Malaysia's net oil import status delayed -Petronas

KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 (Reuters) - Malaysian state oil company Petronas PETR.UL said on Thursday that the recent petrol price increase was expected to delay the country from becoming a net oil importer by 2011.

"It will be postponed if the demand does not grow at the rate that it should grow," Chief Executive Mohd Hassan Merican was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama.

He added: "If the rate is reduced from 6 percent (demand growth annually) to 4 percent, it will be extended by three to four years to 2014 or 2015." (Reporting by Niluksi Koswanage, editing by Will Waterman)