MyKad system, and the beneficiaries will receive either RM50 or RM100 to shop for essential goods. It’s not beyond reason that we can get the same outcome with the RON 95 targeted subsidy rollout,” he stated.
Currently, the unsubsidised price of RON 95 as sold by fuel retailer Double Petrol is RM2.58 per litre (July 4), which makes it 53 sen more than the subsidised RM2.05 per litre that has been in place since it was capped by the government in February 2021.
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