The Malaysian government has disclosed that the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and the sale of Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV) will be phased out in the country by July 2025.

The Malaysia Reserve reports that the Malaysian transport minister, Anthony Loke, said in a press conference on Monday that the ban became imperative to ensure the safety of road users.

The minister said, “These NGV tanks have a safe usage lifespan of approximately 15 years, and if they are not replaced, they become unsafe to use and may fail at any time.”

According to him, the Petroliam Nasional Berhad, owned by the country’s government, will, from July 1, 2025, stop selling CNG at its stations in stages.

He also lamented the modification of some vehicles by some owners using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, which, according to him, pose serious hazards, as they have previously caused explosions during accidents.

Mr Loke, however, stated that the government has launched programmes to assist NGV-powered taxi drivers, dual-fuel vehicle owners, and owners of purely NGV-powered vehicles ahead of the deadline.

He said, “For dual-fuel vehicle owners, they can get their NGV kits removed for free at workshops selected by the transport ministry. Their vehicles must be registered with the road transport department (JPJ) before October 1.

“Lastly, for owners of purely NGV-powered vehicles, they are eligible for a one-off payment based on the current value of their vehicles, which will be determined by an independent appraiser.”

“For this package, the vehicles must also have been registered with JPJ before October 1. Upon taking up the offer, the vehicles will be sent to an authorised automotive treatment facility to be disposed of and deregistered by JPJ.”

The minister, therefore, warned against misusing and illegally modifying the vehicles, which will be a danger to the public.

About 44,383 active NGV vehicles in Malaysia, comprised of taxis, private vehicles, buses, and machinery, which make up 0.2 per of the country’s registered vehicles, are said to be affected.

While the Asian nation is phasing out CNG and NGV, the Bola Tinubu administration in Nigeria, in August 2023, directed the establishment of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas initiative.

According to the government, the use of CNG in the country, which is meant to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy for Nigerians, is a safer and more cost-effective option to petrol.