KUCHING: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) views seriously a recent shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in yellow cylinders produced by MyGaz Sdn Bhd because it adversely affects many people particularly operators of food stalls.
“During our investigation, we were told by MyGaz that the valves of more than 34,000 cylinders were leaking.
“As such, the company has reduced its daily production of 10,000 cylinders to half the volume,” said Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Deputy Minister Chong Chieng Jen in a press statement yesterday.
According to him, MyGaz has taken steps to remedy the situation by ordering more cylinders from Malaya, buying new cylinders and importing new valves from Thailand.
Yet, as Chong remarked, a week after the first incident, there was still no satisfactory deadline given by MyGaz to get the problem fully resolved.
He revealed that the ministry has contacted Petronas which is ready with excess gas cylinders (the green ones) to make up for the shortage of the yellow cylinders.
“However, Petronas will need MyGaz to supply information on its distribution network and customers facing the shortage.
“The ministry has also issued directives to MyGaz to supply such information together with its ‘action plan’ to the ministry so that the problem can be resolved in the shortest time possible,” Chong said.
He urged MyGaz to give full cooperation to the ministry so that it would not have to resort to stern actions under the provisions of Control of Supplies Act 1961.
