MACC is assessing concerns over the alleged commingling or blending of petroleum cargo before determining what action, if any, should be taken, according to a source familiar with the matter.
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is assessing concerns over the alleged commingling or blending of petroleum cargo before determining what action, if any, should be taken, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The source told The Vibes that MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abdul Halim Aman was aware of the issue and that internal discussions were ongoing before any official response is issued.
The source also reportedly confirmed that Halim had received an Aug 18 letter from maritime industry observer Datuk Seri Jeyenderan Ramasamy, who sought an update on a report lodged with the anti-graft agency in June.
“Any statement must come from the chief commissioner,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
Jeyenderan, who is also chief executive officer of Maritime Network Sdn Bhd, previously said about two months had passed since the report was lodged on June 5 without the company receiving a formal written update on its status or the agency handling the matter.
In his letter to Halim, Jeyenderan said his company had submitted documents and information to the relevant authorities, attended meetings and responded to requests for further clarification.
He said the company was seeking clarity on how the petroleum cargo operations in question should proceed, including which activities could continue, which should be suspended and which authority was responsible for making such decisions.
Jeyenderan also reportedly argued that the matter extended beyond a commercial dispute, as it could have implications for the integrity and traceability of petroleum cargo, regulatory compliance, government revenue and accountability across the supply chain.
He 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 such a decision.
Jeyenderan stressed that the company was not seeking confidential information relating to any investigation, but wanted an update on the status of its report and guidance on the next steps.
The development comes amid increased international scrutiny of Malaysia’s position 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 identified Malaysia’s deep-water ports, manufacturing centres and free trade zones as potential routes for Chinese goods to be rerouted to avoid US tariffs. It also highlighted the Penang-Kulim industrial corridor and the Port Klang Free Zone.
