PUTRAJAYA: The government will not downplay the risks of supply disruptions and rising fuel prices but will instead strike a balance between early warnings and avoiding alarm, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the government will prioritise public welfare and economic stability while continuing to share accurate information on potential pressures on prices and supply.
Saifuddin Nasution said a challenge for the government is the need to prepare the people to brace for any likely difficulty ahead.
“But we do not want the public to panic. At the same time, we also do not want the public to be complacent,” he said at the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly here yesterday.
It was reported that the US oil benchmark rebounded above US$100 a barrel after a lack of breakthrough in peace talks between the United States and Iran held in Pakistan.
On enforcement, Saifuddin Nasution said the authorities would adopt a more targeted approach to curb fuel smuggling, focusing on about 170 high-risk petrol stations near border areas out of more than 4,000 nationwide.
“We are not looking to monitor 4,000 petrol stations but to focus on 170,” he said, adding that enforcement will be guided by data including sales volume obtained from the Finance Ministry and the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
Saifuddin Nasution said the restructuring of police operations will be done in phases with clear standard operating procedure, adding that petrol stations have become “gateways” for smuggling activities requiring multi-agency involvement.
He also ordered immediate upgrades to dilapidated security shelters at border posts, describing some as “like burger stalls, or even worse”.
Saifuddin Nasution said the matter, identified during visits to Padang Besar, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Durian Burung and Pangkalan Hulu, must be resolved quickly to ensure personnel have proper facilities as the frontline of national security.
