50km Petrol Ban on Singaporean Cars in Malaysia

There i was thinking that today was gonna be a great day. How wrong I was when all I had to do was open the Straits Times and read page 4 of it’s main section.

Malaysia’s 50 KM Petrol Ban on Foreign Motorists

I stared at it in shock and disbelief as i had always perceived the actions to be taken were either an entrance levy or a lower subsidy. A ban was something that I hadn’t imagined. Malaysia is doing this as a temporary stop gap solution to cut escalating inflation prices.

I hope it is only temporary as it is quite a foolish move by the Malaysian Government. I always head up to Johor Bahru to tend to my family’s personal needs and either have some shopping or dining with friends & family over there. To have to fear about my petrol level is simply ridiculous as I would then have to head up to Malacca just to top up my petrol?

Such a move shall indeed encourage an increase in illegal sales with the Police having to be more vigilant ( I can fathom a scrupulous Malaysian citizen wanting to earn money by selling oil to Singaporeans.) This will also lower shopping revenue from Singaporeans & scare us off as we are afraid of running out of oil while in JB.

Instead of using it as a way to profit the government, they have cut away their earnings. Even scaring off Singaporean investors that have business dealings in JB. The Malaysian Government could have just removed the subsidy for Singaporean Cars. We would have still earn from the currency rate and oil tax. But i guess they have adopted Indonesia’s style of handling such issues.( Indonesia banned the sale of sand to Singapore, instead of increasing the price thus earning millions more.)

Oh well, i guess i have to be taking the bus to JB nowadays till they sort this issue out.

Source from Straits Times & The Star Online

KUALA LUMPUR: Petrol stations located in border states like Johor and Perlis will be barred from selling petrol and diesel to foreign-registered cars starting Friday.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said the move, aimed at plugging loopholes in the current subsidy system, was decided during an anti-inflation committee meeting yesterday.

The ban will involve between 200 and 300 petrol stations in Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Perak and the Johor Baru and Kulai areas in Johor.

“I have been instructed to use my power under the Control of Supply Act to direct and ban the sale of subsidised fuel to these foreign cars. This applies to petrol stations located as far as 50km from the border,” said Datuk Shahrir.

“I will inform my officers about this latest decision and it will take effect by Friday or the latest Monday,” he said.

However, he said foreign-registered vehicles which entered the country for tourism purposes could still fill up their tanks in places like Penang and Malacca where the ban would not apply.

Read my other post – Disciplinary Action on Mas Selamat Escape by DPM Wong

Fai @ ilovelookinggood