KUALA LUMPUR April 12, 2026– The Malaysian Government has issued a firm clarification that the reported shipment of approximately 329,000 barrels (52.311 million litres) of diesel to the Philippines is not from Malaysia and does not involve the Malaysian Government or Petronas.
According to the official explanation released by the Department of Information Malaysia (Japen) and the National Economic Action Council (MTEN), the issue is a private commercial transaction between the Philippine Government as the buyer and Vitol, an international oil trading company based in Singapore, as the seller.
Key Facts from the Government’s Clarification:
– No Government-to-Government (G2G) dealings : This is not a decision by the Malaysian Government.
– No involvement with Petronas : Petronas has denied any agreement or contract to supply diesel to the Philippines. The company emphasised that its priority is ensuring stable domestic supply.
– The fuel is not from Malaysia : The diesel was purchased from the global market, not produced by Petronas or any Malaysian company.
– Malaysia is only a transit/logistics location : The fuel is temporarily stored in Malaysia before being shipped to the Philippines, similar to a “stopover” – not the source.
“This transaction only involves the Philippine Government and a private international company. Malaysia only serves as a transit/logistics location,” the official statement explained.
Background of the Issue
The issue arose after Philippine media reported the arrival of the diesel shipment to stabilise the country’s fuel supply following global market uncertainties caused by the crisis in the Middle East. Some early reports mentioned “from Malaysia,” which then triggered speculation and claims on social media that Malaysia was exporting diesel while facing domestic supply issues.
MTEN and Petronas urged the public to refer to official sources and not be easily influenced by inaccurate or politically motivated reports.
The government stressed that this clarification aims to stop the spread of misinformation and ensure accurate facts are conveyed to the public.
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