The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) in Perak has seized subsidised petrol and diesel worth RM956,046 since the implementation of Ops Tiris 4.0 (Integrated) on March 16, as enforcement efforts intensify against fuel misappropriation activities in the state.
Perak KPDN director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail said a total of 25 cases involving fuel diversion had been recorded, with one of the largest seizures occurring in Teluk Intan on June 4, involving 21,840 litres of diesel valued at RM202,211.
He added that another significant case was detected in Manjung on April 9, where 5,070 litres of diesel worth RM56,371 were confiscated following enforcement action.
Kamalludin said such cases were serious as they involved large-scale diversion of subsidised fuel, which could have resulted in substantial losses to government subsidy allocations if not intercepted in time.
He explained that enforcement agencies had uncovered various tactics used by syndicates, including modified vehicles equipped with additional storage tanks to transfer diesel in stages before selling it to selected buyers.
Authorities also discovered that some fuel was being moved to illegal storage premises before being redistributed through a wider network of purchasers, indicating a structured distribution chain.
Kamalludin said KPDN would continue strengthening intelligence gathering by analysing data and monitoring transaction patterns across the supply chain to detect suspicious activities at an early stage.
He added that enforcement operations had been further enhanced through collaboration with other agencies, including the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, with tighter surveillance at border areas and high-risk transport routes.
He stressed that the operation targets not only supply points but the entire distribution network to dismantle syndicate activities comprehensively and prevent further leakage.
Kamalludin also noted that compliance among industry players has improved following the implementation of Ops Tiris 4.0, adding that reduced leakages would ensure subsidies are better directed to eligible groups while improving efficiency in public fund usage and safeguarding long-term subsidy sustainability.
