SUDAN KEEN ON MORE INVESTMENT FROM PETRONAS

By R.Ravichandran

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 2 (Bernama) -- Sudan would like to see Petronas expand its
operations in its country, the largest in the African continent, by investing
more and seeking more concessions in the oil sector.

Petronas, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian-owned oil and
gas company.

Sudan Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mutrif Siddig Ali in
making the call in a recent interview with Bernama here, said that currently the
Malaysian national oil company was just maintaining its existing business
there.

He said Petronas must be bold and make clear decisions to invest more,
describing that such a move would also bring more profits to Malaysia's national
oil company.

"They (Petronas) are maintaining (existing operations)...but not
expanding. They can double or triple profit if bold (enough) to expand their
investment," he said.

They can make profit...but must take some bold steps to expand their
investment, he stressed.

Petronas' biggest investment in Africa and the Middle East is in Sudan.

Malaysia is Sudan's second most important economic partner after China and
one of its major investors. Petronas, the national oil corporation, is the
largest Malaysian company and a key player in Sudan's oil and gas industry.

Siddig Ali said in the last 10 years Sudan had been recording a steady
growth in gross domestic product (GDP) at between 10 and 13 per cent.

--BERNAMA