Malaysian Business articles from January 2011

Malaysian Business archives from January 2011

Gaining momentum.
January 16, 2011... RISING interest in its stock suggests that something extraordinary is in store for behemoth DRB-HICOM. DRB-HICOM BHD IS A GIANT, listed conglomerate with interests sprawling from automotive and property to banking and services. No research...

Pekan Passat prize.
January 16, 2011... THE Passat saloon will be produced in Pekan as Volkswagen AG makes DRB- HICOM its Malaysian automotive assembler. AFTER TALKS WITH PROTON HOLDINGS BHD ON POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP programmes did not materialise, Volkswagen Aktiengesselschaft (VW...

Addressing MMC's debt.
January 16, 2011... MMC Corporation, a sister company of DRB-HICOM, has been getting a lot of attention lately for its debt situation, given that it's eyeing several huge projects. How manageable is it? MMC Corporation Bhd (MMC), a sister company of DRB-HICOM Bhd...

Big & appealing.
January 16, 2011... PETRONAS Chemicals, the chemical arm of Malaysia's nationaal oil and gas company Petronas, was listed recently. Its strong brand name has been attracting keen attention. IT IS A RISING STAR, AS ONE stockbroker calls it. When one has a strong...

Mobile applications - The next frontier.(Company overview)
January 16, 2011... CONNECTED gadgets or devices such as mobile phones and touch-screen tablets today contribute towards the increased activities in mobile Internet and application consumptions. The current scenario provides abundance of opportunities for a major...

The Sky's the limit.
January 16, 2011... MALAYSIA AIRPORTS HOLDINGS Bhd (MAHB) has been working hard to attract airlines to the country. It is also seeking to increase revenue from other sources like retail space and land development. Still, some industry players think that the company...

Solid gold.
January 16, 2011... ALTERNATIVE Investment Market listed gold-mining company Peninsular Gold is all set for a dazzling future with gold prices soaring and rapid expansion. THE FUTURE SEEMS BRIGHT AND glittery for Peninsular Gold Ltd (PGL), an Alternative...

Going beyond the paper trail.
January 16, 2011... IN today's increasingly blurred global divide, it is not uncommon to see digital investigations and crime regularly cross international and language borders today. Therein lies the responsibility of a forensic accountant. HIGHLY-PUBLICISED...

People power.
January 16, 2011... THE human resource crunch in the oil and gas industry and how to solve it. AS THE NEW DECADE UNFOLDS, tackling the human resource challenge will be one of the main concerns for the oil and gas industry. At the 11th IEF (International Energy...

Trucking to greater heights.
January 16, 2011... VOLVO Malaysia's heavy duty trucks make their way into the relatively untapped market of East Malaysia. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN Malaysia in 1969, Volvo Malaysia Sdn Bhd continues to vigorously chart new strategies to maintain its market...

Beyond the control tower.
January 16, 2011... FRESH from its recent financial restructuring, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd trains its radar on Its other revenue sources, including the commercial development of its retail space and landbank, and its overseas projects. WHEN Tan Sri Bashir...

Checking in.
January 16, 2011... MALAYSIAN Business talks to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd MD, Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid. IT was supposed to be his week off, but Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid was still busy at work. The 61-year-old managing director of Malaysia...

Capital flows: Will the wave continue?
January 16, 2011... CONTINUED strong private capital flows to the emerging markets bring with them the danger of credit growth, inflation and asset price bubbles. How will central banks cope? PRIVATE CAPITAL FLOWS INTO emerging market economies have rebounded...

Crystal-Balling 2011.
January 16, 2011... THANKFULLY, 2010 did not turn out as bad as some had feared. But that by no means indicates a problem-free 2011. What's likely in store? AS WE ENTER 2011, THE QUESTION THAT usually pops up in the minds of many is whether this is going to be a...

Lessons from the crisis.
January 16, 2011... THE 1997 East Asian financial crisis has been a source of invaluable lessons for emerging economies such as Malaysia. They include the virtues of having a liberalised financial system, strong foreign reserves, and a diversified debt market. ...

Asia: A new hotspot for mobile apps.
January 16, 2011... ASIA IS POISED TO BECOME a global hotbed for mobile application development and innovation, thanks to the region's language diversity and long road to market maturity. Although, the United States and Europe are currently still the dominant...

