Budi95 fuel subsidy: How to check elligibility and claim

Starting 30th September, the Malaysian government's Budi Madani RON 95 (Budi95) subsidy will kick in with the goal of easing the cost of living while curbing subsidy leakages. The price of RON 95 under this scheme will be fixed at RM1.99 per litre for the first 300 litres purchased, with any additional fuel purchased priced at market rates. This is a crucial move away from the previous blanket RON 95 subsidy and a move towards a more targeted, needs-based system.

How Budi95 works

Under the Budi95 subsidy, all eligible Malaysians can buy 300 litres of subsidised RON 95 at RM1.99 per litre every month. If the quota is used up, Malaysians will have to pay the unsubsidised rate for RON 95 from September 30 which is currently priced at RM2.60 per litre. Unused quota will not be carried forward to the next month. E-hailing and delivery drivers have no limit on the amount of subsidised fuel they can purchase.

The rollout of Budi95 will be done in phases:

• 27th Sep 2025: Police and Military
• 28th Sep 2025: Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients
• 30th Sep 2025: All Malaysians

So from 30th September, all eligible Malaysians will be able to enjoy the cheaper RM1.99 RON 95 rate! But how does this actually shake out?

Here is a comparison of 300 litres of RON95 expenditure before Budi 95, with Budi 95, and at market rates:

As shown in the table above, you can save up to RM2,196 a year if you fully utilise the subsidy. That is extra money that you can save or invest to grow your wealth. 

How to check Budi95 eligibility

Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible for the subsidy. Here are the steps you can follow to check your eligibility via the Budi Madani website. Do note that there is no English version as of writing:

Step 1: Visit the Budi Madani website

Visit the Budi Madani website and select layari laman untuk semakan kelayakan under the Budi Madani RON95 tab. You will be taken to the next page.

Step 2: Click check individual eligibility

On this page, click Semak Kelayakan Individu to proceed.

Step 3: Input your IC number

Here, input your IC number without spaces and complete the captcha verification if necessary. Then you can click Semak Kelayakan to view your results.

Step 4: Success!

If you are eligible, you will see the page below.

How to redeem Budi95

Depending on how you decide to pay, the process of redeeming Budi95 is different.

By card at the pump

1. Enter the amount and tap your card at the terminal.
2. Insert your MyKad and check your eligibility.
3. Start fuelling!

By cash at the counter

1. Insert your MyKad and check your eligibility.
2. State the amount, pump number and pay.
3. Start fuelling!

By Touch 'n Go eWallet

If you are paying by Touch 'n Go, open your TNG app and find the Budi95 service. It should appear under Recommended. If not, edit My Favourites and add Budi95.

Select Buy fuel when you are at a petrol station and a QR code will appear. Let the cashier scan your QR code and you can start refueling! 

On the Touch 'n Go app, you will also be able to see your:

• Eligibility,
• Budi95 balance,
• Budi95 and unsubsidised RON 95 price,
• And your purchase history.

If you have exceeded your 300 litre quota or do not qualify for Budi95, you can refuel as normal. You will be automatically charged the market price.

By petrol station app

If you are using the a petrol station app, the process is similar to using Touch 'n Go. We will use the Setel app for this example.

Open the Setel app and find the RON95 @ RM1.99 service.

You will be taken to the following page. Here, you can check your eligibility and the price for subsidised and unsubsidised RON 95. To check eligibility, ensure you have a verified account.

If you are verified, you will see the following page.

Once you are eligible, head to a Petronas petrol station and go through the following steps.

1. Tap purchase fuel.
2. Select the pump, pump amount (by RM or litre) and ensure Budi95 is turned on. Tap pay.
3. Start refueling! Your total usage will be displayed.

Where to redeem Budi95

As of writing, there are 10 Budi95 partner petrol stations where subsidied RON 95 can be redeemed: 

• BPH
• Buraqoil
• Caltex
• Five Petroleum
• Petron
• Petronas
• Petros
• Shell
• Xcel
• Smart Stream

How this affects non-Malaysians

If you are a foreigner driving a Malaysia-registered vehicle, you can buy RON 95. However, you are not eligible for the Budi95 subsidy, which is reserved for Malaysians driving Malaysia-registered vehicles. As such, you will be charged the full market price of RON 95 rather than the subsidised RM1.99 rate.

For non-Malaysia-registered vehicles - Singapore or Thai registered cars entering Malaysia, pumping RON 95 is not permitted, even if the driver holds a valid Malaysian IC. Instead, foreign-registered vehicles must use RON 97 or other high-performance fuels which are sold at market rates without subsidy. This restriction is to prevent cross-border misuse of Malaysia's fuel subsidy and to ensure the benefits of Budi95 remain targeted to eligible Malaysians.

All in all, Budi95 is a paradigm shift in how Malaysian manages fuel subsidies - focusing on targeted support for Malaysians while curbing misuse. Citizens, e-hailing, and delivery drivers gain real savings when purchasing petrol, while foreign drivers pay the full market rate and have limited RON 95 access. By balancing affordability with fairness, Budi95 helps households manage expenses and ensures that the subsidy benefits are distributed more sustainably long term.