KUALA LUMPUR: The government is testing a few systems for a targeted fuel subsidy but there is no timeline for the implementation, said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Tengku Zafrul said the government was testing several proposals on the table to determine the best mechanism for execution before presenting it to the Cabinet.
"We will test and decide when we are comfortable with the mechanism and the platform of how we execute it. Obviously, the customer's experience would vary in the rural areas as well as the city," he told reporters at the launch of the edotco Group's sustainability blueprint and report 2021 here today.
Tengku Zafrul said the government had previously estimated that the subsidies for this year would reach RM77.7 billion, including RM30 billion to subsidise fuel cost.
"Last month, it (fuel subsidy) already reached RM5 billion a month," he said.
Meanwhile, edotco, an integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company in Asia, launched its sustainability blueprint to fulfil its commitment to connecting the world equitably and sustainably.
The blueprint illustrates the Malaysia-born organisation's mission to become a Top 5 Global telecommunications tower company (TowerCo) through sustainable and responsible growth.
Tengku Zafrul said key priorities under the 12th Malaysia Plan included reducing greenhouse gas emissions intensity to 45 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030 and for Malaysia to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
To complement this, he said a comprehensive National Energy Policy would provide the blueprint on achieving Malaysia's carbon neutrality goals.
"To this end, lasting and sustainable progress can only be achieved when the whole nation - comprising both the public and private sector rallies behind a common sustainability vision.
"Growth and lasting change always begin at the top. Therein, I am glad that edotco's management has been collaborating with various stakeholders throughout its sustainability journey.
"This includes strong support from the board which has allowed edotco to halve its carbon footprint by as much as 58 per cent," he said.
edotco Group chief executive officer Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajudin said it must take up the crucial task of building the infrastructures needed to bridge digital divides.
Mohamed Adlan said sustainability framework underscored the company's pledge to meet this ambition without losing sight of the environmental, social and governance fundamentals required to enable thriving communities, across Malaysia and the world at large.
"We are now moving into the next phase of powering equitable digital transformation and realising a 5G future - doing so with the full commitment of working closely and transparently with our stakeholders to meet our shared aspirations," he said.
The sustainability report catalogues the company's efforts along its sustainability journey, as it aligns its growth with key ESG fundamentals, in Malaysia and across its markets of operation.
The reporting period ran from January 1 to December 31, 2021 with a scope that encompasses all edotco's operations and its subsidiaries.
The locations included edotco's Corporate Centre and National Tower Companies across eight countries (Malaysia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Cambodia,Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Laos).
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/business/2022/07/811510/government-testing-few-systems-targeted-fuel-subsidy-finance-minister