Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) are on track to finalise the application process for increased eligibility caps for e-hailing drivers under the BUDI MADANI RON95 (BUDI95) initiative this week. Senior press secretary to the Prime Minister, Tunku Nashrul Abaidah, announced during the daily briefing at the Prime Minister's Office that the government would work with e-hailing service providers to determine drivers eligible for the additional allocation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tunku Nashrul also mentioned the government's consideration to extend subsidised fuel eligibility to boat operators, particularly in Sabah and Sarawak. The government is collaborating with relevant agencies and state governments to gather data on boat owners to ensure their inclusion in the BUDI95 benefits.
The BUDI95 initiative commenced on Saturday for 300,000 Armed Forces and police personnel and expanded to five million Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients on Sunday. It was further extended to 16 million eligible Malaysians at midnight last night. Tunku Nashrul highlighted that as of 7 pm on September 29, 912,000 STR recipients, along with Armed Forces and police members, have made BUDI95 transactions at petrol stations nationwide. Purchases totaling RM43.7 million have been recorded for 21.8 million litres of RON95 under the initiative.
Furthermore, Tunku Nashrul stated that the government has set an unsubsidised retail price of RON95 petrol at RM2.60 per litre for October. However, BUDI95 recipients will benefit from a subsidised price of RM1.99 per litre, resulting in a 61-sen-per-litre fuel subsidy for Malaysians. With a 300-litre eligibility cap, each individual receives a monthly subsidy benefit of up to RM183, reinforcing the government's commitment to alleviating financial burdens through continued access to RON95 petrol.
Tunku Nashrul affirmed that the MADANI Government aims to ensure the policy's effectiveness and strengthen it to safeguard the people's well-being and comfort.