Foreign vehicles to be denied fuel anywhere in country: Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR:
Foreign- registered vehicles, mainly from Singapore and Thailand, are likely to be denied purchase of subsidised petrol and diesel anywhere in the country under a decision to be made at the Cabinet meeting on Friday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday the foreign—registered vehicles might have to pay the market prices for the fuels and not the subsidied prices meant for Malaysians. This ruling will be in addition to an announcement already made preventing foreign-registered vehicles from purchasing the fuels from petrol kiosks within 50km of the Malaysian borders, also from Friday. “Wait for Friday (for the announcement),” he said at Parliament House, here. Last Monday, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said foreign- registered vehicles from Singapore and Thailand would not be allowed to buy petrol or diesel within 50km of the Malaysian borders from Friday. Referring to Shahrir’s statement, Abdullah said the Government wanted to prevent smuggling out of Malaysian petrol and diesel. He also said that a proposal to implement a fuel subsidy according to the engine capacity of, vehicles would also be considered. On another matter, Abdullah said he had not received any report from the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) on alleged offers made to Members of Parliament from Sabah and Sarawak to cross over to other political parties. On a statement by Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said for the Federal Government to hand back management of the oil royalty to the State Government, he said the Government had yet to decide on the matter. The Federal Government had taken over management of the state oil royalty in 1999 after PAS won the State Government in the general election.
