Malaysia:Diesel pumps run dry in Penang

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Saturday, September 16, 2000 Diesel pumps run dry in Penang

By BERNARD SEE and SYLVIA LOOI PENANG: Diesel pumps in several parts of the island ran dry on Thursday after a syndicate began buying up the fuel to smuggle it out of the country.

A check by The Star revealed that petrol kiosks in Jelutong, Glugor and Bayan Lepas ran out of diesel about noon and supply was only replenished early yesterday morning.

The authorities attributed the "shortage'' to the syndicate's activities.

Lorry drivers and four-wheel drive vehicle owners had to travel all over the island in search of diesel.

Engineer C. H. Wong, 42, said he went to three petrol kiosks in Jelutong on Tuesday afternoon but was told by the cashiers that their diesel supply for the day had been sold out.

On Thursday, the northern region marine police detained a fishing boat specially altered to smuggle 30,000 litres of diesel.

Diesel and petrol in Malaysia are considered to be the cheapest in the region due to government subsidy and syndicates are taking advantage of this.

North Malaya Petrol Dealers Association president Lim Chee Sin urged the Government to monitor the situation closely to ensure there was no recurrence.

"The act of siphoning diesel via tankers out in the sea is not something new,'' he said, adding that a similar incident occurred about 10 years ago which led the Government to implement a permit system for bulk purchase.

Acting marine police chief DSP Teh Heng Thong said boat patrols along the state's coastline had already been stepped up to deter such incidents.

He urged local fishermen to call the department's operations room (tel: 6577251/6581144) if they come across any suspicious vessels plying the state's waters.

"The 12 crewmen from Myanmar had their statements taken down by state Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry personnel.''

It was learnt that the crew were released on police bail yesterday afternoon after all their travel documents checked out.

They had been directed not to leave the country as investigations were still pending.

The ministry's enforcement unit led by Norashikin Hamid also detained two tankers in Bukit Mertajam petrol kiosks and seized 2,000 litres of diesel on Thursday.

Its director Fahmi Kasim said the case was being investigated under the Control of Supplies Regulation 1974 which carried a two-year jail term, RM15,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.

He added that there was a restriction under this regulation which does not allow wholesalers to purchase diesel from retailers.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2000/9/16/nation/1616bsup&sec=nation

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), September 16, 2000


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