SIBU (Feb 13): The state government should take effective measures to stabilise the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders so that the people need not worry about the rising prices and shortages, said Irene Wong Li Tin.

The Sibu MP Oscar Ling’s special assistant claimed that Petroleum Sarawak (Petros), as Sarawak’s sole natural gas aggregator, still fails to ensure a stable supply despite its market monopoly.

“This situation is unacceptable and has undermined public confidence in the Sarawak government’s ability to manage the issue,” she said in a statement.

She questioned whether the state government conducted a thorough market assessment before terminating other gas suppliers to ensure that Petros has the necessary facilities and capacity to meet the extensive demand across Sarawak.

“The government should reconsider the competitive structure of the LPG market and allow multiple suppliers to coexist. This would prevent a single incident from causing a supply crisis across Sarawak due to Petros’ monopoly.

“If Petros continues as the sole supplier, the government must implement strict regulatory mechanisms to ensure that the company fulfils its social responsibilities, improves supply stability and prevents the public from suffering due to policy failures,” she said.

On Monday, Minister of Utility and Telecommunications Sarawak Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi said immediate steps had been taken to ensure uninterrupted supply of LGP cylinders in Sarawak, following a landslide at the Bintulu LPG Terminal triggered by the recent extreme weather.

Regarding the gas supply issue, she said the transition from yellow cylinders to red cylinders, which began last year, remains unresolved.

“Our service centre continues to receive inquiries about exchanging yellow cylinders for the red ones. Just this morning, a woman asked how to make the switch. Many people feel helpless because they cannot exchange their yellow cylinders for the red ones.”

Adding on, Wong said many households and businesses rely on LPG cylinders for their daily living and operations.

“However, not only is the cylinder exchange process difficult, but even basic gas supply remains unstable, affecting both daily life and business operations.”

Noting that Sibu coffee shops and restaurants heavily deepen on LPG, she said if the supply remains uncertain, it could directly impact the local food and beverage industry, affecting business owner’s livelihood.

She also claimed that there are already reports of distributors raising delivery fees due to their inability to absorb the extra costs as they are now forced to transport gas cylinders to Kuching for refiling, which has increased transportation and operational costs.

“At the same time, the shortage of LPG cylinders has exacerbated tensions in the supply chain, causing both consumers and businesses to worry about the worsening conditions.”