Do you have a better fuel subsidy plan, Onn Hafiz asked

DAP’s Lee Wern Yiing slammed Johor BN chief Onn Hafiz Ghazi for criticising the government’s fuel subsidy policy without offering an alternative.

JOHOR BAHRU: A Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate has challenged Johor Barisan Nasional (BN) chief Onn Hafiz Ghazi to put forward a better proposal if he disagrees with the federal government’s targeted fuel subsidy mechanism.

At a press conference here, DAP’s Johor Jaya candidate Lee Wern Yiing slammed the Johor menteri besar for criticising the policy without offering an alternative.

She said the government would welcome constructive proposals to improve the implementation of targeted subsidies.

“If he has a better proposal, I call on him to put it forward. The targeted subsidy is meant not only to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, but also to reduce the country’s fiscal deficit,” she said.

Lee said maintaining blanket subsidies indefinitely would continue to place a heavy financial burden on the government, and that reforms were necessary to ensure the more effective use of public funds.

Yesterday, Onn Hafiz urged Putrajaya to abolish the monthly cap for targeted fuel subsidies, arguing that the allocated amount was inadequate while diesel quotas had increased business costs.

The menteri besar also criticised the government’s decision to implement e-invoicing and to mandate employers to contribute 2% of the monthly pay of foreign workers to EPF.

PH’s Stulang candidate Andrew Chen reminded the state Umno chief that Umno and BN were part of the federal government and therefore shared responsibility for policies approved by the Cabinet.

“If Onn Hafiz has a different view on any of these policies, the appropriate channel is through the party leadership and Umno ministers in the Cabinet.

“Why is it only when an election approaches that policies which were collectively agreed upon are turned into political campaign material, creating the impression that Umno had no role in making those decisions?” he said.