Decision on fuel subsidy scheme put off
Malaysiakini.com
May 30, 2008

The absence of several relevant ministers at the cabinet meeting today had forced the discussion on the new fuel subsidy scheme to next week.
MCPX

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak also said that some other minister have also requested the matter to be put off to next week.

"We were supposed to discuss the matter today but since several ministers were not able to attend the meeting, discussions on the fuel subsidy scheme and related matters were postponed to next week's cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

"A few ministers also requested the discussions to be postponed as they have a few proposals to include like subsidies for cooking oil.

"That's why we deferred the discussions," he told reporters today.

To plug loopholes 

The weekly cabinet meeting reverts to Wednesdays after a month of Friday meetings due to Parliament sittings. Parliament is in recess for three weeks until the end of June.

According to Bernama, Najib said the government's review of the fuel subsidy was to ensure efficient implementation of the scheme, plug loopholes and check abuse of the fuel subsidy.

"Secondly, we want fairness in the distribution of the subsidy to ensure only people who are really eligible for the subsidy receive the subsidy.

"People who can afford it can pay a bit more, closer to the market price," he said.

Najib said provisions in the new subsidy scheme that could be implemented immediately would be enforced with immediate effect while aspects that needed time would be given notice.

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