By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Sept 29: Stakeholders in Sarawak have voiced concerns that the newly introduced Subsidised Petrol Control System (SKPS) may not fully reflect the realities of the State, particularly for boat operators, rural transporters and small petrol station operators.
During an engagement session hosted by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar here today, participants highlighted several grey areas which could impact communities in Sarawak differently compared with those in Peninsular Malaysia.
Among the main issues raised was that boat operators, including speedboat users, fishermen and tourism boats, are not covered under SKPS, which currently applies only to land transport for public and goods vehicles.
Purchases in containers are considered bulk purchases requiring special permits if exceeding 20 litres, and no additional fuel quota has been allocated for boat users.
KPDN Senior Assistant Director, Petroleum Regulatory Division (BKSP), Noriqram Mohd Noor, explained that the matter may need to be discussed with the Sarawak Rivers Board (LSS), as water-based transportation is vital in the State.
“We acknowledge the demographic differences between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. This feedback will be taken up for further study,” he assured.
Another concern came from rural transporters, who questioned if they would be given a special permit to purchase subsidised petrol at RM1.99 per litre when delivering supplies to remote villages after Sept 30 (implementation date).
Noriqram said the matter is still under the consideration of the Ministry of Finance and urged transporters to wait for an official decision.
Operators of smaller petrol stations such as Petros, Smart and Excel also raised issues of exclusion from the Fleet Card system, which for now is only available with major brands such as PETRONAS, Shell, Petron and Five. This could disadvantage rural areas where local brands are more common.
“However, users in such areas can still purchase subsidised fuel using their MyCard quota, though this option is limited to 300 litres per month and does not cover higher-volume needs like commercial fleet operations,” he added.
Meanwhile, representatives pointed out that many Sarawakians rely on 4×4 vehicles such as Hilux for rugged terrain, but these are also excluded from SKPS subsidy eligibility.
The current framework provides individual Malaysians with a quota of 300 litres monthly via MyCard at RM1.99 per litre, while registered public and goods transport operators may apply for Fleet Card at RM2.05 per litre, with quotas determined by vehicle category.
Over 250 stakeholders, including government officers, took part in the engagement session aimed at providing exposure on the SKPS Fleet Card.
While participants welcomed the initiative, they emphasised the need for SKPS to be adapted to Sarawak’s unique geography and socio-economic conditions to ensure targeted subsidies truly reach the intended groups without placing additional burdens on rural communities.
Also present were KPDN Sarawak director Matthew Dominic Barin and deputy director Mohd Khairi Jamaludin. – DayakDaily
