PUTRAJAYA, Aug 30 — The monthly quota for petrol and diesel subsidies will be raised again, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed today as he announced several goodies ahead of tomorrow’s Merdeka Day celebration.

Anwar suggested the move was initially intended to be unveiled as a Budget 2027 initiative, but he decided to announce it early as a means to provide “temporary relief”.

Currently the Budi95 programme sets the quota at 200 litres of subsidised RON95 a month. This will be raised back to 300 litres, effective 1 September 2026. For diesel, the quota would be raised from 300 to 400 litres a month. Anwar said the programme would benefit 16 million people.

The reversion to the original threshold is among a list of goodies the prime minister announced on the eve of Merdeka Day celebration here, where he delivered an official message that usually predates the National Day parade.

“It is hard but we must care for everyone. How do we ensure the T20 keep investing? How do we help the M40, the B40?” Anwar said, as he admitted to facing allegations that top and middle-income brackets often feel they are excluded from government programmes.

“With the M40, do we not give anything? I’d like to remind them that in 2023 we reduced income tax by 2 per cent. This led to the loss of RM1 billion in collection. Then there was the salary increment for civil servants. With school assistance, every family get it regardless of income background,” he added.

In his address, Anwar pointed to complaints that his government has not done enough, but suggested the accusations are ill-informed by highlighting all the major assistance that his leadership has provided up until now, including a staggering RM40 billion subsidy bill to keep petrol cheap even for high income earners.

“There is a tendency to complain about what the government has not yet done, but never to admit to God and be grateful for what we have received,” he said.

“I’ll give you an example, there is assistance that cost RM40 billion for all. What is that? Budi95.”

Anwar’s coalition secured the most seats at the 15th general election on the promise to alleviate cost of living pressure.

Despite strong growth numbers, among them a 6 per cent growth recorded in the April to June period, there is still grumbling that much of that prosperity is not trickling down, a point the prime minister acknowledged in his speech.

“Even in these tough times, we raised the SARA cash assistance, for example to RM15 billion, the highest in history. Is this the solution to all, no. Will this solve the living cost pressure, not yet,” he said.

“We admit that there are still steps to be taken.”