FOR the past 10 years, a simple chore like refuelling a motorcycle or topping up a small lawn mower meant a long, tedious journey out of town for the folks of Bekok in Segamat, Johor.
Now, residents in the area are finally getting a new petrol station for their convenience, said Bekok assemblyman Tan Chong.
“We used to have a petrol station in the outskirts of Segamat, but it closed down a decade ago due to low sales volume.
“This has left a gap in daily life for local motorists and farmers who rely on agricultural machinery.
“They had to travel all the way to Chaah or Labis, more than 10km away, just to buy fuel.”
Tan said trial operations of the new petrol station in Bekok were scheduled to begin on Sunday, with the official opening slated for July.
“The facility will directly benefit 3,425 residents, spanning across villages, housing estates and nearby Orang Asli settlements.”
The new station would operate under the BuraqOil brand, featuring two petrol pumps and one diesel pump, he said.
Tan said the incoming project was a highly positive development that showed amenities in Bekok were continuously being upgraded.
He said the new project gained momentum late last year when he received a written reply at the Johor state assembly sitting.
He was informed that the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) had received an application from a petrol station operator on Oct 31, 2023.
“Following a successful site inspection by KPDN’s Segamat branch in November last year, the Labis District Council then officially approved renovation permits for contractors to start the upgrading works,” he said.
He expects the petrol station to also be utilised well due to increased traffic at the recently opened road connecting Segamat and Bekok to Kluang and Paloh.
