SNAPSHOT | Caltex: Fuel disruption in 5 states; M'sians in West Asia advised to be vigilant

KINI SNAPSHOT | What’s going on in the news today, with updates at 9am, 2pm, 6pm and 9pm.

Quick highlights:

• Caltex warns of fuel supply issues

• France invites M’sia to Hormuz talks

• Group calls for book ban reversal

• Suhakam slams TikToker’s arrest

• Hamzah’s resignation letter sent to speaker

• Critical medication supply still stable

• Boosting efforts to curb fuel leakage

9pm

Fuel supply

• Caltex Malaysia said several of its stations across Perlis, Kedah, Perak, Penang, and Kelantan may face temporary disruptions of RON95 and diesel supply beginning today.

  The company said this is due to unexpected delays at the port, which have affected delivery operations.

• The Gabungan Kelab Media Malaysia urged Putrajaya to grant a special exemption allowing registered media practitioners to enjoy a higher Budi95 petrol subsidy quota.

  In a joint statement supported by 14 media clubs, the group appealed for media members to be eligible for a monthly 300-litre quota, asserting that the current 200-litre threshold has caused many grievances.

  It said it had received numerous complaints from media practitioners whose petrol subsidy quotas were quickly depleted due to daily travels to event locations for field coverage.

West Asia conflict

• Malaysians living in or travelling to West Asia, including haj pilgrims, have been advised to remain vigilant despite a two-week ceasefire that took effect on April 8, said the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

  Bernama reported the ministry urging citizens to steer clear of areas with military activity or large public gatherings, and track developments that could affect travel plans, including flight disruptions.

  To facilitate consular assistance, Malaysians were encouraged to register and regularly update their contact details on the e-Konsular portal.

  The ministry also recommended downloading its MyWorldAlert application for the latest consular updates, and urged those facing emergencies to reach out to the nearest Malaysian diplomatic mission.

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia has been invited to international talks on the Strait of Hormuz.

  According to Free Malaysia Today, he told reporters that Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan will join the online discussion, which will take place at 8pm today.

  

  Anwar said the invitation is from French President Emmanuel Macron, who will be hosting the discussion with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

  While stressing Malaysia’s stand on the importance of freedom of navigation along the strait, Anwar said the country will maintain its balanced and independent position.

Helicopter crash

• The Foreign Affairs Ministry has identified the Malaysian who was killed in a helicopter crash in Indonesia yesterday as Patrick Kee Chuan Peng, 67.

  According to the New Straits Times, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the Malaysian consulate in Pontianak, together with Kee’s family, is arranging the repatriation of his remains.

  It was earlier reported that a Malaysian was among eight killed after a private helicopter crashed in dense forest on Borneo island.

  The Airbus helicopter operated by Indonesian company Matthew Air Nusantara lost contact with air traffic control about five minutes after taking off from West Kalimantan province on Thursday morning.

6pm

Education

• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim defended his suggestion for cleaning school toilets to be in the curriculum, emphasising that it can instil civic responsibility and humility.

  He acknowledged some parents opposed the idea but said, “All our children, without exception, are not from aristocratic backgrounds.

  

  “We all share responsibility. We use the toilets, so we must clean them… Do not regard it as the job of cleaners alone, as though it reinforces class divisions in society,” the New Straits Times quoted him saying today.

  Earlier this month, Anwar instructed all schools to implement a toilet-cleaning schedule to ensure cleanliness and build student character.

• The government may place Malaysian students who are stranded or whose studies are affected in countries involved in the West Asia crisis into local institutions if so required.

  Higher Education Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said this is to ensure their studies are not disrupted, including those who have just received offers to study in the affected countries.

  “Space will be provided for them to continue their studies here, in accordance with their results, courses, and educational background.

  “Usually, we will discuss courses that can have credit transfers based on the guidelines of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) so that students can continue their studies without having to repeat everything,” Bernama reported him as saying.

2pm

Traffic offence

• An express bus driver and his girlfriend, who went viral for engaging in a dangerous lap-sitting stunt while driving an express bus carrying 27 passengers to Johor, have been sentenced at the Jasin Magistrate's Court.

  Malaysia Gazette reported that the man, Arif Fahmi Abd Salam, 36, was jailed for 12 months and fined RM5,000, while his girlfriend, Nur Adila Najwa Ilham Ameerrullah, 21, received a six-month custodial sentence and an identical fine.

