New Sabah Times
8th August, 2008
TAWAU: The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affair Ministry has launched a probe on eight industrial firms for using subsidised diesel for its operations. These firms including oil palm plantations are believed to have bought the subsidised diesel from a syndicate that has been very active in the district.
“We’re conducting the investigation under Rule 3 (3) of the Control of Supply Act 2006, the ministry’s Tawau enforcement chief Mohd Fikri Lai Abdullah told New Sabah Times yesterday after heading a raid on an old warehouse at Jalan Sin San here at about 3pm yesterday.
He said the warehouse was believed to have been used to store subsidised diesel before it is sold to the industrial sector. A total of 2,500 litres of diesel worth RM6,460 were found stored in eight drums and one huge tank during the raid yesterday.
However Fikri said two men who were inside the small warehouse managed to flee when the raiding team arrived. He said tests conducted by Teras Kimia Sdn Bhd confirmed that the seized diesel was subsidised fuel.
Meanwhile he urged industrial firms which had been buying subsidised diesel for their operations to stop doing so. “We will not compromise with the offenders. We will arrest and charge them,” he warned. The New Sabah Times had reported just last week that five petrol kiosks here were being probed for allegedly abusing the sale of subsidised diesel.
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SENJALIZA'S NOTE.
Setuju. Kita tidak patut berkompromi lagi. Malah kita perlu bertindak lebih agresif. Kerajaan menaikkan harga minyak, kerana bebanan subsidi. Kenapa pula membiarkan pihak tertentu dengan mudah mengaut keuntungan ke atas hak umum. Industri pula menaikkan harga barangan atas alasan kenaikan harga minyak. Sedangkan di pihak yang lain mengaut keuntungan dengan menafikan hak umum.
Telah tiba masanya bagi kerajaan bertindak tegas dan agresif. Berikan perhatian serius kepada Persatuan-persatuan tertentu seperti Persatuan Nelayan (yang mendapat kouta menjual minyak bersubsidi) dan Persatuan Pemilik-pemilik Station Minyak . Berilah mereka penekanan mengenai tanggung-jawab dan kewajiban mereka dalam menegakkan undang-undang dan peraturan. Mereka mesti diberi pilihan. Satu pilihan. Mahu meneruskan perniagaan dengan berhemah dan berdesiplin atau meninggalkan perniagaan atau bersedia menerima hukuman yang lebih berat.
Tanpa ketegasan pihak berkuasa, sudah pasti kegiatan ganas dan haram ini akan berlarutan dan tetap berselindung di sebalik tabir peniagaan ala mafia yang merampas hak awam tanpa kesal, tanpa jemu.
Setuju. Kita tidak patut berkompromi lagi. Malah kita perlu bertindak lebih agresif. Kerajaan menaikkan harga minyak, kerana bebanan subsidi. Kenapa pula membiarkan pihak tertentu dengan mudah mengaut keuntungan ke atas hak umum. Industri pula menaikkan harga barangan atas alasan kenaikan harga minyak. Sedangkan di pihak yang lain mengaut keuntungan dengan menafikan hak umum.
Telah tiba masanya bagi kerajaan bertindak tegas dan agresif. Berikan perhatian serius kepada Persatuan-persatuan tertentu seperti Persatuan Nelayan (yang mendapat kouta menjual minyak bersubsidi) dan Persatuan Pemilik-pemilik Station Minyak . Berilah mereka penekanan mengenai tanggung-jawab dan kewajiban mereka dalam menegakkan undang-undang dan peraturan. Mereka mesti diberi pilihan. Satu pilihan. Mahu meneruskan perniagaan dengan berhemah dan berdesiplin atau meninggalkan perniagaan atau bersedia menerima hukuman yang lebih berat.
Tanpa ketegasan pihak berkuasa, sudah pasti kegiatan ganas dan haram ini akan berlarutan dan tetap berselindung di sebalik tabir peniagaan ala mafia yang merampas hak awam tanpa kesal, tanpa jemu.