SHAH ALAM, Sept 23 — The Budi95 subsidy scheme will have no restrictions on how many times you can fill up your petrol or diesel tank…for now.
There will be stricter controls on the way, says Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
During a media briefing today, he said that Malaysians will be allowed to refill their vehicles as many times a day as they see fit.
“You can refill as many times as you want. What we are looking at is unusual behaviour and people trying to abuse the system by topping up repeatedly in a short span and reselling fuel.
“That is what we will block,” he told reporters at the media briefing today.
The minister said that MyKad verification at petrol stations, combined with backend data analytics will allow the government to flag abnormal refuelling patterns.
If necessary the system can temporarily halt subsidised transactions linked to the same card until checks are made.
The move, he said, comes as the government seeks to plug leakages in the RON95 subsidy that ballooned to nearly RM20 billion a year.
More than 20 per cent of that was consumed by foreigners, businesses and smuggling according to Finance Ministry data.
“Every ringgit saved is important and if we don’t control these leakages honest Malaysians end up paying the price,” he added.
How it works
Under Budi95, which begins September 30, Malaysians with valid driving licences can buy up to 300 litres a month at just RM1.99 per litre.
Registered e-hailing drivers can apply for higher quotas.
Purchases can be verified with MyKad at the pump or through digital apps like Touch ‘n Go eWallet and Setel.
Treasury Secretary-General Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican added that the ministry was working with MCMC and oil companies to ensure station systems are ready nationwide, including in rural areas where connectivity is patchier.
“Basically, they cannot refill every ten minutes. We will ensure there’s no abuse,” he said.
The minister also said that preventing leakages is a key goal of Budi95.
He said oversight included:
- Verifying MyKad and licence at pumps or via digital apps;
- Ensuring petrol stations’ systems detect if refill patterns are abnormal;
- Rejecting ICs that don’t match national registration database;
- Reporting of stolen or lost ICs to prevent misuse.
“The money we save will go back into welfare programmes like Sara and more,” he added.
