A green lung for Dungun
By K. SUTHAKAR
Photos by VICTOR K.K. NG
Saturday July 23, 2005




The Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve in Dungun town, which is rich in camphor wood, is set to become the biggest green lung within a town or city in the country.

The Terengganu government wants to gazette the 7,287ha area as an “educational forest” for ecological and botanical studies.

In an immediate response, the state Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) hailed the move, saying it augurs well for the conservation of the forest.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/7/23/central/m_pg20beach.jpg

Pupils (from left) Arif Abdul Latif, 10, Mohd Irdzuan Srang, 15,
and Mohd Nazrin Abdul Latif admiring the view of the beach,
forest and lake from a shelter along the beach.






Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the educational forest would be launched next month.

“It is vital to conserve the area which is rich in kapur or camphor trees (Dryobalanops aromatica),” he told newsmen after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Darul Iman in Kuala Terengganu recently.

He said although the area had been designated a forest reserve, the former PAS administration had awarded several licences to log the forest.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/7/23/central/m_pg20steep.jpg

The staircase leading to Tanjung Gadong
Forest Reserve next to Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve.






“The felling of trees had started but we have since cancelled the licences. The loggers will be given other areas as replacements,” he said.

Idris said the area was attractive since it was rich with many species of trees.

In comparison, it is learnt that the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, which serves as a green lung for Kuala Lumpur, covers only 10.05 ha.

State MNS chairman Sulong Ibrahim said Bukit Bauk was one of the few forests in the country to have camphor trees.

“It is unique and I’m glad that logging will not be allowed there,” he said.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/7/23/central/m_pg21baok.jpg

The waters of the lake are being drained
into the sea to facilitate the construction of a
new bridge to the Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve.






Sulong, who specialises in mangroves management at Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (Kustem), said that Universiti Putra Malaysia students had conducted studies in the jungle.

A check by The Star showed that a gateway to the Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve was near the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) branch campus.

The gateway is a picturesque lake near Pantai Gadong beach.

The public and UiTM students had been entering the forest reserve through a rickety 100m footbridge.

Mohd Zamili Awang, 20, who stays in nearby Kampung Tanah Lot, said the bridge was dismantled about a week ago to avoid any incidents.

The authorities had dug a canal to drain the lake water into the sea in a move, apparently, to facilitate the construction of a new bridge.

Schoolboys of SRK Sura and SMK Sura were spotted wading in the muddy water to catch tiger prawns, siput gondong, ikan kakak and ikan toman in the lake.

Next to the lake is a wooden staircase leading to a hill located in the Tanjung Gadong Forest Reserve, which is next to Bukit Bauk.

From the peak of the hill, one can see the burning flames of refineries in Kertih, about 20km away.

Those passing through Dungun town can also view the hill, which rises behind Politeknik Dungun.

Dungun Hotels: Tanjong Jara Resort (http://www.besthotelsresorts.com/tanjongjararesort.htm)
Tanjong Jara Resort
Batu 8 Off Dungun,
23000 Dungun,Terengganu,

http://www.ytlcommunity.com/images/tanjongjara/tjanimmap.gif (http://www.ytlcommunity.com/tanjongjara/locationmap.asp)

Terangganu

http://www.abcmalaysia.com/maps/images/terengganu_map2.jpg

World's Longest Tree-based Canopy Skywalk Opens
July 24, 2005 15:27 PM




MIRI, July 24 (Bernama) -- The world's longest tree-based "canopy skywalk", spanning 480 metres and suspended 20 metres above the forest floor, opened to the public Sunday in the Gunung Mulu National Park in northern Sarawak.

Sarawak Forestry Corporation said in a statement the skywalk was built by the local community with the assistance of design and engineering professionals.

Other new facilities in the park include a "Plants for Life Trail", an 8km non-slip plankwalk, radio communication system, signage, public toilets, land drainage and park lighting.

All the facilities were built through a smart partnership between BorsarMulu Park Management, Forestry Department and Sarawak Forestry.

State National Parks and Nature Reserves controller Datuk Cheong Ek Choon said the completion of the new facilities was a fine example of private and government sectors working closely together to promote eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation.

Established in 1974 and listed as a World Heritage Site in November 2000 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), Gunung Mulu National Park has seen a significant increase in visitor arrivals by 37 per cent over the past three years.

-- BERNAMA

Sarawak

http://www.geostef.de/images/borneopics/sarawak.jpg

Hotel Grand Continental upgrade
Updated : 26-07-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : NGU IK YING



HOTEL Grand Continental in Penang is investing between RM800,000 and RM1mil to refurbish some of its facilities.

General manager Adrian Rodrigues said the project involved upgrading 70 of the hotelกฏs 188 rooms and one of its three meeting rooms.

He said the refurbishment exercise, which began in March and expected to be completed next month, was part of several measures taken by the hotel to stay competitive.

He said the upgraded rooms, to be called continental comfort rooms, were mainly targeted at the corporate market.

Rodrigues said services available for those staying in these rooms were a special counter for checking in and out, and a special corner for breakfast at the hotelกฏs coffee house.

He said the hotel provided 24-hour free wireless broadband high-speed Internet access.

Komag to build 3rd facility in Penang
Updated : 29-07-2005
Media : Business Times



INDEPENDENT supplier of thin-film media for disk drives Komag Inc will build a third facility in Penang as part of its reinvestment plan for Malaysia.

The companyกฆs chief executive officer Datuk T.H. Tan said the manufacturing facility at Batu Maung, which is adjacent to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, will occupy 150,000 sq ft of manufacturing space with state-of-the-art equipment and machinery from the US and Japan.

กงWe plan to further expand capacity during 2006 at our current manufacturing sites in Malaysia, in an attempt to keep up with the growing demand for media,กจ he told a press conference in Penang yesterday.

Also present at the press conference were Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and the company board of directors from the US who are in Malaysia.

กงThis further additional capacity is expected to be available beginning in the second quarter of 2006 with total capacity of approximately 40 million disks per quarter by the end of 2006,กจ Tan added.

Tan said that based on very strong demand that currently exceeds Komagกฆs manufacturing capacity and expected continuing strong overall market growth, the company is expanding its capacity by about four million disks per quarter.

Last week, Tan announced that Komag would be re-investing more than RM1 billion at its four plants in Malaysia, owing to increased demand from its four major disk drive customers Maxtor, Global Storage Technologies, Seagate and Western Digital.

กงAll of the capacity expansion plans are based on strategic supply agreements with several of our customers,กจ he noted.

กงAs part of these agreements, Komag has made certain commitments to increase capacity and our customers have agreed to make certain pre-payments for media, to help mitigate the cash impact of the capital spending required for us to increase capacity.กจ

Total capital spending for Komag in Malaysia in 2005 alone is being projected to be approximately RM750 million, Tan said.

Komagกฆs investment in Malaysia for the past 12 years in Penang, Johor and Sarawak has been RM2.5 billion.

กงIn 2004, we invested US$60 million here and our conservative projection for next year is a minimum of US$60 million (US$1 = RM3.75) in investments,กจ Tan said.

Penang poised to be hub for mega-yachts
Updated : 28-07-2005
Media : Business Times



PENANG appeal as a cruising playground for owners of mega-yachts is slowly rising as these leisure boats have begun dropping anchor around its waters.

Marine tourism players expect the stateกฆs tourism coffers to be boosted by the third quarter of the year when the inner city marina in George Town is ready to provide a full range of yacht services.

They are also predicting economic spin-offs for all tourism-related service providers in the state ranging from hotels, retail and food outlets, tour and limousine firms to dockyards and ship maintenance suppliers.

กงPenang is well-poised to tap into the demand to accommodate luxury boats,กจ Oceanemas Marine managing director Mazeta Hassan told Business Times in Penang.

กงSince the inner city marina is still under construction, visiting yachts to Penang since early this year have been anchoring around the port anchorage at Swettenham Pier, and bringing their tenders (speed boats) alongside the inner berth to drop their guests,กจ she added.

Oceanemas Marine has to date served as yacht services agent to owners of four mega-yachts worth between US$10 million (US$1 = RM3.75) and US$39 million from countries like the US, the UK and Hong Kong which have visited Penang.

An estimate made by Mazeta on the tourism dollars spent by owners of these mega-yachts and their crew (about 10 persons) in Penang is RM10,000 daily (for hotel stays, meals, shopping and tours) and their stay averages between 2 and 10 days.

กงThese expenses,กจ she adds, กงare over and above costs incurred for refuelling, supply of provisions like fresh produce, along with spare parts and maintenance and repair services.กจ

A RM45 million public marina is being constructed by Penang Port Sdn Bhd at Church Street Pier to accommodate over 100 boats and yachts.

The project which is being funded by the Federal Government also includes a clubhouse and a restaurant.

กงPenangกฆs potential as a cruising playground is bigger than Singaporeกฆs since the new marina will have berths to accommodate 20 yachts which is double what the republic offers,กจ said Reuben Walters, who is a captain of a Hong Kong- based 35-metre mega-yacht which cruises between Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

กงPenang,กจ added Walters, กงhas done a good move by having a public marina, although it must ensure that it provides the best service because yacht owners who have come here so far simply love the shopping and heritage charm of Penang.กจ

He said if the infrastructure for the supply and service of mega-yachts improves, Penang could emerge a hub for luxury boats, with Langkawi becoming a weekend destination.

กงPenang is strategically located and can offer itself as a regional hub for mega- yachts if it works out its marketing and business strategies well,กจ Walters noted.

Walters, who has been using shipping dockyards in Penang and Langkawi along with port services in both locations for a decade, said depending on the size of a vessel, between 10,000 litres and 80,000 litres of diesel are generally purchased for refuelling by the mega- yachts.

กงPurchase of provisions involves between US$1,000 and US$3,000 while repairs and maintenance of the boats (based on services by a shipyard in Langkawi) can cost between US$20,000 and US$60,000 for mega-yachts,กจ he said.

MAZETA: กฅOwners of mega-yachts and their crew spend RM10,000 daily in Penang

M-Resort Hotel poised to go international
Updated : 01-08-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : RAVI NAMBIAR




JOHOR home-grown hotel group, M-Resort Hotel Sdn Bhd, is acquiring new properties and mulls going international by engaging a major hotel management chain.

The company, which owns and manages the flagship M Suites Hotel in Johor Baru, recently acquired a 3.2ha site in Desaru, Johor, to be developed into a new resort.

It is also on a shopping spree to buy an existing budget hotel in Australia, particularly in Melbourne, to build up its asset portfolio.

Last week, the company also started negotiations with an international management chain to re-brand its hotels and reposition itself as a major emerging force in the Malaysian hospitality industry.

กงWe are ready to go big,กจ general manager Mary Tan said, adding that the group had all the right prerequisites to go international.

Strategically located just five minutes away from the city centre, the hotel was originally developed by YPJ Holdings กX the investment arm of the Johor Education Foundation กX at a cost of RM70 million in 1999.

Rubber factory to install
By LOONG MENG YEE
Wednesday August 3, 2005



Stinking nights will soon be over for some 5,000 residents in Banting as a rubber factory at the Banting industrial park has been ordered to install a stench control machine by Monday.

Residents claim they had been putting up with the stench for years.

The Selangor Department of Environment (DOE) recently roped in the Rubber Research Institute to conduct a “smell test” and found that the rubber factory had been emitting a foul odour during its night operations.

Selangor state executive councillor Datuk Ch’ng Toh Eng, who is also Teluk Datuk assemblyman, said the smell was choking and left a burning sensation.

“Residents claimed children with asthma are prone to attacks from inhaling the foul air,” he said after chairing a meeting here with the relevant authorities on the matter.

Ch’ng said the state DOE had asked the factory to stop its night operation from June 27 to July 10. During that time, the air quality index around the area improved tremendously.

He added that the factory had accepted the test results and would install a RM60,000 anti-stench machine.

Also in the meeting were Morib state assemblyman Hasiman Sidom, state DOE officers and Health Department representatives.

IJM Plantations to set up palm oil mill in Sandakan
Updated : 03-08-2005
Media : The Star



IJM Plantations Bhd plans to set up a new palm oil mill in Sugut, Sandakan within the next 2?years.

Managing director and chief executive officer Velayuthan Tan said: 'We will invest about RM30mil for the 30-tonne per hour mill to cater for the anticipated double-digit growth annually in our fresh fruit bunches (FFB) production over the next four years.'

IJM Plantations had recently doubled output to 60 tonnes of crude palm oil (CPO) per hour from 30 tonnes per hour previously at each of its three palm oil mills in Sugut to meet the group's growing crop production.

The three existing mills had a total FFB processing capacity of 165,000 tonnes per hour or 1 million tonnes per year with an average oil extraction rate (OER) of 22%, Tan said after the company AGM and EGM in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

Its Sabang palm oil mill maintained another year of high OER at 23.6% last year ?one of the highest in Sabah.

Tan said the group had allocated RM45mil in capital expenditure (capex) this year mainly for plantations development in Sandakan compared with over RM50mil capex last year.

'Our main focus is to nurture the young matured tree areas with age profile of between one and three years old,' Tan said, adding that IJM Plantations was not discounting the possibility of exploring for new land banks in east Malaysia.

As a medium-sized plantation player with total land bank of 29,646ha, the company's FFB production “looks good especially with more areas coming into maturity and prime age in Sugut plantations,' he said.

As at March 31 this year, the total area planted with oil palm increased to 24,401ha from 23,560ha previously. On the CPO outlook, Tan expects prices to range between RM1,300 and RM1,400 per tonne till the middle of next year.

“Despite the ringgit de-pegging, the price trend will be heavily influenced by the current poor weather conditions in major oilseed-producing countries, soy bean harvest in the US and South America as well as the bio-diesel demand in Europe.'

IJMP plans RM30m mill in Sabah
Updated : 02-08-2005
Media : The Edge
Story By : Malar Velaigam




IJM Plantations Bhd (IJMP) will invest at least RM30 million to build a palm oil mill in Sabah to cope with the anticipated higher output when its young plantations mature in about 24 to 30 months.

¡§In about 24 to 30 months' time, we will be looking at investing in one more mill,¡¨ Group managing director and chief executive officer Velayuthan Tan said on Aug 2.

The proposed mill, which will be its fourth, is expected to produce 30 tonnes of FFB per hour and will be expandable to 60 tonnes per hour.

The company¡¦s existing three mills have a combined maximum capacity of about one million tonnes currently.

It was learnt that the mill would initially cost RM30 million for the infrastructure, but may cost up to about RM50 million once it gears up for capacity of 60 tonnes per hour.

IJMP produces about 377,000 tonnes of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) annually and Tan expects consistent double-digit growth for the next three to four years.

Investors should take a long view of the company¡¦s potential ¡§as we have not realised the full value yet¡¨, he told reporters after its AGM in Petaling Jaya.

Tan said a large part of the plantations, measuring 24,401ha, had yet to reach their prime.

Of the 24,401ha, about 8,967ha was in prime maturity stage (at eight to 19 years), another 8,945ha at young maturity (four to seven years) and the remaining 6,489ha at an immature stage (one to three years).

Tan assured shareholders that ¡§we will be generous with our dividends¡¨ once the full value of the plantations was realised.

According to the latest results, for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2005, its revenue was RM54.9 million, up 8.2% from RM50.70 million in the previous corresponding quarter. Net profit fell about 33% to RM3.50 million from RM5.20 million a year earlier.

IJMP had attributed higher revenue to higher crop production and kernel sales of kernel but net profit fell because of erosion of margins due to lower average CPO price, increased state sales tax and fuel costs.

Mudajaya’s unit sells 60% of apartment project in Kuching
By JACK WONG
Thursday, July 28, 2005




MUDAJAYA Corp Bhd's subsidiary MJC City Development Sdn Bhd has sold some 60% of the proposed 314 Upper Sanctuary lifestyle apartments in Batu Kawah New Township, Kuching, launched four months ago.

Foreigners, including those from Singapore and Hong Kong, and Malaysians working abroad are among the buyers of the high-rise apartments in nine-to 18-storey blocks, according to Mudajaya executive director Ng Chee Kin.

''The units are priced between RM145,000 and RM180,000 each,'' he told StarBiz during the visit of Sarawak Housing Minister Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg to the township on Thursday.

Piling work is now underway for the Upper Sanctuary project, which will have various recreational and social facilities, including swimming and wading pools.

Chee Kin said the next phase of residential development - 332 terraced houses - was scheduled for launch in the next six months.

The company has completed 48 double-storey semi-detached houses called Mutiara Homes while another 44 units are under construction under phase II.

Chee Kin said MJC City Development had recorded property sales of about RM50mil so far this year against a projected RM70mil for the whole year.

The township, a joint project between MJC City Development and state-owned Assar Development Sdn Bhd, is one of the biggest development projects in Sarawak. It had seen total property sales of some RM400mil.

Melaka To Enhance Investor-friendly Infrastructure
Updated : 04-08-2005
Media : Bernama




The state government, already geared towards an investor-friendly environment, intends to add even more commodities and facilities to the existing infrastructure.

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said the state government is putting Melaka back on the map as a key player in international trade.

At the Chief Minister's 2005 Awards ceremony here last night, Mohamed Ali also said that last year, Melaka achieved Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 7.4 percent, the highest recorded since 2000.

