Mini petrol stations will be built in rural areas to supply fuels at similar cost in urban areas
An artist impression of the ‘Smart’ mini petrol station which will be constructed in rural areas statewide. (File Photo)
KUCHING: Rural folk who do not have easy access to Petronas or Shell stations will soon be able to purchase petroleum products at the same price and of same quality as those in urban areas.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said this is made possible due to the initiative to construct more than 20 Smart mini petrol stations in identified areas which are in need of petrol supply.
“The goal is to help the community in rural areas so that they can also enjoy petroleum supply at the same price, quantity and quality much like in the city,” he told a press conference after chairing the Sarawak Co-operatives Consultation Meeting at a leading hotel here yesterday.
Awang Tengah, who is also Industrial and Entrepreneur Development Minister, pointed out that the construction of the Smart petrol stations will be managed by Smart Stream Resources Sdn Bhd (Smart), a Bumiputera company actively involved in the supply and marketing of petroleum materials in the country.
According to him, two proposed stations are currently under construction in Tanjung Manis and Stapang.
“Eight stations are still in the application process while the others are now in the process of identifying sites for the mini petrol stations,” he disclosed.
Apart from Tanjung Manis and Stapang, the other identified areas are Julau, Meradong, Belawai, Pusa, Nyabor, Jalan Sg Maaw, Dalat, Matu, Kampung Oya, Daro, Sadong Jaya, FGV Samarahan (Asajaya), Kampung Bunan (Serian), Sungai Asap, Simpang Sundar, Sundar, Beladin and Song.
Awang Tengah presents a token of appreciation to Tan (second right), witnessed by Osman (left) and Liaw.
On the petrol stations in Tanjung Manis and Stapang, Smart Sarawak panel member Datuk Syamsul Azam Mohamad said the two stations are expected to be completed by this year-end and will be supplying RON95 petrol and diesel to residents around the areas.
“Once these two stations are completed, the next station will be constructed in Pusa followed by the other identified areas,” he added.
Awang Tengah also touched on topics discussed during the meeting such as the pineapple plantation programme which has been described as a high-potential field that is in line with the state government’s policy to improve the pineapple industry.
He said under this programme, the Beladin Co-operative will be collaborating with the ‘Koperasi Serbaguna Anak-Anak Selangor’ to develop a 1,500-acre pineapple plantation in Beladin.
“Through this collaboration, I am confident that they can expand further the market of pineapples in the country and thus contribute to the income of the cooperative members.”
Another topic brought up during the meeting was on the cooperation between the Ko-Perkasa cooperative and private sector to run a Business Park in Semariang.
“This shows that our cooperatives do not only rely on government agencies but they can also expand their activities and collaborate with the private sector,” he remarked.
Also present were Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM) Sarawak director Osman Ismail, Ministry of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development permanent secretary Datu Liaw Soon Eng and Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism state director Datuk Stanley Tan.