Bintulu Member of Parliament, Dato' Seri Tiong King Sing, said certain heavy users of diesel tended to bend the government subsidy rule without any regard for other users.

"Heavy diesel users should take the subsileave the supply at the petrol stations to teh smaller users...but that has not been the case," he said to reporters after attending a special meeting on the diesel shortage yesterday.

According to him, representatives of the local lorries association claimed during the meeting that their vehicles (mostly permit holders) were allowed by the Commercial Vehicles and Licensing Board (LPKP) to obtain fully-subsidised diesel from fuel stations.

As far as Tiong was concerned, such holders were entitled to the subsidised industrial rate only which is RM1.30 per litre now.

"Since there was no representative from LPKP attending the meeting, I have requested for the relevant department to check the status of this ruling," he said.  If the claims by the association proved to be true, Tiong felt that there would be a need for the government to review the present regulation as it appears to place smaller users on the losing side.

On illegal fuel transaction as another cause of the shortage, he warned those who enjoyed the subsidy not to abuse the benefits.

This warning was directed at longhouse headmen and fishermen, some of whom had used their diesel permits to re-sell their supplies elsewhere instead of keeping them for their own longhouses.

"Everyone must remember that the government's intention to subsidise diesel was to lighten the burden of the low income group.  While I urge the low-income people not to abuse the subsidy.  I also want those in the upper group not to take advantage of the situation, 'he said.