Foreign Vehicle Diesel Sale Limitation Only For Peninsular Malaysia

Foreign vehicles can only purchase a maximum of 20 litres of diesel at petrol stations in Sabah and Sarawak within a 30-kilometre radius of the Brunei or Indonesia borders, said Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). Beyond this limit, foreigners are allowed to buy more diesel, but only to fill their vehicle's tank up.

This announcement follows the emergence of a widely shared post detailing the difficulties a convoy of off-road adventurers from Brunei encountered while refuelling in Sarawak as a result of sales limitations put in place by the station operators.

As per the Supply Control Order, Regulation 12A of the Supply Control Regulations 1974, diesel and RON95 petrol sales to foreign-registered vehicles are forbidden as of June 17, 2022. Armizan observed that there has been misunderstanding among owners of petrol stations on the rules pertaining to this regulation.

He clarified the need to balance protecting fuel subsidies for Malaysian citizens with supporting the local economy through tourism in Sabah and Sarawak. The 20-litre diesel limit applies to petrol stations within a 50 KM radius of Thailand and Singapore borders in Peninsular Malaysia and does not apply to Sabah and Sarawak. Foreigners can purchase the required fuel as per normal beyond these limits.

Armizan emphasised that foreign vehicles are not allowed to be filled with subsidised RON95 petrol, which is reserved exclusively for Malaysians and must opt for RON97 petrol only. However, there have been complaints about its availability in Sabah and Sarawak.

The Minister promised to seek solutions for the limited availability of RON97, including discussions with the Ministry of Finance, and assured that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN) will work with oil companies and petrol station operators to prevent any confusion regarding these regulations which could affect tourist segment in that region.