Fast-track B20 biodiesel rollout amid soaring fuel prices, Seputeh MP urges govt

SIBU (March 28): The government should urgently accelerate the rollout of B20 palm biodiesel to ease the burden of soaring fuel prices on Malaysians and local industries, said Seputeh MP Teresa Kok.

She noted that retail diesel prices in Peninsular Malaysia hit RM5.52 per litre this week, making B20 biodiesel not just an environmental initiative but also a critical economic tool.

“It is a critical economic tool to provide a more stable, locally-sourced alternative that can shield our economy from the extreme volatility of global crude oil markets,” she said in a statement.

The B20 biodiesel programme for the transportation sector was officially launched on February 20, 2020, by then-Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the then-Primary Industries Minister.

Pilot implementation began earlier in Langkawi on January 1, 2020, and in Labuan on January 15, 2020, ahead of the national launch.

The programme was originally scheduled to expand to Sarawak in April 2020, Sabah in August 2020, and Peninsular Malaysia by June 2021.

However, Kok said the rollout has repeatedly been delayed.

“Today the whole country is suffering from a cost-of-living crisis driven by fuel costs because the government lacks the political will to reduce our dependency on expensive imported fossil fuels,” she said.

Kok urged the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to immediately review and expedite funding and construction plans for B20 biodiesel blending depots.

“The MOF must quickly re-look at the stalled depot construction plans across Peninsular Malaysia, in Bintulu and throughout Sabah.

“Without these depots, we cannot blend the palm oil into our fuel supply at scale.

“The government’s hesitation to invest in this infrastructure years ago is why we are paying the price at the pump today,” she said.

She added that Palm Methyl Ester (PME) offers a domestic alternative that supports local farmers.

“By substituting 20 per cent of imported diesel with locally produced palm biodiesel, Malaysia could significantly lower its fuel import bill and provide a buffer against the current price spike,” she said.

Kok called on the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to act without delay.

“I urge the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister to stop delaying. Revive the B20 depot projects in Peninsular Malaysia, Bintulu, and Sabah immediately.

“Let our ‘golden crop’ protect the Malaysian pocketbook from the global energy crisis,” she said.