KUCHING, Jan 2: Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen said the fuel shortage woes in Kapit is one of the many problems that the Pakatan Harapan government (PH) inherited from its predecessor, the Barisan Nasional (BN).
“At the moment, there are only two petrol stations in Kapit, one Petronas and one unbranded petrol station. Previously, many have applied to open up more petrol stations to serve the people in the area but such applications were either rejected or put on hold by the previous government.
“As a result, the people of Kapit faced recurring petrol and diesel shortage problem and also higher prices of petrol and diesel,” said Chong, who is Sarawak PH chief in a statement today.
To solve this problem, he said his ministry had contacted the oil companies to take immediate action to increase the supply of petrol and diesel.
“The supply is likely to be normal again after today. But this measure will only resolve the present shortage problem but not the recurrence of the problem in future.”
For the long-term, he said his ministry would try to get oil companies to open mini petrol stations in Kapit.
“My ministry has engaged with a few oil companies to facilitate the opening up of few mini petrol stations or even Portable Container System (PCS) pump stations in the peripheral of Kapit town to serve the needs of the people in the area.
“The proposed solution involves the oil companies locating local operators, negotiations on the transport subsidy for the petrol and diesel and resolving the legal impediments placed by the state government on the setting up of the 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, if not mini petrol stations in the surrounding area.”
On subsidised goods, he said his ministry was currently reviewing several policies.
“My assurance to the people of Sarawak is that at my ministry level, we are currently reviewing several policies to improve our delivery systems, especially the delivery of essential goods, subsidy and subsidised goods to the people in the rural areas.” — DayakDaily
