PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry will install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at petrol stations identified as high-risk areas for the misappropriation of subsidised RON95 petrol.
Its Enforcement director-general Datuk Azman Adam said the initiative was aimed at enabling more effective monitoring, as footage would be channelled directly to the ministry's enforcement control centre and state offices.
He said the pilot phase of CCTV installation was being carried out in stages in collaboration with industry players, particularly in areas identified as "hotspots", including states bordering neighbouring countries.
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"God willing, this year we will begin to adopt this technology more intensively to ensure that issues of leakage and misappropriation can be addressed more effectively," he said in a recent interview.
Azman said among the modus operandi used by syndicates to misappropriate subsidised RON95 petrol were repeated purchases at petrol stations and the use of modified vehicles fitted with additional tanks.
He said the ministry was taking steps to closely monitor point-of-sale data and record retail trends at petrol stations.
"If there are anomalies or unusual buying patterns that do not match the local demographics, for example, a sudden surge in RON95 purchases at remote stations, the system will trigger a red flag, and auditing and tactical teams will be immediately deployed to the location," he said.
According to Azman, integrated operations are also conducted periodically, particularly in border areas and locations identified as fuel misappropriation hotspots.
"This approach aims to ensure stricter monitoring and close any gaps for syndicates to carry out smuggling activities," he said.
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Meanwhile, he said that there had been a decrease in the misuse of RON95 petrol, with 1,300 cases last year compared to 1,713 in 2024.
"(The decrease in cases) follows the ministry's stern warnings and the suspension of licences for petrol station operators found to be complicit, as well as increasing awareness among retailers," he said.
Azman stressed that the ministry would continue to strengthen enforcement to ensure that subsidised RON95 petrol was enjoyed only by Malaysians and not misused by any party.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously called on all government agencies and machinery to be firmer and more vigilant in enforcing measures to curb any form of RON95 misappropriation. – Bernama
