Ministry still updating data on petrol subsidy recipients

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is updating data on recipients of the petrol subsidy programme from the lower-income B40 group to ensure that only those who are eligible receive such assistance.

Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said good data is when no recipients who are eligible are left out.

“We need to be clear who the target recipients are and the criteria required to qualify for the aid. 

"All these must be developed and the target recipients must be identified,” he told reporters at a credential-presentation ceremony for Sabah and Labuan Parliamentary Consumerism Coordinators in Kota Kinabalu today.

Saifuddin said the implementation of the aid programme will take time as there is no proper data to use.

He said the programme could not be implemented in the second quarter of this year as planned, as the ministry had to collect the complete data of the recipients.

Saifuddin said as the ministry responsible for implementing the programme, several meetings with stakeholders have been held, including oil companies, petrol station operators and consumer associations.

He said it also involved meetings with important institutions, such as Bank Negara and the Finance Ministry.

- Bernama