Embracing Inclusivity,
Maintaining Prestige

In an era where inclusivity reigns supreme, even the most exclusive establishments are reevaluating their boundaries. The Malaysian Petroleum Club (MPC), an award recipient of the Asean Food & Travel Awards 2024, nestled on the 42nd floor of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, is no exception. In an interview with Asean Food & Travel, Charles Abdullah, the seasoned Manager of MPC, talks about welcoming more people to the club while maintaining the exclusivity and top-tier services and facilities. With a rich history dating back to its inception in 1991, MPC has undergone a transformative journey, adapting to changing landscapes while remaining steadfast in its commitment to excellence.

There is no such thing as feeling left out and excluded when the world today is all about inclusivity. Even the most exclusive membership-only clubs such as the Malaysian Petroleum Club (MPC) are now opening their doors to the public. Just do not simply barge in through the door because there are still rules to be followed and the members still hold the privileges. But dining on the 42nd floor of the Petronas Twin Tower at the Malaysian Petroleum Club is an experience that is totally worth it.

The Malaysian Petroleum Club (MPC) first opened its doors in 1991 at the original headquarters of PETRONAS in the Dayabumi Complex. It was the brainchild of the first PETRONAS President and CEO, the late Tun Azizan Zainul Abidin. MPC was moved to the PETRONAS Twin Towers at Levels 42 and 43 Tower 2 upon completion of the iconic Twin Tower. Today, MPC is managed by Charles Abdullah, a seasoned expert in the hotel and F&B industry.

“MPC was previously a private membership club. We used to be very closed in our approach until the time when the pandemic hit and we saw a decline in membership. We decided to provide the opportunity for the public to come in to experience the food and organise events here while maintaining the exclusivity and special privileges of our members. The club is open to the public after 6pm via reservation only,” Charles explains.

There are four types of memberships at MPC and they are subject to approval by the Club Secretary and General Committee members. Regular Membership is only for executives working directly in the exploration and production of oil and gas in Malaysia. Associate Membership is for executives not directly involved in the Malaysian petroleum industry, but in supporting or related industries. Corporate Membership is for businesses to name a maximum of three nominees as corporate members for a period of five years, which is renewable thereafter. Spouses of members are given membership cards that entitle them to enjoy all the facilities as well. The members are eligible for discounts for dining-in, food promotions, as well as other promotions and special surprises such as birthday gifts and free access to the viewing deck at Tower 2.

“We offer top-notch facilities to our members so that they could meet other like-minded entrepreneurs and professionals from the oil and gas industry, embassies, foreign international agencies, and other related industries in a warm welcoming atmosphere. They could experience fine dining at Dulang Suite, Chinese cuisine at Seligi Pavilion and buffet or ala-carte sumptuous meals at Temana Brasserie. For breakfast and tea time or small informal meetings, there is Bayan Bar snack lounge that provides coffee and tea on free-flow. There is a fully-furnished ballroom for hosting lunches, dinners, and events in addition to our three meeting rooms. Our members who love to sing could hardly resist doing their favourite numbers in our sound-proof karaoke lounge while mingling around and just unwind after a tiring day at work,” says Charles.

All these members-access only facilities support the initial goal for the inception of MPC in 1991 which is to create a unique, prestigious and conducive club for the oil and gas fraternity to network and build important, meaningful relationships that will grow the industry organically and exponentially. Until today, MPC has played an important role in facilitating this objective. In later years, key personnel of foreign embassies, international agencies and related industries were, and still are, accepted as members to further solidify the networking relationships.

“Every year at MPC, we will have our prestigious black-tie Gala Night and Golf Tournament for the members. These events are organised as opportunities for them to unwind, mingle and get to know each other better. Business is all about building meaningful and mutually-beneficial relationships, at work or at play. Being a members-only club with an elite membership, MPC has stayed true to its charter to be an exclusive club for the leaders of industries,” says Charles.

Despite its members-only status, MPC finds its way to engage with the broader community via its corporate social responsibility or CSR programmes. One of the programmes focuses on children deprived of education in war-torn countries. MPC will be working with trusted NGOs to bring the children to Malaysia to continue their education, as well as to provide a conducive and peaceful environment to these vulnerable children living in desolate and deplorable conditions. On top of that, MPC will also look into providing some assistance to repair and upgrade facilities in some old folks’ homes. “All these initiatives are dependent on funding, and we are extremely grateful to our members for their patronage and support for dining in and utilising the facilities at MPC. This is an on-going commitment to ensure that the less fortunate are not forgotten.”

MPC is a member of the International Association of Clubs (IAC) based in Hong Kong that offers a gateway to almost 250 clubs worldwide. MPC members can enjoy visitor privileges to these other clubs worldwide. All these clubs offer excellent dining experience in a club setting as well as incredible networking opportunities worldwide on a personal or professional level. “MPC is under the same umbrella that is AIC with all these other clubs worldwide. Like MPC, the members can have access to business facilities like meeting rooms, workspace and conference facilities. Some clubs even offer concierge services to help members with travel arrangements, booking events and other personal assistance. There are of course recreational facilities unique to each of these clubs as well as events and activities such as talks, tasting, concerts, cultural outings, and professional forums.”

Under the management of someone as experienced as Charles Abdullah, MPC is venturing into a lot of different new territories and flourishing into the future. “Even with the club now being slightly more accessible to the non-members, the privileges of the members will never be compromised. MPC is constantly planning to expand the benefits of MPC’s exclusive membership. We now have a brand-new menu selection and we have invited celebrity chefs like the renowned Chef Ammar for special events who also prepared our Ramadan menu this year. We are trying to show our versatility by having more of these exclusive chefs coming in. Next, I’m planning to invite a Japanese chef to prepare some Japanese cuisine. MPC is also now ISO 22000 certified. We are also bringing in other services like Car International, a renowned car care service, and Truefitt and Hill London, an exclusive men’s grooming establishment, for the enjoyment of our members. We are looking to tie in with other exclusive services that will benefit our members from time to time.”

MPC is establishing another branch in a prestigious building within the golden triangle of Kuala Lumpur, as well as in other locations that will offer greater convenience for its members to enjoy the exclusive services and dining facilities. “We also hope for more non-members to come and experience what MPC has got to offer at this new location. All are welcome,” says Charles.