KPDN probes petrol-diesel mix-up at Kuching-Samarahan Expressway Petronas station

KUCHING (Dec 26): The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has launched an investigation into an incident at a Petronas fueling station along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway, where petrol was reportedly mixed with diesel on Wednesday.

KPDN Sarawak director Matthew Dominic Barin said enforcement officers were dispatched to the station at about 2.30pm on the same day.

“An Enquiry Paper has been opened under Section 5(1)(b) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 for violations under Section 6(1)(d) relating to the contents of goods or their components. Swift action was taken against the station to ensure consumer rights are protected,” he said in a statement.

Matthew warned that traders found guilty face severe penalties under the Act. For corporations, fines may reach up to RM250,000 for a first offence and up to RM500,000 for subsequent offences.

“For individuals or non-corporate entities, penalties include fines of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to three years, or both. Repeat offenders may face fines of up to RM250,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both,” he said.

To strengthen enforcement efforts, Matthew urged the public to act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the ministry by reporting any misconduct or irregularities in business activities.

Complaints can be lodged via WhatsApp at 019-848 8000, email at [email protected], the call centre at 1-800-886-800, or through the Ez ADU KPDN smartphone application.

The incident reportedly caused several vehicles to break down after refuelling at the station, following a technical issue involving the station’s storage tank system.

The matter also went viral in social media earlier that day.

Station staff were quoted as saying that about 2,000 litres of diesel were believed to have been mixed with petrol due to the technical malfunction.

In a holding statement, Petronas Dagangan Berhad confirmed that the affected station has been temporarily closed to facilitate further investigations into the operational issue.

It also assured customers that other Petronas stations nationwide are not affected and are operating as usual.

Matthew said KPDN welcomed reports from the public and cooperation from other agencies, stressing that such collaboration is vital in protecting consumer rights.

He also reminded distributors and traders to strictly comply with existing laws and regulations.