KUALA LUMPUR (June 17): The government still bears around RM7 billion in subsidies related to diesel in Peninsular Malaysia, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He explained that the subsidy is not abolished, and the diesel subsidy rationalisation is to ensure more efficient management of subsidies, so that they reach the appropriate groups and are not misused.

"The main goal of the diesel subsidy rationalisation policy is to ensure that subsidy wastage no longer continues, while ensuring that the savings are returned to the wider population," he said in a statement on Monday.

Anwar said savings from the implementation of targeted subsidies will certainly be returned to the people in the form of education, health, public transportation and other sectors with the greatest impact on the public.

According to him, the Madani government also remains committed to combating diesel smuggling, while striving for a balance between the government's efforts and issues of supply and cost of living.

The prime minister said the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living launched Ops Tiris on March 1 last year to combat the misappropriation of subsidised diesel benefiting parties not eligible for the subsidy.

As of Dec 31, 2023, a total of 6.44 million litres of diesel, estimated to be worth RM14.12 million, had been seized.

Anwar said that due to the positive results and developments of the operation, Ops Tiris 3.0 was launched with an expanded scope covering other controlled goods, namely refined white sugar (coarse and fine), 1kg polybag cooking oil, RON95 petrol, and liquefied petroleum gas.

"As of June 14, controlled goods worth RM12.96 million had been seized, with diesel accounting for the bulk of smuggled and misappropriated controlled items," he added.

Additionally, he said the price of pure palm cooking oil in bottled packaging had been maintained at RM6.90 (1kg), RM13.30 (2kg), RM19.60 (3kg) and RM30.90 (5kg) since the Madani government took over leadership, even as global crude palm oil prices exceeded the threshold price of RM3,890 per tonne.

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