Friday January 8, 2010

Fuel price by car size

By ZALINAH NOORDIN

PETALING JAYA: The bigger your car, the more you will have to pay for petrol from May 1.

This is because the Government is going to change the way fuel is subsidised.

It is planning for a fuel pricing mechanism that will ensure only targeted groups, particularly those from the lower-income, will receive fuel subsidy.

Also, foreigners who drive into the country to fill up their tanks will not be eligible for subsidy and will have to pay more for fuel.

“The bigger the engine, the higher petrol will cost,” Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said yesterday.

The move was based on the assumption that those in the lower income group would normally drive a car with a lower engine capacity and thus be eligible for the subsidy, he said.

“For RON95 petrol, the subsidy is 30 sen per litre. The current price of RON95 petrol is RM1.80 compared with the actual price of RM2.10.

“Malaysians who are not eligible are those who drive a higher engine capacity car or non-Malaysians. They will have to pay RM2.10 or more for RON95,” he told a press conference after launching the new corporate identity of the F&N soft drinks division here yesterday.

Besides introducing the new structure, the ministry also plans to make the use of MyKad compulsory when buying petrol.

“There are some Thai nationals who drive into Malaysia to fill up their tank because petrol is such an expensive commodity in their country,” he said.

In Muar. Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the Government was in the final stages of drafting a policy on the fuel subsidy which will be a “win-win situation” for both the Government and the people.

He said that the new policy would identify people who were eligible for subsidy.

Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin had previously broached the subject about giving petrol subsidy to the right people. He said the subsidy must reach only the people who needed it most and giving subsidy across the board was a misallocation of funds.

On the subsidies for flour, sugar and gas, Ismail said they would be retained.

“Although the price for sugar has been increased by 20 sen, the Government is still providing subsidy for the commodity,” he said.

Ismail food outlet operators should not take advantage of the increase in sugar price to mark up the price of their products.

“Food outlet operators should not regard this as an opportunity to raise prices,” he said.

Related Story:
Wean us off subsidies, says Fomca

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