MALAYSIANS are generally not panicking over predictions of a petrol and diesel shortage in January if the retailers refuse to stock up  now.

Bumiputera Petrol Station Operators Association president Abu Samah Bachik had previously said that petrol station operators could not afford to stock up now because the government was expected to reduce the price of fuel in the new year when it returned to the weekly float system to determine fuel prices.

A check by Bernama found that consumers were not afraid the claim could prove true and believed instead in the government, who had promised that fuel supply was adequate.

Koh Kar Ling, 30, who is self-employed, said the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry had on Wednesday allayed fears with its announcement.

“The Malaysian government is very reliable and I believe everyone, whether the government, supplier or the intermediary, plays their respective role in looking after the rights and interests of the consumers.

Freelance photographer Karlheiri Mohamad Razali, 42, said such a situation was not possible because the prices of petrol and diesel were gazetted as scheduled controlled items under the Supply Control Act 1961 which ensured that consumers would always get their supply in the market.

Meanwhile, the manager at a petrol station in the Klang Valley who declined to be identified, told Bernama that the supply of petrol and diesel was expected to be adequate until early 2019.

“Petrol pump operators will receive their supply from suppliers and we certainly have no option to reject.

“Of course we suffer a lot of losses, but consumers need not worry because we have to fulfil the requirements of the consumers for fuel supply at the petrol pumps.”

Ministry secretary-general Jamil Salleh earlier said the authority would carry out monitoring and inspections on petrol pump operators to ensure fuel was readily available.
 
In KANGAR, the Perlis branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry has assured that petrol and diesel supply in the state will be sufficient ahead of January 1 when fuel prices are expected to change.

The ministry’s Perlis branch assistant director (enforcement) Mohd Rizab Baharom said 29 of the 33 petrol stations in the state which were inspected over the last two days were found to have sufficient supply.

“I hope there will be no panic buying among consumers and they must file a complaint if there are stations not operating,” he told the media after checking on two more petrol stations today.

Petrol stations must have the ministry’s approval to shut down or shorten operation hours, he added.

According to Rizab, the smuggling of fuel to neighbouring countries had declined significantly following increase in enforcement operations and cooperation with other enforcement agencies in the border areas.

In IPOH, the Perak branch of the ministry reported similar conditions, along with the assurance that there was sufficient petrol and diesel at all 371 petrol stations in the state.

State chief enforcement officer, Shamsul Nizam Khalil said there would be no shortage if the petrol stations stocked up as usual.

“The stations know their sales trends and volume, so if they order their supply and sell as normal, there will be no shortage.

“A shortage only happens when some stations close causing consumers to find other stations,” he told reporters after inspecting the supply of petrol and diesel at a petrol station here today.

Shamsul said the authorities would not hesitate to take action against station operators hoarding or declining to sell fuel.

“If there are operators boycotting and refusing to sell, we will take action including sealing the petrol station and bringing the case to court for infringing the conditions of the licence.

The ministry’s Perak branch can be reached at 019-279 4317 on WhatsApp or the hotline at 1800-886-800, for complaints and tip-offs. – Bernama, December 29, 2018.