KUALA LUMPUR: Two oil companies have started paying goodwill compensation to motorists whose vehicles were damaged by contaminated RON95 petrol, says Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He said Petron and Caltex had initiated payments to affected motorists despite investigations into the alleged fuel contamination still ongoing.
"Caltex and Petron have developed customer recovery programmes involving goodwill payments based on established criteria, without any admission of wrongdoing or liability at this stage.
"These payments will be made to customers who have submitted complete complaints together with valid supporting documents," he told the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Nov 5).
Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) had asked about the findings of laboratory tests conducted on RON95 samples and compensation for affected motorists.
Armizan said the ministry welcomed the companies' initiative to compensate consumers while investigations continued.
He said the ministry had been receiving complaints about suspected RON95 contamination since Oct 3, prompting inspections at petrol stations and oil depots.
As of Oct 31, he said, enforcement officers had collected 262 samples – 259 from petrol stations and three from oil depots, covering eight station brands across eight states.
A preliminary Chemistry Department report dated Oct 29 found that all 43 samples tested contained less than 0.05% water, below the minimum reportable detection limit.
"The remaining samples are still being analysed, and a full report will be issued once the department completes its analysis," he said.
Armizan also said investigations would look at other possible foreign substances and fuel formulations supplied during the affected period.
"Although the findings are not yet conclusive, we believe this is not an issue affecting the entire supply chain.
"It appears to involve fuel supplied during a particular period," he said.
He added that complaints were concentrated in Kedah and Penang, although the ministry was not treating the incidents as isolated cases.
Armizan said some affected petrol stations remained closed, while the ministry was also examining losses suffered by station operators.
"We want to establish the actual cause of these incidents, protect the rights of consumers whose vehicles were damaged, and address the losses suffered by petrol stations," he said.
He said motorists dissatisfied with the compensation offered could lodge complaints with the ministry, pursue civil action, or refer their cases to the Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia.
"At this stage, we will continue monitoring every development," he said.
Armizan added that Malaysia was benchmarking fuel quality monitoring practices against those in Singapore, Britain and Australia to strengthen standards across the supply chain.
