BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & AMYRA VARKISA
DARO: The launching of the first PETROS Multifuel Station (Dealer Owned Dealer Operated, or DODO) in Daro is the first effort of the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to locate its petrol station in rural areas.
SEDC chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Abdul Aziz Husain said the multifuel station will serve both conventional vehicles, which use petroleum and diesel, and next-generation low-carbon emission vehicles such as electric vehicles (EV).
“With this station, we will focus on EV charging facilities as part of infrastructure development when the use of EVs starts to become more popular as the transition from conventional internal combustion engines is getting closer and also in line with achieving a net zero carbon emissions future.
“I am also pleased to share that more such stations with a similar operating model will be launched in Pusa, Kapit, Miri, and Kuching this year, and all these DODO stations will have the exciting feature of EV charging integration,” he said in his speech during the launching ceremony here today.
He also said that SEDC Energy has continuously received applications from local entrepreneurs to open stations under the DODO concept.
“This will offer new business opportunities to local entrepreneurs to join the downstream oil and gas business offered by state-owned oil companies as well as achieve SEDC Energy’s continued business development,” he said.
According to him, in addition to petroleum and new energy products, all Multifuel Stations shall provide space for local entrepreneurs to showcase and promote their local products and expand their reach to a wider market.
“Some selected multifuel stations will be equipped with automated teller machines (ATMs) as well as food and beverage premises, to offer more convenience to customers,” he added.
Meanwhile, Daro assemblyman Safiee Ahmad said the multifuel refueling station in Daro is the first of its kind built outside Kuching.
“With this new petrol station, it will solve our problems of not having enough petrol supply, as before this we only have one station that we need to share with water transportations.
“And when people from outside Daro come here later, they will not have to worry about petrol supply as we already have another petrol station,” he said.
He added that the petrol station is among the support services needed by the people in Daro, which will also help to increase their socioeconomic status.
