Malaysian Business articles from February 2006

Malaysian Business archives from February 2006

Blending theory and practice.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE International Business School (IBS) of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), providers of graduate studies in management and economics, emphasises strongly on the quality of its staff. The main criterion...

Who is the 21st Century employee?
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A BUSINESS is only as good as its people. It is no wonder then that over 60% of total corporate expenditure is spent on people-related costs - a huge proportion compared with other lines of businesses. ...

Old habits die hard.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) JUST when you thought things were getting better at Land Offices around the country, old inefficiencies seem to be creeping back. And it's all due to a combination of poor planning and the tardiness of other...

'Net neutrality' principle.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE egalitarian world of the Internet was poised for a new challenge when AOL and Yahoo, two of the world's largest email service providers, recently proposed to charge a fee for the delivery of spam-free...

Islam and governance.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN December 2005, the Asia Foundation and The International Centre for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP) organised a roundtable discussion on 'Islam and Democratisation in Southeast Asia' in Jakarta. This was the...

Accountant's Domain.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A RECENT report published by the Professional Accountants in Business (PAIB) Committee of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) highlights the diverse roles, competencies and value of the...

Dell plans to enhance customer service with ECC.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) GLOBAL direct selling computer maker, Dell Inc, is bent on moving forward with aggressive measures to maintain its lead position in the IT industry. The company, which already has a large regional headquarters...

There goes the neighbourhood.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE decision by the Malaysian Government to proceed with the construction of the bridge to replace the Causeway is long overdue. For a long, long time, Malaysia, in neighbourly spirit, had waited for Singapore...

Legal intricacies.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN the ever-changing world of business, legal intricacies are common. In fact, it is becoming ever more complex, making it challenging for executives not equipped with adequate legal knowledge. Providing...

King Kuok.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE lacklustre performance of the local bourse has taken a toll on the country's richest. Although the total wealth of the MB 40 Richest Malaysians increased marginally over the past year, more individuals in...

Aussie distance learning.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MOST of the business schools today offer distance learning MBA (Master of Business Administration) programmes. 'In Malaysia, Australian MBA programmes are growing in popularity,' says Edward Cheah, head of...

Foreign Connection.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) STUDENTS from the Middle East and other par ts of Asia flocked to Malaysian universities and colleges for the p ast few years. What brings them here? What keeps them here? An d would they put a good word to...

Mesdaq Taipans.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) NEWCOMERS rock! This year, as we present our third issue of Mesdaq tycoons, we are elated that there are six newcomers to our list of wealthiest individuals on the tech-heavy bourse. Even more interesting is the...

Global growth prospects.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE business environment for the domestic construction sector continues to be difficult. Competition has been intense as construction jobs have been on the decline. This is further compounded by the government's...

Construction man goes hi-tech.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 1. DATUK KOK ONN, 54 Director Green Packet Bhd RM170.20 million DATUK Kok Onn is already a well-known magnate on Bursa Malaysia. His flagship company, Gadang Holdings Bhd, is listed on the Second Board,...

A clean-up.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) AN ongoing overhaul of the Companies Act 1965 may liberate private companies from the ritual of having to hold annual general meetings (AGMs) year in, year out. The Corporate Law Reform Committee (CLRC), set...

TNB stock gets a charge.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE odds are rising that Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) will get its long- asked-for tariff hike this year, stepping up momentum for 'buy' calls by analysts on the stock. Energy, Water and Communications Minister...

Riding the China wave.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IS there more upside to the share price of Lion Diversified Holdings Bhd (LDHB)? The stock is certainly back on the radar screen of some investors, judging from the strong rise in its price from around RM2 to...

Looking abroad.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE problems Ranhill Bhd faced with its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract in Sudan has not deterred the group from acquiring more foreign jobs and assets. Its immediate focus is on its...

Bullish on the ringgit.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE ringgit finally made some significant moves in January. After remaining in a tight range for so long since the currency was re-floated in July last year, it finally broke the RM3.75-level last month. ...

PECD's future.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) NO one would miss PECD Bhd's spectacular performance in securing construction works abroad. One of the key driver behind PECD's performance is its Managing Director Ramli Ahmad. Ramli first joined the group in...

Chuah's dream.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 3. DATUK CHUAH KIM SEAH , 52 Managing Director Dreamgate Corporation Bhd RM130 million PERHAPS Datuk Chuah Kim Seah's background as a an accountant with many years of experience in public practice has played...

