KOTA KINABALU, April 11 — The Cabinet has agreed to deploy police personnel at petrol stations to strengthen monitoring and enforcement amid rising risks of fuel supply leakage following the global energy crisis triggered by the conflicts in West Asia.

Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the decision was made at the Cabinet meeting on April 8 as an expansion of the ministry’s static enforcement deployment implemented since March 20.

“A report by the High-Level Committee on Coordination Among Enforcement Agencies to Combat Leakage and Smuggling (JTPAP), presented at the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) meeting, found a need to expand static monitoring to all petrol stations near border areas and other high-risk locations,” he said.

Speaking to reporters this after visiting Dapur Kita-Kita Jetsin Sdn Bhd here today, he said enforcement officers from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) had earlier been stationed on a rotational basis at petrol stations in border areas nationwide.

“In the first phase from March 20 to April 10, 2026, static deployment of KPDN enforcement officers was carried out at 87 petrol stations. The second phase, beginning next week, will involve an additional 70 stations, including the deployment of police personnel,” he said.

Armizan said police involvement was necessary due to limitations in KPDN enforcement resources and the need for more detailed monitoring of supply and prices of goods nationwide. 

“We will continue to monitor risks and the need for a broader expansion from time to time. I have also discussed with the Home Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) the need to consider the involvement of Rela volunteers in the static monitoring process at these petrol stations,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Armizan said an Ihsan Food Bank (i-FB) initiative by KPDN together with several strategic partners under the i-FB@Ramadan Bazaar 2026 programme had managed to save 71.3 tonnes of surplus food from being wasted and were distributed to those in need throughout the fasting month.

He said the programme was implemented at 119 Ramadan bazaars nationwide, with the participation of 2,875 volunteers, and in Sabah alone, 2.6 tonnes of food were successfully rescued and distributed to those in need. 

“This achievement clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated approach in minimising food wastage and extending benefits to communities in need, while also protecting the environment by reducing carbon dioxide emissions (from food waste),” he added. — Bernama