SNAPSHOT | Govt hikes up diesel subsidies; ramps up biofuel plan

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm and 9pm.

Quick highlights:

• Diesel: More subsidy, more biofuel

• Govt rethinks carbon taxes amid crisis

• PM approves RM2m for sepak takraw

• ‘Grow weed’ directive is fake

• CEO nabbed over squash court bribes

• Cop probed for crashing into kid

9pm

Diesel

• The Finance Ministry has announced an increase in diesel subsidies amid ongoing global energy pressures linked to the conflict in West Asia.

  It said in a statement today that the move is expected to cost the government about RM7 billion for the month, with key measures including a raise from RM160 to RM300 for each hectare in the paddy ploughing incentive.

  

  Cash aid under the Budi Diesel Individu and Budi Diesel Agri-Komoditi schemes have also been increased from RM300 to RM400 per month, the ministry said.

  It added that rules on diesel purchases for non-vehicle use – such as agricultural machinery – will be relaxed.

• The government will increase the biodiesel portion of biodiesel blends from the current 10 percent to 12 percent, with the goal of eventually reaching 15 percent, in order to stretch the country’s diesel supply.

  Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir said this would avoid over-dependence on imported fuels and reduce exposure to external market forces.

  

  Akmal said the foundation for raising the blend rate to B12 already exists and can be implemented without additional cost by using the existing biodiesel blending infrastructure, Bernama reported.

  “As a medium-term measure, we must accelerate economic restructuring through the transition to renewable energy to ensure more secure domestic energy sources.

  “In this context, the government is not only stabilising supply and prices but also building long-term resilience, as recovery from this crisis is expected to take up to 18 months.

6pm

Court

• The Kuala Lumpur High Court was taken down a memory lane on what transpired during the infamous 2018 Pavilion raids, where police uncovered millions worth of items linked to 1MDB.

  Former Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Amar Singh Ishar Singh recounts the then-raiding team’s discovery of two rooms in a unit at Pavilion Residences, which was filled to the brim with 71 bags, a plastic container, and 284 boxes of branded handbags.

  The team took days to tabulate and evaluate the items seized in the May 17 raid due to the sheer scale of it.

  

  Later, Bukit Aman’s Anti-Money Laundering Criminal Investigation Division assistant director Foo Wei Min testified that a portion of 12,009 pieces of jewellery worth RM443 million was seized in the raid.

  However, he added that the attorney-general returned 11,985 jewellery items to Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor in 2022 following the High Court’s decision to dismiss the government’s forfeiture application at that time.

  The duo was testifying in a civil suit filed by Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL against Rosmah - where the company is seeking the latter to return 43 pieces of jewellery worth RM67.46 million that were allegedly sent to her in 2018.

READ MORE: Overflowing bags of cash, jewellery found during 1MDB raid at condo, former top cop tells court

Environment

• The government is reconsidering plans to introduce a carbon tax this year due to the ongoing energy crisis stemming from the conflict in West Asia.

  Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Arthur Joseph Kurup said some industries are very sensitive to the cost implications of such a tax.

  While the carbon tax may be changed, he said the broader National Climate Change Bill is still on track to be introduced this year.

  

  “I believe that the framework must still be established because we have to move towards that direction anyway, and the geopolitical situation now is not an excuse for us to slow down. In any case, if we look at fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, these are ultimately finite resources.

  “We still need to move towards renewable energy and have a greener environment,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

Work from home

• Up to 200,000 civil servants could be involved when the federal government’s work-from-home (WFH) directive comes into effect tomorrow.

  Bernama quoted Chief Secretary to the Government Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar as saying this is the number that can be accommodated by the existing WFH system. However, approval is subject to the discretion of their respective department heads.

  

  The policy covers federal public servants in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and all state capitals who live more than eight kilometres from their offices, who may be allowed to WFH three days per week, unless they work in certain sectors like education and defence.

  However, Shamsul warned that this and the ongoing austerity measures should not be an excuse to delay or cancel programmes.