He said that this growth was contributed, in most part, by the services and manufacturing sectors, with agriculture still reigning as top producer.

Last year, he said, the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) approved investments of RM1.197 million in the manufacturing sector, which created 5,000 jobs while foreign investments contributed RM332 million to the economy.

The first five months of 2005 has garnered investments of RM264 million for Melaka, that is 3.2 percent of total approved investments for the country, he said.

The Chief Minister's Award was created as an incentive to companies, especially those in the industrial sector, to encourage investments in the state, while at the same time providing an opportunity for Melaka's products to penetrate the international trade market.

The Yang Dipertua Negeri Melaka, Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob presented the dynamic winner - Maruwa (M) Sdn Bhd - with the Chief Minister's Award.

M'sia Prepared To Exchange Info On Border Development
Mohd Nasir Yusoff
August 04, 2005 20:26 PM



JAKARTA, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is prepared to exchange information with Indonesia on the development of the areas along the border in Sabah and Sarawak with Kalimantan aimed at coordinating planning for mutual benefits, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.

He said both countries had the common intention in developing the areas along their common border which were mainly undeveloped.

"The Indonesian minister had informed me of the Indonesian government's plan to develop the areas from Tarakan in North Kalimatan right up to Pontianak in West Kalimantan, and he wants to know of our plans on the border areas," he told reporters here Thursday.

Mustapa, who is here to represent Malaysia at the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which began Wednesday, had met with the Indonesian State Minister for National Development Planning, Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Currently, Malaysia and Indonesia had formed the Joint Border Committee which focused more on matters pertaining to the determination of the border between the two countries but had yet to form a joint committee on the development of the common border.

Mustapa said that in the initial stage, both countries might exchange information only on the development planning for the purpose of coordination and the possibility of forging cooperation on joint development in the areas concerned might be considered later.

"Furthermore, we already have a similar strategy with Thailand in efforts to develop the common border between the two countries in the north of the peninsula," he said, adding that it concerned plantation and infrastructure development.

He said this was important to both Malaysia and Indonesia because usually the people in the interior regions were poor and with the development of the area, job opportunities could be created and this would raise their income and bring them into the mainstream of development.

Mustapa said both countries wanted to see the strong ties in the political field extended to the economic sector and various other potentials.

Mustapa, who also had time to meet several Malaysian investors here Wednesday night, reminded them that no matter what their field was, they must ensure that the profits that they reaped must also be enjoyed by the local community.

"Our investors must contribute to the development of the local community, there must be common benefits instead of keeping the profits to themselves. (They) must ensure that they contributed to Indonesia's progress as well, then only the profits would be meaningful," he said.

He also met some of the 1,900 Malaysian students pursuing higher education here last night. There are 13 Indonesian universities recognised by Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA

Perak Invites Local Firms To Join Communication Consortium
Updated : 03-08-2005
Media : Bernama




The Perak State Government is inviting local firms to join a consortium which will partner an international corporation from the United States which plans to make Ipoh the base of its telecommunication system using the Internet known as "carrier hotel".

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the corporation proposed to invest up to US$25 million (RM95 million) to set up the base in Ipoh.

"They also want to the state government to invest at least US$5 million in the project. We will set up a consortium comprising state government agencies and invite participation from local firms," he told reporters after a one-day working visit here yesterday.

The corporation will provide telephone services through the Internet for all international connections with Ipoh as the base.

Tajol Rosli said the base would be similar to those already operating in the US, India and Hong Kong and the cheap-rate phone services were expected to expand in usage in the near future.

He said a state government delegation comprising education, human resources and multimedia committee chairman Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, agriculture and agro-based industries, and tourism committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan and state secretary Datuk Abdul Hanan Alang Endut was now in Hong Kong to study the corporation's operations over there.

"We will conduct a feasibility study of the project which we propose to locate in Bandar Meru Raya in Ipoh," he said.

Johor To Go Big Into Herbs Growing To Boost Bio-tech Industry
Updated : 05-08-2005
Media : Bernama



Johor will rope in the 60,000 members of the state's Farmers Organisation to grow herbs and help develop the bio-technology industry in a big way, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said.

He said the farmers did not need to take up herb cultivation on a big scale.

"We will get the organisation to sign up its members to do contract farming of herbs like 'misai kucing', 'tongkat ali' and 'kacip fatimah', and they can start small," he said after launching an anti-drug campaign in Mukim Kesang here Friday.

Abdul Ghani also said a validation laboratory to scientifically authenticate the health properties of herbs would be established in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Skudai.

He said the federal government had approved an allocation of RM35 million for it.

The laboratory would form part of a RM50 million centre to process herbs located on the university campus.

"Now we hear a lot about the health properties of misai kucing, tongkat ali, kacip fatimah and other herbs but they have not been verified scientifically," he said.

Kelantan To Gazette 1,000-year-old Tree As National Heritage
August 07, 2005 20:22 PM



http://www.cuti.com.my/Sub/Kelantan/klt_map.jpg




KOTA BAHARU, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- A hill meranti tree, believed to be 1,000 years old and the largest found in the country, will be gazetted as a national heritage, said Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

He said the state would follow the procedures set out by the Forest Department to protect the tree in the Relai permanent forest reserve in Machang.

The dark red tree, which has a circumference of 14.3 metres and a height of 40 metres, was discovered by a group of six forest rangers conducting boundary survey work in the area recently.

State forestry director Dahlan Taha said his department would declare an area of 100 hectares surrounding the tree as a rehabilitation zone of high value to prevent any activities that could disturb the tree.

-- BERNAMA

Melaka On Target To Host 4.4 Million Tourists
Updated : 07-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Melaka has received 2.113 million visitors in the first half of this year and is on target to achieve 4.4 million tourist arrivals for the full year, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam.

The figure for the first six months was 9.3 per cent higher than the 1.934 million visitors recorded in the corresponding period of last year, he said in his speech at the prize presentation for winners of Kembara Bernama 2005 here Sunday.

The speech was read by state Information, Multimedia, Science and Technology Committee chairman Datuk Capt (R) Abdul Karim Sulaiman.

Mohamed Ali said domestic tourists numbered 1.672 million of the total.

He said Melaka was proud to have hosted four million visitors last year and the bulk of the foreign tourists came from Singapore, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Japan.

Mohamed Ali said the state government was developing more tourism products to meet the tourists' increasing needs.

Among the new products was Sungai Melaka where visitors could take a 4.5km boat ride while enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Others include the Bandaraya Mall which is based on the design of the Taj Mahal in India and Dataran Pahlawan in Bandar Hilir which has a recreational centre, park, field and shoplots.

Squatter homes pulled down
By SALINA KHALID
Monday August 8, 2005



OWNERS of squatter houses in Kampung Pekan Subang could only look on when the Shah Alam Municipal Council (MBSA) demolished their houses on Wednesday.


An excavator and a backhoe were used to demolish the houses.

Most of the owners had already vacated their houses and the remaining few were quick to take their belongings and store them in a safe place.

“Most of the squatters received the notice we sent on May 12 and that is why they vacated the place,''said MBSA town planning department officer Hamzah Tajudin who led the MBSA team.






http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/8/8/central/m_p9excavator.jpg

An excavator being used to demolish squatter
houses in Kampung Pekan Subang.






The operation was headed by Petaling chief assistant district officer Ahmad Zaini Zaba'ai and involved 50 personnel from Alam Flora, TNB and the police department.

Hamzah added that at the time of the operation, there were 29 structures including houses and sheds occupied by 17 families in the colony.

Each family was allocated RM3,400 to cover the rental of their temporary housing and RM1,000 for relocation costs.

They also received a RM7,000 discount on the purchase of a low-cost apartment unit but some decided to take cash instead.

The families will be relocated to Sunway Kayangan near Monterez Golf Club in Section U9.

The squatter area is making way for a mixed-development project.

While waiting for their new homes to be ready, the families could stay in rented houses paid for by developer Gaya Irama Sdn Bhd.

Shah Alam is expected to be free of squatters by the year-end.

Shah Alam recorded 3,324 squatter families in 38 colonies within the city boundary between 2000 and July this year.

A total of 1,303 families were relocated by the end of July and another 1,012 families will be relocated by the end of this month.

Euromobil opens Audi 3S centre in Kuching
Updated : 02-08-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : SULOK TAWIE



EUROMOBIL Sdn Bhd has opened a RM6 million Audi 3S centre in Kuching, Sarawak, in a move to establish an effective sales and after-sales service network throughout Malaysia.

The 3S centre is operated by YLL Auto Sdn Bhd, Euromobil¡¦s first authorised dealer for Audi cars in Sarawak.

¡§It is part of Euromobil¡¦s initiative to be part of a fast-growing business hub in Sarawak.

¡§We are very excited to be in Kuching to share what Audi has to offer,¡¨ Euromobil chief executive officer Jeffrey Yee said at the opening of YLL Auto in Kuching on Saturday.

Yee is confident that the new A4 model range launched in June will enjoy as great a success in Sarawak as it did in Peninsular Malaysia.

The A4 represents more than 50 per cent of Euromobil¡¦s total sales in 2004.

¡§It has always been the most significant model from Audi, accounting for around 40 per cent of Audi¡¦s annual sales,¡¨ Yee said.

Speaking to reporters later, he said Euromobil targets to triple sales volume this year. For the whole of last year, Euromobile sold about 150 units of Audi of various ranges, with the prices ranging from RM232,000 to RM850,000.

¡§We look at Sarawak as a fresh market which we believe will expand our business opportunities,¡¨ he added.

After Kuching, Yee said, Euromobil is looking to open another dealership in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, next before moving to Miri and Labuan.

¡§Our target is to have 15 dealers by the end of next year,¡¨ Yee added. It has seven dealers throughout Malaysia.

The Kuching Audi centre, located at Rock Road, is the third facility opened outside the Klang Valley after Johor Baru and Penang.

RM2 mil resort for Sg Siput
By SYLVIA LOOI
Wednesday August 10, 2005




PERAK will have another resort at the end of the year when the Cinta Alam Kelimat Resort in Sungai Siput is completed.

The RM2mil resort, which is being built on a 1.6ha islet along the Perus River, is accessible by a 50m-long suspended bridge, 10km off the Sungai Siput main road.

It will have 16 chalets and two dormitories.

Resort manager Norliala Hanif said the dormitories will accommodate a total of 300 people.

She said work on the resort began in January last year and scheduled to be completed by end of the year.

Norliala said other facilities include a campsite, adding that the resort will be ideal for extreme games.





http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/8/10/central/p20norliala.jpg

Tajol Rosli (left) receiving a souvenir from Norliala.





She was speaking to reporters after a site visit by Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali to the resort recently.

Tajol Rosli said the resort would be ideal for youth camps and seminars, as it is far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

He hopes that it will attract foreign tourists.

“It offers an authentic traditional Malay kampung feel,” said Tajol Rosli who also visited a pomelo orchard in Perlop I nearby.

He said the orchard is planted with seedlings developed by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi).

“A total of 20.2ha at Perlop 1 is being planted with the melomas variety of pomeloes,” he said.

Perak map

http://www.abcmalaysia.com/maps/images/perak_mp.JPG

17 events for Perak carnival
Thursday August 11, 2005




SEVENTEEN events have been lined up for the Perak Carnival 2005 which will be held from Aug 12 to 31.

Among the highlights are a tropical rain forest tourism symposium, Jalan-jalan Mari Makan, Perak Merdeka Month celebration and Merdeka Air Festival 2005.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the events would be held at various locations in the state such as Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Lumut and Grik.

He said the symposium would be held at Pulau Banding in Grik from Aug 12 to 14 to promote the state park in Temenggor Forest as a tourist destination.

On the Jalan-jalan Mari Makan programme, Tajol Rosli said the people would get to savour a variety of local delicacies such as ikan bakar and laksa.

Among the places where it will be held are the Resto-ran Sekitar Dataran Menara Con-dong in Teluk Intan on Aug 20 and Dataran Sungai Perak in Kuala Kangsar on Aug 27.

The Merdeka Air Festival will be held from Aug 27 to 29 at the Perak Aero Club in Ipoh.

“The carnival is the state’s main platform to promote Perak as a tourist destination,” Tajol Rosli told a recent press conference in Ipoh to publicise the carnival.

He expected the carnival to attract more tourists to the state.

The state government, through the Perak State Tou-rism Action Council, had been organising the annual event since 2003.

For details, call the Perak Tourism Action Council (05-2550413/ 2550414).

Perak Introducing Two Brand Names For The State
August 10, 2005 19:19 PM




IPOH, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- The Perak State Government will introduce two brand names for the state -- Proper for non-food products and Silverange for food products -- to enhance the marketing of products manufactured by the state's small and medium industries (SMIs).

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said that the state government is now inviting SMIs entrepreneurs to submit their products to be chosen for the brand names.

"We hope that with a more sophisticated and commercialized brand, products manufactured by Perak SMIs wil be more competitive in the domestic and overseas markets," he told a press conference after chairing the state Exco meeting, here Wednesday.

Tajol Rosli said that a company set up by the state government via the State Agriculture Development Corporation (SADC) will undertake the marketing of all Proper and Silverange products.

"We will choose products which meet the standards set, for example only the best bahulu and karai (traditional Malay snacks) in Perak will be given the brand names," he said.

The Menteri Besar said that both brands would be launched in conjunction with the opening of the Perak Farmers, Breeders and Fishermen Festival on Sunday.

The festival at Ladang Infoternak, Sungai Siput will be held from Saturday until Tuesday simultaneously with the fifth Ipoh International Orchid Festival,

Tajol Rosli said that the festival would see representatives from Taiwan, Thailand, China, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar taking part and 1,300 species of orchids put up for competition.

He said that 65 government agencies and 30 farmers associations would open stalls and put up exhibitions in conjunction with the festival.

-- BERNAMA

Bharat Biotech to set up factory in Perak
Updated : 06-08-2005
Media : Malay Mail
Story By : MAZNI MUSTAFA




BHARAT Biotech International Limited, an India-based company specialising in developing and manufacturing vaccines and biotherapeutics, will be setting up its first overseas plant in Perak.

The new plant, to be built on a 6ha site at the pharmaceutical park in Seri Iskandar, will produce vaccines for typhoid, Hepatitis B, hormone for diabetic foot ulcers and cardiovascular drugs which are also therapeutic vaccines.

Chairman and managing director Dr Krishna M. Ella said the company would be investing about RM50mil in the new plant's manufacturing, and research and development divisions.

¡§This is our first plant as well as first venture outside India,¡¨ he told reporters after the company signed a memorandum of agreement with Remco Engineering and Consultancy Sdn Bhd managing director Mohd Syaifu Abdullah and Perak Development Corporation (PDC) chief executive officer Datuk Samsudin Hashim here yesterday.

Under the joint venture, Bharat Biotech will be responsible for providing the technical expertise, while Remco Engineering will build the plant. PDC is the land owner.

When asked why Bharat Biotech had chosen Perak, Dr Krishna replied, ¡§It has the right chemistry¡¨, adding that the company had earlier planned to set up its first overseas plant in Africa.

Bharat Biotech, established in 1996, operates from Genome Valley in Hyderabad, India. It records sales of US$15mil annually and is the largest biotech plant in Asia employing about 500 workers and 65 scientists, mostly locals.

The company produces various vaccines. Latin America, Africa and the Philippines are its biggest markets.

Dr Krishna said the vaccines manufactured at the Perak plant would be used to penetrate the Middle East and Asean markets, particularly Indonesia.

The new plant will be ready by the middle of next year.

Perak To Have RM200 Satellite Station
August 13, 2005 20:48 PM




GERIK, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Perak is to become a major player in providing satellite imaging services for commercial use when a RM200 million earth- satellite station is built in Segari in Lumut soon.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the station will be a joint venture between the Perak Economic Development Corporation (PKNP) and a local company.

"An Italian company will provide the technology," he told reporters after attending a symposium on tropical rainforests tourism in Pulau Banding near here Saturday.

He said a 13-hectare site had been offered to the company concerned and that the station, which was expected to be completed in 2008, would have a parabolic dish antennae with a circumference of 38 metres.

Tajol Rosli said the station had the capability of receiving images as small as the numbers on the registration plate of a car from signals received from an array of satellites in the sky.

He said besides providing images to developers and the plantation sector, the facility could also be used by the authorities in better forest management and also tackling large forest fires.

"We are keen on this investment as it is close by with the Faculty of Astronomy of the Malaysian Defence University, which will be built in Segari," he said.

On the haze situation in the state, Tajol Rosli said all government machinery had been put on standby should a state of emergency be declared.

He said the state would follow the example of Selangor in handling the situation and advised all residents to take the appropriate precautions.

The Air Pollutant Index (API) at three recording stations showed readings at above 100. Manjung district was the worst hit recording a reading of 153 followed by Ipoh 137 and Tanjong Malim 128.

-- BERNAMA

Wawasan Handicraft -Sabah's Latest Attraction
August 13, 2005 20:16 PM




KOTA KINABALU, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Wawasan Handicraft Centre, a one-stop centre for the Sabah products market, is expected to be another attractive place for the domestic and foreign tourists to the state.

