Fuel Supply In Malaysia Stable, No Shortages Reported - Armizan
KOTA KINABALU, March 24 (Bernama) -- The current supply of petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the country remains stable, with no shortages reported so far, says Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He said the current supply was sufficient and that the situation in Malaysia was more stable compared with several other countries, including those in the region.
“The issues being raised are isolated cases related to logistics, which caused delivery delays of a few hours in certain locations, particularly during the festive season when demand increases.
“These issues have been addressed, and continuous monitoring is being carried out to ensure smooth delivery of supplies,” he said in a Facebook post today after paying a courtesy call on Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
He said claims of insufficient fuel supply at several petrol stations in Sabah recently were also being linked to supply disruption situations in neighbouring countries, and therefore urged the public not to engage in panic buying, as supplies were sufficient.
“I would like to remind that any sale and filling of fuel outside vehicle tanks without a special permit is an offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, particularly provisions under the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 and the Control of Supplies (Amendment) Regulations 2021.
“The ministry will not compromise and will take firm action against any party violating the regulations. The public is encouraged to channel complaints through the KPDN complaint platform if there are suspicious activities. Petrol station operators are also reminded to always comply with regulations and report any violations to the authorities,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, he said during the courtesy call, he had briefed the Chief Minister on the outcome of the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee to Combat Leakage and Smuggling (JTPAP), which has been activated to strengthen enforcement efforts to curb fuel smuggling and misappropriation, particularly in border areas including Sabah.
“The risk of leakage is increasing due to the West Asia conflict and the wide price gap between subsidised fuel prices domestically and market and retail prices in neighbouring countries,” he said.
In a related development, Hajiji, in a statement, stressed the importance of a consistent fuel supply to support the state’s economic activities, including logistics, fisheries and agriculture sectors, which rely heavily on diesel usage.
Meanwhile, Hajiji also received a courtesy call from Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Salim Fateh Din, who briefed him on the progress of the National Digital Network (JENDELA) implementation in Sabah, as well as the Kota Kinabalu City Hall Smart City (DBKK Smart City) initiative.
-- BERNAMA
