Malaysia’s Anwar flip-flops on petrol subsidy cuts: ‘no means yes’?

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sparked confusion as he rowed back on long-threatened plans to slash petrol subsidies just days before the cuts were expected to take effect.

Anwar has faced growing public pushback on concerns over rising living costs as his cash-strapped administration pursues plans to drop blanket subsidies on petrol and impose fresh taxes on imported goods like apples and cod.

But on Thursday, the prime minister said that the government would no longer raise the price of the subsidised RON95 grade petrol after all – even if there was a sharp increase in global crude oil prices caused by the air war between Israel and Iran.

“We are not increasing fuel prices,” he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

Malaysians were not convinced by Anwar’s assurance, with many taking to social media to question the leader’s shifting positions on the planned subsidy cuts.

“Why do [you] not do as you say and have it looming over our heads?” read one comment responding to a post on Anwar’s latest statement, highlighting the uncertainty felt by the public over their finances.