Targeted diesel subsidy: MoF studying appeal by Cameron Highlands farmers, says deputy minister

CAMERON HIGHLANDS, June 14 — The Ministry of Finance will look into the recommendations and findings of the ministry’s engagement session with entrepreneurs and vegetable growers in Cameron Highlands following the implementation of targeted diesel subsidy.

Deputy Minister of Finance Lim Hui Ying said all relevant information will be collected before being examined together with relevant ministries and decided jointly.

She said the government is always sensitive and took note of the complaints and appeals of vegetable farmers in Cameron Highlands who raised several important points regarding the targeted programme.

“Most of the feedback we received from the dialogue session earlier was for a review of the eligibility conditions that limit the minimum agricultural sales of RM50,000 to RM300,000 per year, that condition is too low and they have asked for it to be raised.

“In addition, they also stated that most farm operators here use diesel-powered equipment but are not included in the eligibility conditions to obtain the subsidy introduced by the government,” she said in a press conference after the Cameron Highlands Entrepreneurs/Growers Engagement Session on Budi Madani and the Subsidised Diesel Control System (SKDS) 2.0 here, today.

Lim said the engagement session also involved representatives from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) to provide clear explanations to farmers.

“This dialogue is important because it involves the main stakeholders of the national food industry and we want them to realise that the government is always with them,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Cameron Highlands Vegetable Growers Association secretary, Chai Ee Mong, said the association asked the government to review the implementation of the Budi Madani diesel subsidy scheme to ensure that the initiative can be enjoyed by farmers and small planters as a whole.

“The diesel subsidy introduced by the government is very good, but there are dropouts, especially with the conditions introduced, most of us are not eligible for the subsidy.

“In Cameron Highlands alone there are 2,200 farmers and we now have to compete with vegetables imported from Thailand and China, ultimately we local farmers cannot market our vegetables in the local market because imported vegetables are cheaper, so there will be dumping,” he said. — Bernama