PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has defended the government’s decision to exclude foreigners from enjoying the subsidised RON95 petrol price of RM1.99 per litre, stressing that the subsidy is meant exclusively for Malaysians.
Speaking at the launch of the National Month and Fly the Jalur Gemilang 2025 campaign, Anwar said, “This is not discrimination, but the policy of a sovereign nation prioritising its people.”
Foreigners and tourists, including those from Singapore, will pay the market rate of RM2.50 to RM2.60 per litre.
He also questioned opposition claims that foreigners contribute to the national economy, asking, “In what part of the world are foreigners treated the same as citizens?”
Anwar added that the targeted subsidy approach is expected to reduce government spending that was previously extended to non-taxpaying foreign nationals.
Despite criticism over the six-sen reduction, he emphasised it was a carefully considered move aligned with the MADANI government’s commitment to social justice. —July 27, 2025
Main image: Sinar Daily
