Gov't has enough to subsidise RON95 this year - Guan Eng
Putrajaya has enough in its coffers to sustain RON95 petrol subsidies this year, said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He attributed this to the federal government's success in cutting unnecessary expenditures.
"I believe that we are capable (of continuing RON95 subsidies), seeing from the performance we achieved so far that saw some cuttings...
Putrajaya has enough in its coffers to sustain RON95 petrol subsidies this year, said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
He attributed this to the federal government's success in cutting unnecessary expenditure.
"I believe we are capable (to continue subsidising RON95), seeing from the performance we achieved so far that saw some cutting.
"That is why the government could announce the RM300 Cost of Living Aid (BSH) for families, followed by the RM100 for singles and university students.
"All these came from our expected cost-cutting. Thus, when we manage to save money, surely we will share with the rakyat and this is a part of it," he told reporters in Putrajaya today.
Lim was answering a question about how much the government expected to spend on sustaining petrol subsidies should the price of RON95 rise above RM2.08 per litre, and whether Putrajaya sees the need to have a supplementary budget for this.
"To your question, I believe it is still within our capability, based on cost-cutting that the government managed to achieve through a CAT (competency, accountability and transparency) model administration."
Lim said the amount of subsidies the government forks out would follow global fuel prices, including in the event the prices shoot up.
This, he added, is because the government's main aim in subsidising petrol was to ease the people's financial burden.
"It depends on the market price. What is important is to ease the people's burden.
"That is why the cabinet had decided to lower the ceiling price for RON95," he said after handing over an RM5 million cheque to Nasyrul Quran organisation in a ceremony witnessed by de facto Islamic affairs minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
The amount is a part of the federal government's allocation under Budget 2019 for Islamic organisations and activities. Nasyrul Quran is a non-government organisation that prints copies of the Quran.
Meanwhile, on another matter, Lim expressed his support for a plan to introduce stiffer penalties against those who insult any religion in the country.
"Action must be taken against anyone who insults any religion. We must respect (each other), not cerca (speak ill) of others.
"If there is a move towards stiffer penalties, it must be supported so that we can ensure harmony and tolerance among multiracial society in Malaysia.
"Freedom of expression does not extend to insulting others. That is freedom to lie, to slander and degrading other people's dignity. That is not right," he said.
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