The long queue of outboard engine drivers waiting to buy petrol in Song.
KAPIT: Calls for more petrol stations are reverberating in Song, which seems to experience fuel shortage during festive occasions such as Gawai Dayak.
The problem irks many because without petrol, their vehicles and boats would come to a standstill, meaning they cannot celebrate at their respective longhouses.
Those who were desperate and had some spare cash to spare ‘solved’ the problem by making a return boat trip here to buy petrol.
There is no problem with diesel, though, so those with machinery, generators or boats that run on diesel did not experience such problems.
There are three petrol stations in Song District – one on land and two floating ones.
Petrol at all these three stations, however, ran dry two days before Gawai Dayak, forcing those affected to stay put in Song town while waiting for the stock to be replenished.
Supply for the petrol station on land arrived in June 1, and it created a long queue of motorists and outboat engine owners.
Two days later, the petrol station ran dry – again.
A longboat owner from Upper Katibas, who requested anonymity, claimed each boat owner was limited to four gallons of petrol.
“For those from upper Katibas River, four gallons is nothing. We need to use at least 20 gallons for a return trip, excluding the petrol that we need daily to go to our farms and gardens.”
A community leader from Rajang area said the authority concerned should set up more petrol stations in Song District as the number of vehicles on the road had increased.
“Soon we will be connected by roads, and this means more vehicles. Hence, we need more petrol stations,” he argued.