Star performer.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 2. PUAN CHAN CHEONG, 37 CEO/Managing Director Green Packet Bhd RM138.83 million PUAN Chan Cheong has progressed from a computer hardware dealer into a software developer. He has double degrees from the...

A business circuit.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) NOT everybody likes motor racing. But an invitation to be part of a world-class event, to see the world's best drivers take control of the world's fastest cars and in action at one of the world's most...

Duck-n-weave.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) YOU BET. Take the Americans: they're watching the monopoly Australian Wheat Board (AWB) with keen eyes - and ears. And if influential United States senators like Norm Cole and Tom Daschle have their way, they'll...

The VW game plan for Malaysia.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE promotion of the VW marque in Malaysia for much of the previous decades has been pedestrian, which makes it apt for a driver change. Alas, there's not going to be a Volkswagen Group-Proton partnership...

Hallmark of efficiency.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A STRIKE by Danish SAS pilots threatened to derail the itinerary of a group of Malaysian journalists who faced the prospect of being stuck in Copenhagen Airport. Instead of leaving them to their own devices, a...

Warranting Cheer.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THIS YEAR can be 'The Year of the Warrant' in Bursa Malaysia. After consolidating for the most part of last year, there are early signs that the market may be looking at a far better year this year. While...

For the love of your children.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WEALTH Distribution Planning is especially challenging when there are minor children involved. They do not have the physical or mental capabilities to meet their needs without other's help. As such, extra...

Pharmacist turns biodiesel player.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 4. HO SUE SAN @ DAVID HO SUE SAN, 57 Managing Director Carotech Bhd RM99.29 million DAVID Ho Sue San is one of the new entrants to this year's list. The 57- year-old is among the few who control...

Still a tycoon.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 5. DATUK AHMAD KABEER NAGOOR, 48 Non-executive Deputy Chairman AKN Group RM97.03 million DATUK Ahmad Kabeer Nagoor probably had one of the hardest landings this year. Last year, he was listed as the 34th...

Flea markets: The next big thing.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) AS SMALL as they may seem, flea markets actually hold a lot of promise if you probe into them deeper. With the weekend Malaysian crowd that just can't get enough of shopping, flea markets seem to be mushrooming...

The need for moral advancement.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WE ARE nearly a year to celebrating 50 years of independence. It is a given fact that Malaysians have enjoyed prosperity in multi-racial relations as well as economic growth. However, we tend to forget that the...

Skali's listing plans in Jeopardy?
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MALAYSIA Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which owns approximately 10% of the Skali Group, is apparently keen to cash out of the group before it gets listed on the Mesdaq market. One insider says that if such a...

Of Darth Vader, Andrew Carnegie and your 22nd Century legacy.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) SOME things are measurable and some things aren't. This is true in fiction and in real life. Fiction: 'The Force' - made famous in all six of George Lucas's Star Wars movies - isn't something that...

The force of a woman.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IRENE Fernandez's knack of getting into trouble with the authorities started early. The first time it happened, she was in her early 20s and working as a teacher. She was in charge of classes with academically...

Get smart.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) YOU often spot 'the other half' driving around in exotic-looking cars which cost as much, if not more, than the price of your humble abode - which you are still struggling to pay off. The smart forfour from...

New models from Hyundai for 2006.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE local distributor of the Hyundai has been quick off the mark by being the first to introduce a new model at the start of the new year. Hyundai- Sime Darby Motors Sdn Bhd is bringing in the fully-imported...

Luring Indonesian fans to F1.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) REIGNING Miss Indonesia Nadine Chandrawinata is the F1 Ambassador for the 2006 Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old rising star is ready to woo more Indonesian fans to the Sepang Circuit...

New Mercedes-Benz Autohaus.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A NEW landmark has been created in Kuala Lumpur at the busy confluence of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan P Ramlee. It is the Si Khiong Star Mercedes- Benz Autohaus, home to the purveyor of the luxury German...

Maintaining the status quo.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 7. TENGKU DAUD SHAIFUDDIN TENGKU ZAINUDIN, 46 Executive Director Perisai Petroleum Teknologi Bhd RM60.22 million TENGKU Daud is an oil and gas veteran with more than 15 years of experience, including stints...

Software developer.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 6. TAN KIN LEE, 46 Director Green Packet Bhd RM85.45 million TAN Kin Lee is yet another Green Packet Bhd executive who makes it to our Top-10 list. His 5.7% direct and 12.55% indirect stakes in Green Packet...

