Malaysians who drive Singapore-registered cars will not be exempted from
rule

KUALA LUMPUR - IT IS confirmed: Malaysia will ban sales of
petrol to Singapore-registered cars in parts of southern Johor starting from
next Monday.

Domestic Trade Minister Shahrir Samad said this
yesterday amid confusion following reports that the ban had been postponed.
Deputy Premier Najib Razak was quoted in those reports.

Datuk Shahrir
also said Malaysians who work in Singapore and drive Singapore-registered cars
will not be exempted from the ban.

They will have to join Singaporeans
in driving 50km from the border before they can fill up their tanks.

The
ban on fuel sales within a 50km radius of Malaysia's borders will be in place
until August, when a more permanent system will replace it, Mr Shahrir told a
news conference.

Yesterday, the ban was enforced near the Thai border in
the north.

'Most of these foreign vehicles come to our country just to
fill up on petrol, so there is no value added,' he said, referring to drivers
from Singapore and Thailand.

'A bona fide tourist would also spend money
in the country.'

When asked if the government would set up a system
enabling Malaysians driving Singapore-registered cars to buy subsidised petrol
in southern Johor, he said: 'I have great sympathy for them. As Malaysians who
are paid in Singapore dollars, and are prepared to buy Singapore cars... they
should be able to be inconvenienced.'

He added that 50km was 'not that
far' to drive for a refuel.

He declined to comment on Singaporeans who
say they are willing to pay the full market price for fuel so that they can buy
it in Johor Baru itself.

The minister had indicated previously that this
was a proposal being considered by the government.

'This (the ban) is a
temporary measure, not a permanent one, and this will continue until the
restructured fuel subsidy plan is announced in August,' he said.

Mr
Najib said on Sunday that an anti-inflation Cabinet committee would meet today
to review the plan.

When asked about Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's
comments yesterday that the government will announce its fuel subsidy plan
tomorrow, Mr Shahrir said: 'This announcement is an incremental step towards the
total restructuring in fuel subsidies in August.'

However, he declined
to elaborate on what the new system would entail.

The current ban will
affect 296 petrol stations in the northern states bordering Thailand, and 197 in
Johor.

In the northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan which
border Thailand, policemen and anti-smuggling officers have been deployed at
petrol stations to monitor the ban, Mr Shahrir said.

Thousands of Thais
and Singaporeans cross the borders daily to fill their tanks and take advantage
of subsidised fuel, which is expected to cost the government RM56billion
(S$23billion) this year.

Mr Abdul Wahid Bidin, acting president of the Petroleum Dealers
Association of Malaysia, said 90per cent of the usual customers of some fuel
stations near the northern border were from Thailand.

'There are
complaints from the dealers that they've got no business, no customers at all,'
Mr Abdul Wahid was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Regular
petrol in Malaysia costs RM1.92 a litre, cheaper than the 31.59 baht (S$1.32) in
Thailand and S$2.10 in Singapore.

hazlinh@sph.com.sg

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_243765.html

woots I think after this happens, huat liao those petrol stations that target
Singaporeans can go fly kite already.. I'm thinking.. if 50km.. in between
that
50km the car no fuel how? liddat song liao lo.. haha.. scarly in the
50km radius
become ghost town woots!

my father pointed to me that from tuas to changi is only 40+km.. haha.. so imagine you have to travel that far to get petrol.. lol..

is it possible to have some petrol station that specially for Singaporean cars that are not subsidized de.. liddat at least the country still earns money from the people who pump petrols there lo.. why cut the supply(at this point the demand and supply curves came to haunt me) and have totally no revenue right? but I liddat say easy la, I also not the Government, just some nooby sitting in front of the computer acting smart LOL