KOTA BHARU, Oct 15 — The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) in Kelantan has uncovered cases involving petrol station employees and their family members in the misappropriation of subsidised fuel near the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Kelantan KPDN director Azman Ismail said such cases, detected earlier this year, pose a major challenge for enforcement teams trying to curb fuel smuggling activities in the state.
“In one case, a cashier at a border petrol station colluded with his brother-in-law to smuggle subsidised petrol by manipulating the pump meter system,” he told Bernama.
He said KPDN has conducted investigations and surveillance at nine selected stations since early this year, but round-the-clock monitoring is difficult due to manpower limitations. Smugglers, he added, often take advantage once enforcement officers leave an area.
Azman said ‘tontos’ — lookouts who alert smugglers through calls or messages about enforcement movements — further complicate operations, adding that the state’s open and porous border also makes smuggling easier.
“The Kelantan-Thailand border stretches over 130 kilometres, including river and land areas. In some interior regions, both riverbanks are only 10 metres apart, and can even be crossed on foot during the dry season,” he said.
He said close family ties between residents on both sides of the border make enforcement more complex, as many have cross-national relationships through marriage.
Azman said petrol and cooking oil are the main items smuggled to Thailand, while diesel smuggling has declined following a smaller price gap between the two countries.
He said about 48 petrol stations within 25 kilometres of the border are considered high-risk for fuel misappropriation, and the ministry no longer allows new stations to be built within that range.
He proposed linking CCTV systems at petrol stations directly to KPDN to enable faster monitoring and response, and urged the public to report suspicious activities, noting that domestic fuel supply remains stable despite the ongoing issue. — Bernama