VoIP player.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 8. KEVIN LEONG KONG WENG, 34 Chief Executive Officer Mobif Bhd RM59.68 million KEVIN Leong Kong Weng is one of the youngest CEOs on the Mesdaq market. He makes his first entry into our Top-10 list this year...

Magnetic Miri.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MIRI HAS often been called Malaysia's 'Resort City' and the gateway to northern Sarawak in the heart of Borneo, and for good reason too. With an abundance of rivers, mountains, jungles, lakes and caves, the...

Going Ga Ga over Ganbei.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) STARHILL Gallery is fast becoming YTL Corp Bhd's newest darling along Bukit Bintang's shopping mile. Revamped and rechristened from its formerly staid and sombre stature, the new Starhill Gallery is bursting...

Easy economics.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 'The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities' By: Bernard Baumohl Publisher: Wharton School Publishing Pages: 366 Price: RM85.00 DON'T let the...

Where are your manners?
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 'Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life' By: Lynne Truss Mauborgne Publisher: Profile Books Ltd Pages: 214 Price: RM53.50 ON a recent trip, I had a pleasant encounter at a foreign...

3G offerings.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MACRO Kiosk Bhd is now able to offer third-generation (3G) content production capabilities with the acquisition of Eluxion Media (M) Sdn Bhd, a local interactive multimedia production house. Henry Goh, chief...

For cleaner air.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MEDKLINN Technologies Sdn Bhd has targeted a total sales turnover of RM7.2 million for its air steriliser units in its first year of operations in Malaysia. Peter Tham, MedKlinn Technologies' chief executive...

Maybank Malaysian Open 2006.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE US$ 1.25 million Maybank Malaysian Open 2006 will be held from Feb 16- 19. Padraig Harrington of Ireland, Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Zhang Lian Wei of China are just...

MTouche & M-Mode's Mou.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MTOUCHE Technology Bhd (mTouche) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with M-Mode Bhd to develop and provide mobile games to the growing mobile games market. mTouche will also market and distribute M-...

Begging for action ..By: A Kadir Jasin.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN OLD China, the world beyond the realm of the Yellow Emperor was filled with heathens and barbarians. Only a mad man (or woman) would want to live beyond the borders of the heavenly kingdom. But some...

Making money off the broadband bandwagon.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 10. DATUK CHEE KOK WING, 43 Group Managing Director NasionCom Holdings Bhd RM48.43 million LIKE David against Goliath, Datuk Chee Kok Wing too has been constantly battling the odds when going against the...

Mixing business, politics and social activism.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 9. DATUK MUKHRIZ MAHATHIR, 42 Chairman/Managing Director Opcom Holdings Bhd RM54.90 million IT has to be said that Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir is one of the rare breed of men who can wear multiple hats...

Open learning.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LESS than 1% of business schools in the world hold triple accreditation - Strathclyde is one of them. Currently, only 25 business schools out of around 3,500 worldwide have been fully accredited. These...

The Right Connection.
February 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT is not often that heads of companies declare that they are embarking on areas that they have no expertise in. But that is what the managing director of N2N Connect Bhd, Andrew Tiang, is telling everyone. To...

Assessment Process.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE NAfMA assessment process consists of three stages. In the preliminary stage, all completed applications undergo the preliminary assessment process to ensure compliance with the entry requirement. An...

Call For Participation In NAfMA 2006.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE door is open for the next National Award for Management Accounting (NAfMA) competition. NAfMA, organised by the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) and CIMA Malaysia Division, invites listed and...

Kompakar Wins RM1 Million Hospital Deal In China.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LOCAL integrated ICT solutions provider Kompakar Inc Bhd, won a RM1.15 million deal with the Beijing Plastic Surgery Hospital (BPSH). The deal is to provide e-Total Hospital Information System (eTHIS) to BPSH,...

Telenor Sets Up Facility In Cyberjaya.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) TELENOR, the Norwegian telecommunications company, has decided that Cyberjaya will be its location of choice for its Research and Innovation (R&I) Centre Asia Pacific. The company has declared that it will be...

Ready For Another Tabloid?
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LESS THAN a year after the New Straits Times (NST) newspaper went fully tabloid, its sister paper Berita Harian is toying with a similar idea. However, this latest in a series of major facelifts at The New...

World' first 3MOG.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN a separate occasion, DiGi.com has also announced a new partnership with Nokia to provide what it claims to be the world's first Mobile Massively Multiplayer Online Games (3MOG). The partnership will soon...

