Kedah: The Kedah Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) is investigating three cases of fleet card misuse and reviewing companies granted the facility to prevent abuse of subsidised fuel. Kedah KPDN chief enforcement officer Zalina Aziz said the ministry is also reassessing companies provided with fleet card facilities to ensure they are not misused or in breach of stipulated conditions. "If any breach of conditions or misuse is detected, we will recommend the cancellation of the fleet card to headquarters," she told Bernama.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the implementation of Op Tiris Bersepadu 4.0, carried out in collaboration with Royal Malaysia Police and several other agencies, has led to KPDN recording 30 cases in the state. These cases comprise 16 involving diesel seizures and 14 involving petrol. "Op Tiris, which has been conducted since March 16, has recorded total seizures valued at RM1.4 million, with 26 vehicles also confiscated," Zalina stated.

Zalina mentioned that Kedah KPDN currently has about 190 enforcement personnel across five branches statewide but continues to face constraints in monitoring all 362 petrol stations in the state. She highlighted that 30 petrol stations are under special monitoring, including 18 located in border areas such as Bukit Kayu Hitam, Durian Burung, and Baling.

In industrial areas such as Sungai Petani and Kulim, the challenge is greater due to the numerous entry and exit routes and vast factory areas, making fuel smuggling activities difficult to predict. Additionally, some individuals have been found frequently changing vehicles and registration numbers to avoid detection by authorities, often operating in the early hours of the morning when fewer workers are present at fuel stations.

Zalina emphasized that close cooperation with the PDRM has been beneficial in terms of intelligence gathering and field operations, while also enhancing the safety of enforcement personnel during operations.