Gizmos galore.
January 16, 2011... HOME appliance sales in East Asia soared in 2010 on the back of a pick-up in the economy. THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN 2010 saw more consumers in Asia going 'green' and purchasing more sophisticated home appliances. A GfK Retail Panel survey...

Collective effort.
January 16, 2011... PRINCIPLES and collective awareness determine a winner. What exactly are these ingredients? MY HUSBAND TOOK PART IN the recent 4x4 Rainforest Challenge (RFC) which was held in Johor in December. His team included 'Team Russia' and 'Team Johor'....

Developing local leaders.
January 16, 2011... AS leadership is a key factor that determines the success of business in each country, finding and developing local leaders is a must. IN THE LAST ISSUE, WE revealed the findings of the Accenture research report on regionalisation for...

'Stim', rim & trim .....BY: By Rajen Devadason.
January 16, 2011... THREE sensible strategies when constructing and managing your all- important retirement portfolio. TWO phenomena are contributing to escalating food prices worldwide: Wild weather and collapsing currency. Whether we're talking about...

Extending data centre capabilities.
January 16, 2011... ENTERPRISES TODAY ARE looking for a comprehensive network strategy that would enable the convergence of storage and data IP networks and facilitate the adoption of new technologies to extend data centre capabilities, while at the same time they...

Merits of value investing.
January 16, 2011... WHY going for fundamentally sound stocks can increase your chances of success. IT is my opinion that value investing is the most successful method of investing in equities. It grows out of a common sense approach to investing: that you are...

Portfolio strategies for ordinary investors.
January 16, 2011... THE VALUE of advice from a good financial advisor in relation to the more technical aspects of portfolio management cannot be underestimated, but not everyone can afford to engage the services of such an advisor. However, the average person...

Affordable hotspots.
January 16, 2011... EXPERTS say mass-market condos will lead housing demand in Singapore this year. WITH PRIVATE HOME PRICES AT record highs, industry players expect developments catering to the mass market to lead demand this year. Property is seen as a safe...

Appetite for success.(Interview)
January 16, 2011... IT'S one thing to successfully create and maintain one restaurant but how about five? Brenda James talks to the dynamic duo of Fred Choo and Michele Kwok on what it takes to stay one step ahead of the pack in the ever fluid and competitive food...

A converged infrastructure.
January 16, 2011... INCREASED COMPETITION, NEW regulations and a return to growth are driving organisations into a mode of constant change. And as the economy shifts, a larger transformation is in store for the business technology landscape. However, rigid...

Green in the city.
January 16, 2011... KUALA LUMPUR while retaining its old-world charm is moving ahead at great speed... and before it changes even more, let's look at some of its 'green' lungs. ANYONE who visits Kuala Lumpur, affectionately called KL, will find that it is a...

Confucius would be confused.
January 16, 2011... THE latest book on Lee Kuan Yew highlights his analects which illustrate the confusion that confounds claims of this supposed leading disciple of China's great sage. MOST books on Lee Kuan Yew tend to be weighty tomes that paint a pristine...

Maybank touches 50.
January 16, 2011... MAYBANK celebrated its 50th anniversary celebrations last year. The celebrations closed on a high note with the unveiling of a specially commissioned 1Malaysia sculpture called Segerak One Movement 1Malaysia by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd...

HwangDBS' income distributions.
January 16, 2011... HWANGDBS Investment Management Bhd has announced income distributions for four funds: the final income distribution of 2.00 sen or RM0.02 for its HwangDBS Select Income Fund and interim income distributions for three other funds. The company...

Hap Seng's capital expansion.
January 16, 2011... HAP SENG Consolidated Bhd (HSCB) has announced plans to undertake initiatives to increase the free float and liquidity of its shares and raise capital to drive its ambitious expansion plans. The proposed initiatives include a private placement...

Rolls-Royce's record 2010 sales results.(Financial report)
January 16, 2011... ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars has revealed record sales results for 2010, with 2,711 cars sold during the year. This was a 171% increase on the 2009 total of 1,002 cars and more than double the previous company record of 1,212 cars set in 2008. All...

