KUCHING: Residents in Sarawak’s rural communities are expressing mounting dissatisfaction over barriers preventing them from purchasing subsidised RON 95 petrol, priced at RM1.99 per liter.
The primary obstacle: many lack Road Transport Department (JPJ) driving licenses, which are required to access the reduced fuel rate.
Without proper documentation, these residents must pay the standard market price of RM2.60 per liter.
Frustrated villagers have begun traveling to urban centers like Sibu seeking assistance from politicians’ service centers and government offices.
On social media platforms serving the Sibu community, over 3,800 comments have appeared from residents sharing their difficulties.
Affected resident, Juk Ngau, who journeyed from the remote Kapit district to Sibu, expressed his predicament.
He owns a speedboat for transportation but possesses no JPJ license, leaving him unable to purchase fuel at the subsidised rate despite making the long trip to town.
Another resident, Julia Wan, highlighted the disparity between urban and rural populations.
While city dwellers with national identity cards and driving licenses readily access cheaper fuel, rural inhabitants who depend on boats rather than cars cannot obtain JPJ licenses for watercraft.
In response, Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Lee Kim Shin announced the state government is coordinating with federal authorities to develop solutions enabling riverboat and coastal fishing vessel operators to purchase subsidised RON 95 without JPJ licenses.
The federal Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living has dispatched officials to Sarawak to address the fuel subsidy challenges.
Leading the delegation is Noriqram Mohd Noor, Senior Assistant Director of the Ministry’s Petroleum Regulatory Division, supported by local management and enforcement personnel.
The team has conducted consultations in Kuching with various groups including transport organisations, business associations, and representatives from fishing, farming, and riverboat operator communities.
During stakeholder meetings, officials learned that thousands of coastal and river fishermen rely on RON 95 for daily operations but cannot register their vessels with JPJ, thus preventing them from obtaining the required licenses.
Additionally, cargo transporters delivering essential supplies throughout rural areas face difficulties, as many remote regions have limited Petronas and Shell stations.
Numerous locations depend on small, independently-operated fuel outlets with restricted inventory, requiring larger quotas to serve local populations.
Noriqram acknowledged the unique challenges present in Sarawak’s implementation of the new pricing structure.
“The logistical and geographical conditions in Sarawak differ significantly from Peninsular Malaysia,” he stated during the stakeholder meeting.
“We are compiling a report for the Finance Ministry to identify solutions promptly.”
Approximately one million rural Sarawakians reside in over 6,000 remote longhouses.
Tens of thousands own riverboats and chainsaws essential for daily farming activities but may be excluded from the RM1.99 fuel price, forced instead to pay market rates due to lacking JPJ licenses.