In the neglected stretches of the Kinabatangan River, where outboard engines mean mobility and petrol generators mean light, families are bearing the full brunt of fuel costs after the government implemented the Budi95 targeted fuel subsidy mechanism.

For the poor villagers of Kampung Dagat, Kampung Sri Ganda, and other remote settlements along the river located in the Sabah east coast area, a trip to the nearest petrol station not only takes hours, but it is also a costly affair.