MIRI: A critical shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders has hit Miri following the temporary shutdown of the Bintulu LPG plant due to landslides.
To address the crisis, Transport Minister and Senadin assemblyman Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin has taken swift action, personally reaching out to Petroliam Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) group chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Janin Girie to expedite LPG deliveries from Kuching.
“I wish to thank him for his prompt response in ensuring the delivery of essential LPG cylinders to Miri,” said Lee.
According to Dato Janin, Miri’s daily LPG demand stands at 1,600 cylinders for Syarikat Pusaka Bumi and 800 cylinders for Maju Gas Supply Sdn Bhd.
On Feb 13 and 14, both distributors received increased supply, with 1,834 cylinders delivered to Syarikat Pusaka Bumi and 1,204 cylinders to Maju Gas Supply on each day.
To assess the situation firsthand, Lee visited Maju Gas, one of the key distributors in his constituency, noting that recent floods had triggered a surge in demand.
He said to stabilise supply, PetrosNiaga Sdn Bhd (PNiaga) is maintaining a minimum daily supply of 3,000 cylinders to Miri. Additionally, temporary measures have been introduced at Maju Gas to streamline distribution for consumers.
Residents have been advised to stay updated through the Maju Gas Miri Facebook page, where real-time information on supply and distribution is provided.
To ensure fair access, he outlined the following guidelines: Queue numbers must be collected at Maju Gas Miri daily at 4 pm (except Sundays), a limited supply of 150 cylinders will be available daily, with any changes announced via Facebook, price gouging complaints should be reported to Petros or the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDN), and the “one cylinder per household” policy will be enforced to ensure equitable distribution.
Lee also encouraged residents to familiarise themselves with other local LPG dealers, such as Syarikat Pusaka Bumi in Taman Tunku.
