PAS MP urges govt rethink its 'vague' subsidy plan
The lack of a clear mechanism raises concerns on how the government plans to implement its RON95 subsidy rationalisation process in a fair manner, said PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari.
He stressed that while PAS is not opposed to reforms, the opposition party will not stand by initiatives that victimise the rakyat by making them the subjects of economic policy 'experiments'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysiakini
13 hours ago
- Malaysiakini
Delay fuel subsidy reform, gas stations group tells govt over financial concerns
The largest petrol station association has called for a postponement of the RON95 subsidy rationalisation plan, citing unresolved margin issues that could force operators into losses. The Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM), which represents over 4,000 petrol stations nationwide, said the policy should be delayed until two critical concerns are addressed.
The Star
18 hours ago
- The Star
Delay RON95 subsidy rationalisation until two issues ironed out, petrol dealers urge govt
PETALING JAYA: Delay the implementation of the RON95 targeted petrol subsidies until two core issues affecting petrol dealers are resolved, says the Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM). Its president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said that it was crucial that the issues be addressed as the rollout of the RON95 rationalisation plan would impact petrol dealers, particularly the small and medium operators. The two issues, he said, were the margins related to the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM) and Merchant Discount Rate (MDR). "The fixed dealer margin, unchanged since 2019, no longer reflects current operating costs. "Without a margin revision, small and medium-volume station operators will face losses from the very first day of the RON95 subsidy rationalisation implementation," he said in a statement on Tuesday (June 3). He added that the MDR charges are calculated as a percentage of the sale price, while dealers' commissions are based on litres sold. "As pump prices increase under RON95 subsidy rationalisation, MDR rises accordingly, but dealer commissions remain static, resulting in further erosion of margins," he said. Khairul noted that despite multiple requests over the past two years by PDAM for a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, no meeting had been forthcoming. "We believe that only through direct leadership from the Prime Minister, can a sustainable and balanced resolution be achieved. "One that ensures the continuity of local dealer operations and the security of fuel supply to the public," he said. He added that a nationwide petition initiated by PDAM to seek help in resolving the two issues had garnered over 2,300 verified signatures, representing more than 60% of petrol stations nationwide which includes 70% of major branded stations such as Petronas, Shell, Petron, Caltex and BHPetrol. PDAM represents some 4,000 petrol stations nationwide and is the umbrella association representing eight petrol dealers associations in the country.
Daily Express
18 hours ago
- Daily Express
Delay RON95 subsidy rationalisation, says petrol dealers group
Published on: Tuesday, June 03, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jun 03, 2025 By: FMT Reporters Text Size: Finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan recently announced that the RON95 subsidy rationalisation would begin in the second half of the year. PETALING JAYA: The Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) has called on the government to delay rationalising RON95 subsidies until critical issues affecting station sustainability are addressed. PDAM president Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz, whose association represents more than 4,000 petrol stations nationwide, said dealer margins, fixed under the automatic pricing mechanism, had not been revised since 2019 and no longer reflected current operating costs. He also voiced concern over the merchant discount rate (MDR) imposed on card payments, which increases as fuel prices rise but leaves dealers' per-litre commissions untouched. 'Without a margin revision, small and medium-volume station operators will face losses from the very first day of the RON95 subsidy rationalisation implementation,' he said in a statement today. 'And as pump prices increase under the rationalisation, the MDR rises accordingly, but dealer commissions remain static, resulting in a further erosion of margins.' Finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan recently announced that the subsidy rationalisation would begin in the second half of the year. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the cuts would mainly target foreigners and Malaysia's top 5% to 10% of income earners. Khairul also took aim at a group representing Bumiputera fuel retailers, which claimed there had been no consultation with dealers on the rationalisation plan. He dismissed the claim as 'inaccurate and misleading', saying PDAM was the government-recognised umbrella body for petrol dealers and had been in formal talks with the domestic trade and finance ministries. 'We urge all stakeholders to put aside differences and unite behind a common objective: to support a fair and sustainable targeted subsidy system without neglecting the economic realities faced at the operational level,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
