‘Indonesia is enforcing the B20 biodiesel blend throughout all sectors from next month while here in Malaysia, we are still on the B7 mandate.’
TERESA KOK, Primary Industries Minister
PUTRAJAYA: Primary Industries Minister Teresa Kok said the imposition of import tax on selected cooking oils and rubber products is among suggestions from industry stakeholders in the 2019 Budget.
She said the ministry had received 119 proposals to date.
The government is expected to table the 2019 Budget on November 2.
“I have just been briefed that cooking oil supply surpasses demand and it is the same situation for selected rubber products. So, there are proposals to impose taxes on imported vegetable cooking oil and some of these rubber products,” she said, here, yesterday.
Imported vegetable cooking oils that have flooded the market include olive, canola and sunflower variants.
“Many proposals are practical but we will need to go through the due process of inter-ministry engagement before we can announce our decision,” said Kok.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Zurina Pawanteh acknowledged that there were suggestions for subsidies in the move to raise the biodiesel mandate from B7 (a blend of seven per cent biodiesel and 93 per cent regular diesel) to B10.
Kok said the ministry was consulting the automotive and logistics sector, oil companies and the Finance Ministry on higher usage of palm biodiesel throughout the country.
“We need to go on educating the people about the benefits of this cleaner and greener fuel.
“Indonesia is enforcing the B20 biodiesel mandate next month but we are still on the B7 mandate,” she added.