PUTRAJAYA, July 8 — A maritime industry expert Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan today urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to expedite its investigation into allegations of discrepancies between bills of lading (BL) and the physical movement of petroleum cargo at Tanjung Langsat Port in Johor.
He said the transactions, allegedly worth millions of ringgit, could have implications for national security and result in losses to the government.
The chief executive officer of Maritime Network Sdn Bhd in a stement today said he lodged a report with the anti-graft agency on June 5 and was still awaiting the outcome of its investigation.
“Today marks one month and two days since I lodged the report. I came to the MACC headquarters to obtain an update on the progress of my complaint, as the matter involves transactions worth millions of ringgit and has significant implications.
“I have spoken to the investigating officer and have been given assurance that the probe is ongoing and needed more time,” said the maritime industry veteran.
Jeyenderan previously explained that one of the biggest risks faced by shipping agents arises when the physical movement of cargo no longer matches the accompanying documentation, with any mismatch between operational handling and paperwork potentially exposing all parties in the supply chain to significant risks.
He said that while shipping agents may not own the cargo or be the beneficial parties to the transactions, they remain operationally exposed because authorities, terminals and counterparties rely heavily on the instructions and declarations processed through them.
As a result, shipping agents are placing greater emphasis on documentation integrity, internal compliance controls and know-your-customer (KYC) verification processes, he said.
Jeyenderan said the issue becomes more complicated in complex oil trades, where shipping agents may receive different instructions from traders, receivers, terminals, forwarding agents and logistics providers that do not fully match the original bill of lading.
“The moment different parties start operating from different versions of the cargo story, the risk level immediately increases because the agent still has to ensure consistency from a regulatory and operational standpoint,” he said.
On oil blending and commingling after discharge, Jeyenderan said such practices are not unusual in the industry, but maintaining traceability becomes increasingly challenging once cargo enters storage systems and mixes with existing inventory.
He said if cargo conditions change operationally through transfers, blending or additional handling, the documentation and classification process must also evolve accordingly to ensure proper regulatory and commercial treatment.
Jeyenderan warned that when Customs records, bills of lading, tank measurements and actual cargo positions no longer align, the industry risks losing visibility over cargo movement, potentially leading to compliance gaps, commercial disputes and revenue leakages.
He added that post-discharge cargo handling involving multiple tank transfers and storage movements is one area requiring closer global scrutiny, particularly where documentary treatment may not keep pace with physical cargo changes.
