Gua musang: The Orang Asli community residing in the remote areas of Gua Musang is appealing to the government to include diesel in its Essential Goods Supply programme at the Kuala Betis Resettlement Plan Area. This inclusion would significantly enhance villagers' access to the much-needed fuel.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Roireng Ngah, the chairman of the Pos Belatim Orang Asli Village Development and Security Committee, highlighted the benefits that the RON95 petrol sale initiative, established over a year ago, brings to the villagers. The initiative has enabled them to avoid frequent trips to town for fuel. However, he stressed the importance of incorporating diesel into the programme to further ease their fuel acquisition burdens. He explained, "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 90 kilometres away to purchase it."

Diesel is not only essential for daily transportation needs, with many villagers relying on four-wheel-drive vehicles and pickup trucks, but also for agricultural machinery and electric generators. Kampung Podek villager Adi Nasruddin, 50, echoed this sentiment, expressing hope that the government would provide diesel to simplify their lives.

Suraya Muhamad, a local fuel supply trader under the Essential Goods Supply Programme, reported that demand for petrol among the Orang Asli community is substantial, with up to 1,500 litres sold in a single day. The Kuala Betis Resettlement Area serves as a crucial entry point to interior settlements like Pos Balar, Pos Belatim, Pos Simpor, and Pos Gob. She noted that they receive 3,000 litres of petrol every two days, with the majority of customers being from the Orang Asli communities in the surrounding regions. Suraya added that there have been requests from customers for diesel's inclusion in the programme.