Malaysian Business articles from April 2010

Malaysian Business archives from April 2010

A leading Malaysian conglomerate post-merger.
April 16, 2010... THE MERGER OF THREE GREAT MALAYSIAN companies - Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad and Kumpulan Sime Darby - in November 2007 has created one of Malaysia's biggest diversified multinationals to-date. It combines more than...

International trade made easy with CIMB Trade Finance solutions.
April 16, 2010... BANKS HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN facilitating the growth of the overall economy, especially providing much needed working capital and trade financing facilities to small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). CIMB Trade Finance understands the...

Cleaning up the mess.
April 16, 2010... THERE is an urgent need to expand the current LRT network in Kuala Lumpur to help ease traffic jams. But with its operator Syarikat Prasarana Negara in a mess, this is going to be tough, unless the government steps in promptly to set things...

Room for more.
April 16, 2010... WITH nine hotels in hand and 91 to go in 15 countries, Tune Hotels.com promises to be the next global brand out of Malaysia. 5-Star sleeping experience at 1-star price WHEN TUNE HOTELS.COM FIRST HERALDED ITS LIMITED SERVICE model, the masses...

New strength.
April 16, 2010... A TRANSFORMATION exercise is putting the shine back on local conglomerate Berjaya Corporation Bhd. LOCAL CONGLOMERATE BERJAYA Corporation Bhd is back on the radar screens of some analysts following the group's transformation exercise. Led...

Build quality.
April 16, 2010... THE I & P Group's focus on excellence had made its property development a model for emulation. I & P GROUP SDN. BERHAD IS A WHOLLY-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), and was formed in May 2009 after the successful...

Going beyond boundaries.
April 16, 2010... THE UMW Group has grown to become a leading global conglomerate. FROM A HUMBLE AUTOMOTIVE repair shop which was set up by a bicycle shop apprentice 92 years ago, UMW is now a leading industrial enterprise with diverse and global interests in...

Strength and diversity.
April 16, 2010... THE MNRB Group is a solid combination of various units with vast experience that forms a strong entity. MNRB'S WHOLLY-OWNED GENERAL reinsurance subsidiary, Malaysian Reinsurance Berhad (Malaysian Re), is principally an underwriter of general...

Smart investments.
April 16, 2010... TAKAFUL IKHLAS shows the way in financial protection. TAKAFUL IKHLAS SDN BHD (TAKAFUL IKHLAS), a wholly owned subsidiary of MNRB Holdings Berhad (MNRB). Sees MSAM as its corporate social responsibility commitment and providing financial...

Building a global brand.
April 16, 2010... THE latest issue of TradeMart expounds on the topic of growing a global brand. WHAT IS THE CRITERIA TO grow a global brand? The March-April issue of TradeMart attempts to unearth the answers with the Malaysia External Trade Development...

Chemical Company of Malaysia (CCM) group.
April 16, 2010... CHEMICAL COMPANY OF MALAYSIA Berhad (CCM) believes in constantly seeking ways to enhance productivity and improve operational efficiency across its three divisions. The Chemicals Division carried out expansion plans to diversify into niche...

Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF).
April 16, 2010... MIDF WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER A WORLD Bank recommendation for the purpose of providing financial assistance to manufacturing-based small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs). MIDF has, over the years contributed tremendously towards the growth of the...

MIMOS files more IPs.
April 16, 2010... WITH the massive transformation of economies from manufacturing-based to knowledge-based, Intellectual Property (IP) has become increasingly recognised as a key business asset of a company. And MIMOS realises that too. AS MALAYSIA'S ECONOMIC...

NEM: A push for continued progress.
April 16, 2010... WITH its aim of taking Malaysia to high-income status by 2020, the New Economic Model promises much. Will the government have the staying power to push the ambitious - and for some, destabilising - plan through? THE New Economic Model (NEM) is...

Prolintas.
April 16, 2010... PROJEK LINTASAN KOTA HOLDINGS SDN BHD (PROLINTAS) is a trusted partner in nation building. It is committed to set standards, transcend frontiers and break new ground in its quest towards creating more value-added lifestyles and amenities for the...

Perodua.
April 16, 2010... PERODUA IS THE COUNTRY'S PREFERRED compact carmaker that offers a world of value for its vehicles. The value creation for our vehicles begins with engaging our customers and potential customers on what they would want in a car so that we...