Montblanc leather collection.
January 16, 2011... MEISTERSTuCK Atelier is a new ultraluxe 'connoisseur' range of Montblanc Meisterstuck fine leather goods - a high-end line of men's accessories which are finely crafted from the rarest and most precious materials in the world. The Meisterstuck...

Safilo says.
January 16, 2011... Safilo has been making eyewear products for over 75 years, designing, manufacturing and distributing high-quality prescription frames, sunglasses and sports eyewear under licensing agreements for leading luxury and premium brands as well as...

Oris pays tribute to jazz.
January 16, 2011... SWISS watchmakers ORIS has launched the ORIS Oscar Peterson Limited Edition and the ORIS Oscar Peterson Chronograph Limited Edition, which is a tribute to its namesake - the legendary pianist Oscar Peterson, considered by many as the greatest...

Five innovations in the next five years.
January 16, 2011... FIVE MORE INNOVATIONS that have the potential to change the way people work, live and play over the next five years were formally unveiled at the IBM's fifth annual "Next Five in Five" list recently. The Next Five in Five is based on market...

BN's judgement day.
January 16, 2011... TALK is rife that the general election might be brought forward ahead of the expiry of the current Parliamentary term in 2013. Can the ruling coalition improve its standing and recapture the states won by the Opposition in the last election? And...

Boosting Bumiputera participation in real estate.
January 1, 2011... BUMIPUTERA investors who wish to see their money grow from having a share in prime properties can now invest in Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera (AHB). The properties chosen are vetted for Shariah compliance, thus ensuring its attractiveness...

Conflicting diagnosis.
January 1, 2011... WHILE on the one hand the Ministry of Health says we need more doctors, it, on the other hand, has put a halt to new medical degree courses in the country. So what's the rationale? DOES MALAYSIA NEED MORE DOCTORS? THE Health Ministry says we do....

HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair 2011.
January 1, 2011... THE biggest and hottest houseware show in Asia is back! LOOKING to offer consumers the latest and the best in houseware products? Make HKTDC Hong Kong Houseware Fair 2011 a must-attend event in your calendar. It's the largest event of its kind...

What's cooking?
January 1, 2011... TAN Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim's shock exit from Johor Corp, one of the most successful state corporations in the country, has led to a lot of speculation as to what exactly is happening in the company. WEIRD THINGS, IF YOU ASK some quarters,...

Landfill green play.
January 1, 2011... CYPARK Resources, a niche player in the landfill sanitation business, is going places. GOING 'GREEN' IS THE NEW buzzword for investors around the world. Not surprisingly, companies that are involved in environmental awareness businesses are...

City of digital lights.
January 1, 2011... NEW attractions and enhanced supporting facilities are set to take i-City to greater heights in the business tourism sector. WITH THE cHRISTMAS LIGHTINGS up, i-City is a dazzling sight to behold at night. i-City is a popular tourist...

What's in store for 2011?
January 1, 2011... FROM pockets of bubble that led to the mortgage cap of 70% for third and subsequent property loans to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), what actually does 2011 have in store for the local...

Venturing out into the world.
January 1, 2011... THIS ISSUE, WE SECURED AN exclusive interview with the Federal Land Development Authority or more popularly known by its acronym Felda. The world's largest land development scheme has been embarking on a transformation that will see it moving...

Malaysia's 2011 ICT playmakers.
January 1, 2011... MALAYSIA'S INFORMATION and communications technology (ICT) sector is set to continue to be one of the key industries that will radically overhauling the country's economy in the next one year. When Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak...

Looking abroad.(Company overview)
January 1, 2011... HOMEGROWN electrical appliances manufacturer Pensonic Holdings is poised for exponential growth in the next five years, with the push coming from the foreign market. HOMEGROWN ELECTRICAL appliances manufacturer Pensonic Holdings Bhd is poised...

The journey continues for PVA.
January 1, 2011... IN CONJUNCTION WITH ITS 17th ANNUAL DINNER, THE PROTON VENDORS Association (PVA) recently launched a commemorative coffee table book that charts the progress of Proton's component vendors in Malaysia from the very beginning. Titled PVA - The...

Felda faces the future.
January 1, 2011... FELDA'S new corporate direction sees an expansion of its business horizons for a bigger global foray. HAVING thrived through trials, tribulations and high expectations in its 54 years of existence, the Federal Land Development Authority...