The handicraft centre, which markets unique and exotic culture and arts products of Sabah's different ethnic groups, is located at the Plaza Wawasan, a strategic place close to hotels and restaurants in the city centre.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Tan Sri Chong Kah Kiat who opened the centre here today said he was impressed with the high percentage of handicraft items sold at the centre which could promote Sabah's handicraft to the tourists.

At the moment, most of the tourists bought their souvenirs and other goods at the famous Philippines Market.

Chong asked operators of tourism packages to Kota Kinabalu to include the new centre in their itinerary.

He also told the 23 handicraft operators to work together and offer a customer-friendly service as well as assure that their products were of high quality.

-- BERNAMA

Sabah Port to spend RM1.3b to rebuild, rehabilitate ports
Updated : 15-08-2005
Media : Business Times




SABAH Port Sdn Bhd (SPSB) is expected to spend about RM1.3 billion for the purchase of property, plant and equipment for the seven ports under its jurisdiction Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Kunak, Kudak, Sepangar Bay and Lahat Datu.

This follows approval secured by Suria Capital Holdings, the parent company of SPSB to rebuild and rehabilitate the gateway ports of Sabah.

Almost 18 per cent, or RM204.16 million, of the sum has already been contracted out.

Current capital expenditure development projects include the RM163.05 million for the development of dedicated container terminal at the Sepangar Bay.

The Sepangar Bay Container Terminal, the new gateway port in the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area region, is being developed and is expected to be operational early next year.

The port operating company recently approved and contracted out RM27.09 million for the installation, commissioning and maintenance work at the Sabah ports.

A sum of RM575 million has been allocated for the acquisition of cargo-handling equipment and about RM14 million has been approved and contracted out.

The remaining RM561 million will be contracted out soon.

Besides cargo-handling equipment, the port has also identified RM597.63 million worth of project for the improvement of port infrastructure.

Meanwhile, drawing from another source of funding, SPSB has drawn down a total of RM88 million from the RM193 million made available by the Federal Government to Sabah Ports Authority, for financing the purchase of cargo- handling equipment and construction of the Sepangar Bay Container Terminal costing RM150 million and RM43 million respectively as at June 30 2005.PortsWorld

Forest set to be a green attraction
Friday August 19, 2005
By MOHAMAD BAKRI DARUS




Malacca has added a new draw to its treasure trove of tourist destinations, this time in the form of the 100ha Sungai Udang Recreational Forest, located 28km from the heart of the city.

Richly endowed with flora and fauna, the forest is bound to set the adrenaline flowing for tourists who prefer outdoor adventure, camping and jungle trekking.








http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/8/19/central/m_p12tulangdaik.jpg

A Tulang Daik tree rising majestically
into the air at the park.






Opened to the public on June 26, it is Malacca’s second recreational forest after the one in Ayer Keroh.

After gazetting it as a permanent forest reserve in 1987 with the aim of conserving and developing green-lung areas for eco-tourism, the state has now embarked on a plan to utilise the place as a recreational spot.

It is divided into four areas. The first located near the main entrance is equipped with facilities like the administration centre, food stalls, parking facilities, angling spots, a children’s playground and trails for herb enthusiasts.

The area after this is known as the semi-remote zone mainly used for group and night activities where visitors can erect tents among huge jungle trees.

Next to this is an area reserved for jungle trekking and activities related to the environment.

The last area comprises forest tracks going through places rich in flora and fauna and ideal for endurance-based learning programmes.

The area is based on the concept of an “open demonstration lab” for activities like deep jungle trekking, map reading and compass matching for groups and individuals.

The Sungai Udang Recreational Forest's special attraction is the Tropical Rainforest Open Museum, which is said to be popular with nature lovers, researchers and environmental enthusiasts.

The museum's role is to create public awareness on the importance of conserving invaluable forest treasures.

After tiring walks into the forest, visitors can take a welcome break for refreshments at food stalls that also provide lunch comprising mouth-watering local Malay dishes.

They can also sample tropical fruits like durian, jackfruit, rambutan, mango and banana from nearby fruit stalls.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam was among the first to take a jog along a 3km jungle trail several weeks ago.

Describing the Sungai Udang Recreational Forest as one of Malacca's prides, Mohamed Ali said it had the distinction of having some priceless timber trees and herbal plants.

Mohamed Ali, who came across several edible fruit-bearing jungle trees like bachang and castanopsis in the forest, directed the state Forestry Department to plant such trees in other forest reserves.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/8/19/central/m_p12house.jpg

Under the shade of a tropical rainforest,
there is a playground and places for people to relax.






“Jungle fruits are highly nutritious and some of them are really tasty when added to sambal paste, like the binjai,” he said.

“The forest also exhibits the bitangor tree, which produces wood for house construction.

“Such wood is imported at high cost from Indonesia,” he added.

Negri Sembilan/Malacca Forestry Department director Masran Md Salleh said the department had tagged various herbal plants in the forest like tapak sulaiman (elephantopus scaber), misai kucing (orthosiphon aristatus), janggut adam (themoda arguens) and halia bara (zingiber officinace) so that they could be easily recognised by visitors. – Bernama

Flextronics to build industrial park in Shah Alam
Updated : 21-08-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : M.KRISHNAMOORTHY




FLEXTRONICS will soon be advertising for another 200 jobs in its Shah Alam plant in line with the building of its first South-East Asian industrial park, which will be based here.

Flextronics, a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) with a global presence in 32 countries on five continents, is one of the world's largest manufacturers of mobile phones, printers, high-end 3G phones and other high tech wireless devices.

Its customers include Sony Ericsson, Xerox, HP, XM Radio, 2Wire and Motorola.

In Malaysia, the company employs more than 25,000 workers in its plants in Shah Alam, Penang, Malacca and Johor. It services leading multinational companies involved in communications, printing and digital imaging, computing and automotive industries.

Flextronics helps customers to design, build, ship, and service electronics products.

Last year, the company manufactured more than 16 million mobile phones in Malaysia.

Flextronics Malaysia and India vice-president and general manager, C. Vijayan, said Malaysia is an asset to the multinational company, headquartered in Singapore.

Cost is not the sole consideration in choosing locations in Malaysia. This country is an excellent alternative to China because manufacturing has always been a strong sector for Malaysia in terms of productivity, technical expertise, mature supply chain base, government incentives and infrastructure, Vijayan said.

For this reason, Flextronics is building its first industrial park in South-East Asia in Malaysia. We are confident of the political stability and committed workforce here.

Supporting Flextronics and its customers on a global scale is the Asian head office industrialisation group (a new business unit), which is in Shah Alam, he said.

And Malaysia hosts our second largest operations in Asia next to China, he added.

Overall, Malaysia has a cost competitive structure; it is a highly industrialised and stable economy and is a good supply base, said Vijayan.

Flextronics facilities in Malaysia performed significantly well, contributing 16% of the company global revenue and will continue to play a major role in sustaining its momentum in the future, he said.

Malaysia is an important stronghold for Flextronics in Asia and we are committed to Malaysia economic growth through continuous investment in new technology and further development of local technical expertise, Vijayan said.

Last month, Flextronics announced the signing of an agreement with the fast emerging Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) to build a vertically integrated industrial campus in the Pelepas Free Zone.

The 1.2million sq ft facility will bring together several of Flextronics current operations in South Malaysia.

In addition, Flextronics will continue its existing operations in other parts of Malaysia.

The campus will develop into a fully integrated state-of-the-art manufacturing centre combining in a single location the engineering, printed circuit board assembly, plastics injection moulding and logistic operations.

Flextronics investment marks another milestone in the development of PTP and Johor south-western corridor in entirety. We are confident that Flextronics move will incite more investors to take advantage of the unique opportunities offered by the Pelepas Free Zone, said PTP Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman.

Selangor Teams Up With Penang To Promote Port
Updated : 22-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Selangor and Penang will team up to promote their port facilities as a halal hub, barter trade centre, marina and a stop-over for sailing and cruise ships.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Khir Toyo said that both port authorities would assist each other to promote the facilities worldwide as each port has its own advantage.

"This will help Selangor and Penang to market the halal hub, barter trade and the stop-over for cruise and sailing ships in each area," he told reporters after visiting the marina construction project at Lebuh Gereja, here.

Also present were State Works, Utilities and Transport Committee Chairman Datuk Kaoy Kar Huah, Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar and Penang Port Commission General Manager Datuk Kapt Abdul Rahim Abdul Aziz.

The RM44 million project is expected to be completed in October this year.

Mohd Khir and some of the Selangor state exco members had made a one-day visit to Penang and apart from a closed-door discussion with PPSB management, Mohd Khir also attended a fair to promote Selangor food, at a hotel here.

Mohd Khir said that Selangor's halal hub offered export and processing facilities at its West Port to Penang, which is renowned as a barter trade centre with Aceh and Myanmar.

"With the team up, the markets for both ports will be wider and for the moment Selangor is also making effort to penetrate the Middle East market and such cooperation will definitely benefit both states," he said.

Johor Needs To Do More To Attract FDI For Higher-end Activities, Says Abdul Ghani
Updated : 23-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman Tuesday called on industries and relevant parties in the state to find ways to increase the volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the higher valued added activities in Johor.

He said the industries, especially the manufacturing industry, now only received the lower productivity components of the cluster whereas the higher productivity end remained elsewhere.

"While the low productivity and more labour-intensive production or assembly activities are located or relocated in Johor, the higher-end activities such as regional management, control, research, product development and high-end technology activities remained in Singapore or elsewhere," he said in a keynote address at the inaugural Johor Investment and Capital Market Opportunities business seminar here.

Efforts must be made to draw FDI to the higher-end activities because Malaysia's incentive packages, including in the high-end technology industries, were not inferior to those offered by Singapore, China or South Korea, he said.

"The question we must ask, therefore, is how come we are not able to attract as much as FDI as they can," he said.

Nevertheless, Abdul Ghani said, in the first half of this year Johor received the largest investment at RM4.3 billion compared to the other states in country, and that 80 per cent of it was FDI.

"It is encouraging to see Johor appearing to be increasing its popularity as a destination for FDI," he said, adding that the industries should take the opportunity to further enhance their attractiveness packages.

For the whole of 2004, Johor only received RM3.98 billion in investment.

On another note, Abdul Ghani raised concern over the lower productivity recorded by the manufacturing sector in Johor compared to that in Singapore.

Citing the electronics sector, he said that though the industry formed a major component in Johor's manufacturing industries, its productivity was only 25 per cent compared to that of the electronics industry based in Singapore.

"Even other manufacturing industries recorded productivity at 30 to 40 per cent of that of similar industries in Singapore," he said.

Sunway Resort promotes Terengganu
Updated : 24-08-2005
Media : The Star




THE Terengganu state government together with Sunway Lagoon Resort will organise an exhibition themed Treasures of Terengganu, in conjunction with the resortกฆs Warna-Warni Merdeka annual celebration.

กงThe state was chosen because it is a veritable treasure trove for nature lovers and gastronomists,กจ said managing director Ngeow Voon Yean in a statement.

The exhibition aims to promote Terengganu culture, art and tourism products and to endorse the state as the main tourism destination.

Ngeow hoped the showcase would help to endorse the country to the multitude of visitors who are currently flocking Sunway Lagoon Resort, in conjunction with the Middle Eastern holidays and the current Mega Sale Carnival.

The showcase would present the traditional Terengganu dance performances of Ulik Mayang, Rodat and Gamelan to be held in Sunway Pyramid shopping complex.

There will also be booths to showcase the state's craftsmanship, such as batik paintings and woodcarvings.

Ngeow said the resort was also offering prizes including trips to Egypt in line with the Mega Sales Carnival.

The Treasures of Terengganu exhibition, which began on Monday at Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel and Sunway Pyramid shopping complex, will end on Sept 4.

Terengganu Incorporated To Manage State Companies
Updated : 24-08-2005
Media : Bernama




Terengganu Incorporated (Terengganu Inc) would be established to manage state owned companies, especially those facing problems and losses but with the potential to be pulled through, the State Legislative Assembly was informed here Wednesday.

Towards this, the state government would adopt the method used by Johor Corporation Bhd (Johor Corp) to successfully manage companies owned by the Johor state government, the chairman of Terengganu State Industrial and Tourism Development Committee, Datuk Mohamed Awang Tera, said.

"To establish Terengganu Inc, the state government has appointed consultants to study the management methods used by Johor Corp," he said in response to a question from Alias Abdullah (BN-Alur Limbat).

Among the state owned companies still facing losses is the subsidiary company of Yayasan Terengganu, Wawasan Wibawa Sdn Bhd, which recorded a loss of RM726,231.86 last year.

Two subsidiary companies of Perbadanan Memajukan Iktisad Negeri Terengganu (PMINT), Pertima Terengganu Sdn Bhd and Permint Binabahan Sdn Bhd, also recorded losses of RM67,885 and RM34,722 respectively.

Permodalan Terengganu Bhd (PTB) meanwhile recorded an accumulated loss of RM21,000 last year and this went up to RM910,000 in the middle of this year.

Golden Pharos Bhd recorded an accumulated loss of RM26.5 million.

Mohamed said the state government was aware of the possibility of misappropriation in the state owned companies, which could have probably given rise to such heavy losses.

"To ensure that there are no negative elements in the state owned companies, firm action would be taken against staff or officers should there be proof of misappropriation," he said.

On another note, he said the state government would be injecting capital into PTB Bhd so that effective measures could be taken to push up the price of Amanah Saham Darul Iman (Asdi) units.

The share of Asdi is valued at 57 sen per unit currently.

Apart from that, the state government had also transferred its PTB operations office from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terengganu effective May this year in order for the company to make a faster recovery.

To another question from Datuk Abu Bakar Ali (BN-Kemasik), Mohamed said that the state government was planning to set up two to three new hotels in Terengganu to meet the demand from tourists visiting the state. It would also be in preparation of the "Visit Terengganu 2008".

Mohamed said there were 201 hotels and resorts in the state offering a total of 6,632 rooms throughout the state.

As at June this year, a total of 820,018 tourists came to Terengganu, a rise of 16.6 percent when compared with the number of arrivals in the corresponding period of 2004.

Perak Invites Local Firms To Join Communication Consortium
Updated : 03-08-2005
Media : Bernama




The Perak State Government is inviting local firms to join a consortium which will partner an international corporation from the United States which plans to make Ipoh the base of its telecommunication system using the Internet known as "carrier hotel".

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the corporation proposed to invest up to US$25 million (RM95 million) to set up the base in Ipoh.

"They also want to the state government to invest at least US$5 million in the project. We will set up a consortium comprising state government agencies and invite participation from local firms," he told reporters after a one-day working visit here yesterday.

The corporation will provide telephone services through the Internet for all international connections with Ipoh as the base.

Tajol Rosli said the base would be similar to those already operating in the US, India and Hong Kong and the cheap-rate phone services were expected to expand in usage in the near future.

He said a state government delegation comprising education, human resources and multimedia committee chairman Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, agriculture and agro-based industries, and tourism committee chairman Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan and state secretary Datuk Abdul Hanan Alang Endut was now in Hong Kong to study the corporation's operations over there.

"We will conduct a feasibility study of the project which we propose to locate in Bandar Meru Raya in Ipoh," he said.


Perak Ready To Pick Contractor To Build Telecommunication Towers
Updated : 24-08-2005
Media : Bernama



The state government is on the verge of appointing a contractor to build 400 telecommunications towers to establish the Perak Integrated Network (PIN) to provide extensive coverage, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said Wednesday.

He said four companies had been shortlisted for the development of PIN by building the towers at a cost of RM150 million to RM200 million.

"We will appoint in the near future based on the company's capability," he told reporters after chairing the weekly meeting of the state executive council here.

Tajol Rosli said he hoped that communication problems in the state would be overcome with the construction of the towers.

On the Council of Former People's Representatives (Mubarak), he said it should publish a directory containing the biodata of the former representatives.

"The directory can be distributed to all people's representatives to facilitate communication among them," he said.

He said the Perak Barisan Nasional had agreed to contribute RM50,000 to Mubarak to carry out its activities.

Standard bins in Seremban next year
Friday August 26, 2005
By SIMON KHOO



RESIDENTS in Seremban will be required to buy and use a standard two-wheel refuse bin by early next year.

Seremban Municipal Council president Abdul Halim Abdul Latif said the council would give ample time to residents to buy the bins, before relaunching the exercise.

He said the move was initiated to address the present situation where rubbish was scattered all over, creating an eyesore.

“We are going ahead with the proposal to compel residents to use the standard 120L bins.

“To-date, only about 10% are using it, choosing to adopt a wait-and-see attitude,” he said when met recently.

The exercise was supposed to have been implemented early last year but numerous protests from residents caused the state government to defer the move.

Abdul Halim said at present, residents were using all kinds of bins and stray animals compounded the problem by dragging the rubbish all over the road.

He said the standard bins would not have such problem as the people would only have to push them out during collection time.

“The problem of the bins getting stolen would not occur if they are left inside the owners’ premises,” he said, adding that if every resident supported the idea, no one would go around stealing the bins.

Abdul Halim said he hoped the people would adopt the idea voluntarily without the council having to take action under its by-laws.

He said so far, four companies were producing such bins, including the privatised garbage collection firm Southern Waste Management (SWM).

