PENAMPANG, Sept 21 — Public and goods land transport companies have been urged not to wait until the last minute to register for the Subsidised Petrol Control System (SKPS) ahead of the targeted subsidy for RON95 petrol, which will be announced by the Ministry of Finance soon.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the companies involved are encouraged to register early so they can benefit from the subsidy as soon as the implementation date of the targeted RON95 petrol subsidy is announced.
He said the call was made as the number of companies registered under SKPS remains low, with only 89 vehicles in Sabah and six in Sarawak registered, compared to an estimated 4,647 vehicles eligible.
“Don’t wait until the last minute. If we look at the process, registering and applying for SKPS is simple. We feel that if they register now, KPDN (Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry) can approve it within a day or even an hour when the documents are complete.
“But the next process is that once they receive notification of approval, they have to apply for a fleet card from their chosen oil companies. This is what will take time,” he said when met by reporters after attending the Sabah Students Convention here today.
The one-day convention was officiated by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and attended by more than 100 students from across Sabah.
Today, KPDN stated that the cumulative number of SKPS applications from Sept 15 until yesterday stood at 1,790 companies involving 5,449 vehicles, with 164 companies involving 249 vehicles having completed registration.
The ministry estimates that about 100,000 public and goods land transport company vehicles nationwide are eligible to register under SKPS to enjoy RON95 petrol subsidies.
Armizan explained that the targeted petrol subsidy will be implemented nationwide, unlike the targeted diesel subsidy which is only carried out in Peninsular Malaysia while subsidies are maintained in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Perhaps some are unclear. They may feel that, similar to diesel, this targeted petrol subsidy does not apply to Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
According to him, this petrol subsidy will not only benefit the companies but also protect the people from the impact of petrol price movements when subsidies are not provided. — Bernama
