KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says if he has his way, he will want targeted subsidies to start benefitting the people tomorrow.
"If the plans (are ready), then tomorrow. But I do not want to give any commitment but we are working on it.
"We want to do it as fast as possible," he said after visiting Pusat Penjaja Madani along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman here.
Anwar said he and a team are working on the subsidy mechanism but they are not yet convinced of its effectiveness as it is a complex matter.
"It is unlike electricity where you know where the house and factories are. But for diesel, it is difficult as it is passable between cars.
"All these are being studied. The mechanism is not easy but we are working on it," he said.
Anwar added that the targeted subsidy must benefit the people who need it rather than the rich.
"The 90 per cent of people who qualify should get it, like diesel.
"Now petrol, those driving Mercedes and Rolls Royce all get it," he said.
It was reported that individuals earning more than the average salary or those who fall under the top 20 income group (T20) would no longer receive subsidies for electricity and to perform the haj.
Anwar, during the question and answer session in the first meeting of Dewan Rakyat in May, had said that the government would coordinate subsidy distribution based on income groups through the implementation of a household socioeconomic database, Pangkalan Data Utama (Padu), which is expected to be completed by year end.
"To curb leakages, the government will initiate targeted electricity subsidy in the first half of this year to maintain the tariff for households, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and agricultural producers.
"Hence, we will not increase the electricity tariff, unless for the T20, and this will be coordinated by the Padu system," he added.