The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) has found no indication of water contamination in RON95 fuel at a petrol station in Batu Kawan following reports of vehicles experiencing problems after refuelling.
KPDN Penang conducted an inspection at the station after several motorists reportedly encountered vehicle problems, with claims that water may have entered the fuel supply.
The inspection was carried out together with representatives from the oil company and the petrol station operator.
According to KPDN, officers checked the Automatic Tank Gauge records for the RON95 storage tanks, including readings taken during the inspection and over the previous three days.
The records showed no indication of water in the tanks, the ministry said.
Officers also physically inspected the fuel pumps and tank sumps, where no water accumulation was found apart from normal condensation.
Manual checks were then conducted using Water Finding Paste, which changes colour when it comes into contact with water.
KPDN said there was no colour change during the checks, indicating no water was detected in either of the RON95 storage tanks.
Fuel from all pump nozzles was also visually inspected and found to be clear, with no visible signs of contamination.
The findings provide some reassurance to motorists, but they do not yet explain what caused the reported vehicle problems.
That distinction is important.
Reports of vehicles breaking down after refuelling should be taken seriously, particularly when several motorists raise similar concerns. But the suspected cause should also be established through evidence rather than assumed from the timing of the incidents.
In this case, the initial checks have not found evidence to support the claim that water-contaminated fuel was responsible.
KPDN said it would continue follow-up action with the oil company and station operator to ensure the matter is investigated comprehensively.
The ministry also urged members of the public with information or complaints related to the incident to come forward.
The follow-up will therefore be important in determining whether the reported vehicle problems were connected to the fuel, or whether there was another cause.
For motorists, the issue is ultimately not just about whether water was found in a fuel tank. It is about getting a clear answer on what happened to the vehicles that were reportedly affected.
KPDN's inspection has so far answered one part of the question: no water contamination was detected in the RON95 storage tanks or fuel examined at the station.
The remaining question is what caused the reported vehicle problems and whether further investigation can provide motorists with that answer.