IPOH (May 18): The unity government will continue to look for methods to ensure subsidies are provided fairly to targeted groups.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the B40 group will continue to be given attention in the provision of subsidies.

“Fuel, for example… we provide subsidy for poor motorcyclists, (as with) rich folks in Mercedes. We will find ways (where) we don’t burden the poor, (while) the rich with an income of RM50,000, RM100,000 a month, they will have to pay up... that will be our policy,” he said in his speech at a gathering with mosques and surau committee members from the Tambun parliamentary constituency at the Perak Islamic Administration Institute (Intim) here on Thursday (May 18).

Anwar, who is also Tambun MP, earlier performed the Asar prayer with congregants at Intim’s Sultan Azlan Shah mosque.

The prime minister also defended the decision to impose actual electricity tariff charges on consumers who use excessive electricity, which he said did not affect 80% of consumers.

“But if it (tariff) is not increased at all, it remains a problem as the amount of subsidy is too high… if it costs RM10, the government bears RM5.

“So we have taken the decision not to burden the B40, M40 (which comes up to) 80% not being burdened. We are charging only the T20, and that too, only the costs, without the government profiting,” Anwar said.

Meanwhile, Anwar said as Tambun MP, he will increase allocations for mosques and surau in the constituency to conduct their activities.

“As for applications to expand mosques and surau, I think it’s best to submit the application to the district office and let them coordinate before they are forwarded to the parliamentary office,” he said.