Targeted Diesel Subsidy A Good Move, Avoid Increase In Living Cost

ARAU, May 22 (Bernama) -- The government's decision to continue the diesel subsidy, among others, to traders who use commercial vehicles, and those in agriculture, breeding or fishing, is lauded as it will no increase in living cost.

A retiree from Kampung Che Ok in Tambun Tulang, Perlis Hakimi Hashim, 54, welcomed the move as he used diesel vehicles to work his eight-hectare padi farm which cost him up to RM130 a week for the fuel.

"I have a small Kubota that uses diesel. I know that the government wants to give cash assistance to owners of diesel vehicles, including rice farmers. How it is to be implemented needs to be explained to the people," he said.  

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced yesterday that the Cabinet agreed to implement the targeted subsidies on diesel for users in the peninsula involving 10 types of public transport vehicles and 23 types of goods transport vehicles.

According to him, the move would mean, among other things, that bus and taxi operators, and fishermen will continue to be supported with subsidies or assistance.

The government also agrees to provide cash assistance to eligible individual owners of diesel vehicles, including padi farmers and petty traders.

A resident of Kampung Tengah Tok Pulau in Sanglang, Perlis, Sharipudin Ahmad, 63, who has 2.87 hectares of padi field, said the move also showed that the B40 and M40 groups continue to be prioritised by the government.

Meanwhile, in Kedah, farmers and fishermen expressed relief at the government's assurance that the targeted diesel subsidy would not burden them.

Mohd Azwan Md Daud, 35, a padi farmer from Kuala Kedah, said the targeted diesel subsidy would ensure only the deserving ones benefit from the facility.

"I am grateful because I spend RM1,000 on diesel every day. Every morning I have to buy RM600 worth of diesel and in the evening another RM400 for the operation of two ploughing machines," he said.

For fisherman Muhammad Saiful Azwari Bakar, 43, from Kuala Kedah, the targeted diesel subsidy will save government expenditure, enabling it to provide other incentives such as cash assistance to fishermen.

  Another fisherman, Abdul Rahim Ahmad, 49, from Tebengau, Kuala Kedah, said he was relieved by the government's announcement to implement the targeted diesel subsidy.

"It is appropriate because now the prices of all goods have gone up, even fishing equipment such as nets.  If there is no subsidy, fishermen have to pay more for fuel and so the price of fish will also go up,” he said.

-- BERNAMA