KUALA LUMPUR: The government is working on a mechanism to provide targeted subsidies for diesel, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
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Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the mechanism was expected to be completed in the second-half of the year. He, however, said no date had been set for its implementation.
“We are also scrutinising how the prices of goods would be affected if targeted subsidies on diesel were implemented
“Maybe for the small- and medium-scale enterprises, we will have a different treatment (of the mechanism). We have started (with targeted subsidies) on electricity and after this diesel.
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“As for petrol, we will look into it later, as it is a sensitive matter,” he said.
Ahmad was responding to a supplementary question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) on the rationale of targeted subsidies for diesel.
Ahmad said the government spent RM50.8 billion in subsidies for petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) last year. – New Straits Times