The mechanism for targeted petrol subsidies for RON95 currently being studied by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) will utilize data from the Central Database Hub (PADU), according to Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
He, who is also carrying out the duties and functions of the Economy Minister, said that as of now, the system has compiled 30.4 million individual profiles.
These profiles, he said, include demographic information, locality, socioeconomic and employment status, income, education, vehicle ownership, poverty status, and types of assistance received by individuals.
“Regarding the implementation of targeted subsidies, PADU data will be used by MOF as a reference for RON95 subsidy recipients… this is the first time PADU’s highly detailed data will be utilized (for targeted subsidies).
“Currently, the government is focusing on using the latest data to improve the efficiency of service delivery. For example, verifying and validating applicant information to identify truly eligible recipients and reduce errors,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Aminolhuda Hassan (PH-Sri Gading) regarding the Economy Ministry’s plans for the PADU system, the amount of data collected as of June 2025, and the government’s readiness to conduct periodic audits of the system through an independent body to ensure transparency and proper governance.
Amir Hamzah said that with the available data, the government can also identify intervention programs for specific target groups.
Additionally, he said that currently, 204 agencies have continuously carried out data sharing and integration with PADU, though data usage remains limited to specific government agency needs.
“To encourage data-driven decision-making, PADU data-sharing guidelines were established and distributed to all government agencies on Feb 25, alongside briefing sessions for ministries, agencies, state governments, and local authorities conducted from February to June this year.
“As of now, nine applications (for PADU data usage) from various agencies have been approved to enhance policy efficiency and effectiveness, as well as digital service innovation,” he said.
