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Ministry to probe into reported exorbitant LPG cylinder prices in Bario

KUCHING, April 22 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs will immediately investigate reports that the people of Bario were still paying exorbitant prices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, said its deputy minister Chong Chieng Jen.

He said the people in remote places in Sarawak, including Bario, should not be paying RM65 per LPG cylinder as the government had awarded the transport subsidy contracts to transporters to deliver LPG, diesel, RON 95, sugar, rice, flour and cooking oil there.

“Upon reading yesterday’s news by a local daily on people in Bario still paying RM65 per LPG tong (cylinder), I have instructed the ministry’s officers to conduct an immediate investigation into the matter,” he said in a statement, here, today.

Under the transport subsidy contracts effective April 1, he said his ministry would pay the appointed transporters the whole transportation cost to supply the seven essential items to the rural areas of Sarawak.

Under the transport subsidy contracts, a 14kg LPG cylinder should be sold at the price of RM26.60 as being sold in the city areas.

Chong said in 2019, a total of RM140 million was allocated under this transport subsidy programme, out of which approximately RM80 million was allocated to Sarawak.

“We will not tolerate such lackadaisical manner of carrying out the contracts awarded by the ministry for the benefit of the rakyat (people),” he said, adding that stern action would be taken against the appointed transporter in Bario if the reports were found to be true.

-- BERNAMA

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