MIRI: A critical diesel shortage for the past 10 days is threatening to turn into a socioeconomic crisis for more than 20,000 people living in the 200km stretch between Marudi and Long Lama.

The Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism yesterday called The Star, saying it had called Petronas to take care of the problem as soon as possible because diesel had dried up in Long Lama and is about to finish in Marudi.

The ministry’s chief for northern Sarawak, Zakaria Awang, said they notified their headquarters in Putrajaya about the matter because it was at near-crisis stage.

“In Long Lama, there is no more diesel. The supply dried up 10 days ago because of some problems between Petronas and the contractors handling the transportation.

“I have called Petronas in Miri and also its state headquarters in Kuching about the matter.

“However, the situation has not improved. Today, I found that the diesel in Long Lama has totally dried up and Marudi is about to end up with the same crisis.

“There are thousands of families dependent on diesel for their generator sets. There are also many schools, rural clinics and some government departments that depend on the fuel.

“There are also many people using vehicles, longboats, speedboats and express boats using diesel. I have asked for urgent intervention from my ministry headquarters in Putrajaya to help solve the problem.

“The politicians in Baram have also expressed deep concern about the situation.

“Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau has called me repeatedly and said the people need diesel immediately,” he said.

Zakaria said that in Long Lama, there is only one diesel retailer and Marudi has two.

In Marudi, one of them has also run out of stock and the other is not far behind, he stressed.

Asked about the exact cause of the transportation woes, Zakaria said he had called the transporters and they told him that it was about “some transportation charges they were unhappy about”.

“I also called some senior Petronas officials in Miri and Kuching and asked them what the problem was, but they refused to give details. They just said they were looking into the problem,” he said.

As for petrol, Zakaria said the latest information he received was that the remaining stock for Marudi and Long Lama would last for three more days.

“This morning, I called the transporters again and told them that they must resolve whatever problems they have with Petronas immediately because in a few days time, there will be absolutely no petrol or diesel left for Marudi and Long Lama,” he said.

• Ingress net profit down 9.1%
• Unimech to list its Indonesian unit
• Maybank sells 9% stake of PT Bank International Indonesia
• KLCI closes 0.59% lower amidst Fed's end of stimulus, China slowdown
• More Singaporean companies making prompt payments
• Luster waiting for concrete offer before deciding
• Spot gold falls to lowest since January 2011
• Ivory Group to start phase 3 to 5 of Penang Times Square by year-end
• Japanese corporates might be eyeing Malaysia as operational hub
• MHTC eyes RM630mil revenue for medical tourism
• Lazada secures RM320mil fund
• MBM Resources targets RM4b revenue by 2015
• MRCB gets go-ahead for Nusa Gapurna merger (Update)
• Asian markets in the red, KLCI down 10 points at midday (Update)
• Malaysia PC sales hit 898,000 in Q1, 2013, Lenovo top vendor

• China astronaut teaches lesson from space
• Singapore demands urgent Indonesia action on smog
• Assange says WikiLeaks assisting Snowden asylum bid
• Kim Dotcom slams Megaupload 'data massacre'
• Study: Jordan teens still 'honour killings' justified

• Murray poised to end Britain's 77 years of pain
• Steady as Jie goes
• Ferrer loses title after opening round loss
• Park preps for third major title bid at LPGA event
• Gavin Green confident he can take on title-holders this weekend
• Zhang switches focus on developing golf in China
• Thaworn hopes to find his ‘A’ game in Selangor Masters
• Paul Revington is glad to be back to train the Malaysian team
• Heavy task on Faizal’s shoulders
• Singapore Open: Chong Wei Feng fights to survive
• Rachel owes her rich vein of form to change in technique
• Future looks gloomy for men’s squash when Beng Hee calls it a day
• Khairy: RM8mil to be forked out for Sukma due to lack of sponsorship
• A chance for local cyclists to shine
• Rahul survives weekend of harsh hurdles in Norfolk

• Please wait.

• MCMC offers free money to small businesses, few takers
• It’s Honda Accord now for ministers
• Striptease queen married five times in search of true love, says author
• China’s Comtec to build one of world’s largest solar wafer making plants in Kuching for RM1.2bil
• Singapore's air turns "hazardous" as Indonesian fires rage
• Nightmare over topless pictures
• Haze: All Batu Pahat schools to close for two days
• Use of psychometrics assessment for employees can be controversial
• ‘Body buried 13 storeys deep’
• China lifts freeze on Malaysian bird's nest imports