From palm trees to Felda City.
January 1, 2011... AUTOMOBILE has its Toyota City, South Africa its Sun City, and Detroit is Motor City. Malaysia may soon have its 'Felda City'. THERE'S STILL SOME WAY TO go before former Felda Chairman Tan Sri Yusof Nor who is now Advisor to the Minister in...

Global foray.
January 1, 2011... FELDA Global Ventures Holdings gears up for its overseas foray under its new head, Datuk Sabri Ahmad. WHILE FELDA'S TRADITIONAL domestic businesses have been the domain of Felda Holdings Bhd, its bold business ventures that include moving...

Financially fit.
January 1, 2011... FELDA'S finances came under scrutiny recently following the huge depletion of its cash pile. What happened and what is its real standing? SEEING A RM4.08 BILLION cash hoard dwindle to RM1.35 billion in five years certainly requires a bit of...

Heroes to look up to.
January 1, 2011... THE youngsters of Felda are provided every encouragement to emulate the achievements of the many high profile personalities, technocrats and professionals produced from among their ranks. FELDA'S CURRENT GENERATION does not lack role models....

Brain drain.
January 1, 2011... FORMER Petronas head honcho Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican's departure to Singapore's SembCorp Industries epitomises the 'brain drain' problem facing Malaysia today. What is being done to address this critical issue? FORMER PETRONAS CHIEFTAIN Tan...

A bad mix?
January 1, 2011... MUCH of the savings in the banking system is not optimally allocated to businesses due to the influence of political interests. The economy and innovative activity lose out as a result. BANKS ARE IN AN ENVIABLE position because of the dual...

Economic and Market Outlook 2011.(Industry overview)
January 1, 2011... CAN the domestic economy and in tandem the local bourse sustain their uptrend from last year? LAST YEAR WAS A GOOD YEAR for stock market investors. The local equity market surged approximately 18% to 1,499.88 from 1,272.78 as at end- December...

Calling Mumbai.
January 1, 2011... INDIA'S economic heartbeat is increasingly attracting Malaysian companies, not least for its position as an entry point to the lucrative Indian market. MUMBAI, INDIA'S ECONOMIC heartbeat and a pulsating financial centre, has been attracting...

Handing over a legacy.
January 1, 2011... FOUR private universities received a set of books entitled Amanat Presiden recently from Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd (BPSB). The books were sponsored by I-Berhad. The universities were Kolej Universiti Infrastruktur Kuala Lumpur (KLIUC),...

NAfMA Acknowledges Management Accounting Excellence.
January 1, 2011... MAXIS comes away the big winner at the recent 'National Award for Management Accounting 2010' awards, beating other top companies. MAXIS BHD TOOK TOP HONOURS at the recent seventh 'National Award for Management Accounting (NAfMA) 2010'. It...

Boon for travellers, bane for exporters.
January 1, 2011... THE Singapore dollar is expected to continue its climb, driven by tight government policy and capital inflows, say analysts. A STRONGER SINGAPORE dollar has caused some anxiety in the export-driven local industry but those looking to buy...

Outlook for 2011.
January 1, 2011... WILL the positive trend in media expenditures and brand-building activities seen in 2010 carry over to this brand new year? THE YEAR 2010 SAW DOUBLE-digit growth in media expenditures and brand- building investments by advertisers. What does...

Watch your back.
January 1, 2011... IN this age of freely flowing information, one cannot afford not to. SINCE roughly 30 years ago we have been living in an information age as a concept and reality. The calling in fact traces to a much earlier point in the time-frame. It means...

Thermometer or thermostat?
January 1, 2011... WHAT should you focus on if you are intent on becoming the best you can be this year? HAPPY New Year! If you're reading this column when this issue of Malaysian Business is released, you'll have noticed the pleasing symmetry of this year's New...

Improved savings with Ariba solutions.
January 1, 2011... SAVINGS DON'T COUNT UNLESS they reach the bottom line. Recognising this, two leading Malaysian organisations are leveraging Ariba Inc's collaborative business commerce solutions to identify opportunities for cost reductions and build a platform...

