Amir Hamzah: PADU at the Core of RON95 Subsidy Implementation

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) will be relying heavily on data from the Central Database Hub (PADU) in its push to implement a targeted subsidy mechanism for RON95 petrol.

Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, who is also overseeing the Economy Ministry portfolio, said this marks the first time PADU will be utilised in such a detailed and critical capacity.

He noted that the database has already compiled information from 30.4 Million individual profiles, capturing key details such as income, education, employment, vehicle ownership, demographics and any government assistance received.

Amir Hamzah said PADU will serve as a key reference point to help verify and validate applicants’ eligibility for subsidies. This, he said, will ensure that aid is channelled only to those who truly qualify while reducing leakages and errors.

The use of centralised, updated data is part of the government’s wider effort to enhance service delivery and policy targeting. According to the minister, PADU’s capabilities also allow for the development of tailored intervention programmes to better serve specific demographic groups.

To date, 204 government agencies are actively contributing data to PADU. A formal guideline on data sharing was issued on Feb 25, followed by a series of engagement sessions from Feb to June with federal ministries, agencies, state governments and local councils.

Nine applications from various agencies to access and use PADU data have so far been approved, with the goal of strengthening policy execution and digital innovation in public services.

This announcement comes despite earlier claims by former Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli on the MediaRakyat podcast that internal disagreements had led to PADU being sidelined for RON95 subsidy rationalisation. 

Rafizi, who was instrumental in PADU’s rollout, had previously said that the platform was fully ready but was overlooked in favour of other mechanisms.

Amir Hamzah’s latest statement, however, suggests a renewed commitment to leverage PADU’s capabilities for the RON95 subsidy roll-out moving forward.

Source: BERNAMA