Budi95 Records High Transaction Rates Without Hiccups

Since the staged rollout of the targeted RON95 fuel subsidy programme, Budi95, in Sept, Malaysians have not experienced long queues at petrol stations, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday (Nov 18).

Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying confirmed that the system has been running smoothly and that operations at fuel stations have remained stable since the programme began.

Lim was responding to concerns raised by Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai) regarding the use of identity cards to verify eligibility for the subsidy. Some had feared that the system could lead to delays similar to those seen during the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid distribution in Aug.

She reassured lawmakers that Budi95 is supported by servers capable of processing over 30,000 transactions per minute - more than 10 times the capacity of the Sara system, which could handle only 3,000 transactions per minute.

As of Nov 17, around 13.6 million Malaysians had completed over 143.5 million refuelling transactions through Budi95. Transaction rates peaked at 41,200 per minute, with an average of 15,000 per minute.

Lim also addressed challenges faced by rural communities with limited access to subsidised fuel. Measures have been introduced, such as MyKad Terminals that work with WiFi and SIM cards to improve connectivity. 

The ministry is collaborating with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to strengthen network coverage in rural areas, ensuring issues can be resolved quickly.

To recap, under Budi95, Malaysians with valid driving licences and Malaysian-registered vehicles can purchase RON95 petrol at the subsidised price of RM1.99 per litre starting Sept 30. Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has capped the subsidy at 300 litres per person per month.

Source: The Star