Malaysia moves to phase out CNG powered vehicles due to safety concern

The Malaysian government has announced plans to phase out the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) for vehicles and end the sale of natural gas vehicles (NGV) in the country.

Loke Siew Fook, who is the minister of transport in Malaysia, recently held a press conference to share important information with the public. This information was reported by Free Malaysia Today, which is a well-known local media organization.

During his speech, Fook discussed the future of vehicles powered by compressed natural gas, also known as CNG, in Malaysia. In the country, CNG is commonly referred to by the abbreviation NGV. Fook announced that starting from July 1, 2025, no new CNG-powered vehicles will be allowed to be registered in Malaysia. This means that individuals will not be able to buy new vehicles that run on CNG, and those that are already on the roads will not be able to continue in use in the same way they have been.

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Additionally, Fook revealed that Petroliam Nasional Bhd, which is better known as Petronas, will begin to stop selling CNG at its gas stations. This process will happen gradually, starting on the same date of July 1, 2025. This decision indicates a significant shift in the direction of transportation fuel in Malaysia and raises questions about the future of alternative fuel sources in the country. The minister’s statements suggest that the government is moving towards a different type of energy source, and this could have a large impact on both consumers and the automotive industry in Malaysia in the coming years.

The minister said with only about 44,383 NGVs currently in the country — accounting for 0.2 percent of vehicles in Malaysia, excluding motorcycles — the safety of road users and the public will be restored.

“The NGV tanks of these vehicles are now reaching the end of their service life and need to be replaced and NGV tanks typically have a safe usage period of 15 years,” Fook said.