KOTA BARU: The state Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry foiled 304 attempts to smuggle diesel and petrol to a neighbouring country with the seizure of more than RM300,000 worth of subsidised fuel.
Kelantan director Azman Ismail said the seizure was recorded between January and last month. The figure included supplies under the diesel subsidy rationalisation implemented by the government on June 10.
He said of the 304 cases, 251 involved attempts to smuggle petrol while the rest involved diesel.
"This shows smugglers continue to smuggle petrol to their counterparts across the border due to high demand from buyers there.
"We also believe the move by the government to introduce the diesel subsidy rationalisation prompted smugglers to change their tactics.
"This proves the government implemented targeted diesel subsidies has managed to prevent leaks and ensures that subsidies reach those in need," he added.
Azman said 105 of the 304 fuel smuggling cases were recorded after the June 10 subsidy implementation. He said most of those detained were smugglers while the rest were petty traders.
On June 24, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan told the Dewan Rakyat that diesel sales at petrol stations had decreased by 30 per cent within the first week of the government rationalising fuel subsidy on June 10.
He said this was equivalent to a decrease of eight million litres a day compared with the previous week.
Amir Hamzah had earlier announced that the retail price of diesel at all pumps in Peninsular Malaysia would be set at RM3.35 per litre, set at the market price based on the Automatic Pricing Mechanism formula, effective June 10.
He had said that the targeted diesel pricing and subsidy implementation would save the country RM4 billion annually while strengthening its financial position in the long term.
Meanwhile, checks at border towns in Takbai and Sungai Golok under Narathiwat province showed that Thai traders continued to sell Malaysian subsidised petrol to their local motorists.
The traders, who run small wooden racks and stalls along the main road, sell the fuel for between 25 baht (RM3.17) to 28 baht (RM3.59) per litre.