Sarawak's well known social activist William Ghani Bina described the diesel crisis in the state in two words - "Very critical".

And he felt that the situation has reached a stage which warrants the personal attention of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself.

"We wish to appeal to the prime minister to step in. The situation is very bad and it could easily lead to other things," said the president of the Sarawak Teachers' Union.

Ghani who is also involved in various voluntary organisations in the state pointed out that people are very worried and very confused over the matter.

"How do you explain to Sarawakians that there is a diesel shortage when Sarawak is an oil-producing state? The subsidy issue will not hold when we seem to have the money to build fairy- tale buildings and skyscrapers," Ghani said.

According to him, the diesel problem is affecting all stratas of society, particularly those in the lower-income category and even schoolchildren who depend on public transport to get to school.

Ghani who is also president of the Sarawak Labour Council is also worried that workers may be laid off as a result of the persistent problem.

Meanwhile, Sarawak DAP deputy chairperson Chiew Chin Sing said he has learnt to take the assurances from the authorities with a pinch of salt as he has tried to tackle the diesel problem over the past four years.

Standardise price

Chiew, the state assemblyperson for Kidurong in oil-rich Bintulu, said: "Bintulu is supposedly the richest town, contributing the biggest GDP to the country, but it is also among the first towns to be severely hit by the shortage".

He also laughed off SUPP leader Lily Yong's call on Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shafie Apdal ( photo ) to resign if he is unable to resolve the problem.

"This problem shows how irresponsible the BN government is. The minister's resignation will not resolve the matter. The whole BN machinery should be blamed because they are not implementing things the right way.

"Why can't the government come out with a standardised price? Now that the price difference between commercial and industrial diesel is so wide, some quarters would definitely capitalise on it," Chiew said.

JIMMY TEOH is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.