Anwar urges end to diesel supply controversy involving Philippines

KUALA TERENGGANU - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for an end to the controversy over allegations of diesel supply to the Philippines, saying the claim is untrue.

He said the company supplying the fuel to the country is not Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) but a foreign commodity trading company, Vitol.

"They (Vitol) do have an agreement to transport oil and sell it to the Philippines.

It is not us (Petronas) supplying it to the Philippines. But we are not stopping it. We are giving passage. The oil belongs to parties under foreign agreements.

"I hope this controversy will stop, and that focus is given to developing the country amid the current challenging economic conditions,” he said.

He said this when speaking at the Madani gathering with Terengganu tahfiz students at Sekolah Menengah Imtiaz Yayasan Terengganu here today.

Also present were Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

Yesterday, Petronas denied reports linking it to diesel shipments from Malaysia to the Philippines.

The national oil company, in a statement, said it had never entered into any agreement on the matter with any party in the Philippines. - BERNAMA