“The residents can purchase from any place as long as it is of the 120L capacity,” he said, adding that for shophouses, the refuse bin must be of the 240L capacity.

Abdul Halim said the council would look to Sibu, Sarawak, as an example in implementing the move, which was carried out successfully.

“We have informed SWM to upgrade its services, including having enough manpower and equipment,” he said.

He said under the by-laws, they had the authority not to collect waste from houses without the standard bins.

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More Focus To East Coast States Under 9th Plan - Mustapa
Updated : 29-08-2005
Media : Bernama




The Government will focus more on the progress of east coast states under the Ninth Malaysia Plan to ensure they are on par with the development of the west coast states.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said the details are being worked out as Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu should not continue to remain behind from mainstream development.

"Selangor has become a developed state but the three states are still far behind. Therefore, the Government's focus under the Ninth Plan is to bolster development in the states.

"That's why you can see a lot of preparations are being made by the government now," he said in a meeting with state Umno leaders here last night.

Mustapa, who is also the minister in-charge of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department, said east coast states must be prepared for the changes coming in their way.

why the haze in kangar look like more serious than other place?

"Perlis Putrajaya" To Be Realised Next Year - Shahidan
August 30, 2005 14:06 PM



KANGAR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- By end of next year, Gua Cenderawasih and its surrounding areas, mainly padi fields, will boast as the "Putrajaya of Perlis" as it will house the new ultra-modern state administrative complex.

The new state legislative assembly building housing the offices of the Raja of Perlis and Menteri Besar's office would be located inside the complex.

The RM45.5 million complex is being built on a 4.5ha site on the fringes of Bukit Lagi which is popular with the scenic Gua Cenderawasih.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the complex could be likened as the "Putrajaya of Perlis" as it houses the new state administrative centre.

Work on the complex started in April last year and is expected to be completed in October next year.

Shahidan launched construction of the complex last night, a year after ground-breaking was performed.

Speaking to reporters here Tuesday, he said, the complex, located about three kilometres away from the present state secretariat building, would be the new landmark of the state administrative centre.

The once quiet ambience surroundings around Gua Cenderawasih have started to develop. Among the notable buildings are the RM20 million Dewan 2020 and the Perlis Cultural Park Complex.

The area will see rapid growth once the state administrative centre moves there.

-- BERNAMA

"Perlis Putrajaya" To Be Realised Next Year - Shahidan
August 30, 2005 14:06 PM



KANGAR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- By end of next year, Gua Cenderawasih and its surrounding areas, mainly padi fields, will boast as the "Putrajaya of Perlis" as it will house the new ultra-modern state administrative complex.

The new state legislative assembly building housing the offices of the Raja of Perlis and Menteri Besar's office would be located inside the complex.

The RM45.5 million complex is being built on a 4.5ha site on the fringes of Bukit Lagi which is popular with the scenic Gua Cenderawasih.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the complex could be likened as the "Putrajaya of Perlis" as it houses the new state administrative centre.

Work on the complex started in April last year and is expected to be completed in October next year.

Shahidan launched construction of the complex last night, a year after ground-breaking was performed.

Speaking to reporters here Tuesday, he said, the complex, located about three kilometres away from the present state secretariat building, would be the new landmark of the state administrative centre.

The once quiet ambience surroundings around Gua Cenderawasih have started to develop. Among the notable buildings are the RM20 million Dewan 2020 and the Perlis Cultural Park Complex.

The area will see rapid growth once the state administrative centre moves there.

-- BERNAMA


have other project which will plan in Perlis??

S'pore Cos Keen On Investing In Negeri Sembilan, Says NSIC
Updated : 03-09-2005
Media : Bernama



The Negeri Sembilan Investment Centre says companies from several industries in Singapore are keen on investing in the state.

NSIC's chief executive officer, Ramli Othman, said several companies met by NSIC during a recent trade investment mission to Singapore, organised by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, had shown interest in what Negeri Sembilan had to offer.

"Among the industries that are interested are electronic companies, manufacturers of electronic components, and also a halal sate producer based in the city," he told Bernama here Saturday.

He said the sate producer had given a positive feedback, saying that Malaysia as an Islamic country had the name and was trusted among those in the halal food production business.

NSIC will follow up on the company's indication to invest in the state, Ramli said.

What is important now is the provision of information to the companies on the benefits available to those wishing to invest in the state, he said.

"We would be more aggressive this year in introducing the investment schemes and several plans are already underway to visit Taiwan and China end of this month and this year for the purpose," he said.

"This would be unlike the past before the establishment of NSIC where investors had to come here and make enquiries on how to invest. Things were different then as the economy was really thriving and there was less competition," he said.

NSIC has underlined nine factors as to why Negeri Sembilan could be an ideal investment destination.

They were namely its strategic location, lower cost, easily trained workers, attractive incentives, a good network of supportive industries, good telecommunications, steady source of water and electricity, the advantage of an inland port and comfortable housing.

Terengganu sees boost from tourism
Updated : 07-09-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : CHONG JIN HUN



TOURISM is expected to account for about 10 per cent of Terengganu¡¦s income by 2010, in line with the State Government's ongoing promotional efforts to raise the state's profile, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said.

According to Idris, Terengganu derives some 4 per cent of its annual revenue of RM1.2 billion from tourism. A large portion of the state's earnings comes from oil and gas activities.

Tourism potential in Terengganu is great and we have to build more hotel rooms in Terengganu. The upgrading of the state's airport is on-going.

Infrastructure development in the state can be done by the private sector. We hope to internationalise Terengganu and put it on the world map, Idris told reporters at the signing ceremony between Swedish Match Tour and T-Best Events Sdn Bhd in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Also present was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who witnessed the signing ceremony in conjunction the Monsoon Cup Match sailing competition in Terengganu from November 29 to December 4 this year.

Idris said the event will further boost tourist arrivals in the state in spite of the year-end monsoon season.

More ICT jobs in the north
Updated : 07-09-2005
Media : The Star



More jobs in the information communications technology (ICT) sector as well as related services will be created in the northern region with Penang having obtained cybercity status this year.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis said it was anticipated that investors would be attracted to the region to explore outsourcing opportunities given the new status.

When the investors come, we want to make sure that job opportunities in the ICT sector are made available to our youths in the northern region, he said yesterday.

He urged youths in the region to visit the ICT job fair which will be held at the Dewan Milenium in Kepala Batas from today to Saturday, where 25 companies are offering some 2,000 jobs.

Dr Jamaluddin said Malaysian youths had the necessary skills to meet employment demands in the manufacturing as well as value-added services in areas such as logistics, accounting, procurement and customer services.

He said there was an impression that Malaysia lacked workers of the right quality to cater to the growing ICT industry.

It's not true. When we last held an ICT job fair in Cyberjaya, 11,000 job seekers came.

Now we want to hold a job fair in Penang so that people in the northern region and in rural areas can benefit from the job opportunities available in ICT, he said at the sponsor appreciation ceremony of the Ninth Multimedia Super Corridor International Advisory Panel meeting.

The job fair and meeting are among several activities being held in conjunction with Malaysia ICT Month, which will be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today at Dewan Milenium.

I only see this thread now.

WA!!!!!!!!!
Makes me wanna visit some of those places.... :cry:
That school in Ipoh looks so grand! :eek:
http://www.e-worldphoto.com/malaysia/ipoh/ipoh6.jpg

Can anyone help me with the car licence plates?
The 1st 2 letters. And state.

Thanks! :D

Can anyone help me with the car licence plates?
The 1st 2 letters. And state.

Thanks! :D


Okies.........let's us all discuss based on this example:

WAA 1111



W = state
A = progressive alphabet
A = progressive alphabet

The numbers are all progressive, sort of like a counter.

That means WAA 1112 is newer than WAA 1111.
WAB 1111 is never than WAA 1111.
WBA 1111 is newer than WAB 1111.

Still confused? Let me put it this way (in chronological order):

W
WA
WB
WC
WD
........and it continues till WW (no 'Z' is allowed for cilivian cars)
WAA
WAB
WAC
.........till WAW
WBA
WBB
WBC
.........and the cycle goes on till the current one:
WNG :D


As for the first letter here's a quick indication (I might be wrong so stand to be corrected and I think I missed out some):

W = KL (Federal Territory)
A = Perak
B = Selangor
C = Pahang
D = Kelantan
HW = KL Taxis
J = Johor
K = Kedah
KV = Langkawi
M = Melaka
N = Negeri Sembilan
P = Pulau Pinang (Penang)
Q = Sarawak
SA = Sabah
T = Terengganu
Z = Military & MinDef

well, for sabah the plate number...

SAA - KK area
SD - lahad datu
SK - keningau
ST - tawau
SS - sandakan

When I went to M'sia with my sch last time, the guide told us... :D

I saw BAQ 1 once! It was a classical car. I guess it was the Selangor Royal Family's.

Lol, baq! :D

I saw licence plates like
TIARA (number)
SUKOM (number)

M'sian?

yep malaysian . SUKOM stands for Sukan Komanwel which is Commonwealth games in English. Special edition license number in conjuction with it.
Tiara is for the Proton Tiara models :)

Lol, baq! :D

I saw licence plates like
TIARA (number)
SUKOM (number)

M'sian?

Those were special plates mostly for special occasions like Sukom the Commonwealth Games and special edition of a car like Tiara.

Putrajaya plate was left out in the list.. the plate looks like PUTRAJAYA XXXX.

XXXX are numbers.

wah so fast BAQ :D.

Penang To Have Two More Cyber Cities
Updated : 08-09-2005
Media : Bernama



The Penang Government plans to establish two more cyber cities after Bayan Lepas over the next three years, Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Thursday.

He said they would be Bertam, Kepala Batas, and Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan.

The two areas were new growth centres which would be the focus of the state's development, he said at the presentation of offer letters by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to 330 purchasers of houses at the Bandar Cassia housing project under the easy ownership scheme.

Koh said development in the two areas would be carried out in tandem with the development of information technology and the Multimedia Super Corridor.

He said Penang was fortunate to have been chosen as the first state to have a cyber city after Cyberjaya, adding that it would help to generate more economic activities for the state.

On the development in Batu Kawan by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and a private company, Abad Naluri Sdn Bhd, Koh said it was part of the measures taken towards the setting up of the cyber city.

"Development of various infrastructure, including houses, is being carried out in the area," he added.

I dunno why I picture people walking and talking like robots when I come across the 2 word cyber city :D

^^ we already hav 2 Penang boi who walk and talk like robots dude.. u know who im talkin bout :lol:

I saw BAQ 1 once! It was a classical car. I guess it was the Selangor Royal Family's.


So did you make an offer? :D

Lol, baq! :D

I saw licence plates like
TIARA (number)
SUKOM (number)

M'sian?



Yup.....those are Malaysian too and apart from the SUKOM, PUTRAJAYA and TIARA that Baq, Hyper and yourself mentioned, there are many others too ;)


Some notable commemorative number plates are:

Note: **** are the numbers ;)



- X OIC **** = 10th OIC Conference

- XIII NAM **** = 13th NAM Summit

- PERODUA **** = Perodua - Malaysia's Second National Car Project .....can only be displayed on a Perodua vehicle

- PROTON **** = Proton - Malaysia's First National Car Project .....can only be displayed on a Proton vehicle

- PUTRA **** = Proton Putra - Proton's first (and only) Coupe ......can only be displayed on a Proton Putra

- TIARA **** = Proton Tiara - Proton's first 'small car'......can only be displayed on a Proton Putra

- BAMbee **** = I have no idea what this is but it could be regularly seen on the road :?



Did I missed out any? :D







-

Special functions number plates includes:


- LIMO **** = KL Intl Airport Limousines

- *** - ** - DC = Diplomatic Corp (Embassy & other dignitary vehicles)

- Govt crest (no numerics) = Govt official vehicle

- Royal Crest with yellow background (no numerics) = Official Royal Vehicle for the King & Queen

- State Crest (no numerics) = Official state Royal Vehicle for the State Governors, Rajas and Sultans

Here's the latest number plates of Malaysia:


Perak - AFM6460

Selangor - BHU2358

Pahang - CBS5114

Kelantan - DAV104

Johor - JJG6003

Kedah - KBT2943

Langkawi - KV2034C

Labuan - LC1822

Melaka - MBF2107

N Sembilan - NBR4525

Pulau Pinang - PGN1791

Kuching - QAD469

Sri Aman - QBA549

K Samarahan - QCB6742

Limbang - QL9423

Miri - QMJ2542

Kapit - QP3103

Sarikei - QRC6900

Sibu - QSL8341

Bintulu - QTE271

Perlis - RG487

Kota Kinabalu - SAA1097K

Beaufort - SB4673A

Lahad Datu - SD7152C

Kudat - SK5630

Sandakan - SS4038J

Tawau - ST4630J

Keningau - SU5130A

Terengganu - TAK2488

Kuala Lumpur - WNH102

Mall a vote of confidence in city’s spending power
Friday September 9, 2005
By Salina Khalid



A new landmark has emerged in Selangor’s capital. It’s called the Shah Alam City Centre (SACC) and has been labelled the first upscale shopping centre in the city.

The mall, tucked between the PKNS Complex and Quality Hotel, in Section 14, is hard to miss with its colourful facade of yellow, orange, blue and red.

It is also linked to Dataran Shah Alam and the Shah Alam Walk through its outdoor concept.





http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/9/9/central/m_p16saccentre.jpg

The colourful facade of the Shah Alam City Centre.





SACC Mall, which opened its doors on Aug 18, is the flagship development of owner and developer, Selangor Economic Development Corporation (PKNS).

Compared with nearby shopping outlets, the new mall is more upmarket as it houses established brand names like British India Company, Cold Storage, Bonia, Guess Accessories, Euro Moda, SenQ, Anakku and Vincci. It will also feature outdoor (al fresco) eating concept soon.

The SACC targets the middle- to upper-middle class consumers and is a breath of fresh air for Shah Alam residents.

“It is something that we’ve allbeen waiting for.

“All this while we had to travel all the way to KL or Subang Jaya to get these branded goods. It’s great that we now have them here,” said Shamsidar Alias.

The marketing executive said having the shopping mall in the neighbourhood would save her travelling time and fuel.

Noradilla Ismail admitted that she initially thought that it was unnecessary to have another shopping centre in Shah Alam.

“I guess I didn’t realise what I was missing until SACC opened,” she said, adding that now there were more choices of places to shop for Shah Alam residents.

Iszal Ismail, a director of Citra, a boutique offering exclusive traditional costumes for weddings and special functions, said it was about time that a place like SACC opened in Shah Alam as the city’s residents had high purchasing power.

His shop, located on the mezzanine floor, opened on Sept 1.

“Response has been good, and we’ve been receiving a lot of customers especially on weekends,” said Iszal, who used to operate from Ampang Point in KL.

“A lot of our customers are people from Shah Alam and Subang Jaya, so we believe that we will be doing well here,” he added.

The six-storey shopping mall houses 130 trading outlets.

Work on the SACC Mall started in February 2002 and the complex was fully completed in February this year. It received its Certificate of Fitness (CF) in June.

PKNS general manager Datuk Harun Salim said currently about 98% of the trading space at the mall had already been rented out.

“Most of the tenants are established brand names that have made it big in Malaysia

“Their presence shows the confidence given by these big players in the people here. They believe that Shah Alam residents have the spending power,” he said.

If Aseana is synonymous with Suria KLCC and Archipelago with Alamanda in Putrajaya, SACC Mall hopes to have a similar impact with Barika.

Harun said Barika was a special trading area dedicated for Bumiputra entrepreneurs.

Spreading over an area of 1,207 sq metre, it is dedicated to showcasing Malaysia handicraft and products. The selected items are expected to attract both local and foreign tourists.

Previously called Gedung Selangor, it was the brainchild of Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo.

“Each of the traders will be selected and we will make sure that they only sell high quality products there.

“At the same time these traders have to keep their labelling and packaging in keeping with international standards,” said Harun.

For the convenience of customers, the SACC Mall has more than 600 parking bays and is the only shopping mall that offers valet parking for patrons.

Harun said patrons could also look forward to a line of activities throughout the year, catered for the whole family.

Pahang To Propose Gambang As Site For MSC Cyber City
September 10, 2005 16:08 PM



KUANTAN, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- The Pahang government will propose Gambang, a township in the state capital, as the site for the development of a cyber city in the second phase roll-out of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).

The second phase MSC development will also cover Penang, Perak and Melaka.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said Gambang was identified as a suitable site because of its strategic location and closeness to the East Coast Expressway that links Kuala Lumpur to Pahang.

The development of the Gambang cyber city would enable people in the state and nearby areas to benefit from the rapid progress in information communications technology (ICT), he told a news conference Saturday after launching the national level National Language and Literature Month 2005.

He said the state government was giving serious attention to using ICT in all spheres of management and he thanked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for choosing Pahang as one of the cyber city sites.

-- BERNAMA

Pahang

http://www.abcmalaysia.com/maps/images/pahang_map.jpg

Klang to draw on rich heritage
Tuesday September 13, 2005
By EDWARD RAJENDRA



BUSINESSMEN in Klang are feeling optimistic that business in this royal town will not only get better but exciting as well as the town focuses on tourism.

