Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Armizan Mohd Ali interacts with petrol station staff during an official working visit in Johor Bahru on April 23, 2026. — Bernama pic
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By Ben Tan
Thursday, 23 Apr 2026 4:32 PM MYT
JOHOR BAHRU, April 23 — The government is moving to expedite court proceedings for cases involving the smuggling of controlled goods, particularly petrol and diesel, to send a firm signal that it will not compromise on leakages that threaten national supply.
Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the decision was made at a high-level inter-agency meeting on April 6, with the goal of strengthening enforcement from investigation right through to prosecution and sentencing.
“We want the responsible parties to be brought to justice as soon as possible,” Armizan told reporters after visiting a petrol station here today.
“This will ensure the continuity of supply for the people and the market.”
The initiative has already received a positive response from the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Federal Court’s registry office.
Armizan explained that his ministry has streamlined its standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure investigation papers are completed more quickly.
Proposals have also been put forward for improvements at the judicial level, including creating a fast-track channel for smuggling cases, appointing designated judges to hear these cases, and coordinating case management teams between agencies.
“These are proposals to assist in expediting the court process and subsequently the disposal of cases within a reasonable period,” he said, adding that priority would be given to large-scale syndicate or cartel cases.
For minor offences, targeted approaches like plea bargaining may be used.
Armizan stressed that this aggressive action is a direct response to the global energy and supply crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
“This aggressive action is important when the conflict that has been going on since February 28 has not only brought about a global energy crisis, but has now entered a global supply crisis phase where Malaysia is receiving growing implications,” he said.
The move is also aimed at ensuring that cases generated from the ongoing integrated enforcement effort, Ops Tiris 4.0, are resolved swiftly.