15/6/06 9The Star)  - MIRI: Express bus operators whose vehicles ran on Envo Diesel for a month-long test have no complaints about the Malaysian-made bio-fuel.

Primary Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said the buses from three major transport companies plied Sarawak’s 1,000km-long stretch of the Pan Borneo Highway.

The buses travelled on the rugged, winding highway from the northern hub here to Kuching in the southernmost division of this vast state every day for the past one month.

“Every bus that uses Envo Diesel has a log book. The drivers record every detail of their vehicle’s performance, such as engine failure or breakdown, kilometres clocked before re-fuelling, fuel consumption and distance travelled per day,” Chin told The Star yesterday.

“These drivers must report any breakdown or problem to their managers. As of now, there has been no complaint over the use of Envo Diesel. 

“The engines of the buses using the Envo Diesel are examined regularly. We want to find out the effects of the bio-fuel on specific parts in long-haul journeys.” 

Envo Diesel is the retail name of the bio-fuel, which is also known as B5 fuel because it is made up of 5% palm oil-derived diesel and 95% petroleum-extracted diesel.

It was introduced here on May 15 and tested on 30 buses plying the inter-divisional routes in Sarawak. 

Before this, Envo Diesel was tested on government vehicles from four ministries in the Klang Valley.

Chin said the Envo Diesel trials in Sarawak would continue until the end of the year.