PETALING JAYA: A brief moment of panic hit motorists yesterday as petrol pumps displayed RM2.60 per litre of RON95 petrol instead of the promised RM1.99.
However, relief followed when the receipts issued reflected a different amount.
“The price at the pump caught me off guard. I thought I had overpaid, as the price on the pump was much higher than what I keyed in on my application,” said e-hailing driver Mohd Nazli Mohd Nor when met at a petrol station here.
“However, the refunds were processed almost immediately, and I saved close to RM20 through the subsidies,” he added.
However, the 45-year-old expressed concerns about how e-hailing drivers can apply the additional litres of subsidised petrol.
“Hopefully, there can be more clarity on this, as we will definitely need more than 300 litres a month due to the nature of our work,” he said.
Mohd Nazli was among the thousands of Malaysians who filled their tanks yesterday under the Budi Madani RON95 (Budi95) initiative, which brings savings of RM0.61 per litre of RON95 petrol for eligible Malaysians.
A motorist who wanted to be known only as Wong, 54, said it was initially confusing, as the petrol price on the pump indicated it was RM2.60 per litre instead of RM1.99 per litre under the Budi95 initiative.
“I had to double-check with the attendant, as the figures on the pump differed from the amount I had input as payment.
“After some explanation, it made sense, and the balance was also reflected both on my receipt and payment application,” she said.
Despite the initial scare, many found the process seamless, with guidance from the pump attendants at petrol stations.
E-hailing rider Muhammad Idwan, 32, said the whole process was quick and seamless.
“The only additional step is inserting the MyKad into the terminal. The receipts also show how much we saved and how many more litres we are eligible for,” he said.
Liana Hani, 29, said the savings are reasonable when seen over the span of a month. Although some see it as a small amount, every little bit of money saved helps,” she said.
Housewife Yuszaida Mat Zin, 44, said she learnt about the process while accompanying her husband, who is a Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah recipient.
“The whole thing is quite simple, and 300 litres is more than enough for us,” she said.
Law student Adriena Arissya, 21, said the cheaper petrol price helps stretch her daily commute budget.
“I get to save more money in the long run. The extra savings can also be used for my toll charges,” she said.
Transporter Dsudin Mohd Ghani, 65, said that the process was seamless apart from the initial scare of the price displayed on the petrol pump.
“It’s simple and smooth. We get to see how much we saved and how many more litres we are eligible for through the receipt,” he said.
Checks at several petrol stations here saw operations proceeding smoothly, with a large number of attendants present to help consumers.
“We’ve had at least 100 customers come today, and the main concern has only been how to purchase the subsidised fuel.
“Only a handful of people had their purchases rejected as their MyKads were faulty,” said an attendant who wanted to be known as Amir.
Another attendant, who only wanted to be known as Din, said many were still unsure of how to purchase petrol under the Budi95 scheme.
“We’ve been stationed since 7am and have been helping people learn the process. We also have a counter where the public can check their MyKad to find out if they are eligible for the scheme,” he said.
A petrol station owner who spoke on the condition of anonymity said it has been smooth sailing ever since the rollout earlier yesterday.
“Not many hiccups. We’ve only had one customer who could not fill up his fuel tank, as his MyKad could not be read, but that was an isolated incident,” he added.
