Charity organisations in Sarawak are urging the government to resolve Budi Diesel registration problems affecting welfare and rural outreach programmes.
KUCHING: Many religious communities and non-governmental organisations involved in running charity and welfare projects in the vast rural territories of Sarawak are missing out on the government-subsidised Budi Diesel rate of RM2.10 per litre and are having to pay market rates for this essential fuel.
Teething problems in registering diesel-powered vehicles have emerged and are affecting a large number of these religious and charitable organisations, said Sarawak DAP central committee member Stanley Chiew.
“It has come to our attention that many religious and non-governmental charitable bodies with large numbers of pick-up trucks and small lorries are missing out on the Budi Diesel scheme.
“They could not register for the subsidised Budi Diesel scheme even though the new scheme has already been rolled out.
“Those left out are having to pay much higher market rates for their diesel.
“These religious organisations and NGOs are running charity programmes, including food delivery and transportation for many poor rural communities, students and travellers daily in remote districts.
“They have to spend a lot of money on diesel fuel daily.
“The government must look into their plight immediately,” Chiew said in a press statement.
Last week, Sarawak DAP also called for a significant increase in the Budi Diesel quota for each driver in Sarawak who owns diesel-fuelled vehicles.
The party had submitted an official request to Putrajaya to allocate a minimum 500-litre monthly quota for Sarawak instead of the 300-litre maximum quota being considered by the federal government.
State DAP chairman Chong Chien Jen, who is Stampin Member of Parliament, said he had submitted the official request to the Finance Ministry at a recent meeting in the federal capital.
