Call for tolerance over super diesel subsidy removal

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TAWAU: The Tawau Fishermen’s Association has asked offshore and trawler fishermen to exercise more tolerance over the withdrawal of super diesel subsidy as of June 1.

Its chairman, Hasan Timbasal, said they still enjoy subsidised diesel at RM1.80 per litre while the market price for the fuel was RM2.80.

“Usually, a trawler or an offshore fishing boat uses between 50,000 and 60,000 litres of diesel a month.

“At the price of RM1.80, the subsidy savings of the trawler can be more than RM40,000 a month,” he told Bernama.

The government had removed the super diesel subsidy on nine categories of commercial vehicles on June 1, but retained it for the other beneficiaries.

Hasan said inshore fishermen only used up to 60 litres of diesel a day and the savings from the subsidy was RM2,430 per month, much less than the savings of offshore fishermen. — Bernama