Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said the government will consider increasing the monthly Budi Madani RON95 (Budi95) fuel quota for p-hailing riders from 200 litres to 250 litres. The proposal will be tabled at the next National Economic Action Council (MTEN) meeting on Tuesday (20 May).

Anwar made the announcement during a meet-and-greet session at the Taman Desa Mutiara People’s Housing Project (PPR) in Johor Bahru on Sunday (17 May), after speaking directly with food delivery riders at the event.

“They did not ask for it, but I have decided to do this after hearing what they go through,” the Prime Minister said. 

P-Hailing Riders Currently Share The Same Quota As Everyone Else

Under the current Budi95 structure, p-hailing riders receive the same 200-litre monthly quota as regular motorists. Registered e-hailing drivers, by contrast, are entitled to 800 litres per month at the subsidised RM1.99 per litre rate.

P-hailing riders deliver food and parcels on motorcycles for platforms such as GrabFood and Foodpanda, and they spend long hours on the road to earn their income. Unlike the average commuter who fills up once or twice a month, a full-time delivery rider’s fuel consumption is directly tied to how much they take home.

If you are a p-hailing rider, the 200-litre cap means any fuel beyond that threshold costs RM3.87 per litre, the current unsubsidised RON95 price. That is almost double the subsidised rate, and for riders who depend on volume to make a living, the gap between RM1.99 and RM3.87 eats directly into earnings.

The Quota Was Cut From 300 Litres In April

The Budi95 programme originally provided all eligible Malaysians with up to 300 litres of subsidised RON95 per month when it launched in September 2025. That quota was reduced to 200 litres from 1 April 2026 as the government’s fuel subsidy bill surged amid the Middle East conflict.

The government said at the time that around 90% of Budi95 users consume fewer than 200 litres per month, so most motorists would not feel the change. But that figure reflects the average Malaysian driver, not someone who rides for a living.

For context, the government currently spends roughly RM7 billion a month on fuel subsidies under Budi95, up from around RM700 million before the conflict escalated. That pressure is unlikely to ease soon, and there has already been discussion about whether the quota could be reduced further to 150 litres, though Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong later clarified that his remarks on the subject were taken out of context.

The Extra 50 Litres Could Save Around RM94 A Month

An extra 50 litres at the subsidised rate of RM1.99 per litre would save a p-hailing rider roughly RM94 per month compared to buying the same amount at the unsubsidised price of RM3.87 per litre. Over a year, that is about RM1,128, money that matters when your monthly income depends on how many orders you complete.

That said, 250 litres would still be well below the 800-litre allocation for e-hailing drivers. The government has not indicated whether p-hailing riders could eventually receive a separate quota tier.

The proposal is also not yet confirmed. Anwar has said he will raise it at the MTEN meeting, but no decision has been made. If you are a p-hailing rider, you would need to wait for an official announcement before any change takes effect.

No Details Yet On How Riders Would Be Identified

The announcement does not explain how p-hailing riders would be identified within the Budi95 system. E-hailing drivers are already verified through their registered e-hailing operators, but p-hailing riders operate under a different licensing framework regulated by the Land Public Transport Agency.

For the higher quota to work in practice, the government would need a way to distinguish p-hailing riders from regular motorists at the pump. This could involve verification through delivery platforms or the p-hailing licensing system, but no details have been shared so far.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for the latest money tips and updates.