THE Energy Division at Brunei's Prime Minister's Office issued yesterday the Fourth Additional Directives on the Sale of Petroleum product, Gasoline and Diesel, which was effective as of yesterday.

The previous directive issued on December 28 is hereby cancelled.

Petroleum Unit Director Hj Zulkifli Hj Karim announced the new directive during a briefing stating the difference in pump price and petroleum products between Brunei and the neighbouring states has caused the demand in motor gasoline premium 97 and diesel to increase, resulting in the decrease of petroleum product stocks nationwide.

The new directive is part of the continuous effort by the government in controlling the sale of petroleum product and thus ensuring constant supply to meet consumer demand.

The latest statistics by the Royal Customs and Excise shows that there is an increased number of cases involving smuggling of the petroleum products by three fold from 43 cases in the previous year up to 146 cases.

"This has caused the government to introduce stiff sentence for offenders in November last year," he said.

Offenders will get a fine of $10,000 and not more than $500,000 and imprisonment not exceeding three years or both for the first offence, while offenders with the second or subsequent offences will face a fine of $20,000 and not more than $500,000 and imprisonment to a period of six months or not exceeding three years.

 

In Courtesy of The Brunei Times