KOTA KINABALU, June 29 -- As Putrajaya prepares to roll out its targeted diesel subsidy scheme in just a few days, concerns are mounting that a policy designed to curb fuel leakages may inadvertently leave behind many ordinary Sabahans who depend on diesel-powered vehicles for their daily lives.

Unlike much of Peninsular Malaysia, diesel is more than just commercial fuel in Sabah.

It powers the four-wheel drives that navigate rough rural roads, ferries farmers to distant markets, transports tourists to interior attractions and carries teachers to schools scattered across the state's vast interior.

While the federal government says the new Budi Diesel programme will ensure subsidies reach only eligible Malaysians through MyKad verificat...