According to Deputy Finance Minister I Datuk Ahmad Mazlan, the government is currently drafting the Subsidised Diesel Control System and it is expected to be completed in the second half of this year.
He said the government is also studying the effect on the cost of the increase in the price of goods if SKDS is implemented in the future. “We will give a different approach to small and medium enterprises to ensure that this sector is not affected by the implementation of the system. “However, everything is still under study and this system will only be completed in the second half of this year and the implementation date has not yet been set,” he said.
Meanwhile, other measures are also being explored to improve the provision of subsidies in a more targeted manner in reducing leakages and optimising spending on programs and projects that provide added value to the people and the national economy. This aims to balance the burden of subsidies with the need to preserve the welfare and well-being of the people, he said. Ahmad said a special team was created under the Ministry of Finance to work with ministries, departments, and agencies involved to examine the need and feasibility of targeted subsidies in addition to identifying effective methods that can save time and have minimal financial implications for the government. This includes collecting data from the Road Transport Department, the National Registration Department, the Inland Revenue Board, he said.
“The criteria have not yet been decided, but efforts are being made to develop a comprehensive data center to help the government set appropriate criteria based on the data obtained. “The implementation of this targeted subsidy will be done in stages subject to availability and maintaining the government’s focus on ensuring that the cost of living of the people, especially the B40 group, is not affected,” he said.
