PRESIDENCY MAKES CLARIFICATIONS ON MALAYSIA’S PLANNED PHASE OUT OF CNG VEHICLES

PRESIDENCY MAKES CLARIFICATIONS ON MALAYSIA’S PLANNED PHASE OUT OF CNG VEHICLES,

Bayo Onanuga, Special Assistant to the President on Information and Strategy, has offered three clarifications on planned phase out of CNG vehicles by Malaysian government. According to him:

1. The Malaysian issue speaks more to the safety of LPG NOT safety of CNG. In the original report, government transport minister Anthony Loke said:

“There are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous.”

2. NGV covers both CNG and LPG. Nigeria in its transition has adopted CNG ONLY not both because of LPG valid safety and cost concerns

3.Malaysia basically had an unsuccessful transition away from costly and dirtier petrol and diesel. Conversion of 45,000 vehicles in 15 years (less than 0.2%) is not enviable unlike India, China, Iran and Egypt. The end of 15 year CNG tank cycle means they need to replace tanks and it was easier/cheaper to scrap their program and continue with their petrol than to do so if they had not built tank manufacturing capacity which Nigeria is already developing in year one.