Call on Putrajaya to maintain RON95 subsidy for Sarawak
KUCHING (July 8): Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (Dapsy) Sarawak has urged the federal government to maintain the RON95 subsidy for Sarawak.
Its treasurer Wong King Yii said Putrajaya should take into account Sarawak's unique context before applying a 'one size fits all' policy across the nation.
'Sarawak is an oil-producing state. Our land and resources have contributed significantly to Malaysia's petroleum industry. It is only reasonable that Sarawakians enjoy continued access to subsidised fuel as part of the returns from our contribution,' he said in a statement yesterday.
According to Wong, Sarawak was not asking for special treatment but rather fair treatment based on the reality on the ground.
Wong said any national policy should reflect regional differences, and the federal government must ensure subsidy reform 'does not come at the expense of ordinary Sarawakians'.
He also noted that petrol consumption in Sarawak was relatively lower than Peninsula.
Given this, he said maintaining the RON95 subsidy in Sarawak would not have a major impact on the national subsidy bill, but would go a long way in easing the cost-of-living burden on Sarawakians—especially those in rural and remote areas.
In addition, Wong said Sarawak's public transport system was severely under-developed compared to Peninsular Malaysia, where places like the Klang Valley have Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) and other public transit systems.
'In contrast, Sarawak lacks even basic alternatives with no trains and extremely limited bus services. For most Sarawakians, owning a car is not a choice, but a necessity—this makes fuel price increases especially painful and unavoidable,' he said.
Wong also called on the federal government to discuss future subsidy reforms with the Sarawak government and local stakeholders. Dapsy Sarawak fuel subsidy lead RON95 Wong King Yii
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Sarawak group proposes voluntary DLP tests for SJKC pupils
An association representing Chinese primary schools said participation of pupils in the dual language programme would require formal approval from the federal education ministry. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : Some Chinese primary schools (SJKC) in Sarawak are considering allowing pupils to voluntarily sit for the dual language programme assessment, despite their exclusion from the programme. Jonathan Chai, president of the Association of Aided Chinese Primary Schools in the Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian divisions, said the proposal is being considered as a way to assess pupils' academic performance in science and mathematics. However, Chai warned that the results might not offer a complete picture, The Borneo Post reported. 'Since SJKCs are not officially part of the dual language programme, any data gathered would mainly serve as an internal benchmark,' he told reporters after a visit to SJKC Chung Hua Batu 11 in Matang. He said SJKC pupils could potentially sit for the test voluntarily within their own schools for self-evaluation purposes. He emphasised that full participation in the DLP would require formal approval from the federal education ministry. 'For now, we continue to teach science and mathematics in Mandarin, which remains the most effective method for the majority of our students,' he said. Chai also pointed to a changing student population, noting that around 40% of SJKC pupils now come from non-Chinese backgrounds – prompting a reassessment of the current language policy. 'We are also paying close attention to the outcomes of DLP assessments in national primary schools,' he added. 'If those results indicate significant gains in student performance, it may influence our future direction,' he added. In May last year, state deputy education minister Annuar Rapaee said the DLP programme, currently implemented in national primary schools, will be extended to secondary schools across the state.
Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Population size not sole reason for larger Sarawak assembly, says Fadillah
PBB vice-president Fadillah Yusof, who is MP for Petra Jaya, speaking at a constituency event today. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Sarawak's decision to increase the size of the state assembly was not solely based on the size of the population, says PBB vice-president Fadillah Yusof. Responding to criticism of the decision to add 17 more seats, Fadillah said the legislative assembly also took into account the state's ethnic makeup and administrative needs. 'Some say this criterion should be based on population size. However, we have to look not only at the size of the population, but the size of the area as well as (to ensure fairer) representation of ethnic groups,' Bernama quoted him as saying. He said Sarawak is almost as large as Peninsular Malaysia in land area. (Sarawak covers 124,450 sq km, while the peninsula covers 132,490 sq km.) Fadillah said the addition of state assembly seats meant there will be more elected representatives for rural areas, which would allow for the voices of the local community to be heard when it came to formulating policies. 'I support this move because it will provide more effective administration for us to develop Sarawak,' he told reporters after attending an event at his parliamentary constituency of Petra Jaya. Last week, the Sarawak assembly passed a bill to increase the number of seats in the assembly from 82 to 99. State minister Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who tabled the bill, said the increase was warranted to accommodate population growth, urban sprawl and vast rural areas. However, the decision came under fire from Thomas Fann, chairman of electoral reform group Engage, who said there was no justification for adding more seats. He said Sarawak was already among the most over-represented of all state assemblies. He said electoral imbalances would be worsened and public resources placed under strain. A former deputy chairman of the Election Commission, Wan Ahmad Wan Omar, said Sarawak's decision appeared to be politically motivated.
Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt MPs to attend retreat next week
Deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof said he can help to brief government MPs from Sarawak and Sabah. PETALING JAYA : The unity government will hold a retreat for all government MPs next week, says deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof. Fadillah said the retreat will allow the MPs to have a better understanding of the national issues that Putrajaya is facing, Bernama reported. Responding to questions about whether Gabungan Parti Sarawak MPs were present during a meeting between Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Barisan Nasional MPs in Putrajaya last night, Fadillah said he is willing to brief MPs from GPS and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah if required. 'For GPS, we have no issue. With our small number of MPs, I can engage with them directly. These matters were discussed in the Cabinet, so I know what needs to be clarified. 'The prime minister would have limited time if he were to meet all MPs individually. I can assist by briefing GPS and GRS MPs. 'A retreat involving all unity government MPs, including ministers and deputy ministers, is scheduled for next week. We'll use that platform to provide further explanations,' Fadillah, a senior vice-president of GPS lynchpin Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu, told reporters in Kuching today. Anwar attended a unity government retreat with 27 ministers at the Seri Perdana Complex in Putrajaya in January 2023. Bernama reported that the retreat was made up of briefing sessions covering key issues such as the implementation of key performance indicators, government structures, public administration affairs, and financial management. The sessions also touched on government procurement, government protocol, professionalism, sustainable development, economic scenarios and media communication. Earlier today, BN secretary-general Zambry Abdul Kadir said BN MPs met with Anwar at his official residence in Putrajaya last night as part of regular engagements with all parties in the unity government. He said the meeting revolved around policies and current matters that required clarification from the prime minister. Pakatan Harapan MPs and senators have been invited to a meeting with Anwar at his official residence in Putrajaya on July 14.
