Its corporate communications head Akhtar Sahari said petrol station operators, however, would be allowed to offer promotions in the future, reported The Star.

“We are unsure when the new measures will kick in. For now, they must follow the retail price set by the ministry. We will allow them to give discounts, but not right now,” he said.

The ministry, on Thursday, released a statement denying rumours of a “price war” between petrol stations after screenshots of a smartphone app’s listing of lower fuel prices went viral.

The ministry, in a statement, asserted that petrol stations were only allowed to sell fuel at the retail prices set by the government.

Earlier this month, Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Hamzah Zainudin announced that petrol station operators could either follow the set ceiling price under the new system, or offer lower fuel prices for promotional purposes, provided they obtained prior approval from the ministry.

The Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia, however, voiced concerns that small dealers, especially those in the rural areas, would not be able to afford discounts on fuel.