Malaysian Business articles from June 2006

Malaysian Business archives from June 2006

Hidden in plain sight.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WITH today's advancement in technology, just about anyone could come up with the 'latest' in technology. In this case, it's the ability for instantaneous communication with the rest of the world with flawless...

Frankly speaking ...
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) I AM QUITE intrigued to be asked to speak on corporate governance. This is a new term to me. I used to think of running companies as just managing companies. I suppose corporate governance includes the...

Mimos announces new CEO.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MIMOS Bhd, the government funded high-tech research and development (R&D) setup, has finally appointed a new CEO to lead the organization after months of waiting. The new head honcho, Abdul Wahab Abdullah,...

PC market sees continuous growth.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE personal computer (PC) market in Malaysia continues to grow despite earlier concerns about sluggish demand due to the increase in fuel and utility prices. GfK Asia reports that the overall PC market in...

Restructuring for what?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) I SOMETIMES wonder when companies restructure. The victims in most cases are the employees. True, they are paid a certain amount under the voluntary separation or mutual separation scheme they signed for, but...

Uncertain times for auto industry.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE Malaysian car industry is going through a new phase, a very competitive one. For some, it is an uphill battle, while for others it brings new opportunities. One thing is for certain though, competition...

RHB sellout in the offing?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN our article on The Real Sarawak Play? (Malaysian Business, May 16), readers would have read that there is indeed a possibility of Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd (CMSB), via its subsidiary Utama Banking Group Bhd...

Halal hub.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) TESCO STORES (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd has made a commitment to purchase RM1 billion worth of Malaysian halal products to be sold at supermarkets in Britain over the next five years. As part of the strategic...

Care for life.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KPJ HEALTHCARE Bhd (KPJ), celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, is today the country's largest private healthcare specialist. With 15 hospitals nationwide and pushing a healthy growth abroad, the group is...

Clones from Ijok.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) CONTRARY to popular belief, there is more to oil palm plantations than meets the eye. While oil palm plantations may seem like an old p-economy industry, there is probably more biotechnology being infused into...

Of M&As and takeovers.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THIS cover story on Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd could not have been more timely. Just as we were working on the story, news broke out that Sime Darby Bhd was mulling a merger with Guthrie. But the news was...

What's frying at KFC?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) AS KULIM (Malaysia) Bhd inches closer to taking control of KFC Holdings Bhd, many will be wondering what changes will be made to the management of the fried chicken retailer. So far, Tan Sri Muhammad Ali...

On the track to recovery.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KUMPULAN Hartanah Selangor Bhd (KHSB), the property unit of Selangor state investment arm Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd (KDEB), looks set to reap the gains from the prudent policies it undertook last year. Going...

Merger on their minds?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WHEN Sime Darby Bhd's group chief executive Datuk Ahmad Zubir Murshid walked into the press conference room, a murmur of expectation filled the air. While the event was supposed to have been a normal company...

Highlands & Lowlands Bhd.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KUMPULAN Guthrie Bhd has a 54.53% stake in Highlands & Lowlands Bhd (H&L). Guthrie also acts as the managing agent for H&L which until recently was listed on the London Stock Exchange as well. Skim Amanah...

Guthrie Ropel Bhd.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KUMPULAN Guthrie Bhd holds a 57.85% stake in Guthrie Ropel Bhd (GRopel). The remaining shares are in the hands of minorities. GRopel has some 24,300 hectares of oil palm-planted land mainly in Johor, Melaka and...

Guthrie Property Development Holding Sdn Bhd.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) GUTHRIE Property Development Holding Sdn Bhd (GPDH) undertakes property development activities on land held by the Guthrie group. The unlisted company is jointly owned by Kumpulan Guthrie with a 54.77% stake and...

No more borrowings!
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) AS a plantation management man, Datuk Abdul Wahab Maskan of Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd manages a land area that approaches half a million hectares. It is a huge responsibility considering that Felda, the nation's...

Contemporary globalisation.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT IS increasingly funny to see the way in which human beings have a glaring tendency of tearing one deity down in favour of another. We are told by scholars, intellectuals, writers and most, especially the...

Different ways to measure inflation.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) I'M quite amazed that of late, many of my friends have become more interested in discussing economic issues. Whenever we meet, they start throwing questions at me: What is happening? What are the major issues?...

Inflation on the comeback trail.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) INFLATIONARY pressure has come back to Malaysia. April's inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), grew by 4.6% year-on-year (YoY). Expectations are that the upward inflationary trend is expected...

