PUTRAJAYA, April 8 — The Cabinet is considering increasing security presence at petrol stations following several attempts to smuggle or hoard petrol and diesel amid escalating prices, Communication Minister Fahmi Fadzil said today.
This comes on top of a directive to compile diesel usage data by fishermen in the country where the fuel is heavily subsidised, making it prone to cross-border smuggling into the Philippines where there is a severe shortage.
“Because of the series of recent arrests made, the Cabinet is thinking of increasing security at petrol stations, especially those near the borders,” he said at his weekly post-Cabinet press conference.
“This may include deploying PDRM officers to ensure the aspect of security at these petrol stations are safeguarded.”
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the High-Level Inter-Agency Coordination Committee on Combating Leakage and Smuggling that he chaired will take firm action, including suspending and revoking fleet card approvals, against any parties found to be abusing diesel subsidies under the SKDS.
Fadillah, also minister of energy transition and water transformation, said the committee agreed to appoint lead agencies for three key areas to tackle leakage: the land sector by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), the border sector by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), and the MMEA will oversee the maritime sector.
Last year, the MMEA seized nearly RM6.5 million worth of fuel, comprising 13,290 litres of diesel and 247,333 litres of petrol, state newswire Bernama reported.
