KUCHING, April 13 — Police will be temporarily deployed at high-risk petrol stations along border areas as part of a crackdown on fuel smuggling, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the deployment covers 151 fuel stations flagged by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) for tighter monitoring.

“Of those, 87 are in border areas, while 64 others are deemed high-risk due to suspicious sales surges and activity involving foreign vehicles and modified tanks.

“In Sarawak alone, police will monitor 22 petrol stations in border areas like Limbang, Lubok Antu, and Lundu through this joint operation,” he said at a press conference after the state-level meeting for the establishment of the Special Task Force for Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated) today.

Also present were Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali and Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki.

Fadillah said the move allows KPDN enforcement officers to focus on other high-risk sites, including fishermen’s diesel depots, unbranded stations, illegal jetties, and illicit bunkering activities.

Meanwhile, he said that since Ops Tiris 4.0 launched on March 16, a total of 13,759 inspections have uncovered 239 cases, resulting in RM11 million in total seizures, including RM6.7 million in Sarawak alone.

“Diesel cases were the highest at 99, worth over RM3.1 million, followed by RON95 petrol, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other controlled goods like cooking oil, sugar and wheat flour,” he said.

He also called on the public to back the “KITA GEMPUR” initiative, the government’s push to mobilise mass action to curb the leakage of controlled and subsidised goods and protect national economic sovereignty. — Bernama