MP SPEAKS | I urge the government to immediately accelerate B20 palm biodiesel rollout to mitigate surging fuel prices nationwide, as the recent and drastic spikes in diesel and petrol prices are placing an immense burden on the rakyat and our local industries.

As retail diesel prices in Peninsular Malaysia hit a staggering RM5.52 per litre this week, implementing B20 biodiesel is no longer just an environmental goal; it is a critical economic tool to provide a more stable, locally sourced alternative that can shield our economy from the extreme volatility of global crude oil markets.

The B20 biodiesel programme for the transportation sector was officially launched by then-deputy prime minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and me as then-primary industries minister on Feb 20, 2020.

The implementation began earlier in Langkawi on Jan 1, 2020, and in Labuan on Jan 15, 2020, before the official national launch in February.

It was originally scheduled to expand to Sarawak in April 2020, Sabah in August 2020, and Peninsular Malaysia by June 2021.

However, since then, the government has repeatedly brushed the rollout aside.

Today, the whole country is suffering from a cost-of-living crisis driven by fuel costs because the government lacks the political will to reduce our dependency on expensive imported fossil fuels.

I call on the Finance Ministry to immediately re-examine and expedite the funding and construction plans for B20 biodiesel blending depots.

The Finance Ministry must quickly re-examine the stalled depot construction plans across Peninsular Malaysia, in Bintulu, and throughout Sabah. Without these depots, we cannot blend the palm oil into our fuel supply at scale.

The government’s hesitation to invest in this infrastructure years ago is why we are paying the price at the pump today.

While conventional diesel prices fluctuate wildly based on global crude oil volatility, Palm Methyl Ester offers a domestic alternative that supports local farmers.

By substituting 20 percent of imported diesel with locally produced palm biodiesel, Malaysia could significantly lower its fuel import bill and provide a buffer against the current price spike.

Every litre of palm oil we blend is a litre of expensive, foreign diesel we don’t have to buy. 

I urge the prime minister and the finance minister to stop delaying. Revive the B20 depot projects in Peninsular Malaysia, Bintulu, and Sabah immediately. Let our “golden crop” protect the Malaysian pocketbook from the global energy crisis.

TERESA KOK is Seputeh MP.

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