Friday June 6, 2008

Chaos in Sarawak

By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: River and land transportation in many parts of rural Sarawak came to a halt when petrol and diesel supply ran out following massive panic buying hours before the new price took effect.

Fuel shortages were reported in rural villages and interior towns in central and northern Sarawak as the supply situation became more chaotic following the price increase.

River and land transportation were badly affected when motorists could not find enough fuel to start their day.

Interior settlements which rely on diesel to power generators for electricity for homes and rice mills were also badly affected.

A check by The Star found that places like Song, Belaga and upper Balui in Kapit division, and Marudi, Long Pilah and Long Lama in Baram district faced a severe fuel shortage.

Kapit district councillor Puso Lintang said Song ran out of fuel yesterday causing great inconvenience to rural folk as they could not return home.

He added that longboats and express boats could not operate because there was not enough fuel.

“Many have to travel to neighbouring villages to look for anyone willing to sell fuel,” Lintang said.

He said the daily fuel supply for interior Kapit division came from Sibu town, some 200km away.

Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Association deputy chairman Dick Bala said the 15,000 Kelabits in the state want an explanation from government authorities on what would be done to keep a cap on the increase.

He said there was a possibility of major hoarding by middlemen, which would create an artificial shortage and rural folk would have to pay the price they demanded. At the Marudi district in interior Baram, many folks were not even aware of the price hike.

The Sahabat Alam Malaysia office was inundated by calls from concerned people when they found out about the price situation.

“Due to the distance from the urban town, many rural folk did not get to hear the price hike announcement. Only this morning, they realised the situation when they could not buy enough fuel and were told that the new price had taken effect,” said SAM Sarawak field officer Jok Jau Evong.