Malaysia’s subsidised RON95 petrol price remains lower than fuel prices in major oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the government faces questions over fuel affordability amid global energy market pressures.
Anwar said RON95 petrol under the BUDI MADANI initiative is currently priced at RM1.99 per litre, compared with Saudi Arabia where prices have exceeded RM2.40 per litre, showing that Malaysia continues to maintain affordable fuel costs despite external challenges.
“Fuel prices in Malaysia are lower than those in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, that is a fact that must be remembered. When we called for fuel prices to be reduced to RM1.50, the price in Saudi Arabia at that time was around 50 sen.
“Now, the price of RON95 petrol in Malaysia is RM1.99 per litre, while in Saudi Arabia it is over RM2.40 per litre. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) also recorded higher prices, and the UAE even raised fuel prices two months ago despite being a major oil producer,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) on fuel price differences during the previous administration and his earlier pledge to lower petrol prices.
Anwar said fuel price discussions must consider the broader economic environment and government assistance programmes, including Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA), the RON95 subsidy and the BUDI Diesel programme.
He added that the government is also focusing on securing fuel supplies, maintaining goods price stability, supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthening economic resilience amid geopolitical tensions and disruptions to key trade routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
