Putrajaya is not involved in reported 200 million litre diesel shipment - Minister

THE government has clarified that the country is not involved in a reported shipment of 200 million litres of diesel allegedly linked to Malaysia and destined for Australia, following foreign media reports on the matter.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said checks with relevant authorities confirmed that the diesel in question did not originate from Malaysia.

“I read a report from an Australian news agency mentioning 200 million litres of diesel involving several countries including Brunei and Malaysia. However, checks with the MTEN (National Economic Action Council) Communication Command Centre and other parties confirm that it is not Malaysian diesel,” he said at the post-Cabinet briefing on Wednesday.

He added any misunderstanding may have stemmed from commercial shipping arrangements involving international oil traders operating within Malaysian waters, rather than the origin of the fuel itself.

“In the case of diesel shipments to the Philippines, for example, there is a trade contract with British Petroleum which has a warehouse in Malaysian waters, and the vessel transporting the diesel departs from Malaysia. But it is not Malaysian diesel,” he said.

Separately, Fahimi, who also serves as the Unity Government spokesperson, said the government has directed ministries, departments and agencies to step up cost-saving measures as part of wider efforts to manage public expenditure and reduce fuel consumption.

He said the directive was issued by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and includes increasing the use of online meetings, cutting down on overseas travel, and prioritising the use of government facilities for official programmes.

Fahmi said the government is also seeking a broader assessment of savings achieved beyond the public sector, following early indications of reduced fuel consumption linked to work-from-home arrangements.

“The Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri has also been reminded to obtain information from the private sector on the implementation of work-from-home arrangements in that sector, so that we can look at overall savings,” he said.

Fahmi said initial data from the civil service showed significant savings, and the government now wants to determine whether similar efficiencies are being achieved in the private sector.

He said the approach is aimed at providing a more comprehensive picture of nationwide cost savings, rather than focusing solely on government operations.

The directive comes after the public sector reportedly recorded fuel savings of 334,000 litres, valued at RM678,000, since mid-April through expanded remote working arrangements.

At the same briefing, Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had received 463 requests to remove fake news content related to the global energy crisis as of Wednesday morning, reflecting a rise in misinformation circulating on social media platforms.

He said all requests submitted to MCMC would be forwarded to the respective platform providers for further action.

“As of 7am today, the number of takedown requests received by MCMC stands at 463, and based on complaints, the highest number is on Facebook with 185 requests.

“The second highest is TikTok with 142 items, and third is Threads with 131 items,” he said.  - - April 22, 2026