Ex-BN communications man suggests petrol levy on T15 group

FMT: 

Ex-BN communications

man suggests petrol levy

on T15 group

FMT Reporters

-21 Oct 2024, 12:34 PM

Eric See-To says it would be easier to make those in the T15 group pay a levy when they renew their road tax.

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Former Barisan Nasional (BN) strategic communications deputy director Eric See-To said a two-tier pricing for RON95 fuel would increase costs for petrol station owners.

PETALING JAYA: 

The government should impose a levy on the ultra-rich when they renew their road tax instead of implementing a two-tier pricing mechanism for RON95, says former Barisan Nasional (BN) strategic communications deputy director Eric See-To.

Economy minister Rafizi Ramli previously said a dual pricing system would be introduced for RON95.

Under the plan, the T15 group will no longer be eligible for subsidised fuel and will have to purchase petrol at the market rate.

However, See-To, who participated in a debate with Rafizi last month, said such a system would prove to be complicated and would increase the cost of managing the sale of RON95 fuel for the petrol station owners.

Instead, he suggested that the government impose a levy based on the annual amount of fuel consumed by the T15 group, a new classification introduced to refer to those in the top 15% bracket of society who earn a household income of RM13,000 or more.

“If the government has already identified those in the T15 group, why not simply impose a petrol levy on this group when they renew their road tax?

The government could also impose a petrol levy on new petrol vehicles valued at RM300,000 and above,

 See-To said in a Facebook post.

“Let’s say each vehicle in the T15 group refuels 50 litres per week, or around 2,500 litres per year – with the subsidy costing RM1 per litre. The government could then impose a petrol levy of RM2,500 per year on these vehicles’ road tax.

If they truly belong to the T15 group or can afford to buy cars worth over RM300,000, I believe it wouldn’t be a problem for them to pay RM2,500 per year for each vehicle they own.

He said this approach would see only one price for subsidised RON95 petrol being sold at petrol stations.

See-To said another approach would be to emulate the system currently used for diesel under the Budi Madani system, where prices are floated but 85% of eligible Malaysians receive monthly payments.

Last month, Rafizi’s 

Yang Bakar Menteri

 podcast unveiled See-To as  the social media influencer 

Lim Sian See

, one of Rafizi’s fiercest critics.