The targeted fuel subsidy mechanism that is being proposed by the government will not only rely on vehicle engine capacity data from the road transport department (JPJ), but also integrate information from all available databases to identify those eligible for the targeted petrol subsidy, Bernama reports.

Domestic trade and cost of living (KPDN) minister Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub said the comprehensive database will consist of data not only from JPJ but also the inland revenue board (IRB), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Khazanah Nasional, the department of statistics Malaysia (DOSM) as well as that from university studies.

Stating that a comprehensive data set was important and necessary to make the proposed mechanism a success, he reiterated that identification would not just be based solely on info from the JPJ database.

It had earlier been reported that vehicle engine capacity data would be used to identify those eligible for the RON 95 petrol subsidy schemee, leaving some to question if granting targeted petrol subsidies based on the cubic capacity of vehicle engines was adequate.

“I have already clearly stated that JPJ data is among the data needed, and we will also have data from the IRB, Khazanah, DOSM, BNM and university studies. We need to gather all the data. The ministry or the national action council on cost of living (NACCOL) will look at all the data before a final decision is made,” he said.

While the proposed paper on targeted subsidies was presented at a NACCOL meeting – which was chaired by prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – last week, the existing fuel subsidy policy is expected to run until the cabinet decides on the new targeted subsidy mechanism so as not to burden the rakyat, Salahudin had said earlier.

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