  “We are asking that programmes be reviewed so they fit the current cost‑saving policy, not cancelled or postponed; if they are truly necessary, we must still carry them out,” he said.

READ MORE: Federal civil servants begin WFH tomorrow

West Asia conflict

• PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang is disappointed in Arab nations that allowed the US to build military bases in their countries, which were then used to attack Iran.

  The former Malaysian envoy to West Asia also lashed out at Islamic leaders, accusing them of spreading slander against Iran just because of fuel price hikes.

  Read the full story here.

• The conflict in West Asia could cost the Asia-Pacific region between US$97 billion and US$299 billion (RM383 billion and RM1.18 trillion) due to rising costs of transportation, electricity and food, CNN reported, citing an estimate by a UN Development Programme report published today.

  This is equal to 0.3 to 0.8 percent of the region’s gross domestic product.

  

  In addition, the conflict could put 32 million people at risk of falling into poverty globally, of whom 8.8 million are in the Asia-Pacific region.

  The CNN article also quoted a separate report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, warning that food shortages could reach “catastrophic” levels due to disruptions to the supply of oil, natural gas, urea, and fertilisers from West Asia, which is needed for agricultural activities.

2pm

Government

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has approved an additional RM2 million allocation for the Malaysian Sepak Takraw Academy Complex.

  This is on top of an RM1 million allocation previously approved by Youth and Sports Minister Taufiq Johari.

  

  Anwar said at the launch of the complex today that part of the RM2 million allocation will be to improve training conditions for athletes.

  Malaysia’s sepak takraw team recently experienced a resurgence, with the men’s regu team winning its first SEA Games gold in 34 years last December.

• Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said the government may recalibrate some small-scale road maintenance and upgrading projects to save costs.

  “For example, if a project is worth RM1 million for 1km, maybe the distance (covered) can be shortened if work has not started to adjust to current cost restrictions,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama today.

• The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry said a poster claiming its minister Mohamad Sabu encouraging civil servants to start cultivating marijuana plants is fake.

  

  In a statement, Mohamad's office condemned the digital manipulation and said they have lodged a report with the MCMC so action can be taken against those responsible.

  "The public is advised not to share fake information and urged to check with official channels to get verified information," it said.

9am

Corruption

• The MACC arrested the CEO of a statutory body last night on suspicion of accepting bribes in connection with a contract to construct a squash court.

  Bernama reported that the executive had asked for an RM1 million bribe in return for approving the payment of claims to a contractor.

  

  He had received a RM500,000 “advance” before Hari Raya, and was arrested after receiving another RM100,000 in cash.

Police

• Police are probing an incident where a Proton Waja driven by one of its officers crashed into a boy at KM33 of Jalan Kampung Bukit Nikmat in Jerantut, Pahang.

  Confirming that police had received a report on the March 23 incident, Jerantut district police chief Azahari Mukhtar said the car was going straight while two boys played at the side of the road.

  In a statement last night, he added that one of the boys - who was later brought to the Jerantut Hospital’s emergency department - had been hit after he ran towards the car.

  

  Besides a probe under Section 43(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 on careless driving, the police integrity and standard compliance department is also probing possible misconduct by the police officer.

• A senior police officer was arrested following a high-speed chase in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, during which he rammed into several vehicles.

  The 40-year-old inspector was wanted after he hit and ran a traffic officer on Friday, causing injuries. Police finally tracked him down yesterday.

  He was on medical leave while being treated for a mental health condition, and is being recommended for early retirement.

  The case is being investigated under the Road Transport Act for reckless driving, as well as the Penal Code for obstruction of a public officer’s duties.

Over RM300m losses: MACC detains statutory body's ex-CEO, company chairperson

COMMENT | If the law supposes that, the law is an ass

COMMENT | Would Zahid be facing 47 charges again?

COMMENT | Media needs to be more sensitive when reporting on tragedies

Muted response from politicians after drug-user caused 3 deaths in Segamat crash