BUKIT MERTAJAM: The rise in tickets for Singapore travel companies and tour cars, as well as the border-to-border diesel-smuggling cartels being busted, demonstrate the need to keep up the gasoline rebate rationalization program, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He added that the qualified fuel subsidies are essential to halting fund leakages brought on by unscrupulous parties and saving the nation financially.
” All tour buses and travel companies from Singapore want to raise prices because they say they ca n’t get diesel subsidies, which means for decades, our subsidies went to Singapore companies, to Thai fishing boats. A lot of money were leaking.
” Subsidies were benefiting 3.8 million foreigners, ( diesel ) taken out to Thailand and sent to Thai fishing boats … Malaysian taxpayers are paying, but foreigners are reaping the benefits, “he said at an event in Malaysia’s Penang state on Tuesday ( Jun 18 )
Mr Anwar, who is also the government’s finance minister, noted that the number of vehicles produced from 2012 to 2020 was small compared to the skyrocketing increase in fuel consumption because the energy was enjoyed by immigrants.
Malaysia on Jun 10 cut most of its diesel subsidies, which the authorities said was costing the country RM4 billion ( US$ 853 ) million annually. Prior to this, Mr. Anwar had stated that lower-income teams would receive the benefits.  ,