  

  Both pleaded guilty after charges were read out, and were additionally disqualified from holding a driving licence for five years.

  Nur Adila also faced a separate charge of uttering abusive and insulting words to a 44-year-old passenger, under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.

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Book ban

• Article 19 urged Putrajaya to reverse its ban on two publications related to the struggle of the Malayan Communist Party (CPM), including a memoir by prominent CPM figure Shamsiah Fakeh.

  The group’s senior Malaysia programme officer, Nalini Elumalai, asserted that banning Shamsiah’s memoir is akin to an attempt to diminish the important role of women in Malaysia’s history.

  

  Nalini warned that removing parts of history, regardless of how uncomfortable or controversial they are, limits access to information and the ability to comprehend different viewpoints.

  Calling for a repeal of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, she stressed that to truly progress as a nation, the rakyat should be able to learn from all sides of history, rather than being confined to a “narrative sanctioned by the authorities”.

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  READ MORE: Jamaliah laments govt censoring grandma's memoir, Home Ministry plays 'communism' card

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Freedom of expression

• Suhakam described the reported arrest and remand of a TikTok user for allegedly criticising Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as a "disproportionate and unlawful measure”, stressing that such criminal sanctions risk creating a “chilling effect” on the exercise of free expression.

  The incident, it said in a statement today, has highlighted the urgent need for a “rights-based recalibration” of Malaysia’s approach to regulating online expression to protect individuals from harm without suppressing legitimate dissent.

  “Public officials must be prepared to tolerate a higher degree of scrutiny and criticism.

  “The use of criminal law to shield public figures from criticism is inconsistent with democratic principles and undermines public confidence in governance,” the commission added.

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  READ MORE: Lawyer pans 'reformati' govt as cops stay silent about TikToker's arrest

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Politics

• Perikatan Nasional announced that it had officially submitted Hamzah Zainudin's resignation as opposition leader to the Dewan Rakyat speaker yesterday.

  “Yes, sent yesterday and confirmed received at 11am,” PN secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan told Malaysiakini.

  

  According to the New Straits Times, Takiyuddin said the letter was submitted to the speaker's office at the Parliament building in Kuala Lumpur.

  Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain

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  READ MORE: MP claims Bersatu may lose PN council vote for Hamzah's faction to join coalition

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Fuel

• The implementation of the B15 biodiesel blend rate will be carried out in stages to avoid disruption to the existing operations of the industry, said Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir.

  He said the progressive approach is important as operational aspects, particularly at blending centres, need to be organised meticulously without disrupting the current supply chain.

  

  “If it involves the arrangement of operations at blending centres without any infrastructure upgrades, the blending rate can be increased from B10 to B15.

  “However, this must be done progressively and in stages to ensure that existing operations are not disrupted,” Bernama reported Akmal as saying after visiting the “Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat–Usahawan Tani” project today.

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  READ MORE: Study on Budi95-like mechanism for diesel subsidy to be tabled next week

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• The police, through its Internal Security and Public Order Department, have tightened its control at 13 fuel stations identified as “hotspots” in Perak, Kedah and Perlis under Op Tiris 4.0, aimed at curbing the supply leakage of subsidised fuel.

  The General Operations Force northern brigade commander Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said three senior police officers and 54 personnel from the brigade have been deployed to the locations along the Malaysia-Thailand border - comprising two in Perak, six in Kedah and five in Perlis.

  “Monitoring under Op Tiris 4.0 is carried out on shifts beginning as early as 6.30am, with continuous presence of personnel at all identified ‘hotspot’ fuel stations, and the deployment continues until the stations close,” Bernama reported him as saying.

  “The public is also urged to channel information to the authorities if they detect any suspicious activities related to the misappropriation of subsidised fuel,” Balveer added.

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  READ MORE: Petrol dealers' group says price difference, extra costs affecting supply at pumps

9am

Healthcare

• The Health Ministry assured that the supply of critical medications, including insulin and vaccines, remains stable and sufficient to meet the people’s needs for the time being.

  Health deputy director-general (Pharmaceutical Services) Dr Azuana Ramli said the government is continuously monitoring the situation to ensure that stocks nationwide remain stable.

  "Now we have a task force consisting of ministry officials and industry representatives. We are discussing this issue and monitoring stock levels together," Bernama reported her as saying during Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara programme titled “National Drug Supply Security”.

  

  Azuana explained that under this mechanism, industry partners provide stock level information, allowing the ministry to detect any possible supply disruptions earlier.

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