A tag indicating the diesel pump of a petrol station is faulty and is being fixed.
The amount of diesel sold at a petrol station in Kota Kinabalu.
KOTA KINABALU: Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah yesterday claimed that there has been a shortage of diesel here for the last several days.
The party’s assistant secretary, Junz Wong who is also Likas assemblyman, said at a press conference yesterday that some petrol stations had claimed to have no supply of diesel in the last 12 days.
He urged the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry to explain why there was a short supply of diesel in the city and surrounding areas, including Penampang.
“What is the reason behind this?” he asked, adding that there should not be any shortage of diesel as Malaysia and Sabah produce their own oil.
Junz also alleged that the diesel shortage could be linked to theft of the product by certain quarters wanting to reap profit out of the subsidised diesel sold at petrol stations.
He said that the DAP scouts had been monitoring the situation and they had seen vehicles with modified oil tanks purchasing diesel from the petrol stations.
“We believe they are selling the diesel to the industrial players who have to pay higher at RM2.65 per litre of diesel. At the stations, diesel is being sold at RM1.80 per litre,” he alleged.
Junz urged the ministry to monitor the situation and said that it should be doing their job to counter the diesel shortage.
He also urged the ministry to ensure petrol stations in the State stop selling diesel to people who were buying in bulk.
The assemblyman came up with a proposal which he claimed will be able to stop diesel theft.
“I propose a uniform price for diesel. They can pay first and claim from the government later. If the same price is being offered, then no one can steal. Once and for all, it will resolve the diesel theft issue,” he said.
During the event yesterday, Wong showed photographs of the amount of diesel bought at petrol stations near here.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah secretary and Inanam assemblyman Dr Roland Chia Ming Shen also complained that many fuel pump stations in the city are putting up a ‘Harap Maaf Sedang Dibaiki’ tag on their diesel pumps, forcing diesel-run vehicle drivers to go from station to station to look for the fuel.
“Many people have to brave the traffic jam, going from one pump station to the next in order to get the diesel supply for their vehicles,” he said.
The city as well as the surrounding districts of Menggatal, Inanam, Kolombong and Likas are faced with acute diesel shortage and the people are not happy, added Chia.
“I have received numerous complaints on the matter … people have to travel from one pump to the next and it is a total waste of time and productivity. Many have criticised that although Sabah and Malaysia are major producers of oil and gas, they do not have enough supply for their own rakyat,” he said.
Dr Chia alleged that the shortage of diesel fuel could be due to smuggling activities.
He urged the public to lodge police reports on the matter so that it could be investigated.
He said that smuggling activities had been rampant lately and the issue had been raised by the media.
“The latest being in Ungku Mohsin, Johore Bharu where a whopping amount of RM97,000 has been smuggled out to neighbouring country,” he said.
Chia also said that operators of industrial, manufacturing, commercial and residential areas in Inanam, Menggatal and Telipok were angered with the diesel shortage.