Fulfilling a role of trust.
April 16, 2010... NCB Holding Berhad plays a vital role in the nation's development through logistical excellence. NCB HOLDINGS BHD (NCB) IS A LISTED investment holding company in which PNB and other unit trust funds that it manages collectively hold majority...

Pernec Corporation Berhad.
April 16, 2010... PERNEC CORPORATION BERHAD WHICH traces its inception back in 1973 is a joint-venture company between Permodalan Nasional Berhad, NEC Corporation (Japan) and Amanah Raya Berhad. Pernec Telco forms the core business of Pernec Group, serving the...

MMC Corporation Berhad.
April 16, 2010... MMC CORPORATION BERHAD (MMC) involved in 3 core businesses: Energy & Utilities, Transport & Logistics and Engineering & Construction. In Energy & Utilities, MMC owns Malakoff, Malaysia's largest IPP, which has an effective...

What they say.
April 16, 2010... MALAYSIAN BUSINESS polled market practitioners on their views with regard to the New Economic Model. While most of them feel the growth target is achievable, they are also mindful of the many hurdles present. We present here the salient points...

Who gets the cake?
April 16, 2010... MALAYSIA'S latest development blueprint will create opportunities for both business and equity investors. We highlight sectors and stocks that may benefit from the implementation of the New Economic Model. DESPITE THE MARKET'S MUTED response...

Emphasing competitiveness.
April 16, 2010... TO increase its competitiveness and attract investors, Malaysia needs to adopt a culture of innovation and boost its research capabilities. PRIME MINISTER DATUK SERI MOHD NAJIB RAZAK, IN INTRODUCING the New Economic Model (NEM), expressed...

On to development.
April 16, 2010... THIS ISSUE, we have given extensive coverage to the much-awaited New Economic Model (NEM). If successfully implemented, the ambitious NEM recommendations will lift Malaysia to developed nation status by 2020. We hope the government delivers on...

Building continued trust.
April 16, 2010... ALL eyes will be focused on Kuching where the 2010 Minggu Saham Amanah Malaysia (MSAM) will be held showcasing the vigour of the unit trust industry propelled by the efforts of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB). THE ONGOING TASK OF EDUCATING...

Market cheer.
April 16, 2010... ARE there brighter days ahead for the stock market? THE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL (NEM) brings good news for the capital market. There will not only be a divestment of government holdings in government- linked companies (GLCs), but also the listing...

Green delight.
April 1, 2010... THINGS are looking up for the plantation sector, thanks to rising global demand and falling inventories. 'ROSY' has replaced 'dicey' when it comes to the outlook of the local plantation sector this year. Rising global demand and a decline in...

WSC's global aspirations.
April 1, 2010... FRESH from its rebranding and restructuring exercise, Wah Seong Corporation Bhd primes itself for recognition as a global integrated energy player. IN 1994, WHEN THE WAH SEONG story began, its focus was entirely local. Now, local...

Banks on the rise.
April 1, 2010... BANK Negara Malaysia's latest rate hike has got investors all agog, if the FBM KLCI numbers are anything to go by. Among the big gainers are the banks. How will the increase in overnight policy rate affect them and which bank will likely benefit...

A case for modern ERP.
April 1, 2010... A big issue for manufacturers today is the efficient integration of different IT systems. One of the battlegrounds for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is between traditional legacy ERP solutions and more modern enterprise...

Riding high with ivory.
April 1, 2010... NICHE player is making waves in Penang's property market. Relatively unheralded Ivory Properties Group has been the talk in town among the real estate fraternity of late for having amassed a Gross Development Value (GDV) of RM3.4 billion...

Spotlight on banks.
April 1, 2010... MALAYSIAN banks seem to have emerged relatively unscathed from the recent global financial crisis. But with interest rates rising, is the party over for banks? The rise in price recently in banking stocks gives an indication. Who will benefit...

Malaysia's big 8.
April 1, 2010... Alliance Financial Group This list is arranged according to alphabetical order THE SHARE PRICE OF ALLIANCE FINANCIAL Group (AFG) was affected in early January following news reports that it had placed several of its top management on forced...

