Malaysia to open one-stop license center

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry of Malaysia is setting up a one-stop center to speed up the process of applying for licenses to open petrol stations under the Petroleum Development Act. Its minister, Datuk Mohamed Shafie Apdal, said the decision making process in such applications also involved other agencies like local government authorities, the Land Office and the Fire and Rescue Department, that lengthened the processing time. By setting up a one-stop center, the time to approve the license would be reduced to one year. (August 17, 2006)