Cleaner fuel from now

PETALING JAYA: Starting today, Malaysians will be able to breathe cleaner air and by 2009, the air may be even cleaner.
This is because the Government will start enforcing a law today that requires the sulphur content in fuel not to exceed 0.05%.
The Government is trying to ensure that the sulphur content will be only 0.005% by 2009.
All this will be achieved without any increase in the price of fuel.
Lower sulphur content means engines will emit less pollutants.
With 0.05% sulphur, the engines will comply with Euro II emission standards, while 0.005% will make engines Euro IV-compliant.
The current sulphur content for petrol and diesel in Malaysia is 0.15% and 0.3% respectively.
Euro emission standards are enforced throughout the European Union and the higher the standard, the lower the emission of pollutants.
Euro II was introduced in 1995 and replaced by Euro III in 1999. Euro IV was then introduced in 2005.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid confirmed that his ministry would begin enforcement of the new emissions standards today.
He said oil companies had agreed to comply with the ruling and would start selling cleaner fuel that complied with the Euro II emission standard by this month.
Azmi added that the Government would not allow any more deferment to the oil companies, as the ruling should have been enforced in April.
The date, however, was postponed because the petroleum companies asked to be allowed to finish non-compliant fuel stocks.
“The oil companies must comply with the ruling by now. They have been given some time to clear their stocks,” he said.
Azmi added that fuel prices would remain the same.
The ministry’s parliamentary secretary Datuk Sazmi Miah, who also confirmed the start of enforcement, said the Government wanted to implement the emission standards because motor vehicles contributed 60% of emission to air pollution.
Meanwhile, Petrol Dealers Association president Alang Zari Ishak said he did not know about today’s compliance date.
He said negotiations for the deferment of enforcement was still ongoing.
“We did not receive any notice but if the Government really wants us to comply, there will definitely have to be adjustments in the price,” he said.

tunku : great effort from the government but i hope there will be no price increase as the petrol dealers association already saying that there have to be adjsutment in the price. Please don't bow down to them, everytime we the consumer have to bow down and follow as we have no choice.