Facts are in the figures.
April 1, 2010... RAM Credit Information ups the ante as a one-stop centre for reliable and accurate credit information with Credit Track, an online information portal. RECOGNISING the void in the market and an unfulfilled demand for professional, reliable...

Agriculture gears up.
April 1, 2010... MALAYSIA'S agriculture sector has plenty of potential. Pushing it up the value chain looks likely. MALAYSIA'S NEW DECADE looks set to be shaped by the drive to push its products up the value chain, while fulfilling the criteria of social...

Maintaining visibility.
April 1, 2010... MALAYSIA'S tourism industry needs sustained promotion despite the challenges present in the world economy today. IT IS OFTEN HYPED AS THE 'greatest tourism show on earth' but there is an element of truth in the claim that the International...

A 'real' bust?
April 1, 2010... IS China's real property sector in for a hard landing after decades of speculative growth? CHINA'S SPECTACULAR REAL estate boom has been a source of wonder and envy for many. Apart from a brief hiccup during the global financial meltdown in...

Remaining competitive.
April 1, 2010... WITH cheap Chinese exports continuing to flood the marketplace, the question arises: what roles do exchange rates play in the issue? IT IS NO EXAGGERATION to suggest that Malaysia's exports and currency have been adversely affected by China's...

Another one for Google.
April 1, 2010... GOOGLE Analytics - which allows tracking of website or application usage - is the most popular web analytics out there. And for a good reason, besides the fact that it's free. FROM ITS POPULAR SEARCH engine that has since became a verb, to...

Women at work.
April 1, 2010... WOMEN in decision making is Malaysia's untapped potential. MANPOWER MALAYSIA recently launched its white paper entitled Women at Work: Malaysia's Untapped Potential - Women in Decision Making that studies women's participation at decision...

Call warrant trading strategies.
April 1, 2010... WHEN and how does one decide to buy call warrants? BUYING CALL warrants (CWs) is a leveraged alternative to a position in the underlying stock. Increasing leverage or gearing can result in large percentage profits because purchasing CWs...

The pull of islamic finance.
April 1, 2010... ISLAMIC asset management is attracting global attention for its ethical value that encourages optimal use of economic resources. BY 2020, there will be about 2.5 billion Muslims worldwide. But while Islam may be the fastest-growing religion,...

Raising the KPI bar.
April 1, 2010... SALES results go beyond the usual key performance indicators route. What is the right formula then? WHAT GETS measured gets done. However, measuring just the end result - sales result - is never enough. As sales leaders, we need to know what...

The 4% retirement solution.
April 1, 2010... RESEARCH suggests a 4% drawdown rate on retirement portfolios is likely to result in an average retirement portfolio lasting most retirement lifespans. A look. I'M OFTEN asked: 'How much can I take out of my retirement portfolio each year for...

Marching bull.
April 1, 2010... THE local bourse is set to go on an uptrend, with targets pointing to 1,550 points and higher by year-end. THE LOCAL stock market keeps marching ahead and there is strong evidence of foreign funds returning. Most research houses have...

Disclaimer.
April 1, 2010... NONE of the information found in this Article should be considered an investment recommendation offered by Phillip Capital Malaysia and/or its subsidiaries. Kindly note that all financial matters discussed in this Article is solely based on the...

Survey results show ERP systems not keeping up with change.
April 1, 2010... RESPONDENTS to a survey carried out by IDC Group on behalf of business software developer, Agresso, recently indicated that many mid-to-large sized companies are losing as much as US$10 to US$15 million in lost opportunities, thanks to...

From budget airline to property development.
April 1, 2010... IS there a similarity between managing an airline company and a real estate business? Raja Mohd Azmi Raja Razali, former Chief Executive Officer of Fly Asian Xpress Sdn Bhd (today known as AirAsia X), has almost immediately ventured into a new...

War of words.
April 1, 2010... WHO will come out tops in the currency war between China and the United States? IT'S ON. THE UNITED STATES and China are headed for the mother of all battles - on the currency front. And Chinese premier Wen Jiaboao told the Communist Party's...

The arts and the spirit of the nation.
April 1, 2010... AS Sutra Foundation prepares to unveil its latest Odissi performance, Vision of Forever, at Istana Budaya, its chairman and one of the most celebrated Odissi dancers in the world, Ramli Ibrahim, talks to Sharmila Valli Narayanan on how the arts...

