Diesel demand exceeds quotas – dealers

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KOTA KINABALU: The demand for diesel in Sabah has exceeded the monthly quotas of petrol stations, said Sabah Petroleum Dealers Association.

Its president, Charles Soong, yesterday said many petrol stations had used their monthly quota diesel due to the high demand.

“There are simply more vehicles on the roads and due to the upcoming festive season, more people are travelling,” said Soong.

He said the shortage was also because petroleum companies were limiting their supplies to various stations that had not exhausted their quotas.

“If the petroleum companies have limited supplies then what we receive is also limited. If we used to receive a cup previously, we would now be getting half a cup.

But that half cup has to be shared among more vehicle owners,” he added.

Soong said petrol stations that still have supplies have no choice but to limit the sale of the fuel to about RM50 per customer.

“We are trying to stretch whatever supplies we have to as many people as possible,” he added.

The shortage of diesel has forced owners of diesel-powered vehicles in Sabah to queue for as long one hour over the past few days just to buy fuel for their vehicles.

The situation has prompted Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce to ask the authorities to increase the diesel quotas for petrol stations immediately.

Its president, Michael Lui, said the diesel shortage was affecting the transport industry, including taxi and bus firms, tour companies, construction apart from logistics, courier and construction businesses.