Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
PORT DICKSON: The government is now in the final phase of identifying eligible recipients of targeted petrol subsidies to be implemented in the second quarter of this year.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was the result of a series of discussions held with gas station operators and consumer associations.
“In addition, the Ministry of Finance will also at any time announce the selected vendor to develop a targeted RON95 petrol subsidy programme implementation system,” he said in his speech at the opening of the BHPetrol Sepang-Lukut fuel station owned by Seng Group of Companies here yesterday.
Saifuddin said it was the government’s hope that the targeted petrol subsidies would go smoothly as it is now.
At a press conference later, Saifuddin explained that selecting vendor through the ‘request for proposal’ system conducted by the Ministry of Finance had also reached its peak.
He said the vendor would be responsible for developing the system not only involving targeted petrol subsidies, but also covering targeted subsidies of other items.
“At any time the Ministry of Finance will conclude a vendor and we in the ministry will work with the selected vendor to ensure smooth implementation of the targeted subsidies.
“On the part of the ministry, ongoing discussions with oil companies, small and large petrol station operators, agencies such as the National Registration Department and the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department handling the e-Kasih data to ensure that the lists of eligible beneficiaries of the targeted subsidies are credible and clean data,” he said.
The ministry, which headed the targeted subsidy implementation programme, said Saifuddin would ensure that the lists of those eligible to receive the targeted subsidies were in accordance with household incomes.
“The real goal when we implement this targeted subsidy is to reach the target group,” he said. — Bernama