Kuala lumpur: Subsidised petrol and diesel worth RM956,046 have been seized by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) in Perak since the launch of Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated) on March 16.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Perak KPDN director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail reported that 25 misappropriation cases had been recorded. A significant raid in Teluk Intan on June 4 resulted in one of the department's largest seizures, with 21,840 litres of diesel worth RM202,211 being confiscated.
Kamalludin highlighted another notable case involving diesel misappropriation in Manjung on April 9, where 5,070 litres of diesel valued at RM56,371 were seized. These cases are significant due to the large quantities involved, which could have led to substantial subsidy losses for the government if not detected earlier.
He explained that the integrated and strategic operation had revealed various methods used by syndicates to evade enforcement. These included modified vehicles with additional tanks to transfer diesel in stages before selling it to selected buyers. KPDN also discovered the transfer of diesel to illegal storage facilities before redistribution to an identified network of buyers.
To combat these activities, KPDN plans to intensify intelligence-gathering efforts by analyzing data and monitoring transaction patterns throughout the supply chain to detect suspicious activities early. Kamalludin mentioned that enforcement efforts had been strengthened through inter-agency cooperation with the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, which includes tighter controls at border areas and high-risk transport routes.
"This operation not only focuses on the source of supply but also the entire distribution chain to ensure enforcement action can dismantle the misappropriation network comprehensively," Kamalludin stated.
He also noted that compliance with licence and permit conditions among industry players had improved following the implementation of Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated). This initiative is expected to reduce leakages, allowing government subsidies to be directed to eligible groups, thus ensuring efficient use of public funds and safeguarding the sustainability of the subsidy policy for the benefit of the people.