KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu vice-president Datuk Radzi Jidin (Putrajaya-PN) has sharply criticised the government for its lack of clarity regarding the newly introduced T15 classification, describing their announcements and policies as wishy-washy.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat during the debate on the 2025 Budget, which was tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 18, Radzi called for a comprehensive explanation of the T15 classification, asserting that it directly affects subsidies and aid for the public.
“I want to highlight the confusion surrounding the Budget 2025 announcement. On May 19, 2023, the Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli, declared that the Padu system—an integrated central database hub—would replace the previous income classification system, which identified those in need of assistance based on the B40, M40, and T20 income brackets,” Radzi explained.
“Yet, just a month later, he stated that the government would discontinue this system in 2024. When the Padu system was implemented in January, the public faced a convoluted process to input their details. When we inquired why this information was required, given that it was already accessible via government data, the Economy Minister merely referred to it as a survey.”
“Who is responsible for verifying this information?” Radzi asked.
Radzi, who is a former Education minister, also urged Anwar to provide a more detailed explanation of the T15 category.
“During the budget announcement, the Prime Minister, who also holds the Finance Minister position, indicated that individuals within the T15 group would not be eligible for petrol subsidies or full boarding schools. However, no further clarification has been given regarding what constitutes this T15 category,” Radzi said.
“The public presumes that T15 is based on household income data provided by the Department of Statistics, yet on 20 October, the Economy Minister stated he ‘didn’t think’ the government would rely on the current household income data.
“As a government, you cannot simply say ‘you think’ or ‘you feel’. An announcement has already been made. This is why I maintain that the budget is very confusing,” he added.
Radzi pointed out that when questioned about this on October 22, the Prime Minister explained that the government has shifted its focus to assessing household income on a per capita basis, dividing total household income by the number of individuals living in the household.
“This is yet another different approach,” he said.
“When we, the opposition, highlight these inconsistencies, we are accused of politicking. The government’s main weakness is that they still think like an opposition party. When they were in opposition, it was easy to make empty promises without the burden of fulfilling them.”
During the budget announcement, Anwar confirmed that the Ron95 petrol subsidy would be targeted from mid-next year, with those in the T15 category no longer eligible for the subsidy. – October 24, 2024