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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

We could build 40 universities with fuel subsidy amount, says Ahmad Maslan

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan gestures as he speaks during a forum about Budget 2015 in Cyberjaya today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Raiezal, October 14, 2014.Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan gestures as he speaks during a forum about Budget 2015 in Cyberjaya today. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Afif Raiezal, October 14, 2014.
Putrajaya could build 40 new universities with the amount it spends on fuel subsidies, deputy finance minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan claimed today.
He defended the recent subsidy cut that raised the price of RON95 petrol and diesel by 20 cents per litre each, and said fuel subsidies were "stupid" if they benefitted everyone across the board.
Ahmad said the RM2 billion spent monthly by the government on fuel subsidies could be put to better use.
"The rakyat may not realise this, but the Barisan Nasional-led government in Putrajaya is one of the best in the world," Ahmad said.
He was addressing senior staff at the Inland Revenue Board headquarters in Cyberjaya today, officiating the 2015 Budget briefing.
Giving another example, Ahmad said the RM2 billion spent monthly on fuel subsidies could build "2,000 fully air-conditioned community halls around Malaysia".
Ahmad pointed out that even with the subsidy cut, Malaysia's prices for fuel and diesel were still cheaper compared with Singapore and Thailand, where he said a litre of RON95 was RM and RM5, respectively.
RON95 fuel in Malaysia currently retails for RM2.30 per litre compared to RM2.10 before the subsidy cut.
But less than 3% of Malaysians used the premium RON97 fuel, and the wide use of subsidised fuel, including by the rich, was an "injustice" that Putrajaya had to correct, he said.
"That means luxury car drivers enjoy 10 times the subsidy compared to a motorcyclist. Putrajaya is trying to correct an injustice," Ahmad said.
"If Putrajaya were to continue with the present subsidy scheme, then even tycoons such as Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan and Tan Sri Robert Kuok would benefit.
"Putrajaya is trying to leverage the subsidies to ensure that it only benefits the needy and low-income groups instead of allowing everyone to benefit from it.
"Giving subsidies to the rich and elite is a stupid principle. So do not be angry about the recent hike in fuel prices," he told some 200 civil servants at the briefing.
- TMI

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