PAPAR: The Federal Finance Ministry (MOF) will continue working closely with the Sabah Government to obtain feedback on local conditions to ensure the targeted diesel subsidy meets the needs of the people, particularly those in rural and interior areas.
Finance Minister II Senator Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said Sabah's circumstances differ from those in the peninsula and policy implementation must take local realities into account, adding that the Madani Government understood the challenges faced by residents and businesses that rely on diesel-powered vehicles.
He said the government would continue refining the targeted diesel subsidy based on feedback from the State Government and other stakeholders, while maintaining mechanisms such as quota transfers for vehicles used by family members and applications for eligible owners to increase their subsidy quota from 200 litres to 300 litres.
Amir said about 200,000 diesel vehicle owners nationwide had been approved for the 300-litre quota, while the targeted subsidy was aimed at ensuring assistance reached eligible recipients and reducing subsidy leakages without causing major disruptions to implementation.
In a separate development, he said the government had allocated an additional RM5 billion for micro-financing this year, with more than RM1 billion already disbursed, while Federal agencies would continue supporting entrepreneurs through financing and business guidance.
