THE government rejected claims circulating on social media that it supplied diesel to the Philippines, attributing the confusion to a misunderstanding of shipping movements in Johor waters.
Unity Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the diesel shipment in question did not originate from Malaysia, nor was it processed by Petronas or any local oil company.
Instead, he explained, the fuel was owned and sold by Singapore-based firm Vitol, and had been stored at a facility in Tanjung Pelepas, Johor before being shipped.
“Questions arose on social media regarding oil that was allegedly sent by the Malaysian government to the Philippines.
“However, explanations by Petronas and the National Economic Action Council (MTEN) confirmed that the oil does not belong to Malaysia. Instead, it was sold by a Singapore-based company, Vitol, and stored at a facility in Tanjung Pelepas, Johor.
“In the context of shipping, a vessel located in Johor waters is considered to have departed from Malaysia. This has led to a misunderstanding among some internet users who claimed that the diesel was sent from Malaysia.
“In reality, the oil was not processed by Petronas or any local oil company. Rather, it is owned by Vitol and had been sold to the Philippines, with the vessel merely departing from Malaysian waters,” he said.
Fahmi said it was important to clarify the matter to prevent further public confusion over the shipment.
Earlier, the National Economic Action Council’s crisis management team confirmed that the 329,000 barrels of diesel delivered to the Philippines were not sourced from Malaysia, despite reports by several international media outlets.
The council also urged the public to refrain from speculation and to rely on official sources for accurate information.
In a separate statement, Petronas similarly denied any involvement in the shipment of approximately 329,000 barrels, or 52.311 million litres, of diesel to the Philippines.
The national oil company stressed that it had not entered into any agreement with any party in the Philippines regarding the supply.
Previous reports from Philippine media had claimed that the shipment formed part of efforts to bolster the country’s domestic fuel reserves amid global market uncertainties, following an earlier delivery of 142,000 barrels from Japan in March. - April 13, 2026