EIA, a toothless tiger?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT WAS a typical knee-jerk reaction by the authorities. Following an outcry over a recent landslide which buried four people in Hulu Klang, the government is changing the law to make developers and consultants...

All for governance.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN OUR previous article, we had discussed the Core Products of the Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group. In this issue, we will look at its Supporting Products. Supporting products Supporting products...

In the pink of health.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KPJ HEALTHCARE Bhd (KPJ) is on the lookout for expansion, both locally and abroad. The country's largest private healthcare specialist is also looking at ways and means to forge ahead in the highly competitive...

How much will you need to retire?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LEGENDARY boxer George Foreman once quipped, 'The question isn't at what age I want to retire, it's at what income.' I had the privilege of having lunch recently with an extraordinary gentleman in his early 50s,...

Singapore slingshot.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) SO, Lee Hsien Loong, son of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore, has won the elections in his own right. What's more, he won them hands down. As elections go in Singapore, this last one, on May 6,...

The accidental politician.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) UNASSUMING, slightly built and quick to laugh, especially when relating anecdotes about her life in politics, Teresa Kok, 42, is nothing like the oft-unsmiling woman pictured in newspapers, with grim...

Motorshow glow.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MALAYSIAN Automotive Association chief Datuk Aishah Ahmad is a gregarious character who glows with indefatigable energy when it comes to promoting the cause of the local motoring industry. She was indeed...

From a mail boy to a CEO.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THOSE who have met and spoken to Sugenthiran Somoo, the founder and managing director of DBora Consulting (M) Sdn Bhd will probably have a hard time accepting the fact that the 46 year old once worked as a mail...

Whither human rights in Malaysia?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE people of Malaysia are demanding an honest government. It is common knowledge among democracy advocates that there are preconditions for a successful representative government. Democracy is the cornerstone...

Innovation is the key.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) UNCERTAINTY in the world has caused fuel prices to shoot up to more than US$ 70 per barrel. Everyone, regardless of nationality, race and religion, has to face the challenges of survival today. The announcement...

Honda integra cup debuts in Malaysia.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE Honda Integra Cup Malaysia made its debut at the Malaysian Super Series at the Sepang Circuit on the last weekend of May (27-28), kicking off in grand style with an impressive starting grid of 25 cars. A...

Pick a wish.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) FANS OF the Toyota Wish may have some hard thinking to do now that their MPV of choice is also being offered by UMW Toyota. In the past, it was offered through the Naza Group. It was in the middle of May...

Sporty Hondas with Modulo Accessories.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) HONDA Malaysia is offering Modulo Accessories for the City and Civic models. The accessories are Side Under-Spoiler, Boot Spoiler (with an integrated LED brake lamp), Rear Under-Spoiler, Front Under-Spoiler...

Enter the Chinese computer!
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 'The Lenovo Affair', By Ling Zhijun, Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Pages: 375, Price: RM99.80 TALK about making it big. Lenovo is the story of the growth of China's computers. This is the story about a...

Knocking on China's door.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 'Billions - Selling to the New Chinese Consumer', By Tom Doctoroff, Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, Pages: 225, Price: RM86.50 ANOTHER business self help-book, Billions - Selling to the New Chinese Consumer,...

India at your doorstep.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) INDIAN eateries are a dime a dozen in the Klang Valley. So if you're an expat, tourist, discerning local or a plain food lover, you'd be spoilt for choice. But what differentiates a run-of-the-mill eatery from a...

Have leather will travel.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) GERMAN luxury leatherwear company Braun Buffel is gearing up for a bigger presence in Malaysia. The exclusive distributor of the Braun Buffel brand in Malaysia, Lianbee-Jeco Sdn Bhd is anticipating growth of the...

Gunning for the million mark.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) HSBC BANK Malaysia Bhd (HSBC) has unveiled its new design for its Classic, Gold and Platinum credit cards, aiming to reach one million credit cards in circulation in Malaysia. At the launch, U Chen Hock,...

World-Class Malaysian ICT solution.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) ALLIED Digital Infonet Bhd has introduced AIDAAS or Advance Information Delivery and Access Solutions, a new technology which is set to become the high-speed broadband connection of choice. AIDAAS is a solution...

BPB comes to Malaysia.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) BPB Malaysia Gypsum Sdn Bhd (BPB), a subsidiary of Saint Gobain, recently launched its plasterboard manufacturing plant, the largest of its kind in Malaysia, in North Port at Port Klang. BPB is set to play a...

