PUTRAJAYA: Those who renewed their road tax in April and May and are eligible for cash rebates can get the payment from all post offices beginning Saturday.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said although the Government had announced that cash rebates could only be collected beginning July 1, it had decided to bring forward the date.

"This is because we want to ease the burden of the rakyat. Detailed information on the actual procedure will be announced soon," he told reporters after chairing the first National Inflation Council meeting at his office here yesterday.

On June 4, Abdullah had announced the new fuel price of RM2.70 a litre for petrol and RM2.58 a litre for diesel.

In line with this, private vehicles of engine capacity of 2,000cc and below will enjoy a RM625 rebate, which will be paid to them upon renewal of their road tax.

Private pickup trucks and jeeps with engine capacity of 2,500cc and below will also receive the rebate. Owners of motorcycles of 250cc and below are eligible for a RM150 rebate.

Abdullah said the meeting had also decided to increase the quota of subsidised diesel that public transport companies could buy.

"The companies have been given fleet cards to continue buying diesel at the old price of RM1.43 a litre. We have also agreed to expand the list of vehicles eligible for diesel subsidy to include factory buses and taxis using petrol."

"We are also extending the coverage of our social safety net by considering the increase of several allowances."

"The threshold of income will be raised so more Malaysians can benefit," he said, adding that more announcements would follow.

Asked if the price of fuel would remain until next March, Abdullah replied that crude oil prices in the global market were rising too quickly.

"There are so many things we have to consider so I don;t think I will say anything now," he said.