No fuel for foreign motorists within 50km of Malaysian borders

[xtemujin]

May 30, 2008

Malaysia to ban fuel sales to S'pore cars from June 9.

The ban, to stop foreigners from benefitting from fuel subsidy, on Thai cars from the north starts June 2
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief


IN KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA will only start banning Singapore-registered cars from buying fuel in Johor stations near the southern border from June 9, instead of Friday as earlier announced.
The ban at the northern border, largely affecting Thai-registered cars, will start a week earlier - on June 2.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Samad told The Straits Times that the ban would not affect motorcycles. They will be allowed to buy subsidised fuel anywhere in Malaysia.

'These are usually low-income earners, and many of them could be Malaysians,' he said.

Malaysia had earlier announced a ban on the sale of fuel to foreign-registered vehicles from stations within 50km of its northern and southern borders.

This was to prevent Malaysia's heavily-subsidised fuel from being sold to foreigners, especially the stream of Thai vehicles which cross the border daily just to buy diesel or petrol.

The delay in implementing the ban was caused by administrative issues such as publicity and the printing of posters to be placed at affected petrol stations.

'It's the information campaign that is holding things up,' Datuk Shahrir said.

At current global oil prices, Malaysia will spend RM55 billion (S$23 billion) this year - more than its RM40 billion annual development budget - to keep pump prices among the lowest in the region.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_242701.html

No complains from Singaporean about cheaper petrol in Malaysia and the causeway is still jam like nobody business.

 

[SilverPine]

According to Malaysia press, there are about 50,000 Malaysian working in Singapore driving Singapore register car, they are complaining that they are citizen of Malaysia why they can not pump petrol at J.B. ?

Anyway, during school holiday Causeway still very bad traffic jam for both direction for the whole day.

 

[zero o]

According to Malaysia press, there are about 50,000 Malaysian working in Singapore driving Singapore register car, they are complaining that they are citizen of Malaysia why they can not pump petrol at J.B. ?

Its only a matter of time b4 they discover that they can siphon fuel from their malaysian registered car into their singapore car.

 

[Sion]

Its only a matter of time b4 they discover that they can siphon fuel from their malaysian registered car into their singapore car.

天無絕人之路

 

[ricohflex]

I respect my SIN decision even more, from the start we are protecting the MLY citizens with the 3/4 tank rule.

The three qtr rule protects Sing petrol station dealers and petrol companies in Sing. Idea is to prevent you from topping full tank in JB otherwise few or no one buys petrol from Sing petrol stations.
Once MLY have rule not to sell petrol to Sing reg cars within 50km, (or sell but not at susidised price) then no need for the Sing three qtr rule.

 

[roDz]

Does anyone know that petrol is cheaper in Brunei? Do you know that M'sians staying near the Brunei border pump their petrol in Brunei? :bigeyes:

 

[Ansel]

Haha...it's been postponed yet again!! :bsmilie:

 

[roDz]

Haha...it's been postponed yet again!! :bsmilie:

i think this will dragged on till after the school holidays...S'poreans spend quite alot during school holidays...:think:

 

[Nisa]

:dunno: it's ONZ again... :sweat:

 

[Exposure]

one day say CANNOT , another day say CAN and now say CANNOT.

i think people are now confused liao.

 

[xtemujin]

June 3, 2008

PETROL SALES BAN

50km fill-up rule in JB to take effect next week
Malaysians who drive Singapore-registered cars will not be exempted from rule
By Hazlin Hassan, Malaysia Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR - IT IS confirmed: Malaysia will ban sales of petrol to Singapore-registered cars in parts of southern Johor starting from next Monday.

Domestic Trade Minister Shahrir Samad said this yesterday amid confusion following reports that the ban had been postponed. Deputy Premier Najib Razak was quoted in those reports.

Datuk Shahrir also said Malaysians who work in Singapore and drive Singapore-registered cars will not be exempted from the ban.

They will have to join Singaporeans in driving 50km from the border before they can fill up their tanks.

The ban on fuel sales within a 50km radius of Malaysia's borders will be in place until August, when a more permanent system will replace it, Mr Shahrir told a news conference.

Yesterday, the ban was enforced near the Thai border in the north.

'Most of these foreign vehicles come to our country just to fill up on petrol, so there is no value added,' he said, referring to drivers from Singapore and Thailand.

'A bona fide tourist would also spend money in the country.'

When asked if the government would set up a system enabling Malaysians driving Singapore-registered cars to buy subsidised petrol in southern Johor, he said: 'I have great sympathy for them. As Malaysians who are paid in Singapore dollars, and are prepared to buy Singapore cars... they should be able to be inconvenienced.'

He added that 50km was 'not that far' to drive for a refuel.

He declined to comment on Singaporeans who say they are willing to pay the full market price for fuel so that they can buy it in Johor Baru itself.

The minister had indicated previously that this was a proposal being considered by the government.

'This (the ban) is a temporary measure, not a permanent one, and this will continue until the restructured fuel subsidy plan is announced in August,' he said.

Mr Najib said on Sunday that an anti-inflation Cabinet committee would meet today to review the plan.

When asked about Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's comments yesterday that the government will announce its fuel subsidy plan tomorrow, Mr Shahrir said: 'This announcement is an incremental step towards the total restructuring in fuel subsidies in August.'

However, he declined to elaborate on what the new system would entail.

The current ban will affect 296 petrol stations in the northern states bordering Thailand, and 197 in Johor.

In the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan which border Thailand, policemen and anti-smuggling officers have been deployed at petrol stations to monitor the ban, Mr Shahrir said.

Thousands of Thais and Singaporeans cross the borders daily to fill their tanks and take advantage of subsidised fuel, which is expected to cost the government RM56billion (S$23billion) this year.

Mr Abdul Wahid Bidin, acting president of the Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia, said 90per cent of the usual customers of some fuel stations near the northern border were from Thailand.

'There are complaints from the dealers that they've got no business, no customers at all,' Mr Abdul Wahid was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Regular petrol in Malaysia costs RM1.92 a litre, cheaper than the 31.59 baht (S$1.32) in Thailand and S$2.10 in Singapore.

hazlinh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_243765.html