The Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Ministry will announce the fuel subsidy management mechanism system early next year at the latest.

Its minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the announcement will be made after the ministry has completed study on the best way to give the subsidy and identify the group that really needs the subsidy.

petrol station line up 050505 "The targeted group is being determined, who and how, we will announce soon, maybe next year, maybe by the end of this year," he told reporters in the Parliament lobby today.

Ismail Sabri was commenting on the announcement by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on the fuel subsidy management system that will be implemented early next year to ensure that only the targeted group benefitted when tabling the Budget 2010 on Oct 23.

Najib said the approach of giving subsidy only to targeted groups will also be used for other commodities.

Ismail Sabri said presently the subsidy was being enjoyed by almost all Malaysians irrespective of being rich or poor.

"At this time the subsidy is given all, even Thais can buy fuel cheap at Rantau Panjang, anyone in Malaysia, be they foreigners, the rich also get the subsidy.

"So this means the government is spending a lot but not for the targeted group that really should get it," he said.

While tabling the budget, Najib said the government will implement the fuel subsidy management system early next year using the MyKad and existing infrastructure.

- Bernama