The BUDI95 fuel subsidy has benefited the B40 and M40 income groups the most, according to Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He said these groups have gained more from the targeted subsidy than the T20 group, based on current consumption data that allows the government to identify patterns in the purchase of subsidised petrol across income groups.
“In fact, I now have perfect data because everyone who utilises the subsidy uses their MyKad at the petrol station, and we have a record of every single purchase made in the country,” he said in a podcast. “So, our current data shows that the distribution of fuel subsidies provides the most benefit to the M40 and B40 groups.”
Amir said the government was refining the figures and expected to provide further details within the next two months. He said the findings contradicted the common perception that the T20 group consumes more fuel because it owns more vehicles with larger engines, and that it was important to correct public perception of how the benefits are distributed.
Under the BUDI95 initiative, RON95 petrol is priced at RM1.99 a litre, down from RM2.05, with each eligible Malaysian entitled to a quota of up to 300 litres a month. A MyKad is required when filling up, so only Malaysians can enjoy the subsidy.