Ministry monitors petrol stations for abuse of subsidised diesel

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SIBU: The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism has tightened its grip on petrol stations statewide and vowed to revoke the operators’ licence if they are caught abusing subsidised diesel.

The ministry’s state director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman yesterday said they would invoke the Supply of Control Act 1961 against unscrupulous operators.

He said a petrol station in Miri, where a man was arrested by the police for attempting to smuggle subsidised diesel last week, had been placed under scrutiny and that the operating licence might be suspended.

“Abusing of subsidised diesel is a very serious offence. Offenders will have their licences revoked for good.

“We have intensified checks on petrol stations,” Wan Uzir said when met during the ministry’s media night in Kuching on Sunday.

Miri deputy police chief Supt Ismail Idris was recently quoted as having said the man arrested for attempting to smuggle diesel was investigated under the Supply of Control Act 1961.

To this, Wan Uzir said: “We have opened an investigation file and if the outcome shows the petrol station is at fault, we will charge them. There is a possibility their licence may be revoked.”

He said they had instructed oil companies to take the necessary action against the (petrol) station.

He explained that petrol stations were only allowed to sell a maximum 200 litres per vehicle.

Anything beyond that, permission must be sought from the ministry.