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RM15.9 billion allocated for petrol and diesel subsidies this year

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:11 PM PDT

RM15.9 billion allocated for petrol and diesel subsidies this year

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has allocated RM15.9bil for petrol and diesel subsidies this year to control the price and reduce burden on the people.

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai told Dewan Rakyat today that government spending on petrol and diesel subsidies last year amounted RM9.6bil.

He was replying to a question by Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) who wanted to know the actual amount of petrol and diesel subsidies borne by the government.

Lim said the government is always concerned with the the people's welfare but at the same time has to address its financial capability to give the subsidies.

"As such, the subsidies must be distributed carefully to ensure that only those in need benefit from them," he added.

Restructuring of petrol and diesel subsidies which saw reduction of RM0.05 per litre twice last year saved more than RM1.7bil in subsidies. -- BERNAMA

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RM15.9 billion allocated for petrol and diesel subsidies this year

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Train rams into tanker, 9 injured

Posted: 31 Oct 2011 10:42 AM PDT

2011/11/01
By Kristy Inus and Avila Geraldine
news@nst.com.my

KOTA KINABALU: Nine people, including a pregnant woman, were injured when a Sabah Railway passenger train crashed into an oil tanker at a level crossing near the Kota Kinabalu International Airport yesterday.

The 5.30pm collision in Jalan Kota Kinabalu-Petagas caused a loud explosion and a huge ball of fire which damaged the first carriage of the train.

The train, with three carriages, was carrying 200 passengers, including office workers, women and children.

It was travelling from here to Papar while the tanker was transporting fuel to a petrol station located across the railway track.

The injured were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

They were identified as Asmeh Papang, 43, Lily Shafura, 29, Rahimah Rahmat, 42, Rauziah Ramli, 37, Masitah Nila (who was pregnant but whose age was not given), Sardy Latif (no age given), Norfidah Jailani, 33, Isma Ismail, 18, and Joseph Philip Kulip, 50.

The tanker driver, Dauleh Dausun, 41, and locomotive driver, Ali Ramli, 54, escaped unhurt. Police are questioning them on how the collision happened.

When met at the scene, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the tanker driver was trying to drive across the track when the train reached the spot.

The crossing did not have a guard or barrier to warn motorists of approaching trains.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan said the crossing was illegal and the state government would take action by closing all illegal crossings.

Firefighters took more than an hour to douse the flames. Paramedics were kept busying ferrying the injured to hospital.

The tanker driver said he was not aware of the passing train until it was too late.

"I managed to jump out of the tanker before it hit my vehicle," Dauleh said.

A regular commuter, Razmi Jaafar, 37, from Papar, who boarded the train at Tanjung Aru at 5.25pm, said there was no warning at all.

"I was sitting in the first carriage when it happened five minutes into the journey.

"I was talking to my friend and suddenly we heard a loud explosion.

There were flames outside the window where we were seated.

"We all panicked and there were much shouting and pushing in our rush to get out." Razmi, who escaped with a slight bump on the head, said they could not open the door or windows from the inside.

"Finally, I managed to come out through a small gap in the window and opened the door from the outside." The 134km track from Tanjung Aru to Tenom has 22 crossings which have gates and signal lights, but more than 100 other crossings do not have these facilities.

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Isnin, 31 Oktober 2011