It’s the price that fuels heated reactions among motorists

PETALING JAYA: Fuel subsidies have often been a political hot potato.

It was much talked about during the May general election, as fuel prices had a major impact on the rising cost of living.

And ideas for fuel subsidies are not new. When Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was prime minister, oil prices started to skyrocket and caused problems to his administration.

It is not far-fetched to say that the steep rise in fuel prices cost Abdullah the 2008 general election.

Fuel subsidy programmes are not new in Malaysia.

There was a pilot project launched in November 2008 in which motorists would pay for petrol with their MyKad.

An ePetrol kiosk was set up in selected petrol stations.

The MyKad was linked to the motorist’s bank account.

This meant that the MyKad was used to pay for the fuel.

The idea was to ensure that fuel subsidies were given to deserving Malaysians only. But the project did not take off.

MyKasih started a pilot project using the identity card in 2008.

In 2014, it got it going again.

That was when MyKasih Foundation started a pilot project, offering a monthly fuel subsidy of RM20 for a year to 40 low-income families in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya.

These residents need to use their MyKad to get the subsidy at certain petrol stations in their neighbourhood.