The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is assessing concerns over the alleged commingling or blending of petroleum cargo before deciding on any further action, The Vibes reports.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is assessing concerns over the alleged commingling or blending of petroleum cargo before deciding on any further action, The Vibes reports.
The source reportedly said the commission was aware of the issue and that discussions were still underway before an official position is announced.
The development comes as Malaysia faces renewed scrutiny over its role as a regional manufacturing and transhipment hub.
On Aug 14, the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy listed Malaysia among more than 40 countries it said were at risk of facilitating tariff evasion through transhipment networks linked to China.
Its report, The Great Transhipment Scam: Rise, Scope, and Costs, placed Malaysia in Tier 2 alongside Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.
The report cited Malaysia’s deep-water ports, manufacturing hubs and free trade zones as potential channels for rerouting Chinese goods to circumvent US tariffs. It also highlighted the Penang-Kulim industrial corridor and Port Klang Free Zone.
The issue was raised again in a letter dated Aug 18 from maritime industry observer Datuk Seri Jeyenderan Ramasamy, who sought an update from MACC on a report lodged in June.
Jeyenderan, who is also chief executive officer of Maritime Network Sdn Bhd, said about two months had passed since the report was filed on June 5 without the company receiving a formal written response on its status or being informed which authority was handling it.
In his letter to MACC, Jeyenderan said his company had submitted documents and information to the relevant authorities, attended meetings and responded to requests for clarification.
He said the company wanted clear guidance on how the petroleum cargo operations concerned should be managed, including which activities could continue, which should be suspended and which agency had the authority to make such decisions.
Jeyenderan also said the issue extended beyond a commercial dispute, as it could have implications for the integrity and traceability of petroleum cargo, regulatory compliance, government revenue and accountability throughout the supply chain.
He also sought clarification on whether authorities had determined that there was no case to pursue, whether the matter had been closed and, if so, the reasons for the decision.
Jeyenderan said the company was not seeking confidential details of any investigation, but wanted clarity on the status of its report and the appropriate way forward.
