LEGISLATIVE amendments are needed to enable the Road Transport Department take action against modified foreign-registered vehicles in an effort to deal with the issue of diesel subsidy leakages.

Deputy Finance Minister I Ahmad Maslan said he will bring the matter to the attention of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to ensure better enforcement to curb diesel smuggling using modified vehicles.

“Smuggling is becoming rampant… it has become a trend where smugglers use modified foreign pick-up trucks to smuggle goods, especially diesel.

No action has been taken because the law does not cover the modification of foreign vehicles,” he told a press conference after visiting the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Bukit Kayu Hitam today.

Anwar, when tabling Budget 2023 last month, said that there were leakages in the implementation of diesel subsidies when almost RM10 billion worth of diesel was misappropriated last year. 

Ahmad said on March 1, the Kedah Customs Department busted an attempt to smuggle 800 litres of diesel using two modified pick-up trucks.

The department also detained six foreign-registered pick-up trucks which have modified tanks carrying with 1,780 litres of diesel worth RM3,827 at the ICQS Complex on January 29. – Bernama, March 5, 2023.