Klang is one of the nine districts in Selangor gearing to capitalise on tourism to earn foreign exchange.





http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/9/13/central/m_p9Istana.jpg

The Istana Alam Shah with its beautiful architecture.





The man responsible for this paradigm shift is none other than the new Klang Municipal Council (MPK) president Abd Bakir Zin, who strongly feels that the coastal township should ride the tourism wave.

“Tourism can enhance our economic growth,'' he said.

He said this means coming up with an effective growth plan and ensuring that it would benefit tourist agents, transportation companies, food industries, textile shops, shopping complexes and even restaurants.

“With the open and market-oriented economy that flourishes here, it is only natural that we should bring in the tourists to further boost our economic growth,” he said.

As Klang vies for a larger slice of the tourism cake, it will definitely be a hectic programme from October 2005 to October 2007, with an elaborate line up of activities in store to thrill foreigners and locals from other states.

Bakir’s idea on tourism is seen as an awakening for the district’s tourism sector.

“Our township is a colourful mix of cultures. Old buildings with character dot the town, glorious food are in abundance and textile shops, art and craft outlets can become a major draw to the tourists,'' he said.

He said with all these tourist attractions at hand, the important part was marketing Klang.

Police Reassure Melaka Strait Safe For Shipping
September 13, 2005 18:42 PM



JOHOR BAHARU, Sept 13 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Tuesday reassured that the Melaka Strait is safe for merchant ships.

Internal Security and Public Order deputy director I, DCP Mohd Anuar Mohd Zain said the 780-nautical-mile strait was constantly under tight surveillance by the littoral states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

"With facilities like control towers and sophisticated radar, we are constantly monitoring it to ensure it is safe from piracy or hijackings," he told reporters when asked to comment on a report by Lloyds (a London insurance underwriter) which said the strait posed a high risk for merchant shipping.

He had earlier closed a course for coordinated patrolling of the strait between PDRM and the Republic of Indonesia Police (Polri) at the Southern Region Marine Police Headquarters in Tampoi near here Tuesday.

Also present were Johor police chief, Datuk Mohd Amir Sulaiman, Southern Region Marine Police acting chief, Supt Omar Dawam and the head of the Polri delegation, Commissioner-General Drs I Lebang.

Anuar said, according to Maritime Institute of Malaysia statistics, there were only 17 incidents which was only a 0.02 piracy threat when compared to the 63,000 ships that passed the strait last year.

On the course, Mohd Anuar said it focussed on coordinated patrolling and communications procedures between the two nations.

The coordinated patrols between the two forces began on Sept 5 and ended today and is annual exercise which has been carried out since 1986.

-- BERNAMA

Kedah to streamline its family law
Friday September 16, 2005



ALOR STAR: Kedah is preparing to amend its Islamic Family Law to standardise it with the rest of the country.

However, said state Syariah Court chief Datuk Sheikh Yahya Jusoh, it would still have some authority over certain issues.

He said there had been cases of husbands neglecting their wife and children after a divorce or when they marry again.

“The amendment will protect the rights of the first wife and her children,” he said in response to the move to allow wives to get a share of the amassed wealth during their marriage if their husband takes a new wife.

Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu have opposed the move, saying that the Quran has given adequate provisions on the issue of polygamy.

In Kangar, Perlis Wanita Umno welcomed the proposal.

Movement chief Mastika Junaidah Hussin said: “The most important matter is that a family stays together and that the wife will be protected when her husband takes another wife.”

In Kuala Terengganu, the Terengganu Single Mothers’ Association urged the state to go along with the standardisation plan.

Its chairman, Maimunah Omar, said the state might have misunderstood the purpose of the amendment.

In Ipoh, the Perak Religious Scholars Association said it was important for the administrative bodies to ensure the new law did not stray from the Quran.

“The authorities should tread carefully because one is not above divine law,” said association president Mohamad Nor Mansor.

In Kuantan, a lawyer with a legal firm said there was nothing new in the move.

However, there was a requirement that would pose problems to Muslim women on the amount to be decided by the court – the burden of proof was on her to prove contribution during the marriage, she said.

She said there should be a standard instrument or formula that the court could use in making a decision on the quantum.

Johor and Malacca for protecting first wife
Friday September 16, 2005



KUALA LUMPUR: Two states have come out in support of the move to allow Muslim wives to claim their share of matrimonial property upon their husband's polygamy.

Johor and Malacca agreed that such a move would protect women and their children in the event the husbands splurge all their wealth on his new wife.

On Tuesday, the Government announced that Muslim wives can get part of the wealth amassed during their marriage if their husband marries again under the soon-to-be standardised Islamic Family Law.

However, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu reportedly opposed the move as they felt that the Quran had adequately stipulated the laws and conditions regarding polygamy.

Furthermore, these states – which border Thailand – are worried that it would encourage more men to cross the border to get married in the neighbouring country, where the rules are less stringent.

In Johor Baru, Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said Johor fully supports the proposal to amend and standardise the Islamic Family Law.

“There is fairness in this proposal,” he said, adding that it was right that the assets be shared as the amassed wealth had been built up together by the family.

“We are for the move and accept what has been proposed,” he said yesterday after planting a hibiscus plant at Taman Bunga Raya in conjunction with the Merdeka month-long celebration.

In Malacca, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who also chairs the state Islamic council said the proposal was good as it would help in fair distribution of wealth between the husband and wife.

He said asset allocation between husband and wife should be based on Syariah law so that the first and second wife and their children receive equal share of the wealth.

“This will help in terms of administration and maintenance of the law,” he said.

In Kuantan, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was apparently not satisfied with the reasoning given by the border states that opposed the move.

He said the amendment was supposed to be for the good of everyone.

“I don’t know why some states refused to accept the proposal but we want to find out the reasons behind the refusal,” he said after opening a gathering on patriotism for schoolchildren yesterday.

He said he would like to see all states amending their Islamic family laws to allow wives to claim their share of wealth accumulated during their marriage if their husband takes a new bride.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the proposed law would not mean taking away the rights of Muslim men.

“It is about the protection and rights of the first wife and children.

“It is not about taking away the rights of men in Islam,” she said in a statement here.

Koh to woo US investors to northern Malaysian states
Updated : 20-09-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : MARINA EMMANUEL



PENANG Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is currently in the US on an investment mission, is scheduled to make a presentation on behalf of Penang, Perak and Kedah tomorrow to potential investors in California's Silicon Valley in San Jose.

Koh's press secretary Zasman Asna said Koh's investment presentation will be made at a special session in San Jose with the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority's Trade and Investment Mission to the West Coast of the US.

The mission is led by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

Apart from participating in the Biotech Roundtable Meeting to discuss and formulate future development plans for this new industry, Koh's trip is also aimed at encouraging US biotechnology companies to develop smart partnerships and collaboration programmes with local universities, hospitals, research institutions and start-up biotechnology companies.

A third objective is to attract new technology companies to invest in Penang, Zasman said in a statement released in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Koh is also a participant of the inaugural Biotech Roundtable Meeting 2006 chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in San Francisco which began yesterday.

Zasman said among those Koh will meet during this trip include members of the Biotech Roundtable as well as with existing and potential investors in San Jose.

These meetings will help the State Government and Invest-in-Penang Bhd (investPenang) to explore and encourage new investment and reinvestment opportunities as well as to attract their suppliers to locate in Penang.

Metrojaya opens 1st outlet in Penang
Updated : 29-09-2005
Media : The Edge
Story By : Regina William



Metrojaya Bhd, which opened its fifth retail outlet in the country and the first in Penang on Sept 29, expects RM40 million in sales from the outlet's first year of operations.

Metrojaya chief executive officer Robert Heng said the 115,000 sq ft outlet, which caters to a population base of five million people in the northern region, may even surpass the modest expectation.

The group, which started Metrojaya 29 years ago, recorded RM300 million in sales last year. The Penang outlet is the third largest Metrojaya outlet in the country after its flagship outlet in Mid Valley followed by Bukit Bintang.

The other outlets are in Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru. Metrojaya first initiated plans for an outlet in Penang 15 years ago along Penang Road but the project did not take off.

'This outlet is the latest culmination of our plans to expand Metrojaya's chain of quality lifestyle department stores across Malaysia and we are delighted to bring our fashion and lifestyle department store to Penang.

'Now, we have department stores in the north, south and central Malaysia,' Heng said.

The Penang outlet brings Metrojaya's core brands like East India Company, Somerset Bay, Cape Cod, Emanuelle, Freego, Zona, Passages and Excelsis.

Heng also projected the issuance of 50,000 Metrojaya privilege cards for Penang, in addition to the existing 240,000 privilege card holders throughout Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Heng said Metrojaya had put in place the necessary infrastructure for an eventual migration to Internet shopping.

'We have already spent RM15 million upgrading our Merchandise Management System. Our Metrojaya privilege card, which rewards customers for their loyalty shopping with Metrojaya continues to be enhanced and ugraded to provide for simpler points redemption and value intensive rewards.

'If we wish to do so, with all the systems in place, and if our customers support and feedback is overwhelming for the Internet shopping, we can do so within six months.

'We are looking into the viability of embarking on such a move,' Heng added.

Registration of prepaid mobile users in two states starts on Saturday
Updated : 29-09-2005
Media : Sun2Surf
Story By : R. Surenthira Kumar



KUALA LUMPUR: Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad, DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd and Maxis Communications Berhad will start a three-month pilot programme on Saturday to register all prepaid mobile users.

The exercise will be carried out in Penang and Malacca.

In a joint statement issued by the three telecommunication companies, it states the programme is a response to the government's call to register all prepaid mobile users.

The exercise will involved all new prepaid subscribers.

Although the programme would not involve the existing users, they are also encouraged to register during the exercise.

The registration is free, simple and hassle-free. All subscribers need to do is to fill up a form and provide proof of their identity. Foreigners will have to show their valid passports or travel documents to register.

Deputy Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor is scheduled to officiate the launch in Gurney Plaza in Penang at 11am.

Users in other states will undergo a similar exercise in January. The exercise will be carried out via authorised mobile phone agents or mobile service provider centres in their respective states.

RM13m more for Johor govt projects
Updated : 30-09-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : MARSHA TAN



JOHOR BARU: The state assembly passed the Supplementary Supply (2005) Enactment Bill to allow the withdrawal of RM13.068mil from the Consolidated Fund for expenditure.

Of the total, RM2.815mil will go to the Mentri Besar's office, RM2.106mil to the State Legislative Assembly, RM1.275mil to the State Secretary's office and RM1.08mil to the Public Works Department.

The House also approved an additional RM3.410mil to be spent on development (RM1.5mil) and for the upgrading of religious schools (RM1.910mil).

The assembly then adjourned indefinitely.

Earlier, Religious, Education, Higher Education, Human Resource, Science and Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Zainal Abidin Osman said there had been 285 industrial accidents, between January and August this year.

These resulted in 22 deaths and 18 victims suffering permanent disabilities.

He added that the state government has taken several measures including awareness exhibitionsand seminars to educate workers.

'Our proposed long-term strategies include coming up with guidelines on safety and health at the workplace as well as integrating them into the education curriculum,' he said.

Mount Kinabalu (http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/sabah_2003), Sabah

http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/image/22668626.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/image/22667874.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/image/22667882.jpg

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/4509/5478696gf.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/image/22667880.jpg

Mount Kinabalu (http://www.pbase.com/yellofins/sabah_2003)
by afaizal

http://www.pbase.com/afaizal/image/21355694.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/afaizal/image/21355582.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/afaizal/image/21355553.jpg

TM Net: Sabah broadband use rising
Updated : 07-10-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : RUBEN SARIO IN KOTA KINABALU



TM Net Sdn Bhd is targeting a modest increase in broadband penetration rate in Sabah, chief executive officer Michael Lai said.

The company currently has nearly 17,000 broadband subscribers in the state and is aiming to raise the figure to 22,000 by year-end.

'We are pleased that broadband is now available at 41 TM exchanges in Sabah with over 27,522 asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) ports.

'This is a healthy indication that there is quite a demand for broadband here,'' he told a media briefing on Tuesday.

Lai also said TM Net was encouraging as many as possible of its 100,000 dial-up users in the state to migrate to the firm's broadband services.

He said broadband had not spread as fast as it might have been because many dial-up users had not clearly understood the advantages of switching to broadband.

The company, Lai said, had also doubled its resellers from 200 to 400 in the hope of getting more sales and providing greater coverage and convenience.

'We are beefing up funds to boost public familiarity with our services, strengthening content and adding more access points,' he said.

He said TM Net would install 600,000 more ADSL ports for broadband connectivity at its exchanges nationwide to reach one million ports by year-end.

The company now has 800,000 ADSL ports, he said.

Lai also said the number of wireless networks and wireless tmnet hotspots, which allow for wireless and mobile Internet surfing, would be increased to promote the use of broadband.

There are 37 hotspots in Sabah.

Southern corridor booming
Updated : 10-10-2005
Media : The Star


THE unabated efforts by the Negri Sembilan state government to have Nilai, Seremban, Labu and Port Dickson declared as the Greater Klang Valley have spawned many opportunities for new townships to be set up along the southern corridor.

The location of the KL International Airport in Sepang is certainly an added advantage for the opening up of the corridor to more rapid development.

Their proximity to the Klang Valley have made these designated places a part of the expanding suburb of the country's fastest growing region.

Being the biggest development underway in Seremban, Seremban 2 has emerged as a benchmark township in Negri Sembilan. Seremban 2, the biggest township development in Seremban, was conceptualised by the Negri Sembilan state government as an expansion of the state capital.

Construction of the initial 2,300 acres of the 3,800-acre project is set for completion in 2009. The adjoining 1,500 acres will only kick off at the end of next year. The first parcel will feature more than 12,000 property units, including more than 200 commercial shop lots. Upon its completion, it will yield a gross development value (GDV) of RM2bil.

Since 1995 more than 9,000 property units have been sold for RM1.3bil.

According to RB Land Holding Bhd executive director Datuk Soam Heng Choon, the properties in Seremban 2 are selling well because of their refreshing design concept and well-conceived master plan, top grade public amenities such as a 34-acre sports complex, schools, colleges, shopping centres and well-connected infrastructure.

More than RM200mil has been spent for infrastructure including six-lane dual carriageway for all major roads and well-landscaped interchanges.

He said the array of well-designed and spread out property products within both gated and non-gated enclaves had raised the standards of the housing industry in the state. The infrastructure, including wide roads, city parks and landscaping, are also of “Klang Valley standards.'

'The state government has been working hard to get more Kuala Lumpur folks to purchase homes in Seremban. Under the tagline 'Work in KL, Stay in Seremban', these efforts are starting to bear fruit with higher interest for our property offerings,' Soam added.

The many industry firsts that Seremban 2 has achieved underscore its market leadership.

The launch of Green Street Homes gated community in 1996 marked the first gated development in Seremban. This was followed by the introduction of courtyard homes in 2002 and the exclusive Sri Carcosa bungalow enclave in 2003.

“Buyers for our range of properties appreciate the well-planned environment that we have set out to create for them. The 15-acre City Park has become an icon for the town folks and has been put to good use during the recent Mooncake Festival, attracting a 15,000-strong crowd from all around Seremban,' Soam said.

Despite its premium pricing, the properties are still affordable compared with those in the Klang Valley.

Terraced houses are priced from RM180,000, semi-detached houses are from RM360,000 and bungalows from RM574.000. RB Land Sdn Bhd sales and marketing manager Christine Wong said many of the staff of Malaysia Airlines and KL International Airport were residing in Seremban 2, especially the bungalow enclave.

These Klang Valley folks get to enjoy between 50% and 80% price advantage over similar houses in the Klang Valley. After all, they are just 30 minutes away from their workplace at KLIA. She said local residents accounted for some 85% of the property sales while buyers from Kuala Lumpur made up the remaining.

Property prices have appreciated by more than 40% since the first houses were delivered to the buyers at around 1998.

In the commercial precinct, more than 800 shop offices and industrial units have been sold and completed. Currently under construction are another 434 shop offices and terraced factories.

The township's commercial hub, the 250-acre Seremban 2 City Centre, will be the business hub featuring shopping and furniture malls, corporate offices, showrooms and a 15-acre city park. Construction of the adjoining 1,500 acres will expand Seremban 2's border further north closer to the Klang Valley.

The extended site has been earmarked for the Hillpark zone that will feature a total of 10,000 to 12,000 property units. To be undertaken over 12 years, the project will yield a GDV of RM1.8bil.

Seremban 2's current population of 35,000 is expected to increase to more than 100,000 in the next decade.

I-Berhad Looks West To Make I-City Come Alive In Shah Alam
Updated : 10-10-2005
Media : Bernama
Story By : Umi Hani Sharani



LAS VEGAS, Oct 10 (Bernama) - I-Berhad is looking west to bring the best in developing its 21st century urban centre known as 'I-City' in Shah Alam, Selangor.

To realise its vision of the first of its kind ICT-powered intelligent township, the company has engaged world renowned American architect Jon Jerde to lend his magical touch to the project.

The township, to be fully owned by I-Bhd, is also in line with the Selangor state government's 'Selangor Maju' vision to become a leading ICT state in the country.

Integrating the latest technologies, the 29-hectare (72-acre) township located within Section 7 of Shah Alam and the Bukit Rajah Industrial Park, will feature several features -- corporate offices, a commercial centre, a convention centre, a smart school, serviced apartments and a technology centre.

