Rural Sarawakians should not bear brunt of subsidised diesel limits, says Telang Usan rep

MIRI (April 4): An elected representative in rural Sarawak has said that communities in the interior should not bear the brunt of subsidised diesel cuts by Putrajaya, warning that the move could negatively affect the transportation of people and goods.

Telang Usan assemblyman Dato Dennis Ngau said the bottomline is an inclusive approach to ensure that the rural population should not be marginalised as Putrajaya proceeds with another round of fuel rationalisation, partly in response to supply concerns arising from the conflict in the Middle East.

“The government’s decision may be based on data and analysis, but it should be balanced and not applied across the board in a one-size-fits-all manner, and individual diesel purchases should not be reduced. Rural Sarawak means travelling long distances, and a 4WD vehicle is often the only viable mode of transportation in rugged terrain and the lack of proper roads,” he said.

“With that 50-litre limit per purchase, I can only travel from Miri to Long Bedian — but that is not enough for a return trip. Furthermore, we in Baram do not have the luxury of calling a taxi or Grab, whose drivers are given preferential fuel subsidies,” he told The Borneo Post.

Long Bedian is Dennis’ home village in the middle Baram region, approximately 120km from Miri. The Baram parliamentary constituency (P.220) spans 22,075 sq km — larger than the entire state of Perak.

Local transporter Gilbert Magok George echoed this sentiment, agreeing that 4WD vehicles in Sarawak are a necessity, not a luxury, for traversing logging roads and crossing rivers instead of smooth tar-sealed roads.

Dennis said rural populations rely heavily on 4WD vehicles to transport both people and goods, in addition to supporting oil palm smallholdings and other agricultural activities.

The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living has introduced new limits on subsidised diesel purchases at petrol stations in Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan, effective April 1.

Under the new regulations, diesel-powered vehicles and pick-up trucks are capped at 50 litres per refuel. Commercial vehicles of three tonnes and below are limited to 100 litres, while those above three tonnes may purchase up to 150 litres per refuel.

Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Kos Sara Hidup (KPDN) Enforcement director-general Datuk Azman Adam said on Wednesday that such controls are necessary to prevent supply disruptions and curb smuggling, particularly as demand for diesel and petrol has surged following developments in West Asia.

Consumers in Sarawak and Sabah continue to enjoy significantly lower pump prices compared to their counterparts in Peninsular Malaysia, who purchase fuel at market rates.

As of April 1, B10 and B20 grade diesel is priced at RM6.02 per litre in the Peninsula, while Euro 5 B7 blend diesel stands at RM6.22 per litre and RON 95 petrol at RM3.87 per litre. In East Malaysia, diesel and RON 95 remain at RM2.15 and RM1.99 per litre respectively.

The price disparity has prompted discontent among Peninsular vehicle owners, including members of 4WD communities.

The price disparity has prompted discontent among Peninsular vehicle owners, including members of 4WD communities.

One Facebook user, Sam Leong, posted in the 4X4 Malaysia Club group: “What really makes us ‘hot’ is when the burden of this subsidy is thrown squarely on the shoulders of diesel users in the Peninsula ONLY. Why can RON95 be subsidised? Why doesn’t diesel in Sabah and Sarawak go up?”

He claimed that Peninsular diesel users feel they have been made “scapegoats” to subsidise others — including those who drive luxury vehicles but continue to benefit from subsidised RON95.