File picture of Chong talking to several people in Kapit last Friday.
KUCHING: Consumers want the price of fuel at unbranded petrol kiosks in Kapit and Song to be standardised with the rest of Malaysia, says Democratic Action Party (DAP) Kapit branch coordinator Paren Nyawi.
These unbranded stations, one in Kapit and one in Song, have been selling fuel at a higher
price due to ‘high transportation cost’.
The fuel shortage hit Kapit on Jan 2, resulting in panic-buying and long queues at petrol stations.
Paren was hoping for some solutions to the problem after acknowledging that Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Cheng Jen had visited Kapit last Friday.
Paren said Chong held talks with officials from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (Kapit) in the hope of finding solutions to the problem, starting at the federal level.
Paren also hoped that the federal government would consider providing subsidy to counter the high transportation cost faced by the two kiosks. Only then can the people be assured of the seriousness of the government in managing the situation, and taking care of their welfare.
Kapit is the one town that is still not properly connected to the outside world by roads, which is compounding the problem of high fuel prices.
Chong told the press on Jan 2 that the shortage of petrol and diesel in Kapit was one of the many problems that the Pakatan Harapan government inherited from the previous Barisan Nasional government.
There are only two petrol stations in Kapit — one operated by Petronas, and the other an unbranded one.
“Many people have applied to open up more petrol stations to serve the people in the area but the applications were either rejected or put on ‘long hold’ by the previous government. As a result, the people of Kapit have been facing recurring petrol and diesel shortage and also higher prices of the commodities,” he said.
To overcome the problem, the ministry has come out with short-term and long-term solutions.
“For the short-term solution, my ministry has contacted oil companies to take immediate action to increase the supply of petrol and diesel, which is supposed to be normal after today (Jan 2),” Chong said.
As for long-term solution, Chong said the ministry had engaged with a few oil companies to facilitate the opening of several mini petrol stations or even portable container system (PCS) pump stations in the periphery of Kapit to serve the needs of the people in the areas.
“The proposed solution involves the oil companies locating local operators, negotiate on the transport subsidy for petrol and diesel, and resolve the legal impediments placed by the Sarawak government on the setting up of mini petrol stations.
“We are at the final stage of formulating this new policy, and I am confident that before Hari Gawai this year, the people of Kapit will see at least two additional PCS pump stations or mini petrol stations in the surrounding areas,” he said.
Chong said his ministry was currently reviewing several policies to improve the delivery system, especially the delivery of essential goods, subsidy and subsidised goods to the people of Sarawak, especially those in the rural areas.