‘RM200 aid should be enough to offset hike’

PUTRAJAYA: The RM200 Budi Madani monthly cash assistance for eligible owners of diesel vehicles should be enough to offset the increase in diesel price, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.

“The RM200 is sufficient to cover 80% of diesel vehicle owners based on consumption pattern, according to data provided by the Statistics Department,” he said.

Those who find the amount inadequate could appeal to the ministry, he said.

He said the Budi Madani cash assistance will be implemented today involving some 30,000 diesel vehicle owners under the first batch of recipients.

As of June 8, about 30,000 applicants, farmers and small-scale commodity growers have been approved to receive the cash subsidy assistance.

Under the initiative, recipients will receive the cash assistance of RM200 which will be disbursed today to their bank accounts.

Those without a bank account can claim the subsidy in cash with their MyKad at any Bank Simpanan Nasional branch in Peninsular Malaysia.

Amir Hamzah reiterated that the Budi Madani cash assistance will be provided monthly to eligible recipients whose annual income is RM100,000 or less.

There is no closing date for applications for the cash assistance, he said.

He said successful applicants who registered this month will receive the cash aid via their bank accounts today.

For those who have not yet registered, he said they can still receive their monthly cash assistance for June if they apply before the end of the month.

As for those who missed out on the cash assistance this month, he said they can do so next month.

Asked if the cash assistance is available for several diesel vehicles registered under a single owner, Amir Hamzah said “no”.

He said the cash assistance is meant only for one vehicle per owner.

Besides the Budi Madani cash assistance, he said subsidised diesel will still be provided via fleet cards for diesel at RM2.15 per litre to eligible logistics vehicles to mitigate the impact of the diesel price on consumer goods prices.

Furthermore, subsidised diesel will remain for land public transport, including school buses, express buses, ambulances, hearses and fire engines via fleet cards at RM1.88 per litre.

He said subsidised diesel for fishermen is maintained at RM1.65 per litre.