Male and female voices affect the brain differently.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) SCIENTISTS have found startling differences in the way the brain interprets voices, with female voices causing activity in the auditory section and the male voice sparking activity in the 'mind's eye' at the...

Seeing the same doctor leads to better preventive care.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) RESEARCHERS have assessed preventive measures offered to persons with varied healthcare habits, ranging from visits to a regular doctor to no regular place of medical care at all. According to the study, adults...

Obesity and foot problems.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) ACCORDING to a survey, obesity may lead to foot and ankle problems. It has been found that the problems could be linked to an individual's weight and body mass index (BMI). While problems vary from patient to...

Weight loss helps osteoarthritis of the knee.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A leading cause of disability, osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex, degenerative joint disease with several risk factors. For OA of the knee, the most important modifiable risk factor is obesity. Researchers have...

New Nokia makes.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) NOKIA has launched its new E60, E61 and E70 models that use WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) with advanced voice services and mobile e-mail applications in a variety of designs for the corporate warrior. Each...

Primax 3 on the go!
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd has unveiled its newest fuel for the local market, Petronas Primax 3. The product has been formulated and blended with a unique Petronas-Developed additive, Sinar G-05, to ensure that all...

Hedging tool par excellence.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) KUWAIT FInance House (M) Bhd (KFHMB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Finance House, Kuwait and Malaysia's first foreign Islamic bank, has introduced the KFH Promissory FX Contract-i to its customers. KFHMB...

Canon on a roll.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) CANON Marketing Malaysia has enhanced its range of DVD Camcorders with the world's smallest and slimmest DV in its class - the DC40 - and the affordable DC100. Equipped with Canon's proprietary DIGIC technology...

Milestones.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 1979 IN 1979, the Healthcare Division of JCorp was established and the development of Johor Specialist Hospital (JSH) began. JSH commenced operations on May 10, 1981. Tawakal Hospital was acquired in 1988...

Groundbreaking and iconic corporate milestones.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) 1. ACQUISITIONS and Quick Turnaround of Four Specialist Hospitals - Hallmarks of Corporate Distinction and Outstanding Business Skills Kumpulan Perubatan Johor Sdn Bhd (KPJSB) created tremendous impact on...

Taking a relook at EDM.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MENTION electronic data management, or EDM, and it would usually make one go 'not that word again'. But whatever one may perceive of EDM, it is here to stay and Zulkifli Mohamed, CEO of Real Data Matrix (RDM),...

Implementing the SOA.
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE direction of the enteprise software integration market is changing. Organisational expectations for IT have shifted from cost savings and business automation to creating an agile enterprise that can adapt to...

Whither accountability?
June 16, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) ON FEB 17, 2006, the Federal Court made a historic judgment. It was one that would change the landscape relating to the accountability and responsibilities of local councils throughout the country. The Court...

Winds of change.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE outcome of the 2006 Sarawak state election for the Barisan Nasional (BN) was never in doubt. The only question was: How many of the 71 seats would fall to the Opposition and where. As it turned out, the...

Is it difficult to nab manipulators?
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT IS SO easy for our market to come crashing down, isn't it? Just a few weeks ago, foreign funds were streaming into the country, the local bourse was turning a little bullish and many stocks were being...

Risk management in property investment.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) ENCOUNTERING risks is a part and parcel of life. For investors, risk management is a significant challenge and a test of inherent patience. Taking calculated risk is the result of effective strategic planning,...

Global compliance driving smart business to get smarter.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) BY now, enough ink has been spilled over the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the US and Basel II in Europe. In Malaysia, developments related to corporate governance have taken on new meaning with the Corporate Law...

Primary school students win Gold Award at ITEX 06.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A sandal with a unique dust cleaning ability was crowned as the best invention at the annual ITEX 06 exhibition, created to showcase local inventive capability and innovation. The one-of-a-kind sandal,...

Lifestyle in London.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) COUNTRY Heights Lifestyle Bhd, a subsidiary of Country Heights Holdings Bhd, has bought five units of the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza in London worth RM9.1mil in to boost its timesharing business. The...

Mall taking shape.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) PAVILION Kuala Lumpur, a new mixed-used development project is taking shape in the heart of Bukit Bintang, Developed on a 5.1 hectare of land said to be the last piece of prime real estate in the city, the...

Water chalets in PD.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MALAYSIA'S largest water chalet project, the Legend Water Chalets & Service Suites in Port Dickson, will open its doors this August. With a gross development value (GDV) of RM90 million, the development will...

