Pontian MP Ahmad Maslan said the additional funds from Petronas could be used to continue subsidising various goods for Malaysians amid the impact of the Iran war, particularly fuel.

Ahmad, a former deputy finance minister, pointed out that Petronas paid RM32 billion in dividends to Putrajaya in 2025.

He also suggested that the government temporarily slash public transport fares to encourage Malaysians to drive their personal vehicles less and save fuel.

“Give special discounts for public transportation like the LRT, MRT, monorail, ETS, and ERL so that more people will use them,” he said in a Facebook post.

The four-term MP also proposed that companies, both public and private, give incentives for employees to carpool or take public transportation to work.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim previously said the estimated fuel subsidy bill as of late March stood at RM4 billion a month for RON95 petrol and diesel in East Malaysia following the crude oil price surge.

However, Anwar said he did not expect Malaysia to face an oil supply crisis in the coming months despite the price disruptions on the cards.

As part of energy-saving measures, the government is ordering certain segments of civil servants to work from home and encouraging the private sector to follow suit.

Despite claims by certain quarters, Petronas has denied “swimming in profts” thanks to the global energy crisis, saying its operating costs in the midstream and downstream segments also rise significantly when energy prices surge.

Ahmad also proposed giving variations of price and time extensions to contractors hired for construction projects due to the rise in construction costs resulting from the Middle East conflict.

The deputy works minister said this would cushion the cost pressures for contractors while allowing construction to proceed and prevent locals from losing jobs.

Ahmad also advised consumers to purchase their groceries directly from fishermen and farmers to obtain the best prices for their food items.