Dr Sim (third right) and others during the gas cylinder exchange programme on Tuesday. – Photo via Facebook/Sim Kui Hian
KUCHING (March 13): Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian has suggested piped distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to Kuching homes in the future as a way to resolve the shortage of cooking gas cylinders in the market.
The Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said piped distribution of LPG – similar to that in Miri and Bintulu – would mean cheaper domestic gas bills and prevent “unnecessary leakage”.
“More reasons why Petros (Petroleum Sarawak Berhad) should implement the piped gas distribution to homes in Kuching…,” he said in a post on Facebook today.
On Tuesday, Dr Sim had attended PetrosNiaga’s fourth gas cylinder exchange programme, held at SJK Chung Hua in Batu Kawa.
PetrosNiaga is the retail LPG arm of Petros.
The Batu Kawah assemblyman in the Facebook post said he was “a bit perplexed” by the overwhelming response to the programme which exceeded the 250 cylinders prepared.
He said three programmes had been held previously in RPR Batu Kawa with one seeing only 16 cylinders exchanged.
He also said that 80 per cent of those who turned up for Tuesday’s programme were not from Batu Kawa.
“I will monitor the response for the next three programmes over the next three days. Petros had assured me they will continue to ensure adequate red ‘tongs’ (cylinders) and will organise more exchange programmes during this current hiccup transition,” he said.
He added that Petros was surprised by the number of yellow MyGaz cylinders ‘emerging’ back in the market, which was beyond its estimate of 500,000 cylinders when it took control of LPG distribution rights in the state.
Last year, the Sarawak government announced that MyGaz’s LPG distribution licence would not be renewed upon expiration in November, with PetrosNiaga assuming full control of distribution from Dec 1.
