KUALA LUMPUR, SUN:
The government has agreed to implement a dual pump system at fuel stations in border areas to ensure foreigners do not buy fuel at subsidised prices.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that under the system, local citizens could purchase fuel at subsidised prices while foreigners at current market prices through separate pumps.
“The system has two benefits, namely foreigners will pay for petrol at the current price and Malaysians will know the actual market price of petrol,” he said.
He said the system was based on Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad’s suggestion.
Shahrir said the system could be implemented as soon as possible following positive response recieved from fuel station operators who had agreed to shift to the dual pump system.
About 500 fuel stations within 30 to 50 kilometre radius from border areas had agreed to make the change, he added.
Asked on the mechanism used to differentiate purchase by foreigners with that of local citizens, Shahrir said the station operators would have to effect the control including by looking at the vehicles’ plate number.
Meanwhile on a plan by the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) for fuel stations to halt operations for eight hours on June 26 nationwide, he said he was sure it would not happen.
“I believe they will not strike… I don’t think it was the association’s decision. I had also met the association Thursday afternoon to discuss their demands and promised to bring their demands to the government for settlement,” he said.
He told reporters this after a briefing on subsidy restructuring for Barisan Nasional members of Parliament and senators at Angkasapuri here today.
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