KUALA LUMPUR (March 25): Retail prices for RON97 and unsubsidised RON95 petrol will increase by 60 sen per litre starting Thursday (effective until April 1), while diesel in Peninsular Malaysia will jump by another 80 sen.

This marks the third consecutive week of aggressive price hikes for RON97 (over 18% week-on-week) and Peninsular diesel (17%) since March 11 as the government continues to adjust prices of domestic fuel in response to the persistent surge in the global oil market as the war in Iran shows no sign of abating.

The pump price for unsubsidised RON95, which was raised by 60 sen for the March 12-18 week, was left unchanged last week.

The latest adjustments set the new prices for the March 26-April 1 period for RON97 at RM5.15 per litre (from RM4.55), unsubsidised RON95 at RM3.87 per litre (from RM3.27 per litre), and diesel in Peninsular Malaysia at RM5.52 per litre (from RM4.72 per litre), according to a statement from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) on Wednesday.

Subsidised RON95 remains unchanged at RM1.99 per litre, while diesel prices in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are also unchanged at RM2.15 per litre.

At the time of writing, Brent crude has eased to US$94.49 per barrel, slipping below the US$100 level, though still up 33.4% from US$70.84 on Feb 26 prior to the Middle East flashpoint.

In its Wednesday statement, the MOF said it plans to introduce controls on diesel purchases, particularly in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan, as part of efforts to curb subsidy leakages and smuggling activities.

The move forms part of a broader policy response to safeguard public welfare while balancing fiscal pressures amid heightened volatility in global oil markets, the ministry said.

Enforcement has also been intensified to ensure supply stability and prevent abuse of subsidised fuel, especially in border areas where leakages are more prevalent, it added.

Sales controls remain in place, including the continued ban on RON95 sales to foreign-registered vehicles, as well as restrictions on purchases exceeding 20 litres outside vehicle tanks without a special permit.

At the same time, the government has enhanced targeted assistance to cushion the impact of rising fuel costs, with Budi Individu and Budi Agri-Komoditi payments increased to RM300 in March 2026 from RM200 previously.

Budi Individu is for private, non-luxury diesel vehicle owners in the peninsula whose individual or household income is not more than RM100,000. Budi Agri-Komoditi is for small-scale farmers and commodity shareholders, to help them with the cost of operating diesel-powered machinery and transport.

“The government will continue to balance fiscal needs with the protection of the rakyat to ensure the country’s economic well-being and livelihoods remain safeguarded,” the MOF said.

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