World · Malaysia Bureau
AGC seeks to block judicial review of 2024 diesel subsidy removal
Malaysia's Attorney General's Chambers has moved to prevent legal challenges to the government's decision to end diesel subsidies, arguing the matter falls outside the scope of judicial review. The AGC contends that subsidy decisions are not governed by written law and therefore cannot be challenged in court.
LSN Malaysia ·
The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) has filed an application to block judicial review proceedings against the government's 2024 decision to remove diesel subsidies, asserting that the subsidy termination cannot be challenged through the courts.
According to a senior federal counsel representing the AGC, the removal of fuel subsidies does not fall under matters regulated by written law and therefore lies outside the jurisdiction of the courts to review. The submission reflects the government's position that subsidy policy decisions are executive matters beyond the scope of judicial intervention.
The move comes amid ongoing legal challenges to the subsidy removal, which has had significant implications for transport operators, businesses and consumers across Malaysia. Those challenging the decision have argued that the subsidy cut warrants judicial scrutiny, though the AGC maintains that no statutory framework governs such policy decisions.
The outcome of the AGC's application will be closely watched by stakeholders in the transport and logistics sectors, as well as consumer groups affected by the diesel price increases that followed the subsidy withdrawal. The case represents a key test of the boundaries between executive discretion and judicial review in Malaysia's administrative law framework.
Court proceedings on the matter are expected to continue as both sides present their legal arguments regarding the reviewability of government subsidy decisions.