IT services grow significantly.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE actual performance of the IT services market in the country grew 12% year-on-year from US$801.66 million in 2004 to US$896.37 million in 2005. To date, IT services constitute 25% of the total Malaysia IT...

The toast of transparency.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) MALAYSIAN Business, the nation's premier business magazine, organised the much-coveted 'Malaysian Business Corporate Governance Award 2005' for the fourth time recently. The award, held on May 23, 2006, was...

Holding court.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT HAS been two-and-a-half years since Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad retired as Prime Minister. But as many would agree, Dr Mahathir does not seem to have lost any of his sharpness and wit when it comes to commenting...

Property sector outlook.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IF the housing statistics for the fourth quarter of last year are anything to go by, then property developers and the industry in general are in for tougher times ahead. According to the property market report...

A whole new world.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) UEM World Bhd is one of the largest infrastructure groups in the country. So when the ambitious Ninth Malaysia Plan was announced recently, the conglomerate was thrust into the limelight. Reason - its strong...

Brave new world.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LOVE it or hate it, one of Malaysia's most iconic heavyweights of the past could be poised for a big comeback. Having been out of the radar for a long time, UEM World Bhd is now attracting the attention of...

You are my world.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) UEM Builders Bhd UEM Builders (UEMB) is the construction arm and a 51.7% subsidiary of UEM World and the largest contributor to its group earnings (34%, according to a report from Credit Suisse). It...

The sky's the Limit.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT would be almost two years this month since Datuk Ahmad Pardas Senin, 54, took over the helm of UEM World when he was appointed as MD and CEO on July 1, 2004. To lead such a diverse organisation - and one...

Kulim set to move?
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE recent suspension of trading of QSR Brands Bhd and KFC Holdings (M) Bhd shares on Bursa Malaysia at the request of the two respective companies has raised market speculation that a major corporate exercise...

Power game.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WILL Malaysian tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Albukhary succeed in convincing the shareholders of Malakoff Bhd to let go of the assets of their power company at RM10.35 per share? If they do so, this deal would...

Placing trust in wills.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) WILLS and trusts are generally associated with the rich. One company that is bringing these services to the mainstream is the Rockwills group. When it comes to distribution of wealth, wills and trusts play an...

Recognising talents.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) BRAND and communica-tions consultancy Naga DDB has appointed Alan Lim as its chairman in a group restructuring exercise that sees the formation of a new holding company. Ted Lim is the deputy chairman, while...

Are our banks up to it?
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THERE has been a debate by the authorities and industry players on the need for local banks to increase their size and competitiveness to survive globalisation and liberalisation of the financial sector. The...

Banking on robust, creative growth.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) THE latest trend in commercial banking is technology and value-added products and services. General Manager and Global Co-Head of Commercial Banking of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd Margaret...

Of mice & nations.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) SINGAPORE may not be the hub for the semiconductor support industry, but this didn't stop the main players from meeting up recently in the city- state to check out the latest developments in the industry. ...

Clearing the Jam.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IN a sudden turn of events, the government has decided that its proposed RM4.4 billion upgrade of the country's public transport system will now be undertaken by the private sector. While details are not...

The rail issue.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) LAST month, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) was awarded the contract to develop the light rail system network in the Klang Valley. The RM10 billion upgrade will include RM4.5 billion to build a 30km line in...

Beat it or join it.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) GETTING a driving licence is probably one of the highlights of a teenager's life. To many, sitting behind the wheel means more than just controlling the vehicle - it means their entry into the world of adult...

Heart attack warning signs differ for men & women.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) A woman's symptoms prior to a heart attack are increasingly being found to be different than those of a man, according to recent research published in the issue of Today in Cardiology. Women are only half as...

Joint flexibility & osteoarthritis.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) IT has long been thought that double-jointedness, especially in the knee, may lead to premature osteoarthritis. The theory behind this is that the increased flexibility leads to additional strain on the tendons,...

Myopia - Blame lifestyle, not genes.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) RESEARCHERS say that epidemics of myopia in developed countries are due to changes in lifestyle. Myopia is on the increase as children now spend much of their time indoors focusing on close objects, such as...

Water's the answer for night cough.
June 1, 2006... (From Malaysian Business) RESEARCHERS who monitored 100 children who had upper respiratory tract infections and a cough for more than three days have found that those on water therapy showed better results than those on cough syrup. This...