Many are yet to do so, said second finance minister Amir Hamzah Azizan.

He estimated that only 60,000 have applied, out of an estimated 300,000 private diesel vehicle owners and 110,000 agri-commodity entrepreneurs.

“Half of them have already been approved to receive the RM200 aid starting on Monday,” he said. “Those who have not registered should do so immediately.”

He said the RM200 payment can help vehicle owners cover the difference between the current diesel price and the new price to be determined later.

He was speaking at a press conference after attending a Budi Madani event here with agriculture and food security minister Mohamad Sabu.

They held a discussion with 150 farmers and smallholders from Klang and Shah Alam, and provided information about the Budi Madani programme.

Mohamad said there was some confusion among farmers regarding the programme, “because this programme is new”.

He said village people did not know how to register and who to meet, “but after this (discussion session), we are sure everything will run smoothly in a month or two”.

Mohamad said all vehicle owners in the agricultural sector are eligible for the RM200 monthly aid. Officials will visit farmers and smallholders in each state to provide them with further details about the programme.

Any Malaysian with an individual or joint annual income of RM100,000 or less, and who owns a legally registered diesel vehicle, is eligible.

Eligible farmers or smallholders are those registered with the authorities who generate an annual turnover of between RM50,000 and RM300,000.