NEWS : The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The 3,200 petrol stations nationwide, including those along highways, will close at 10pm and open at 7am, with or without the approval of the Government.
This was decided at the annual delegates conference of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) here yesterday.
Frequent armed robberies, increased security costs, higher wages for workers, low night sales, soaring rentals and electricity bills were cited as the key reasons for this decision.
The dealers also want customers who use credit cards to buy petrol to fork out the 1% commission, previously absorbed by the dealers.
The association’s acting president, Major (Rtd) Wahid Bidin, said the decision was likely to go into effect in two months.
“Last year, every petrol station was robbed at least once,” he said.
In addition, the average collection of only about RM1,000 daily after 10pm did not make it worth their while, he added.
“We just cannot afford to open late,” he said, adding that the Government would be informed of the decision soon.
The delegates also resolved that all petrol pumps would be self-serviced in view of the difficulty in getting workers at affordable wages.
PDAM’s vice-president Datuk Zulkifli Mokti said they could close the petrol stations without informing the Government.
Federation of Malaysia Consumers Association chief executive T. Indrani said that petrol stations should not be allowed to close early because “the dealers are making profits and, if they were losing, they would not be in business.''
“They should not inconvenience their customers by closing early.
“If they are truly making losses, they should show their income and expense statements to prove that they are making losses,” she said.
KUALA LUMPUR: The 3,200 petrol stations nationwide, including those along highways, will close at 10pm and open at 7am, with or without the approval of the Government.
This was decided at the annual delegates conference of the Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) here yesterday.
Frequent armed robberies, increased security costs, higher wages for workers, low night sales, soaring rentals and electricity bills were cited as the key reasons for this decision.
The dealers also want customers who use credit cards to buy petrol to fork out the 1% commission, previously absorbed by the dealers.
The association’s acting president, Major (Rtd) Wahid Bidin, said the decision was likely to go into effect in two months.
“Last year, every petrol station was robbed at least once,” he said.
In addition, the average collection of only about RM1,000 daily after 10pm did not make it worth their while, he added.
“We just cannot afford to open late,” he said, adding that the Government would be informed of the decision soon.
The delegates also resolved that all petrol pumps would be self-serviced in view of the difficulty in getting workers at affordable wages.
PDAM’s vice-president Datuk Zulkifli Mokti said they could close the petrol stations without informing the Government.
Federation of Malaysia Consumers Association chief executive T. Indrani said that petrol stations should not be allowed to close early because “the dealers are making profits and, if they were losing, they would not be in business.''
“They should not inconvenience their customers by closing early.
“If they are truly making losses, they should show their income and expense statements to prove that they are making losses,” she said.