I-Berhad chief executive officer Eu Hong Chew said the township, estimated to cost over RM1 billion, is expected to be an exciting and vibrant commercial hub, buzzing with activity during both day and night, something not unlike the suburban scene in upscale Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

'I-City would also be brought alive by incorporating elements from the Universal City Walk in Los Angeles as well as the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, which was all designed by Jerde himself,' said Eu.

The US$70 million Fremont Street Experience is a free-of-charge light and sound musical show held nightly under a permanent canopy with 2.1 million lights and 540,000 watts of sound.

'The (I-City) project is really about developing a town centre and the heart of any town is the communal area. Invariably, it is the retail element that provides the communal experience,' Eu told reporters during a media tour of Jerde's projects, here Monday.

Jerda had designed the Universal City Walk as a dynamic path for people walking between Universal Studios walking theme park, cinemas and amphitheatre.

The City Walk has since redefined the 'urban village' as an intricate weave of various uses and services for it incorporates the entertainment district, urban street life, tourist attractions, shopping street and university, and it attracts about 25,000 people daily.

Though planned as a tourist destination, City Walk, which brings in a revenue of US$800 per sq ft per month, has become a popular destination for locals as well, who account for 67 percent of the sales.

'The other components of I-City will be built around this heart. And because of this, we wanted the guru of retail (centres) to create the design,' Eu explained.

Jerde is also the design genius behind global icons such as the 1984 Olympic Village as well as one of the largest shopping centres in the world, the Mall of America in Minnesota and Tokyo's famous Roponggi Hills.

'We searched and found Jerde. What is more interesting is that his track record was not only in retail, but in incorporating different components to create a sense of community,' said Eu.

As Shah Alam is already overflowing with the normal everyday shopping malls and arcades, he said I-Berhad did not want the same for I-City.

'We do not want I-City's retail component to be a stereotype. We want it to be different, yet integrating all the components that we will introduce so that the entire development will become a vibrant centre,' he said.

Eu said I-City, which will have a few access and exit points, is in a perfect location as one could enter and leave not only from Shah Alam but also the Federal Highway.

Eu said he was also attracted by Jerde's Freemont Street project which used the lights and sensory experience for the street to come alive every evening.

'In doing so, Jerde has revitalised downtown Las Vegas, which was until recently, overshadowed by the Strip, the part of town where all the new luxurious casinos and hotels are,' he said, adding that I-City's commercial hub is expected to be launched for sale by the first quarter of 2006.

The commercial hub will be the first phase of I-City, which comprises the retail and innovation centre.

'We want to be able to give people a place they can look forward to visit, over and over again,' said Eu. For Jerde himself, he said it is too early to say what the final concept will be like.

The design team is only six weeks into the design process but it has already identified the key concept for I-City -- a place to build communities and for people to gather, meet and interact.

'I look at I-City as a bouquet of flowers. There are roses, lilies, daisies...I will mix them up, intertwine them to form a beautiful bouquet for the people to appreciate it and the world to admire,' he said.

Jerde said the site also has a natural attribute, which provides good 'feng shui' (geomancy) and 'What we have here is an opportunity to break the mould, to create something unique.'

Saying that it is fortunate to work from the start to enable the project to have a 'people-pulling effect', he added that 'our approach is to bring together not only the architecture and planning teams, but also the landscape and retail services management teams from the very beginning.'

Shell Malaysia Discovers Oil & Gas In Offshore Sabah
Updated : 10-10-2005
Media : Bernama



KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd Announced, Monday that Shell-Petronas Carigali-ConocoPhilips joint venture has made another material oil and gas discovery following their Ubah-2 exploration well at Deepwater Block G, in waters offshore northwest Sabah.

The well encountered substantial hydrocarbon columns in high-quality reservoir rock.

The discovery well and an appraisal side-track were drilled in water depth of 1430 metres.

Datuk Jon Chadwick, chairman of Shell Malaysia said in a statement that the discovery was a positive achievement for Malaysia and for the joint venture partners.

'Shell and its partners are pursuing a business growth strategy that contributes to Malaysia's economy. The deepwater discoveries we are making offshore Sabah are key cornerstones of this strategy.'

The joint venture partners in Block G are Shell Malaysia (35 percent equity), ConocoPhilips (35 percent) and Petronas Carigali (30percent). Shell Malaysia is the operator of the Block on behalf of this partnership.

I-City Selangor – the making of an icon
Updated : 24-10-2005
Media : The Star



Excerpts from an interview with I-Bhd's CEO Eu Hong Chew and American architect Jon A. Jerde on the I-City Selangor.

STARBIZ: What is I-Bhd's vision for I-City Selangor?

Eu Hong Chew: There are two aspects to our vision. From the property development perspective, the vision for I-City is an urban centre where the infrastructure and services are information and communications technology (ICT)-based.

It is also a place with a high concentration of knowledge-based workers. From the corporate perspective, I-City is a means for us to extend our ICT business, as well as to diversify into property services.

StarBiz: What is its expected contribution to group earnings and revenue over the next few years?

Eu: We will be reporting revenue and earnings for two sectors – ICT and property. For the ICT sector, contribution will come from the current digital convergent product business, as well as the new system integration (SI) business. While I-City will provide SI work during the duration of the project, we intend to take this time to market this service to other townships.

For the property sector, we differentiate between contribution from property and facilities management and those from rental and property development. We expect the revenue and earnings from the current digital convergent product business to continue to grow. At the same time, the new business areas will enable group revenue and earnings to grow very significantly higher than what they are today.

StarBiz: In terms of architecture plans, will it become another landmark in the Klang Valley?

Eu: We want I-City to be an icon. At this stage, it is still early to say what the icon will be, but we are confident that with Jerde's involvement, it will be different from what we have in Malaysia today.

We don't think it is a question of surpassing other landmarks in the country, but it's more about I-City being another milestone in Malaysia's journey to becoming a developed nation.

StarBiz: Is I-Bhd looking to replicate the project in other parts of the country or the region if the project proved to be a success?

Eu: It is still early to talk about developing similar projects elsewhere. However, we plan to offer our system integration and property services to other developers and municipalities, and in this sense, we are assisting other urban centres to be more intelligent.

StarBiz: What do you hope to achieve or showcase in I-City Selangor in terms of design architecture and industry benchmark?

Jon Jerde: With I-City, we hope to redefine the Malaysian concept of a town centre. Our objective is to create a community centre with a full mix of uses that will create 24-hour activity within I-City.

StarBiz: With Malaysia's humid weather, what would be some of the salient features of your design plans and use of materials for I-City?

Jerde: As in all of our projects, we would combine water, generous landscape elements, and architectural structures that provide shade, such as canopies, in an experiential environment that blends indoor and outdoor settings.

StarBiz: I understand that you have been offered other jobs in Malaysia, but chose the offer from I-Bhd. What are your reasons for accepting this job over the rest?

Jerde: Our firm is being sought after by many clients, so we assess each prospective client to make sure they have a vision that will result in the best collaboration. We felt I-Bhd would be a forward-thinking client that would embrace the idea of doing something different in Malaysia, and we have had a great working relationship with I-City.

StarBiz: What are the challenges that you expect to face while working on the project?

Jerde: We expect the new concept for this type of development in Malaysia to be met with scepticism from conventional real estate market consultants.

However, we have confronted this challenge in other parts of the world. We have found that the scepticism fades away once the project is built, and the real estate consultants can see how the community embraces it, and once they can measure its strong results.

StarBiz: Do you look forward to undertake more jobs in Malaysia and what type of projects would they be?

Jerde: Right now, we are focusing on the I-City opportunity, which we feel represents a move in Malaysia away from suburban development into a more urban type of development.

StarBiz: What are the major highlights in your career?

Jerde: There have been many high points – from working with great clients and other partners to receiving countless awards. But, for me, what I remember most are the comments, unsolicited I may add, that I get from people who love my projects. This is what truly inspires me to keep doing what I do.

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I-Bhd banking on I-City dream
Updated : 24-10-2005
Media : The Star


StarBiz assistant news editor Angie Ng caught up with I-Bhd chief executive officer Eu Hong Chew on the plans ahead for the group when she toured Los Angeles, Las Vegas and other areas with an I-Bhd team and other journalists in connection with the company's future plans.

I-CITY Selangor seems to be the most viable solution for I-Bhd in line with its new corporate direction to venture into the growing and lucrative information and communications technology (ICT) services sector.

Income from I-Bhd's existing digital convergent product business has not shown growth over the years due to the strong competition from other lower-cost countries, especially China.

In a move to shore up its income streams, I-Bhd has set its sights on the lucrative and long-term source of income in the ICT sector by undertaking I-City.

In a strategic alliance with the Sumurwang Group, I-Bhd will assume the role of ICT and property developer for Sumurwang's 72-acre freehold site in Section 7, Shah Alam, and turn it into I-City.

The freehold ICT urban centre will have corporate, commercial and retail elements, hotel and serviced apartments, a convention complex, an intelligent school and a technology hub. The 10-year development will yield a total gross development value (GDV) of RM1.5bil.

Besides being the property developer and project manager, I-Bhd has been appointed the exclusive ICT solutions provider for the whole development. With I-City, I-Bhd now has a vehicle to extend its ICT business.

Based on the industry norm of an investment of between 60% and 70% of the projected GDV, I-Bhd is expected to invest more than RM500mil in I-City.

According to I-Bhd chief executive officer Eu Hong Chew, the project is expected to churn out lucrative earnings and revenue growth for the group when it takes off early next year. For the financial year ending Dec 31, 2006, revenue is expected to double.

As a project with ICT-based infrastructure and services, I-Bhd's venture into the system integration (SI) business will offer higher margin than its existing digital convergence products.

Meanwhile, expected returns from property development will be in the range of between 20% and 30% of the GDV of RM1.5bil, or around RM300mil to RM450mil.

“I-City provides the opportunity for both a vertical integration strategy (venturing downstream to provide services to a captive customer) and a diversification strategy (through property development and management services).

'We believe the timing for this strategic move is fortuitous. Its SI initiatives will benefit from the Selangor State Government's vision of using more ICT in line with its attainment of being the country's first developed state,” Eu said.

From the beginning, the project has what it takes to become a success story. As with all property projects, location, product type and timing are important considerations.

Its location within the vibrant city of Shah Alam has opened up the opportunity for I-Bhd to get the full support of the State Government, which has formed the I-City Selangor Steering Committee to facilitate its development.

Being the maiden private sector-led ICT urban centre development in the country, the project has been designated as Selangor's cyber city by the State Government.

To realise the dream of building a vibrant ICT urban centre where “work, play and entertainment come together”, I-Bhd has engaged internationally-acclaimed urban planning architect Jon Adams Jerde.

'With our vision and our ICT-based solutions and global network to make it happen, what we need is the right talent to design our dream.

'We believe the relationship with The Jerde Partnership will result in the planning for the right products and the famous Jerde hallmark of placemaking to make a positive impact here.

“Over the years, Jerde has built a strong network of retailers, mall operators and investors. Its name alone has become a premium brand that sells,” Eu said.

With the commercial property sector making a comeback, the timing also looks right for the launch of I-City.

In the next four years, I-Bhd expects to drum up a GDV of RM483mil from the first phase of the I-City development, which will comprise the innovation centre, the retail centre and a shopping fair.

The sales launch for the first phase of the development is targeted at the end of the first quarter of next year for completion in four years.

Eu said the innovation centre was intended to act as an idea or incubator centre for local technopreneurs.

The innovation centre is an integral element of the group's application for Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) status for I-City.

The retail centre, to be designed by Jerde, is intended to be a quality lifestyle centre with many of Jerde's trademark features.

'The plan is to blend the shopping fair with the retail centre and elements of the ground-breaking Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles will be seen in this component,” Eu added.

CIBA Vision to build Johor contact lens plant
Updated : 26-10-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : RUPA DAMODARAN



CIBA Vision Corp, a global leader in the manufacturing of optical and ophthalmic products and services, is investing RM500 million to build an integrated contact lens manufacturing plant in Malaysia.

Atlanta-based CIBA Vision's global supply chain head Mike Dilworth said the investment in the 50,000 sq m site in Tanjung Pelepas Free Trade Zone, Johor, will be spread over eight years.

'The new plant — which is close to our existing manufacturing plants in Batam and Singapore — will be our largest facility in terms of O2OPTIX lenses,” he told a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Dilworth, who had earlier met International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz, said the production capacity of the plant, which is expected to begin operations in the first quarter of 2007, will start from 100,000 units daily before increasing to 500,000.

The PTP site's easy access to airports for air freighting and its leverage of the distribution centre in Singapore would enable the company to consolidate inventory and facilitate shipping to Asian customers as well as to distribution centres in North America and Europe.

The O2OPTIX lenses — described as “breathable contact lenses” — are made from a silicone hydrogel, lotrafilcon B, the newest material used in contact lenses.

Dilworth said Asia is seen as one of the top three markets after the US and Europe.

“In the coming years, we do see that the Asian market can grow to be larger than the US and Europe. As a result, we need a physical presence here,” he added.

CIBA Vision, which currently has a 30 per cent global market share, is number two to Johnson & Johnson.

CIBA Vision is the eye-care unit of Novartis AG, a world leader in pharmaceuticals and consumer health. Its proposed factory in PTP brings its total investment in the Asean region to US$668 million (US$1 = RM3.77).

Kellie Castle

The ruins of Kellie’s Castle is located near Batu Gajah and is about 30 minutes’ drive from Ipoh. The castle remains in ruins because the construction was never completed by the original owner due to his untimely death.

The property of English rubber tycoon William Kellie Smith, the incomplete 19th-century building remains dark and mysterious with much speculation among locals and visitors about hidden rooms and secret tunnels.

Its allure and romance led these ruins to be chosen as one of the set locations for the filming of "Anna and the King" in the mid 1990's.

pictures by TS. Bok

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From Asia explorer community

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Location

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CCS Keen To Certify Sarawak-made Marine Vessel
Updated : 29-10-2005
Media : Bernama



SIBU, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- China Certification Society (CCS), the marine vessels certification body of China, is keen to certify marine vessels produced by Sarawak, notably by Sibu shipbuilders.

Its Singapore-based office General Manager Luo Xiafeng said Sibu shipbuilders enjoyed very good reputation as prolific producers of various kinds of marine vessels since 1960s.

Some were even sold to China, he told a press conference here last night.

'We want to be allowed to certify them as they are also certified by other foreign classification organisations,' Xiafeng said.

'CCS has a 50-year old history. It is a member of the International Marine Organisation (IMO). So recognition and acceptance worldwide is no problem,' he said.

Meanwhile, Datuk Lau Cheng Kiong who manages two shipbuilding and repairing firms, the Blue Sky Shipping and Kiong Nguong Dockyard, said there are about 30 shipbuilders in town.

They export about 120 units of different kind of vessels such as tugboats, fast passenger boats, hi-tech supply vessels, landing craft and ferryboats.

'These are usually in the 500 tonne class and below which is our niche product,' he said.

He said the buying countries are Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and South America.

Lau said their products are recognised by a number of international certification organisations such as the NHK of Japan, Bureau Veritas of France, America Bureau of Shipping of the USA and the German's Lyold.

Kulim-Gerik Road Ready By July 2006, Says Samy Vellu
October 30, 2005 17:17 PM



SUNGAI SIPUT, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The Kulim-Gerik road is expected to be ready by July 2006 and the link to East-West Highway will reduce considerably the travelling time between Penang and Kota Baharu.

Minister of Works Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said upon completion, road users no longer need to go through Pengkalan Hulu, in Perak and Baling, in Kedah, to go to Kulim, Penang or Perlis.

However, he did not state the time taken to travel to Penang from Kota Baharu using the link.

Samy Vellu also said that the upgrading works on the Kuala Kangsar-Gerik stretch was completed two days ago,

"The project in four packages would reduce the travelling distance between Kuala Kangsar and Gerik by 140 km to 81.6 km only," he told reporters after a function hosted by Community Welfare and Development Council (Mayang) for the Sungai Siput (U) Parliamentary constituency here, Sunday.

Samy Vellu said the four packages are from Gerik to Malau, Malau to Lenggong, Sauk to Kuala Kangsar and Lenggong to Sauk.

"These packages involve contracts worth RM225 million including 11 bridges and a rest and recreational area near Tasik Raban," he said.

In another development, Samy Vellu reiterated that the ministry had ordered all road remedial works to be stopped until Nov 9 to ensure smooth flow of traffic during the festive season.

He said, Plus Expressways Berhad would open more toll booths to reduce congestion at toll plazas.

-- BERNAMA

Sungai Melaka Beautification Programme May Be Extended
October 27, 2005 08:39 AM



MELAKA, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The Melaka government may extend the Sungai Melaka beautification programme to Selandar.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the main focus in the current second phase, however, was to beautify the urban areas for tourists to walk along the river.

"The Sungai Melaka programme now covers up to the Hang Jebat Bridge but we have proposals to extend it to Selandar," he said in reply to Datuk Abdul Ghafaar Atan (BN-Gadek) at the Dewan on Wednesday.

