THE Government should immediately suspend the ruling requiring eateries to use commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, a Perikatan Nasional (PN) MP said, warning that the move causes immense hardship on small traders, food operators and consumers.
PN Head for Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Portfolio, Datuk Rosol Wahid said many small food stall owners and hawkers have seen their monthly gas bills spike from around RM2,600 to RM7,000 after the Madani government enforced the requirement from 1 May for them to use only 14kg commercial LPG cylinders, instead of the cheaper subsidised domestic ones.
Rosol, who is also Hulu Terengganu MP said traders were not only facing soaring costs but are also being penalised through enforcement actions under Ops Gasak, which began earlier this month. He said many operators had their gas cylinders confiscated and were issued compounds.
“The government must not act in a way that punishes the people. This move, coupled with impending expansion of the sales and services tax (SST), fuel subsidy rationalisation and electricity tariffs removal, will create a domino effect—and the public will ultimately bear the cost,” he said in a statement.
Rosol, who is also former Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumers Affairs between 2021 and 2022, urged the government to put the ruling on hold until a proper plan was in place for small traders, adding that such moves should be implemented carefully, communicated clearly, and complemented with supporting incentives.
Introduced by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN), the directive aims to curb abuse of subsidised domestic LPG cylinders which are intended for household use.
KPDN officials have said the enforcement was necessary to ensure targeted subsidies reach the intended groups, pointing out that some commercial operators have been using household cylinders for years.
However, traders quoted in recent news reports said the sudden shift has caused severe financial strain, with some claiming they were not given enough notice or assistance to adapt. Industry players have also voiced concern that rising input costs could eventually translate to higher food prices for consumers.
In Rosol’s opinion, the Madani government should, at the very least, offer appropriate incentives to soften the blow on micro and small business owners.
“Don’t be cruel to the rakyat,” he added. – May 30, 2025