Eye style.
April 1, 2010... MALAYA Optical founded in 1957 by Ho Kai is now being run by Ryan Ho, his grandson and the third Ho generation to run the business. Sharmila Valli Narayanan talks to Ho about his plans for the company and how is he planning to make sure his...

The 3-wave evolution of network intrusions.
April 1, 2010... IN THE DAYS OF ANCIENT GREECE, 'HUMAN-WAVE' ATTACKS WERE A WARRING METHOD whereby soldiers attack in successive line formations causing high casualties among wave attackers. This method was a success in finding easily weak spots to penetrate...

Poverty eradication a must for new model.
April 1, 2010... THE New Economic Model, said to emphasise a high-value and high-income approach, must not under any circumstance ignore the development of the rural sector, as this would have an adverse effect on bridging the rich- poor gap among the people. ...

The quiet Langkawi.
April 1, 2010... FOR those of you who want a taste of the natural Langkawi of times gone by, worry not as there are ample things to do. ONCE, Langkawi was the cursed island that nobody wanted to go to. Those days, animals roamed free in the thick jungle, the...

The importance of IP.
April 1, 2010... MANAGING Your Intellectual Property Assets features a collection of issues suitable to entrepreneurship and small business management. THIS BOOK outlines and illustrates strategies that you must employ to protect your intellectual property....

At the heart of branding.
April 1, 2010... ADVANCED Brand Management, 2nd Edition expounds on brand management with solid theories and relevant examples. THE FIRST edition of Paul Temporal's Advanced Brand Management was published more than seven years ago, and many things have...

Premium event.
April 1, 2010... THE second KL International Gifts & Premium Exhibition (KLIGP) will be co- organised by the Malaysian Gifts and Premium Entrepreneur Association (MGPA) and the Federal of Stationers & Booksellers Association of Malaysia (FSBAM) and will...

Takaful's new fund.
April 1, 2010... TAKAFUL Malaysia has launched its Agency Provident Fund (APF) and introduced its three-tier agency structure and three new takaful products. The APF is a form of retirement scheme for all the company's agents to contribute into a special...

Bumi funds.
April 1, 2010... BANK Muamalat Malaysia Bhd (BMMB) has sealed an agreement with Majlis Amanah Rakyat or Mara as the appointed financier for the new Skim Jaminan Usahawan Bumiputera Mara or SJUM. This scheme is specially set up to offer and provide various...

New Man at the helm.
April 1, 2010... JAPANESE electronic goods giant Panasonic has appointed the first local to head its Malaysian sales operations. Jeff Lee Wee Leong has been promoted to managing director from his previous post of executive director, effective April 1. He...

Sustainability is not a business Cost.
April 1, 2010... MALAYSIAN COMMUNICATIONS service providers (CSPs) that invest in sustainable network infrastructures enjoy greater profitability and lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), reveals Nokia Siemens Networks. Chairman of Nokia Siemens Networks...

USIM enchances campus network.
April 1, 2010... IN A MOVE TO PROVIDE A seamless expansion and to upgrade the campus network to meet its requirement for network scalability, security and convergence, Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM) is deploying 3Com's core-to-edge network...

Are we in a property bubble?
April 1, 2010... I'M writing a book on investing in gold right now. Part of the research that I did included reading a lot of books about the state of the current financial system. In the process, I discovered a shuddering point about property investment. And...

Catalytic information technology.
April 1, 2010... OUR LIVES RUN ON INFORMATION and it is everywhere, running on myriad devices, applications and systems. It is the lifeblood of modern business, government and the economy. It is the most powerful but most vulnerable asset businesses have so it...

Developer rewards contractors for meeting quality standards.
April 1, 2010... BUKIT Kiara Properties (BKP), a niche boutique developer in Kuala Lumpur, recently paid out a Chinese New Year windfall of over RM300,000 to 12 contractors for meeting high quality standards in its VERVE Suites project. The bonus follows...

In all fairness.
April 1, 2010... THE central bank is formulating a new Third Party Bodily Injury & Death scheme. Will it benefit everyone? THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DEBATE RECENTLY ON a proposed new Third Party Bodily Injury & Death (TPBID) scheme being formulated by Bank...