Mohd Ali said the Sungai Melaka beautification programme covered construction of river embankment, sidewalk, board walk, sewerage system, jetty and landscaping, and installing decorative lights as well as deepening the river.

The second phase, which would cost RM50 million and be funded with a federal allocation, would include the introduction of a river cruise, he told Chong Tam On (BN-Bemban).

-- BERNAMA

Melaka Aims To Be Largest Shopping Venue In Southern Peninsula
October 29, 2005 17:59 PM



MELAKA, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- The Melaka Government wants to make the state the largest shopping venue in southern Peninsular Malaysia, attracting shoppers also from Singapore and Indonesia's Sumatra, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Ali Rustam said.

More shopping centres would be built in collaboration with the private sector to meet the ever-increasing response from shoppers, he added.

"Our market potential is seven million people, including from Singapore and Sumatra, apart from Malaysians," he said when opening the "Ekspo Melaka 2005" at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) in Ayer Keroh near here.

Mohamed Ali said shopping centres were one of the 12 sub-sectors of tourism being popularised by the state government, and they were a draw for foreign tourists including those from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

He also said that trade exhibitions and expositions would be held more frequently in the state in co-operation with the private sector.

Mohamed Ali said the state government had projected 4.6 million tourist arrivals this year, up from the original target of 4.4 million, due to the introduction of new tourism products such as the Melaka River, MITC, attractive landscaping and parks as well as existing products such as the museum, zoo, shopping centres and homestay programme.

He said 3,340,064 tourist arrivals were recorded between January and September this year, well above the 2,917,890 arrivals for the same period last year. For the whole of last year, the state recorded four million tourist arrivals.

The exposition launched today will be on until Nov 6, and markets various products and services at about 400 booths operated by entrepreneurs from Melaka, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taiwan and Bangladesh.

-- BERNAMA

Federal Government To Return RM32 Mln To Johor
October 28, 2005 20:22 PM



MUAR, Oct 28 (Bernama)-- The Federal Government has agreed to reimburse the Johor state government RM32 million in compensation payment for land acquired for the RM268-million shortcut road project in Muar, Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said Friday.

He said the decision was reached after he submitted the state government's appeal on the matter to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the National Finance Council meeting Thursday.

Abdul Ghani said this when speaking at the opening of the road with Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu here.

He said the state government had paid the compensation to the land owners because it wanted to speed up the implementation of the project.

"If it's a federal project, it is the normal practice for the Federal Government to bear all costs of the project. But since the state government wanted to get the project implemented fast, the state government paid the compensation for the land," he added.

Work on the 13.1km road also involved the construction of a 632-metre bridge across the Muar River.

Abdul Ghani said the construction of the bridge was timely to replace the Sultan Ismail bridge which was built 38 years ago and could no longer accommodate the increase in traffic.

On the Segamat-Tangkak Road, Abdul Ghani said the state government had proposed to the federal government to turn it into four lanes.

-- BERNAMA

Sabah to reopen revolving restaurant
Updated : 02-11-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : JONISTON BANGKUAI



SABAH’S exclusive revolving restaurant on the 18th floor of the imposing 30-storey Sabah Foundation glass tower in Kota Kinabalu is reopening its doors.

The restaurant, which ceased operations some 20 years ago, will be managed by Atmosphere Restaurant Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Asia Extreme Sdn Bhd, a specialist in travel and tourism development.

Asia Extreme marketing and sales director Victoria Hilley said renovation works to give the restaurant an avant-garde retro look has begun and will be completed by the end of this year.

'We are spending about RM1 million for the facelift and we hope to start operations latest by January next year,” she said during a preview of the restaurant for members of the travel trade recently.

To be called Atmosphere Restaurant, it offers a spectacular view of Mount Kinabalu, Likas Bay, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, the State Legislative Assembly building and islands fronting the city.

'We chose the name ‘Atmosphere’ to describe its location that provides breathtaking view of the city and its surroundings,” Hilley said.

Asia Extreme has been granted a long-term lease from Sabah Foundation and both are working closely to develop the restaurant as a unique product for both local and foreign tourists.

Recently renamed Tun Mustapha Tower, the glass tower is among the landmarks in Kota Kinabalu, attracting between 20 and 30 bus-loads of tourists every day.

'We want to capitalise on this by bringing the tourists up to the restaurant where they can both dine and enjoy the most panoramic views in the city,” she said.

The restaurant would offer Pacific Rim cuisine including specialties from the Association of South-East Asian Nation countries and even as far as North America and Mexico.

Sabah Foundation building

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Why does the Sabah Foundation building seem so isolated? Why not in the CBD of KK?

Malaysia's Suria Capital to Upgrade Part of Sabah Railway
Updated : 03-11-2005
Media : AsiaPulse



KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 Asia Pulse - Suria Capital Holdings Berhad (KLSE:6521) announced that the Federal Ministry of Transport has accepted its offer to rehabilitate part of the railway from Tanjung Aru to Tenom in the East Malaysian state of Sabah.



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In a statement to Bursa Malaysia on Oct 31, Suria said the Ministry accepted the offer in a letter dated 27 October 2005.

Suria had offered to implement part of the railway project from km3.9 - km55.6 (Sector 1) for RM133.8 million (US$35.4 million).



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The project is to be completed within 30 months subject to the limitations, terms and agreements contained in the contract documents.

Suria said that in the same letter, the Ministry also informed that it had accepted Hikmat Asia Sdn Bhd's offer to implement part of the same Project from km55.6 to km139.7 (Sector 2).

Suria did not disclose the value of Hikmat Asia's contract. Hikmat Asia is the joint partner of Suria.

Suria said formal contract agreement will be signed between the respective parties and the Federal Government in due course subject to the fulfilment by each party of certain conditions precedent related to performance bond, bank guarantees and insurance coverages.

Suria said it will issue further announcement on this matter upon signing of the agreement.

Suria and Hikmat Asia have set up a joint venture, Hikmat Bumimaju Sdn. Bhd, for the purpose of combining their resources and expertise to develop infrastructure and communication projects in Sabah and in Peninsular Malaysia.

Suria through its wholly-owned subsidiary company, Mega Intraway Sdn. Bhd, holds 50 per cent of the equity shareholding in the JV company while Hikmat Asia holds the remaining 50 per cent.

TM Plans 337 Infrastructure Projects In N. Sembilan Up To Oct 2005
Updated : 03-11-2005
Media : Bernama


SEREMBAN, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- Telekom Malaysia Bhd has planned 337 infrastructure projects costing RM44.7 million up to the end of last month to provide communication facilities in Negeri Sembilan, said Ahmad Kamal Shamsuddin, business general manager of TM Retail, Negeri Sembilan.

These projects would provide 19,177 new telephone lines, he said here, Thursday.

Last year, TM spent RM27.8 million for 174-communication infrastructure projects, said Ahmad Kamal.

He said the bulk of the funds was spent on equipment purchase and upgrading work to replace old equipment and improve service quality.

Seremban, N. Sembilan

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CCTV cameras for border
Wednesday November 2, 2005


PADANG BESAR: Closed-circuit TV cameras will be placed at strategic locations along the state’s 5.3km border with Thailand to curb illegal activities.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said the cameras, to be placed from Bukit Kencana to Padang Besar under a RM6.8mil project, would be put in place by next month.

Shahidan added that the CCTV cameras would be monitored by the police.

“If they are effective in curbing illegal activities such as smuggling, then we will discuss extending the project to other areas,” he said.

The Mentri Besar was speaking to reporters after the Re-gent of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Jamalullail, had handed out Raya goodies and cash to 225 army and police personnel on Monday.

The 225 army and police personnel will be on duty at the border areas during the Raya festivities.

On another matter, Shahidan said the government hoped to make the annual Border Run an international event next year.

He said that participants for the Border Run were all locals.

“As the border area is an international zone, the run should be an international one instead of just a local run,” he said.

“The state welcomes those interested to invest, promote or sponsor the run to forward their proposals to the state government,” he added.

George Town’s inner city to get new lease of life
Updated : 05-11-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : MARINA EMMANUEL


PENANG’S efforts to attract luxury boat owners from all over the world to anchor their vessels at its new marina will soon see a revitalisation programme of George Town's historic inner city taking off.

The RM40 million marina is expected to be completed this month.

Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) managing director and chief executive officer, Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar, said the revitalisation of George Town's waterfront area will include a duty-free shopping arcade, high- and middle-end retail outlets, a boutique hotel and theme restaurants.

“George Town's historical inner city has various components which are worthy of conservation and upgrading,” he told Business Times in Penang.

He said the proposed development is one of two projects PPSB has in the pipeline after the completion of the marina.

The other project is the RM65 million international cruise terminal.

'The development's purpose is to upgrade and refurbish the existing buildings and further initiate new facilities to enhance and create an intimate convenience for visitors and shoppers,” Ahmad said.

The mixed development project, estimated last year to cost RM100 milion, will be sub-divided into three main parcels: Swettenham Office, Swettenham Bazaar and Swettenham Hotel.

Swettenham Hotel, facing Penang's scenic North Channel, will be located on the edge of the water and offer dining and entertainment facilities.

'The Swettenham Office parcel will be made up of retail shops and boutiques, theme restaurants, cafes and studio offices,” said Ahmad.

Swettenham Bazaar, meanwhile, is set to be a cluster arrangement forming the centre of the development.

Plans are also afoot to transform an existing warehouse, under conservation protection, into a duty-free shopping, arcade and bazaar complex.

On the country's first inner- city marina that PPSB has built with funding from the Federal Government, Ahmad said its opening will see the return of the Raja Muda International Regatta to Penang on November 22 and 23.

The last time the event was held was in 1998.

The public marina located at Church Street Pier is targeted to accommodate 100 boats and yachts and to boost Penang's appeal as a cruising stopover for owners of mega-yatchs and leisure boats.

Ahmad declined to reveal the revenues projected by PPSB when the marina is up and running, except to say that “Penang Port does not expect to make a profit from this operation”.

'It is our contribution towards boosting the Government's efforts in making Malaysia a yachting destination,” he said.

Newly Born Lion & Tiger Cubs


http://www.afamosa.com/img_ed/DSCN0145.JPG


Let’s welcome our new family members, the Two Lion Cubs, Simba and Nina; and Three Tiger Cubs, Star, Moon and Soda, who were born at A’Famosa Animal World Safari lately. A Welcoming Party for these newly born lion and tiger cubs was held at the A’Famosa Animal World Safari on 7th September 2005.

Earlier attempts to display lions in zoological parks in Malaysia were fraught with problems mainly due to the interbreeding of the African and the Indian or Gir lion. Thus lion display was discontinued by the mid ‘80s’. In recent attempts to introduce the species into collections locally, both the African and Indian species have been brought in.

A’Famosa Animal World Safari selected to display the African species and has displayed the species since 2001. After several attempts to breed them we are therefore proud to announce the births of a pair of African lion cubs on 12th July 2005. This is the first birth of African lions in Malaysia. The dam is from a collection in England and the sire from Germany.

The Malayan tiger, as it is commonly known in Malaysia, was actually once known as the Indo-chinese tiger, which is found in most of South East Asia (Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Malaysia). The scientific name of the species is Panthera tigris corbeti.

However, zoological findings going back to the early 80,s now indicate that our Malayan tiger is actually a new sub-species. This announcement was made at the SEAZA conference held in Hong Kong in 2004.

This is indeed a proud moment for Malaysia. The Malaysian authorities have proposed that the species be named as Panthera tigris malayanensis . The naming of the species is, aptly, according to the geographical location.

A’Famosa Animal World Safari is proud yet once again to announce the births of 2.1 Malayan tigers to our collection on 29th June 2005.

These wonderful tiger and lion cubs are going to be on display at the A’Famosa Animal World Safari very shortly.


http://www.afamosa.com/img_ed/DSCN0136.JPG

New Members: (From left) Soda, Star, Moon, Simba and NIna
with their caretakers and rangers.

Seven Projects Totalling RM6.4 Mln In Shah Alam 2006 Budget
Updated : 11-11-2005
Media : Bernama


SHAH ALAM, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The Shah Alam City Council will implement seven projects estimated at RM6.4 million, including providing infrastructure in its administration area under its 2006 budget.

Shah Alam mayor Ramli Mahmud said all the projects would be implemented early next year with the aim of raising the council's standard of services to the residents.

Among the projects are upgrading the networking system at a cost of RM1.1 million, upgrading the fire prevention system at the council building for RM1.1 million, and repair work on the council workshop building in Section 17 costing RM1 million.

In addition, three multi-purpose halls costing RM700,000 each will be built at Kampung Sungai Kandis Section 36, Kampung Melayu Subang Section U3 and Bandar Baru Sungai Baru, Sungai Buloh.

The council will also spend RM700,000 on restoration work at the Section 6 market.

"All these projects will benefit the residents and improve the council's services," Ramli told Bernama here.

Allocations for the projects were approved at a special budget meeting recently, he said.

He added that on the whole, the budget expenditure was focused on improving infrastructure in all areas of administration and services to all residents.

SHAH ALAM

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Waterfront project nearly ready
Saturday November 12, 2005


The RM12mil waterfront project in Kuala Perlis will be completed by next year.

Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim (pic) said the project which started in 2003 was now 90% com-pleted.

“When Hotel Brasmana opened in August last year, we realised that it was facing the toilets of the waterfront project.

“Therefore we had to make some changes by converting the toilet space into stalls,” he told reporters recently.

The waterfront project comes with a promenade similar to Penang’s Gurney Drive and among others has shop lots and a recreational park.

Shahidan said traders should not move into the completed stalls as improvements were being made to ensure the rain would not affect businesses there.

“As it rains six months in a year in Perlis, we need to shelter the stalls properly so that patrons would not get wet,” he said.

In urging more investors to build hotels in Perlis, Shahidan said the state would provide free land.

“One company has come forward with a proposal and they hope to start their project soon,” he said.

Shahidan said the Perlis State Economic Development Corporation had built Hotel Brasmana because demand for hotel rooms was high.

“There are not enough rooms to accommodate visitors to Kuala Perlis,” he said.

Shahidan said a proper resting area was also being planned for those waiting to board a ferry to Langkawi.

Perlis

http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/mediafile/vmmx/mapimage/perlis/perlis.jpg

Airport upgrading project delayed
Updated : 19-07-2005
Media : New Straits Times
Story By : Ahmad Fairuz Othman


The completion of the new terminal and extended runway at Sultan Abdul Halim Airport will be delayed by another four months.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the facilities, scheduled to be operational next month, would only be ready in December.

With the new facilities, he said, the airport would be able to accept larger aircraft, including the Airbus 330 and Boeing 737-400.

Chan, who visited the airport today, said it would also be able to handle regional flights to Indonesia and Thailand.

"There are discussions to have flights to destinations such as Medan, as well as several cities in Thailand and other neighbouring countries," he said.

The re-development is costing RM160 million.

The new terminal building will be able to handle more passengers, while the 1,963m runway is being extended to 2,745m.

Chan said the delay was due to technical and engineering problems.

Expansion works began in February 2003.

Airport manager Halim Omar said passenger volume had increased from 357,000 in 2003 to 359,000 last year.





Proposal to build new airport frozen indefinitely
Updated : 19-07-2005
Media : The Star

A proposal to build an international airport in the northern region has been put on hold indefinitely.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said the issue of reviving the proposed project off Kuala Muda in Kedah that was shelved during the 1997 economic slowdown had not been raised.

He said the existing Sultan Abdul Halim Airport, being redeveloped at a cost of RM160mil, could adequately cater to current needs.

Speaking after a briefing here on the progress of the project yesterday, he said the state's request to include international flights to and from here would be looked into.

¡§We will be working closely with MAS and AirAsia. I think it is possible to include regional destinations, including Thailand and Sumatra,¡¨ said Chan.

The airport is at present handling domestic and general aviation flights as well as being used by the Air Force for pilot training.

Chan said the first phase of the airport expansion project to extend the runway from 1,963m to 2,745m was progressing well, adding that it would be completed by next month.

The second phase, for a new terminal, control tower and Department of Civil Aviation office, would be completed by the end of November, he said, adding that technical hurdles had delayed the project.

By the end of the year, the airport is expected to be able to handle 580 passengers an hour compared with 280 at present.

Chan said that with the expansion, the airport would have two departure halls and 300 parking lots compared with the current 180.

The airport recorded a passenger load of 359,000 last year compared with 357,000 the year before.



Terminal to operate by February
Saturday November 12, 2005


ALOR STAR: The RM160mil Sultan Abdul Halim Airport new terminal and extended runway here would be fully operational by end of February next year.

Construction work will be completed by next month.

Bina Darulaman Berhad group managing director Ba-drul Hisham Tahir said with the additional facilities, the airport would be able to cater to more passengers and han-dle bigger aircraft, including Air-bus 330 and Boeing 737-400.

The airport would be able to handle 580 passengers an hour compared with 280 now, he said.

“Malaysia Airport Berhad will conduct testing on the equipment for two months beginning end of December before the terminal and the new 2,745m runway are fully functional,” he said.

Badrul Hisham was speak-ing to reporters after accom-panying Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain and Malaysia Airport Ber-had manager Halim Omar on their visit to the airport yesterday.

He said contruction of a flyover, costing RM15mil, linking the airport and the Jalan Anak Bukit dual carriageway would start soon.

