Economist Hails Budi95 Rollout As Bold Move Benefits Extended To All Malaysians

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Economic analyst Prof Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of Putra Business School said the government’s decision to extend Budi95 benefits to all eligible Malaysians comes as a positive surprise. — Bernama picKUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The Budi Madani RON95 (BUDI95) initiative has charted a new course in targeted petrol subsidies, benefiting not only vulnerable groups but also the majority of Malaysians.
Previously, concerns had arisen among the M40 group that they might lose eligibility for petrol subsidies. However, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sept 22 announcement reassured them.
In a meeting with staff of the Prime Minister’s Department this month, Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, firmly stated that all citizens with a valid driving licence, regardless of income, would automatically be eligible for Budi95 benefits.
Budi95 was first rolled out to 300,000 police and military personnel on Sept 27, then expanded to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients under the B40 category, and from midnight, 16 million Malaysians began receiving the benefits.
The government’s initiative to lower petrol prices from RM2.05 to RM1.99 per litre demonstrates strong governance and a commitment to reducing leakages, ensuring most Malaysians benefit without anyone being left out.Economic analyst Prof Dr Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff of Putra Business School said the government’s decision to extend Budi95 benefits to all eligible Malaysians comes as a positive surprise.
“Previously, it was announced that 85 per cent of Malaysians, including the B40, M40, and civil servants, would not be affected by the RON95 subsidy targeting. This time, however, the government announced that 100 per cent of eligible Malaysians will benefit from Budi95.
“I view this expansion of benefits as the government recognising the contributions of Malaysians to the nation’s progress, regardless of income,” he said.
Ahmed Razman noted that since Budi95’s rollout on Sept 27, no technical glitches have been reported, highlighting the government’s preparedness for a smooth implementation of the initiative.
“Most complaints have been minor, mostly stemming from inactive driving licences, unreadable MyKad chips, or the use of old identification numbers. Apart from these, the programme has been running very smoothly,” he said.
Commenting on the use of MyKad in Budi95, Ahmed Razman said it is the MADANI Government’s best approach to tackle leakages and RON95 smuggling, while ensuring Malaysians enjoy some of the lowest petrol prices in the region.
Anwar previously stated that no country, including oil-producing nations, has cut petrol prices for its citizens. By contrast, Malaysia has taken the bold step of reducing petrol prices for the people.
“Every year, we hear reports of RON95 petrol being smuggled by those who are not eligible, as well as by parties seeking to profit from it. Using MyKad helps prevent such leakages, leading to savings on fuel subsidies.
“This was evident during the diesel subsidy rationalisation, when the government saved RM4 billion, which was then redirected to STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) allocations, raising them from RM10 billion to RM13 billion,” said Ahmed Razman.
Each eligible Malaysian will receive a monthly RON95 subsidy of up to 300 litres, while e-hailing drivers are exempt from the cap and can apply for additional allocation to support their work.
Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan previously said that Budi95 could save eligible Malaysians up to RM200 per month.
The government urges Malaysians to verify that their MyKad and driving licence details are accurate to ensure Budi95 eligibility via the official portal at www.budimadani.gov.my. — Bernama

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