Ministry to tackle misinformation on diesel subsidy

THE Domestic Trade and Living Costs Ministry will adopt a strategic messaging campaign to arrest the misinformation among the public about the removal of the blanket subsidy for diesel, said its Deputy Minister Senator Fuziah Salleh.

This comes after only 200,000 out of the 389,000 commercial vehicle owners registered with the ministry for the continued aid.

This leaves about 189,000 commercial vehicle operators who are eligible for targeted subsidies or continued aid, Fuziah said.

She said the misinformation has sown confusion and ignorance among consumers, especially over the gradual removal of the blanket subsidy for diesel.

The ministry will go all out to correct the misconceptions about the state of living costs, which Fuziah said were fake and viraled to create a negative impression over the living costs issues.

Fuziah also said the targeted entitlement for diesel subsidies also varies into - individuals, small-scale farmers and large commercial vehicle companies such as express stage buses and tour buses.

And even if they are not part of the 33 categories of public transport vehicles which are covered under the targeted subsidy, they can appeal to the ministry and all applications would be considered if they are justified, she said after launching a Rahmah Madani sales campaign at the C-Mart shopping centre in Bandar Tasek Mutiara.

"For individuals, the entitlement is RM200 for each commercial vehicle and this also applies to the smallholder farmers but for big companies, they will each be issued a fleet card to monitor the use of the subsidised diesel," Fuziah said.

And if the sum subsidised is too low, the ministry can reconsider the quantum if there are valid grounds, she added.

"Allegations that the government is abusive of those who need subsidies is unfair and an outright lie," said Fuziah.

She also said there were instances when social media overplays the issue of living costs, adding the ministry has 900 officers with 2,200 enforcers who are working around the clock to detect any profiteering or a steep rise in prices, especially over controlled items such as eggs and rice.

Fuziah said 10 big corporations have been hauled up for allegations of profiteering.

One was a backhoe company who exploited the diesel hike as an excuse to raise their rental of such equipment.

She warned that under the 11 forms of legislation under the ministry to check against profiteering, price abuses, fraud and imitation, those who conspire to profiteer at the expense of  consumers can be fined up to RM500,000.

Fuziah also stressed that the savings of RM4 billion from migrating from a blanket to targeted subsidy for diesel, would be rechanneled to help the people.

On the sale of Rahmah items, which allow consumers savings of up to 30%, Fuziah said that the sale was conducted in 6,875 locations nationwide last year, of which 3.4 million shoppers benefitted from the discounted prices.

This year up to June 19, the sales were conducted in 4,156 locations nationwide of which in Penang, 313 were mobile Rahmah sale campaigns. – June 20, 2024.