KPDN: FUEL SUPPLY STABLE, MONITORING STEPPED UP IN SABAH, SARAWAK AND LABUAN

BAU, April 1 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has ensured that fuel supply remains sufficient to meet public demand through an effective nationwide daily monitoring system, and will continue to strengthen enforcement in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, said director-general Datuk Azman Adam.

He said there have been no fuel shortages so far despite increased demand at several petrol stations following the recent festive season.

“The public need not worry as, although demand has increased, the situation remains under control, with daily monitoring carried out to ensure any issues are detected and addressed promptly,” he told reporters after inspecting a petrol station here today, which was also attended by KPDN Sarawak director Matthew Dominic Barin.

bootstrap slideshow

He said enforcement in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan is necessary to strengthen control over fuel supply, particularly diesel, in order to ensure supply continuity, prevent disruptions, and curb any misappropriation in the market.

He added that the surge in demand, partly driven by the situation in West Asia, has placed some pressure on supply, but the impact is temporary and does not affect overall national supply.

“If leakages are not curbed, it could lead to diesel and petrol being smuggled out or misused by ineligible parties or industries,” he said.

The government had previously announced that the subsidised diesel price in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan would remain at RM2.15 per litre; however, a daily filling limit has been enforced starting today to curb leakages.

The limit varies by vehicle category - 50 litres, 100 litres or 150 litres - to ensure subsidies reach targeted groups.

“The minimum filling limit is set at 50 litres. For vehicles requiring larger amounts, such as lorries, payment must be made at the counter, where the filling limit can be adjusted up to 150 litres,” he said.

Monitoring will be conducted at 283 petrol stations in Sarawak, 266 in Sabah and seven in Labuan, in collaboration with the police, Immigration Department and Royal Malaysian Customs Department under Op Tiris 4.0.

Azman said KPDN will also deploy officers on a static basis at stations recording unusually high sales, as well as plainclothes personnel for intelligence-gathering.

These measures are aimed at ensuring the continuity and stability of fuel supply nationwide.

He also urged the public to continue channelling information if there are any suspicious cases involving fuel misappropriation, adding that action will be taken within 24 hours if the reports received are complete.

“If you see foreign vehicles filling up RON95 in large quantities or using containers, do not take matters into your own hands and do not spread it. Report directly to KPDN, as any dissemination may compromise evidence and the success of our investigations,” he said.

The government had earlier announced several new enforcement measures effective today to curb fuel subsidy leakages, including a ban on the sale and purchase of RON95 by foreign vehicles, a restriction on the use of international credit and debit cards at self-service pump terminals, and requiring payments to be made only at the counter to control purchases by foreigners.

-- BERNAMA