‘Taken out of context’: Liew Chin Tong denies announcing new 150L Budi95 limit

KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong has clarified that he did not announce a reduced 150-litre Budi95 quota, saying that his remarks during a corporate event earlier today were taken out of context.

The clarification follows media reports suggesting that the government was mulling specific fuel caps as part of its subsidy rationalisation strategy.

Liew said that in no instance during a fireside chat during an Affin Bank event did he announce any policy on behalf of the government, nor did he present a 150-litre limit as a potential move.

Addressing the “media storm” caused by the reports, Liew explained that his comments were focused on data and long-term sustainability.

“I said the Budi95 mechanism is a good tool as it provides us with data to understand the travel pattern of Malaysians.

“⁠The top priority of the government and everyone in the society is to ensure that we have sufficient supply for as long as possible,” Liew said in a subsequent statement.

He argued that as a nation, Malaysia must ensure its petrol supply lasts for as long as possible. To achieve this, he suggested that the country should eventually build a societal consensus to support efforts aimed at reducing overall fuel consumption.

Expressing regret over the misunderstanding, the deputy finance minister urged the public and the media to consider the full context of his statements.

He reiterated that the discussion was centred on managing the global energy crisis and long-term resource management rather than the immediate implementation of new restrictive policies.