Malaysia: Petronas Dagangan Reaffirms Network Development for Current Year

Petronas Dagangan Bhd  expects to spend as much as RM150 million to open 30 petrol stations in Malaysia in its current financial year ending March 31 2010.

                                                                                                                     PetrolWorld first reported the development of the 30 Petronas service stations in May 2009 (see PetrolWorld  040509 ) . The  additions will bolster Petronas Dagangan's market presence, which is currently numbering 920 service stations nationwide.

"A new station would cost between RM5 million and RM10 million each, depending on location and demand. For the larger one, it may go up to RM15 million an outlet," managing director Mohamad Sabarudin Mohamad Amin told reporters after Petronas Dagangan's annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

Mohamad Sabarudin also said that the company plans to introduce stand-alone Mesra convenience store and a cafe at its petrol stations. For the stand-alone convenience store, he said the company plans to have 20 Mesra Shoppe outlets during the current financial year.

The company has been operating a pilot Mesra Shoppe store since February 17 this year at Universiti Teknologi Petronas in Tronoh, Perak.  As with the Mesra convenience stores, the Mesra Shoppe stores will also be equipped with automated teller machines facilities.

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