Caltex and Petron begin goodwill compensation for contaminated RON95 damage claims

In a major development for affected Malaysian drivers, oil companies Caltex and Petron have officially initiated goodwill compensation payouts to motorists whose vehicles suffered engine damage linked to recent RON95 petrol contamination reports.

The announcement was made in the Dewan Rakyat today by Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali in response to parliamentary inquiries regarding the investigation and consumer remedy mechanisms.

Both Caltex and Petron have rolled out targeted customer recovery programmes designed to provide direct financial relief to affected vehicle owners.

KPDN Minister Datuk Armizan highlighted that these payouts are classified as pembayaran ganti rugi secara ihsan (goodwill compensation). The payments are made on a goodwill basis following verified technical assessments and do not constitute an admission of legal liability or wrongdoing by the fuel companies while comprehensive investigations remain underway.

Addressing the ongoing technical investigation, Minister Armizan revealed that initial laboratory analysis by the Department of Chemistry Malaysia (Jabatan Kimia) on 43 fuel samples taken from petrol stations across the state showed low water content within acceptable limits.

While the initial sample batch showed no widespread fuel blend anomalies, KPDN and relevant agencies are continuing deep-dive forensic testing across supply chains, storage tanks, and logistics routes to pinpoint the exact root causes of isolated vehicle breakdown incidents reported by consumers in October.