Gas War Minister Tells Wee To Do His Homework Mca Chief Hits Back

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MCA president Wee Ka Siong should review the regulations enforced during his time in the cabinet before making public statements, said Domestic Trade and Living Costs Minister Armizan Ali.
He clarified that there is no new policy or regulation, let alone any cutting or abolishment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) subsidies under “Ops Gasak”.
Armizan said Ops Gasak is implemented from May 1 to Oct 31 to curb the leakage of LPG subsidies, with the main focus being to combat illegal activities such as decanting, smuggling, and usage by medium- and large-scale industries.
He was responding to Wee, who asked why Malaysia cannot subsidise gas for small traders if the country is the fifth-largest exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG).
Former transport minister Wee Ka SiongArmizan said the legal authority for Ops Gasak is derived from the Supply Control Act 1961, the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, and the Supply Control Regulations (Amendment) 2021.
“Under the SCR (Amendment) 2021, it is stipulated that any party using more than 42kg of LPG is required to apply for a Scheduled Controlled Goods Permit.
“This regulation was made and has been in force since Oct 21, 2021, under the previous government, in which, to my recollection, Wee was a member of the cabinet.
“I give the benefit of the doubt - perhaps because the 2021 regulation fell under another ministry, he may have overlooked it, and his team may not have given him accurate advice before making a public statement.
“Therefore, with all due respect, I suggest that Wee reviews the regulations enacted while he was a minister,” he told the former transport minister.
Armizan pointed out that the government and his ministry have not made any changes, and therefore, it is irresponsible to make public statements that mislead the people.
“Among the facts - under the 2021 regulation, which we are still applying under Ops Gasak - only those using more than 42kg of LPG are required to have a scheduled controlled goods permit.
“Hence, it is incorrect to say that all hawkers and traders are prohibited from using subsidised LPG cylinders,” he added.
A house with a gas cylinderADSAt the same time, Armizan said that for food and beverage businesses, the ministry is not taking legal action, including issuing compounds or seizing goods, against any traders who do not yet have the scheduled controlled goods permit during the Ops Gasak period.
“This is because, at this stage, the focus is on advocacy, inspection, and informing traders of their responsibility to comply with the existing legal framework.
“We are not taking legal action because we are open to receiving complaints and suggestions for improvements,” he added.
Armizan said proposed improvements will be brought to the cabinet for consideration, including whether there is a need to amend the SCR (Amendment) 2021.
‘Aggressive, harsh’ enforcement
Responding to Armizan, Wee said the core issue is not about who passed the amendments on the SCR in 2021, but how it is being enforced today.
“Yes, the (Amendment) 2021 was passed while I was part of the cabinet. However, up until 2024, there were no large-scale enforcement operations like Ops Gasak that aggressively targeted night markets, stalls, small vendors, and food hawkers as it has been done since May 2025.
“In fact, the Pakatan Harapan 1.0 government in 2019 also attempted to enforce the use of commercial LPG in restaurants and eateries but halted the move after realising the burden it placed on the public,” he added.
Wee argued that the existence of a law does not mean enforcement must be harsh or sudden.
He said the large-scale enforcement is an administrative decision made by the Madani government this year, not a directive from the cabinet when the 2021 amendment was passed.
“This enforcement burdens small traders at a time when the public is already under pressure,” he added.
Wee said in a letter dated April 30, Petronas instructed all gas distributors to stop selling subsidised LPG (12kg and 14kg cylinders) to all commercial premises, including restaurants and food stalls.
“This directive has directly caused confusion, anxiety, and hardship to thousands of small traders who now fear enforcement action even though they have only ever used small cylinders.
“I’ve stopped being a minister for more than two and a half years, why am I being blamed and forced to take responsibility for the consequences of the latest letter by Petronas? Is this fair, and does it make sense?
“On the ground, we continue to see many videos and complaints of inspections on small traders, which contradict the narrative that only large industries are being targeted,” he added.
Therefore, Wee urged Armizan not to deflect public attention by shifting the blame onto the previous cabinet, when in fact the aggressive enforcement is a decision made by the Madani administration. - Mkini

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