GUA MUSANG: The Orang Asli community in the interior of Gua Musang are hoping that the government will include diesel in its Essential Goods Supply programme at Kuala Betis Resettlement Plan Area so that villagers will have better access to the fuel.
Pos Belatim Orang Asli Village Development and Security Committee chairman Roireng Ngah, 34, said the RON95 petrol sale initiative introduced by the government more than a year ago has greatly benefited villagers as they did not need to go back and forth to town for fuel and they were hoping that diesel would be included under the programme.
"We greatly appreciate the current facility here and if possible we request that diesel be added to the programme as we still need to travel to Gua Musang town some 90km away to purchase it.
"Diesel is a vital daily essential for Orang Asli villagers in the interior as there are those using four-wheel drive vehicles and pickup trucks,” he told reporters here on Friday (July 3).
Kampung Podek villager, Adi Nasruddin, 50, said diesel was also used for agricultural machinery and electric generators and expressed hope that the government would supply diesel under the programme for their convenience.
Meanwhile, a local fuel supply trader under the Essential Goods Supply Programme, Suraya Muhamad, 35, shared that the demand for petrol among the Orang Asli community was very high, with as much as 1,500 litres being sold in a single day as the Kuala Betis Resettlement Area was an entry point to settlements in the interior such as Pos Balar, Pos Belatim, Pos Simpor and Pos Gob.
"A total of 3,000 litres of petrol is sent every two days and the majority of customers are the Orang Asli communities from the nearby areas and interior, adding that there have been requests from customers for the sale of diesel.- Bernama
