Petrol Malaysia

In 2010, a judge in California, USA, upheld the state's fire marshal's order for the removal of hold-open latch to be removed from nozzles manufactured by Vapor System Technologies LLC. The state's fire marshal, which is affiliated to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, deemed the defective nozzles to be a fire hazard. Apparently, a manufacturing defect in VST's nozzles caused 13 incidents where petrol has been sprayed (at the nozzle) before the nozzle was inserted into the vehicle. This happened because the hold-open latch did not disengage after earlier customers used the petrol pump. The fire marshal's order affected some 3,000 petrol stations in the state of California. The good news was that the fire marshal was working with VST and other petrol nozzle manufacturers to replace the defective VST nozzles with new, safer petrol nozzles with hold-open latches. (At least, that's what the circular dated 23rd August 2010 said.) Customers who were...

Herman Sihas was a petrol station worker, but he was also a selfless hero. Shortly after the new year, Herman Sihas, a petrol pump worker in Sarawak, lost his life while trying to save a drowning form 6 student, Kho Ying Qi. It was a rainy January morning in Kuching when monsoon drains and the river swelled with flood waters. School was called off for the day. Ying Qi's car stalled as she drove in the heavy rain, and she walked to the nearby petrol station to get help. She fell into a monsoon drain, which was heavily flooded. It was then that petrol station worker, who saw the scene, rushed out to her rescue. He jumped into the waters to save Ying Qi, but unfortunately lost his life. Herman's body was found two days later. Ying Qi's body was found more than two weeks later. Herman Sihas was a Bidayuh Salako. He grew up with his family in Kampung Jangkar, Lundu, and obtained his secondary school education in Peninsular Malaysia. He returned to Sarawak several years ag...

Recently, it was reported that a petrol kiosk in Miri was discovered to dispense 14% less fuel than stated on its meter. This was discovered by the officers of Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) and Metrology Corporation Malaysia (MCM) Sdn Bhd during a routine check. This is an offence under section 30(1) of the Weights and Measures Act 1972, punishable by fine of up to RM250,000-00 for firms and RM15,000-00 for individuals. The petrol station was closed until calibrations, which take half a day, are completed. Each pump or nozzle calibrated will cost the petrol station owner RM104.60. (Source: Borneo Post Online, 28th January 2012. Short-changed by petrol kiosk . URL:  http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/01/28/short-changed-by-petrol-kiosk/ ) Shortly after that, state MDTCC director Wan Ahmad Uzir Wan Sulaiman was reported saying that MDTCC will conduct surprise checks at all petrol stations, due to the shocking discovery of 19 tampered fuel pum...

Dear all, You may know that plastic is processed from petroleum, and is commonly cited as an ecological problem due to its non-biodegradability. Interestingly enough, a fungus -  Pestalotiopsis microspora -  has been discovered in the Amazon forest by a research team from Yale University, that appears to eat plastic in airless landfills. Fast Company, in its Co-Exist blog, writes: The group of students, part of Yale’s annual Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory with molecular biochemistry professor Scott Strobel, ventured to the jungles of Ecuador. The mission was to allow "students to experience the scientific inquiry process in a comprehensive and creative way." The group searched for plants, and then cultured the microorganisms within the plant tissue. As it turns out, they brought back a fungus new to science with a voracious appetite for a global waste problem: polyurethane. The common plastic is used for everything from garden hoses to shoes and truck seats. Once...