By Karen Iva
PUTRAJAYA, July 8: Businessman Datuk Seri R. Jeyenderan today urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to speed up its investigation into his allegations of discrepancies between bills of lading (BL) and the physical movement of petroleum cargo at Tanjung Langsat Port in Johor, involving transactions said to be worth millions of ringgit.
He said the issue could affect national security and result in losses to the government.
Speaking to reporters at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya, the chief executive officer of Maritime Network Sdn Bhd said he had lodged an official report with the anti-graft agency on June 5 and was awaiting the outcome of the investigation.
“Today marks one month and two days since I lodged the report. I came to the MACC headquarters to obtain an update on the progress of my complaint, as the matter involves transactions worth millions of ringgit and has significant implications.
“I had spoken to the investigating officer and she gave me an assurance that the prob is ongoing and more time would be needed,” said Jeyendran, who has more than 30 years of experience in the maritime industry.
Previously, Jeyenderan explained that biggest risk for a shipping agent is when the physical cargo movement and the documentation stop aligning and any mismatch between operational handling and paperwork could expose all parties in the chain, including shipping agents, to significant risks.
While shipping agents may not own the cargo or be the beneficial parties involved in transactions, the fact is they still face operational exposure because authorities, terminals and counterparties rely heavily on the instructions and declarations processed through them, he pointed out.
As a result, he said shipping agents are now placing greater emphasis on documentation integrity, internal compliance controls and know-your-customer (KYC) verification processes.
He said the issue becomes more complicated in complex oil trades, where shipping agents may receive different instructions from traders, receivers, terminals, forwarding agents and logistics providers that do not fully match the original BL.
“The moment different parties start operating from different versions of the cargo story, the risk level immediately increases because the agent still has to ensure consistency from a regulatory and operational standpoint,” he said.
On oil blending and commingling after discharge, Jeyenderan said such practices are not unusual in the industry, but maintaining traceability becomes increasingly challenging once cargo enters storage systems and mixes with existing inventory.
He said if cargo conditions change operationally through transfers, blending or additional handling, the documentation and classification process must also evolve accordingly to ensure proper regulatory and commercial treatment.
Jeyenderan warned that when Customs records, BL documents, tank measurements and actual cargo positions no longer align, the industry risks losing visibility over cargo movement, potentially leading to compliance gaps, commercial disputes and revenue leakages.
He added that post-discharge cargo handling involving multiple tank transfers and storage movements is one area requiring closer global scrutiny, particularly where documentary treatment may not keep pace with physical cargo changes.
–WE