Johor Bahru: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living ministry (KPDN) has assured that the enforcement of ‘Operasi Gas Memasak’ (OPS GASAK) will not target micro-traders, including self-service laundromats and eateries, until Oct 31. Its deputy minister Dr Fuziah Salleh stated that the operation to curb leakage in the use of subsidised Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders is currently targeted at the industrial sector.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Fuziah mentioned that if enforcement officers visit micro premises under OPS GASAK, it is primarily to collect information and data. The aim is to understand the exact usage patterns of LPG, as services like laundromats and eateries have a direct impact on consumers. She made these remarks during a press conference after officiating an enforcement and advocacy programme on usage. Present at the event were Johor KPDN director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo and state chief enforcement officer Mohd Fuzi Hadi Abd Latif.
Dr Fuziah further urged micro traders to apply for a controlled goods permit if they use more than 42 kilograms of LPG at any one time, equivalent to more than three 14kg gas cylinders, for safety reasons. She explained that eateries with more than three gas cylinders need to apply for a permit due to safety concerns. This requirement remains in effect, and under the 2021 amendment to the Control of Supplies Regulations, traders with permits must use non-subsidised LPG, which is currently under review.
The ministry is conducting stakeholder engagements with industry players, including micro traders, petroleum companies, trader associations, LPG wholesalers, restaurant operators, and laundromat businesses, to explain the operation. Such an engagement was held in Johor. Previously, Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali announced that OPS GASAK was launched on May 1 to address the leakage and abuse of subsidised LPG cylinders in the industrial and commercial sectors. The operation, running until Oct 31, is part of the ministry’s latest enforcement initiative under the ‘KITA GEMPUR’ movement, launched on Oct 19.