PENAMPANG: The Sabah branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has advised consumers against panic buying, saying the supply of petrol and diesel in the state will be sufficient.
Its director Georgie Abas said based on visits and inspections carried out at petrol stations across the state by the enforcers, there was adequate supply of petrol and diesel.
“We have carried out inspections at all petrol stations following the rumours that supply might dry up by the new year.
“From Dec 27 to Dec 30, we have carried out 243 inspections at 208 stations and based on that, there is adequate supply of petrol and diesel in Sabah,” he told reporters after visiting several petrol stations here yesterday.
Georgie also said that petrol station operators in Sabah were expected to comply with the instructions issued by KPNDHEP including not arbitrarily closing pumps at their stations if these were not faulty. – Bernama
“Closing down a pump without the permission of KPDNHEP is an offence and we can take action. Station operators must notify us if a pump is faulty and needs to be temporarily closed to allow repair to be done. They need to notify us also if supply of petrol and diesel is not enough,” he said. – Bernama
Members of the public were also urged to report to the KPDNHEP if they found any petrol stations violating the instructions and regulations issued, he said.
Georgie said KPDNHEP had also carried out 56,092 checks on various premises including supermarkets and ‘pasar tamu’ (weekend markets) statewide throughout 2018 and recorded a total of 1,100 cases involving seizure of goods worth almost RM7.5 million.
Among the offences committed were failing to put the price tag on goods and selling controlled items beyond the ceiling price set, he said. -Bernama
