16 Million Malaysians To Enjoy Benefits As BUDI95 Full Rollout Starts Midnight Tonight

By Mohd Haidar Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Effective midnight tonight, 16 million Malaysians will enjoy the benefits of the Budi MADANI RON95 (BUDI95) initiative, which sets the price of RON95 petrol at RM1.99 per litre.

Each citizen is eligible for 300 litres of RON95 per month, at a price lower than the current blanket subsidy rate of RM2.05 per litre.

BUDI95 has been implemented in stages since Sept 27, with 300,000 members of the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Royal Malaysia Police being the first to enjoy the initiative, before it was expanded to more than five million recipients of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) aid in the B40 category.

Within a day of its implementation, the initiative saw RON95 purchases totalling RM3.7 million, reflecting a positive response from eligible groups such as military and police personnel and STR recipients.

The full rollout of the initiative at midnight tonight marks a historic step, not only in directly benefiting millions of Malaysians, but also in introducing a more targeted and transparent approach aimed at curbing leakages.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim previously stressed that 300 litres per month would be sufficient for 98 to 99 per cent of Malaysians, based on current consumption data.

This measure ensures that Malaysians commuting to work or sending their children to school continue to enjoy affordable prices, while allowing the government to save significantly on subsidy expenditure.

BUDI95 also helps prevent misappropriation, as non-citizens and foreign-registered vehicles will have to purchase RON95 at market price.

Blanket subsidies are no longer viable, as they involve about RM20 billion in annual government expenditure in 2023 and 2024.

In addition, blanket subsidies caused more than 20 per cent of petrol to go to ineligible parties, including foreigners and the business sector.

BUDI95 offers a simple transaction process, requiring only a MyKad and a valid driving licence for automatic eligibility verification.

Each time they refuel, customers only need to scan their MyKad or use a selected digital wallet application.

In addition to benefiting the people, BUDI95 is expected to have a positive impact on the national economy, ensuring a balance between citizens’ welfare and fiscal stability.

By saving on subsidies, the government is able to allocate more funds to the education, health, and social development sectors.

As a bold initiative, BUDI95 is not just about petrol prices but also represents the transformation of subsidy management to become more efficient, fair and sustainable, and most importantly, benefiting the people of Malaysia.

For further details, the public can refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the official BUDI95 portal at www.budimadani.gov.my or call the helpline at 1-300-88-9595.

--BERNAMA