Companies registered with the Ministry of Utilities and Telecommunications as importers and manufacturers have to apply for an approval certificate to sell and use gas equipment in Sarawak.

This is required by the Distribution of Gas (Installation and Competency) Regulations 2021.

Its minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said his ministry has so far recognised SIRM QAS International, a subsidiary of SIRIM Berhad, to conduct domestic gas equipment testing in Sarawak.

“As a national testing body and recognised on the international scene, equipment that passes through the testing by SIRIM has the opportunity to be marketed throughout the country due to the uniformity of testing that meets the national standards.

“This will give consumers the confidence about the safety of the gas appliances that have the SIRIM label,” he said this in his ministerial winding-up speech in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) today (Nov 29).

He said SIRIM Berhad has established a domestic gas equipment laboratory at Demak Laut Industrial Park, here, which was commissioned on Nov 8.

“With the presence of this laboratory, it will save time and shipping costs for test samples.

“Therefore, my ministry is targeting an increase in applications for approval certificates for importers and manufacturers, and approval certificates for domestic gas appliances in the future,” he said.