Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar has denied a report quoting the federal territories minister that the government plans to limit the sale of RON95 petrol to the lower income group.

Khairy or KJ as he is usually known as, said he checked with Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansur.

“Tengku Adnan did not say RON95 will be sold to the lower income group or the poor. Do not spin untrue stories,” KJ said in a tweet.

Tengku Adnan in his tweet said, 'why so stupid' about understanding what he had said.

“I talked about rationalisation in fiscal policy on subsidy to the rakyat who are in need compared to the rich,” he said.

'In line with tightening government spending'

Tengku Adnan added that it is sad that people like to sensationalise things and slander people by accusing them by saying certain things.

“Is this part of the Eastern values? Where is our religion? Sad,” he added.

Several newspapers, including The Star and New Straits Times, quoted Tengku Adnan as saying sales of the RON95 petrol would be limited to people in the lower income group and a new pricing policy may take effect, in May or June.

“This was proposed several times in the past but we will be implementing it after we find a correct method of applying it,” Tengku Adnan is quoted as saying in the BN-linked newspapers, adding that the move is in line with tightening government spending and ensuring that subsidies are enjoyed by deserving Malaysians.

Tengku Adnan is also quoted as saying that the new mechanism is being studied by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Wahid Omar.

Precursor to withdrawal of subsidies?

Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) feels that Tengku Adnan's announcement is a precursor to a total withdrawal of subsidies for petrol.

This, SAMM said, could result in further hardship to the people, especially the middle income group, which would be the ones affected and have been unhappy with the price rises.

SAMM's director of propaganda Edy Noor Reduan ( right ) said in a statement that the proposal, supposedly planned for implementation in May or June, is a cause of concern for the people.

“We think the real agenda is a total withdrawal of the RON95 subsidy. We reject any such move to possibly raise the prices of petrol as the people are already faced with a higher standard of living.

"The cut in studies will only cause further hardship,” Edy Noor said.

The price of RON95 saw a 20 -sen a litre hike last year.

SAMM said the new mechanism to be restructured would only result in Malaysians having to comply with the government.

Edy Noor expects that the people will be asked to apply for subsidy cards, where those with a certain level of income will be allowed to apply for it.

This, he said, was proposed by Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Ismail Sabri in 2011, when he suggested the use of MyKad as a token for petrol subsidies.

“However, whatever the mechanism, SAMM views that the government should address leakages in the distribution of subsidies to fishermen.

"If the government cannot handle the subsidy for fishermen, how can it manage the distribution of subsidies to millions of motorists in Malaysia?” Edy Noor asked.

“The distribution of subsidies will become another Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M), making the people comply with the government at all times,” he said, adding that the government has played with the rakyat enough, for the rakyat may next choose to protest these issues on the streets of Putrajaya.