Enter Usana.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) YET another United States-based multilevel marketing (MLM) company will be making its presence felt in Malaysia soon. Top-rated healthcare product-maker, Usana Health Sciences, is expected to hit the...

Open Source Driver.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WHAT will the Malaysian ICT industry be looking at in pushing the envelope for Open Source this year? We can't just merely continue the empty talk after the government has started to incorporate Open Source...

A Listing We Will Go!
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE Naza Group, controlled by tycoon Tan Sri S M Nasimuddin Amin, is expected to be listed this year. Sources say the listed entity, valued at several billion ringgit, is currently undergoing a restructuring...

Heartbeat Of Nusajaya.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) BANDAR Nusajaya Development Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of UEM Land Sdn Bhd, recently launched its new corporate office, Nusajaya Centre, key to the Bandar Nusajaya development project. Located in the heart of the...

Strong Demand For Taragon.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) BLUESTONE Group Malaysia launched its maiden project, Taragon Yap Kwan Seng, recently, located in the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur City Centre. The 12 1/2-storey condominium development comprises 32 standard...

Enter The ZON.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE Suitestay Executive Residences located at Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur has been renamed 'the ZON All Suites Residences on the park.' The name change not only brings the hotel in line with other ZON...

Beating the Odds: Malaysia's Fastest-Growing Companies.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE year 2005 began with high hopes for stock market players. Consensus analyst estimates were high, looking forward to a year that would deliver on the back of optimism over government-linked companies (GLC)...

Fixed Line Business Heads South.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE latest market figures from research outfit Frost and Sullivan shows that fixed line players within the telecommunications industry, especially Telekom Malaysia Bhd, are in for a tough time as revenues from...

Cream Of The Crop.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WAH SEONG CORPORATION BHD Listed on Bursa Malaysia's main board on July 9, 2002 at an initial public offering (IPO) price of RM0.50, Wah Seong is controlled by the Tan family of the property-based IGB...

Those That Just Missed The Mark.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WHILE Public Bank Bhd and Malayan Banking Bhd were short-listed as one of our best high-growth companies for 2006, they lost out in the final criteria in terms of margin expansion and profitability growth....

Recognising Best Practices.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE National Award for Management Accounting (NAfMA) recognises best practices in management accounting by companies in Malaysia that lead to value creation and excellent business performance. Launched in...

Prima Prai Targets Both The Mass And Niche Markets.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE Prima Prai Group (PPG), set up in 1994, has 36.4 hectares of prime landbank on Penang Island and another 64.6 hectares on the mainland that is expected to keep the group busy for the next 10 to 15 years. ...

Going Global.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) NEWS of local companies' global adventures always makes a good read. Sometimes, it is for the right reasons and, other times, for the wrong reasons. In the case of companies such as mTouche Technology Bhd and...

Rich Pickings?
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) HOW do you pick out a good investment stock? One yardstick would be to identify stocks with good growth potential - how that company might perform in the coming months or even years. Although...

Methodology.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE list of fastest-growing companies was derived from several processes, the initial base being the latest six-month results of all listed companies on Bursa Malaysia. New listings without any comparison...

A Tough Year.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LAST year was tough for listed companies as they experienced a multitude of challenges. Top on the list was the rising crude oil price, which led to an increase in inflationary pressures. Indeed, the...

A Well Drilled Entity.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE OIL and gas sector got off to a bright start this year after a rather quiet 2005. Major players like SapuraCrest Petroleum Bhd, Ranhill Bhd and KNM Group Bhd came out with some positive corporate...

Going Private.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) TAN Sri Azman Hashim's plan to take AmcorpGroup Bhd (Amcorp) private has added some colour to the stock market. The deal could potentially have an impact on as many as three listed counters, all part of his...

The End Of The Road.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) AFTER some 22 years on the local exchange, Antah Holdings Bhd's fortunes as a listed entity are now the prerogative of Bursa Malaysia. The exchange, on Jan 3, commenced procedures to delist the company. Its...

A Closer Look.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE abundance of investment instruments in the market today is creating a challenge for the average investor who is trying to grasp what they are all about. No doubt, stocks are the mainstay of investing. Bonds...

Dainty Dinner Ware.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) YOU might have a gleaming new Mercedes parked in your driveway, a luxury condo in the most happening spot in town and exclusive membership to the most prestigious golf club in the country, but you simply haven't...

No Mexican Standoff.
February 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IRAN'S President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is spoiling for a fight with the United States and its closest Western allies, but the fallout from this fight - if it goes to all-out war - will be disastrous for not just...