Private equity looks east.
January 1, 2011... HOW Malaysia can carve a niche in the private equity world and lead in the largely untapped Islamic private equity market. THE Malaysian private equity market has gained momentum in the last five to six years amid the private equity boom...

Sales trends 2011.
January 1, 2011... AS we usher in the New Year, we present some foreseeable sales trends to increase your revenue and overall financial health. ANOTHER year has just begun. As we usher in 2011, how was 2010 for you? Prosperous? Average? Not so good? Well, 2011...

Habits of winning traders.
January 1, 2011... PROFESSIONAL trader Tim Bourquin has come up with the 20 habits of wealthy traders. This issue, we take a look at the first 10. TIM Bourquin of www.Traderinterviews.com has interviewed over 225 top traders and posted the interviews on his...

It's mind over matter that wins.
January 1, 2011... THE science of success management system for you and your business. SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ALWAYS attribute the achievement of their dreams to hard work, determination, patience, persistence and a long list of other key considerations. Seldom do...

The sports doctor.
January 1, 2011... PROFESSOR Datuk Dr Mohd Mydin Mohd Musa is on a mission to get sports medicine taken seriously in this country. He tells Sharmila Valli Narayanan the importance of sports medicine to the country. THE phrase 'audacity of hope' popularised by...

Applications unlimited from Oracle.
January 1, 2011... ORACLE will continue to offer customers a Lifetime Support on all its applications, because it understands the need to protect the customer's investments, stresses Shaun Han, vice president, Applications, for Oracle Asean. 'Applications...

Eco wonderland.
January 1, 2011... THE mangrove and peat swamp forests of Sabah's Klias Wetlands hold a multitude of natural wonders that you can't find in any other part of the world. THE mangrove and peat swamp forests of Klias Wetlands and the deep river that runs through...

I wanna be rich.
January 1, 2011... HOW to Get Rich, Stay Rich & Be Happy - Strategies, Tips and Advice for Investing Your Time and Money offers pointers on getting rich and staying there. ANYONE who wants to badly enough, can get rich. This blunt statement is the first...

Reaping the rewards of Real Estate.
January 1, 2011... THE Millionaire Real Estate School for Beginners offers practical step-by- step real estate investment tips. REAL estate has proven time and again to be the safest inflation hedge bet, but on condition that the would-be investor is...

Buraqoil rebranded.
January 1, 2011... ON January 2008, the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (MDTCC) launched the Development & Re-Branding programme for small-sized petrol stations in rural areas. Under the MDTCC project, three companies have been...

Media Agency of the year.
January 1, 2011... OMNICOM Media Group agency, PHD Asia-Pacific, was crowned 'Media Agency Network of the Year' for the second year running at the prestigious 'Agency of the Year 2010' awards held at St Regis Singapore on Tuesday evening. The 'Agency of the Year'...

OSK-DMG heads small cap rankings.
January 1, 2011... DMG & Partners Securities and OSK (OSK-DMG) delivered overall stellar performance in the 'Asiamoney Brokers Poll 2010', winning top spot for Small Caps research coverage in Malaysia and Singapore, Second Most Improved Brokerage in Malaysia,...

Hitachi's home living innovations.
January 1, 2011... HITACHI has launched its 2011 ecologically-inspired electronic and home appliance line-up, featuring the latest three-door Side-by-Side Mirror Finish Inverter, Big2 and Stylish Line Series refrigerators, a Sparkle Beat Washing Machine, an...

It's an LG, of course.
January 1, 2011... LG Electronics (LG) has launched two new residential air conditioner models. Comprising the Inverter V-Beyond Efficiency and the Inverter V- Smart Efficiency, the new series comes with enhanced energy-saving Inverter technology and adds to the...

Fujitsu's multi-touch tablet PCs.
January 1, 2011... FUJITSU has unveiled its first four-point multi-touch tablet PCs called Lifebook T580 and TH550. The 1.4-kg lightweight Lifebooks boast a 10.1- inch bi-directional auto-rotating high-definition touch screen that is designed to enrich consumers'...

Spread subsidy savings fairly.
January 1, 2011... AS the withdrawal of subsidies affects everybody, it is only fair that the benefits of the savings be spread all across the nation and not just in selected urban centres. ALMOST FIVE FULL YEARS AFTER TELLING THE people to change their...