KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 ― Holidaymakers criss-crossing the peninsula after the long Hari Raya break claim they have been unable to refuel their cars for the return journey, with numerous petrol stations running out of petrol, particularly the cheaper RON95 variant.
News portal Astro Awani today also reported that around 200 vehicles were stranded after a petrol station at Kampung Saujana in Setiu, Terengganu ran out of fuel yesterday.
The portal quoted Azuddin Yusoff as saying that he was on his journey from Kota Baru, Kelantan to Pahang, but that he was stuck around 6pm yesterday with other travellers until 11pm as the petrol station’s tanks were empty.
The news portal reported the station supervisor Hafikir Zaki apologising for the fuelling supply problems, explaining that the fuel tanker was delayed due to the high volume of vehicles and the resulting slow-moving traffic and congestion.
The fuel tanker arrived at around midnight, the portal reported.
Astro Awani also quoted the Terengganu director of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Saharuddin Mohd Kia as explaining that the usage beyond expectation following the Hari Raya celebrations had caused some fuel stations to have ran out of fuel and having to wait for new stock.
He also said that the fuel station owners frequently provide updates to the ministry on the current supply status and their proactive actions to ensure availability of fuel on the market.
On Twitter, Malaysians shared their experiences of finding low or no supply of the RON95 petrol at fuel stations particularly at the east coast of peninsular Malaysia amid traffic jams, with some also noting that more expensive RON97 petrol however continued to be available.
For the week from May 5 to May 11, the RON97 petrol is priced at RM3.94 per litre at fuel stations, while RON95 petrol is at its ceiling price of RM2.05 per litre and diesel is at its ceiling price of RM2.15 per litre.
A Twitter user yesterday night questioned the lack of fuel supply at fuel stations along the east coast of peninsular Malaysia.
Ni apa kes Pantai Timur tak ada minyak?!! Dari Besut sampai Kuantan. Kereta banyak sadai pic.twitter.com/2GWUypxyeV
— Shasya Edora 🇲🇾🌺 (@shasyaedora) May 6, 2022
A Twitter user today said they were still celebrating Hari Raya in Kelantan but had found yesterday that the fuel stations in the area from Pasir Mas to Tanah Merah in the state had ran out of fuel supplies and that only the green-coloured fuel was available, alluding to RON97 which is usually from a green-coloured pump.
Tu laa. Aku still kat Kelantan ni haa. Masih beraya. Semalam singgah petrol pam, area dari pasir mas sampai tanah merah takde stok! Tinggal minyak hijau je. Parok wei parok. https://t.co/so6mNGvzsH
— FATIHAH BINI DAESUNG 𓆩♡𓆪🍀🇲🇾 (@CTea_ahhhh) May 7, 2022
Another Twitter user spoke of finally reaching their destination instead of being stranded due to three to four fuel stations throughout several areas in Terengganu having run out of fuel, after finally managing to find a fuel station despite having to refuel with the green-coloured fuel pump.
Syukur sampai KL! Journey mendebarkan sbb 3-4 pump stations habis petrol spjg area kg Raja-Penarik-KT😅😅😅 finally indicator petrol blinking dan terbayang bakal tersadai di tepi jalan. Gelabah buka waze cari station terdekat n nasib baik jumpa shell wlupun tpaksa isi minyak hijo pic.twitter.com/9F479dCIar
— Redza (@SREDZA1) May 6, 2022
Others however suggested that the petrol supply disruption was also found in other states.
A Twitter user today reported that most of the fuel stations in their area in Kedah and some parts of Perlis had ran out of RON 95 petrol and only the more expensive fuel was available.
Most of petrol pump at my area in kedah and some part of Perlis run@out of Ron95. Ada minyak mahai ja. https://t.co/slu59erSPd
— M 🌈 👬 (@mysafeground) May 7, 2022
Another Twitter user also shared of being unable to find fuel at Changkat Lada in Perak, while another reported fuel having ran out at several petrol stations along the way from Taiping to Kuala Kangsar in Perak.
Dekat changkat lada pon takde minyak weh 😭 nasib baik pak usu bawak pejal pergi kampung gajah naik motor gi cari petrol pump lain 🥺 kalau tak, kami stuck lah dkt kg 😞 dengan aku nak keje nya, naya 🤦🏻♀️ https://t.co/P0QousCwQf
— Fana (@_whathefana) May 6, 2022
Bukan pantai timur je, dari taiping ke kuala kangsar ada brp biji petrol pump yang tak ada minyak. Btw saya ikut jalan dalam.
— سيتي عاءشه 🇲🇾 (@stixishah) May 6, 2022
Other Twitter users reported experiencing rationing or a limit by fuel stations on how much fuel they could fill in their vehicles.
One reported how a petrol station along the Krai to Gua Musang route only allowed each vehicle to refuel up to RM20, while another said the first fuel station visited had ran out of petrol and the second fuel station allowed refuelling up to RM30.
Krai -> gua musang stesen minyak di felda dah kurang petrol sebuah keta boleh isi rm20 je ye cukup2 ke next station
— #TEAMRAYAPERLIS (@ImanKeisuke) May 6, 2022
Tadi pergi 1st petrol pump minyak habis. 2nd petrol pump staff situ bagi isi max RM30. Betul, banyak tempat kehabisan minyak petrol. Tawakal je ni esok. https://t.co/9Dk6qbHUB1
— zaty 💞 (@zatyamyr97) May 6, 2022