The airport recorded a passenger load of 359,000 last year compared with 357,000 the year before, he said.

World-class whitewater kayaking destination
By TUNKU SHAHARIAH
Photos by MUSTAFA AHMAD
Wednesday November 16, 2005




SEDIM River, with its frothy 15km stretch of rapids, has been tested out by international extreme sports experts.

So impressed were they with their experience that it has been listed as among the best five rivers for white-water kayaking and water rafting in the world.

With this accreditation, Sedim River has now confirmed its position as an international Whitewater Rapid Kayaking destination, one of the very few in the world.

The Sedim River White Water Rapid Recreation Park near Karangan, Kulim, is a popular spot for whitewater rafting.

It is considered by local rafting enthusiasts as the equivalent of Kuala Selangor’s whitewater.

However, visitors are cautioned against swimming because of the strong current in the beckoning frothy rapids.

Despite the danger, the recreation forest teems with visitors every weekend. Sometimes, the narrow dirt path leading to the rapids is congested with vehicles.

On the positive side, the influx of visitors here has had a positive spillover effect for the village folks who enjoy brisk business selling food to the visitors.

The recreation park comes under the Kulim Forestry Department and has basic infrastructure and facilities such as chalets, changing rooms, public toilets and food stalls.

Department officer Mohd Sohaimi Mohd Kurdi said thousands of local and outstation visitors would flock to Sedim during peak holiday seasons such as National Day and the year-end school holidays.

“During these times, there will a long bumper-to-bumper queue of cars from the entrance to the village in Ulu Sedim to the whitewater rapids.

“Most of those who pack this place are picnickers and sports enthusiasts who love canoeing as the rapids are not suitable for swimming due to the strong, fast current,” he said.

He also said the authorities expected a larger crowd when the Canopy Walk was opened to the public in the near future.

Apart from rafting, one can also try kayaking and camping or just relax on the river bank to enjoy the natural beauty of the flora and fauna. Trees such as meranti seraya, meranti tembaga, meranti melantai and non-dipterocarp species such as kulim, terap keledang and bintangor are found there.

For those who love jungle trekking, there are a few jungle tracks that lead to nearby peaks such as Gunung Inas (1,454m above sea level), Gunung Bintang Utara (1,835m), Gunung Bintang (1,862m) and Banjaran Bintang (1,699m).

To draw tourists to the recreation park, the federal government invested RM6mil in the 950m-long “Tree Top Walk,” which is the longest in the world. From the Tree Top Walk, one can look down at the whitewater rapids gushing beneath.

Construction of the Tree Top Walk has been completed and it is expected to be opened to the public in the near future. There are also chalets in which one can spend a night in the cool forest ambience.




http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/11/16/central/m_p18skills.jpg

Above: The Sedim River is listed as one of the best
five rivers in the world for whitewater kayaking and water rafting.





Due to its geographical formation, the Sedim River is well known among extreme sports enthusiasts as an ideal place for extreme water sports such as kayaking and rafting.

There are 24 rapids along the river, each with its own name, such as Salak Drop, Triple Rapid, Kasai Drop, Wall Drop, Lower Head Dam, Kawah Rapid, Jelutong Rapid, Rodeo Rapid, Slip Lip Rapid and Cyclone Hole.

In 1999, the Sedim River was the site for the Sedim Rapid Kayaking Challenge, in which 20 participants, comprising local and international champions from countries like Germany, Australia, Denmark and Indonesia, competed.

The recreation park is surrounded by privately owned orchards. During the annual fruiting season, the park is a sight to behold with the trees laden with fruits of various kinds.

The owners, mostly local kampung folk, would set up their dangau (wooden shed) and sell fruits like mangosteen, pulasan, rambutan, langsat, dukong and durians, as well as ulam-ulam (greens and leafy vegetables) from the forest, at what would appear to outsiders as “dirt cheap” prices.

How to get there

THE Sedim White-Water Rapid Recreation Park is located in Sedim, about 30km from Kulim town. From the North-South Expressway, take the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway and proceed to the exit that leads to Kulim Hi-Tech Park. Continue in that direction and look out for signboards along the highway which will lead you to Taman Rekreasi Arus Deras Sungai Sedim.

Kota Kinabalu in rising... (Aug. 26th, 2005)
by RiceBoy (http://www.pbase.com/iamivan/image/50019923)


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All States To Use e-Tanah Land Administrative System By 2008
Updated : 17-11-2005
Media : Bernama


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 17 (Bernama) -- All states will use fully the "e-tanah" system for land application matters by 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He said the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has been selected to launch the system soon as a pilot project in handling several land matters.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of the National Land Council here today, he said the "e-tanah" project was being speeded up with the appointment of I-Launch Sdn Bhd as the system provider and developer.

Najib said the scope of "e-tanah" covered 24 primary land administrative matters, which include disposal of land given title and temporary occupation licence, registration of ownership, application for sub-division, redelineation of boundary and merger of land, application for approval of mortgage transfer and quit rent.

He said some states have introduced their own system to speed up land administration.

"The Natural Resource and Environment Ministry will streamline all these systems with the cooperation of the respective state governments in order to upgrade the administration of land through usage of information communication technology," he added.

On the special task force formed in March 2004 in the federal Land and Mines Department to help clear the backlog in land matters, he said much progress had been achieved.

He said Penang, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory have achieved a 100 per cent success rate in the issuance of land titles while three states exceeded 50 per cent success rate.

They are Johor (69.75 per cent), Pahang (61.29 per cent) and Negeri Sembilan (50.8 per cent).

"In registering and issuance of strata titles, the overall success rate is 76.73 per cent while it is 28.83 success rate for conversion of temporary titles to permanent titles, that is 779,872 cases out of the total 2,705,074 cases pending," he said.

Sabah Aims For Developed State Status By 2015
Updated : 16-11-2005
Media : Bernama


KOTA KINABALU, Nov 16 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Government has set 2015 as the year to attain developed state status by focusing on the agriculture, tourism and manufacturing sectors in spurring its economic development.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said: "Some states have targeted 2010; we are taking our own time.

"Our proposals and plans that we are implementing will bear fruit and be effective in bringing development to Sabah as a whole. So, these will take quite a long time," he told a press conference after chairing the state Cabinet meeting here Wednesday.

He said that so far efforts to develop the state through the tourism sector had shown results as the number of foreign and domestic tourists had increased to the extent that the state was now facing a shortage of hotel rooms.

When asked on the state government's 2006 budget that will be unveiled next month, Musa said that though it would be a deficit budget, the state government could afford to allocate funds requested for development projects.

He said that besides the budget, the State Legislative Assembly that would sit from Dec 2 to 10 would also see the tabling of several other bills.

Among them were amendments to the Housing Development (Control and Licensing) Enactment aimed at ensuring effective control of all development and timely completion of the projects, he said.

When asked on the rioting of illegal immigrants at the Menggatal Detention Depot Tuesday, Musa said the incident was not that serious and that it was triggered by dissatisfaction among the detainees who had been held there for much too long.

He urged the Immigration Department to deport them quickly to avert another incident.

MAS joins resort in promoting Mulu
Friday November 18, 2005


Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Royal Mulu Resort (http://www.royalmuluresort.com/html/index/index.htm) have joined forces to promote Mulu as a popular tourist destination under a special package.

The three-day-two-night package priced at RM650 onwards includes accommodation, air fares, airport transfers, tours of the world-famous Mulu caves and meals.

The agreement was signed by MAS Sarawak sales manager Victor Lim and Royal Mulu Resort general manager Alan Robinson in Kuching recently.

Lim said that Mulu was chosen because it was a World Heritage Site with spectacular caves and unique wildlife and was an ideal destination to promote tourism in Sarawak.





http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/11/18/southneast/p2lim.jpg

SPECIAL PACKAGE: Lim (left) exchanging documents
with Robinson for the agreement in Kuching recently.




He added that MAS was always looking at ways to promote local tourist destinations through special packages.

“We want to package local destinations at affordable prices to help boost domestic tourism,” he said.

Robinson described Mulu as one of the jewels of the world.

“Mulu is more than just a travel destination. It is a paradise,” he said.

The package is sold in Sarawak only and reservations should be made seven days in advance.

Royal Mulu Resort
From borneoexperience infomation

http://www.borneoexperience.info/images/sarawa6.jpg

Yup.....those are Malaysian too and apart from the SUKOM, PUTRAJAYA and TIARA that Baq, Hyper and yourself mentioned, there are many others too ;)


Some notable commemorative number plates are:

Note: **** are the numbers ;)



- X OIC **** = 10th OIC Conference

- XIII NAM **** = 13th NAM Summit

- PERODUA **** = Perodua - Malaysia's Second National Car Project .....can only be displayed on a Perodua vehicle

- PROTON **** = Proton - Malaysia's First National Car Project .....can only be displayed on a Proton vehicle

- PUTRA **** = Proton Putra - Proton's first (and only) Coupe ......can only be displayed on a Proton Putra

- TIARA **** = Proton Tiara - Proton's first 'small car'......can only be displayed on a Proton Putra

- BAMbee **** = I have no idea what this is but it could be regularly seen on the road :?



Did I missed out any? :D







-

About the BAMbee is stand for Badminton Association Malaysia and the bee is the mascot of the Thomas cup held in KL previously. I think is year 2000... am I right?

Germans to invest RM300m more in Penang: Koh
Updated : 19-11-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : SHARANJIT SINGH


GERMAN multinationals are expected to pump about RM300 million into Penang, by topping up on their existing investments and also setting up new manufacturing plants on the island.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said the investment was expected to flow into Penang over the next two years.

He said it would come from five firms already operating in the state and at least two more that would start operations soon.

He said this clearly reflected the continued confidence shown by German companies in choosing Penang as their operations base.

Speaking to reporters after returning from a five-day investment promotion trip to Germany, Koh said he met the chief executives and top management of companies that had their plants in Penang.

¡§All of them clearly expressed their commitment to remain in Penang and to increase their investment.

¡§These companies are involved mainly in the manufacturing of medical equipment and there is good potential for growth of such industry in Penang,¡¨ he said.

There are about 40 companies involved in the manufacture of medical equipment in Penang and its surrounding areas, including Sungai Petani and Kulim.

Koh said it was a growing industry and the Penang State Government would give it the necessary backing to expand further.

The Chief Minister, who expressed satisfaction that his trip had been a success, said he visited five towns and met the top management of 10 companies while in Germany.

He said at least two of the companies would be opening their manufacturing plants in Penang within the next few months.

¡§I cannot provide more details about these companies as we are still finalising them.

¡§However, they (the companies) will make the announcement soon,¡¨ he said, adding the companies were also involved in the manufacturing of medical equipment.

nazrey, are u work in government?

NO! I am not...

obsession makes me do crazy things :)

Abramovich to visit Langkawi
Monday November 21, 2005
BY ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD


PETALING JAYA: Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich will be flying in minus his band of rich and world famous footballers.

And budding local footballers thinking of making it big in the English Premier League, where Chelsea has a comfortable lead at the top, are also in for a disappointment.

The Russian billionaire's visit is not to scout for fresh talent in Malaysia.

The 37-year-old, who is one of the world's wealthiest figures, has accepted a personal invitation from Tourism Minis ter Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad to visit Langkawi to explore the possibility of making the island a base for his seafaring activities.



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Abramovich: May also invest in the island.



Dr Toyad extended the invitation to Abramovich during his meeting with the latter at Chelsea's football ground, Stamford Bridge, after watching the “Blues” thrash Newcastle 3-0 on Saturday.

“It is likely that he will be visiting Malaysia, especially to explore the yachting facilities in Langkawi,'' Dr Toyad said in a statement.

The reclusive Abramovich, who was the man behind British football's biggest takeover when he purchased Chelsea at £140mil (RM906mil) on July 1 2003, has splashed over £200mil (RM1.29bil) since on transfer fees for new players.

This led to Chelsea winning its first league title in 50 years last year.

Dr Toyad is well aware of the “spin-off” effects of an Abramovich involvement in Malaysia's tourism hotspot.





http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2005/11/21/nation/n_01toyad.jpg

Tourism Minister Datuk Dr Leo Michael Toyad (right) receiving a jersey
bearing the name of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the
number 1 from Chelsea FC chief executive officer Peter Kenyon when he
visited the club at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Dr Toyad also met Chelsea
FC owner Roman Abramovich after watching the English Premier League
match between Chelsea and Newcastle. He invited Abramovich to Malaysia to
explore the possibility of making Langkawi a base for his seafaring activities.





“Besides making Langkawi a base for his yachting activities, he could also invest in the facilities available in the island,'' he added.

Seafaring aside, things are already brewing between Malaysia and Chelsea FC. Earlier this year, Tourism Malaysia signed a RM7mil one-year sponsorship deal with the football club, which enables it to prominently display rotational advertising signboards at Stamford Bridge during the current league season.

Dr Toyad said the sponsorship was aimed at attracting more British tourists to Malaysia.

“By last September, tourists arrivals from the UK increased by 22%. And if Abramovich does come, it would be a further testimony of Tourism Malaysia's bold sponsorship move at the club,'' he added.

Dr Toyad said he also discussed with Chelsea FC chief executive officer Peter Kenyon on ways to further promote tourism in Malaysia.

Kenyon later presented Dr Toyad with a Chelsea FC jersey for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi with the name “Abdullah” and No. 1 emblazoned on the back.

Panel formed to draft Pahang cyber-industry masterplan
Tuesday November 22, 2005
BY ROSLINA MOHAMAD


THE Pahang government has set up a working committee to draft a masterplan and make recommendations on areas which can be developed as cyber centres and a cyber city.

State Publicity, Information, Communication and Technology Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin said the committee members comprised representatives of related government agencies, the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC) and the Multimedia Super Corridor management.

“The committee will see to it that the state’s cyber industry progresses smoothly.

“They will also make recommendations on suitable locations for cyber technology, and the state will make its decision based on their findings,” he said in Kuantan on Friday.

He added that the state preferred one of its subsidiaries to develop the cyber industry project.

“We will give priority to Pahang residents to take part in the industry,” he said, adding that the state strongly believed in giving equal chances to locals to move ahead.

Mohd Sharkar said that efforts were being made to invite local companies with expertise in ICT to join the state in developing the cyber industry.

He said, as of October this year, a total of 235 people including 115 village safety committee members had undergone courses in ICT to ensure those in rural areas were not left behind in information technology.

“There are 75 villages involved in the ICT programme and 75 computers have been installed in libraries, government clinics and information centres,” he said.

Mohd Sharkar also said that 489 primary schools and 169 secondary schools were involved in Internet-related programmes as part of efforts to make the national IT agenda a success.

Canopy walkway for bird lovers
Tuesday November 22, 2005
By TUNKU SHAHARIAH


The Kedah State Tourism Action Council plans to promote the Sungai Sedim (http://www.asiaexplorers.com/sgsedim/rafting.shtml) Treetop Walk at Sedim Recreation Park as a premier bird-watching destination for bird and nature lovers.

Located in the Gunung Inas rainforest reserve, Kulim, the 950m-long canopy walkway, the longest in the world, rests on galvanized iron bridges 26m above the forest floor.

Council development and planning manager Rosli Abu Bakar said future plans along the walkway would include a nocturnal safari and bird and insect feeding points.

He said some 160 species of birds could be found in the forest and when opened to the public by the first quarter of next year, the walkway would be comparable to other world-famous bird-watching destinations.

He said the council planned to organise bird-watching activities from 7am to 11am and 4pm to 6pm.

Tour guide and bird expert M. Xaviour said although the canopy walk was not ready, it had the potential to become a main tourism draw.

“I was simply astounded when I took my first walk here last month. Apart from being safe and handicapped-friendly, the tree-top walk provides bird-watchers with a good vantage view of the birds in their natural environment.

“This canopy walk is comparable to the canopy walk called Valley of The Giant in Perth, Australia, which is about 400m shorter,” he added after leading seven Japanese bird-watchers on the walk yesterday.

Among the birds spotted were the Blue-Winged Leaf Bird, Tailorbird, White Headed Yuhinia, Blacked-Winged Fly Catcher Shrike and Serpent Eagle.

Group leader Sasaki Yutaka from Hokaido Island said he was impressed with the bird-watching experience at Sedim.

Kedah

http://www.malaysia.com/images/malaysia/maps/large_kedah.gif

Canopy walkway for bird lovers
Tuesday November 22, 2005
By TUNKU SHAHARIAH


The Kedah State Tourism Action Council plans to promote the Sungai Sedim (http://www.asiaexplorers.com/sgsedim/rafting.shtml) Treetop Walk at Sedim Recreation Park as a premier bird-watching destination for bird and nature lovers.

Located in the Gunung Inas rainforest reserve, Kulim, the 950m-long canopy walkway, the longest in the world, rests on galvanized iron bridges 26m above the forest floor.

Council development and planning manager Rosli Abu Bakar said future plans along the walkway would include a nocturnal safari and bird and insect feeding points.

He said some 160 species of birds could be found in the forest and when opened to the public by the first quarter of next year, the walkway would be comparable to other world-famous bird-watching destinations.

He said the council planned to organise bird-watching activities from 7am to 11am and 4pm to 6pm.

Tour guide and bird expert M. Xaviour said although the canopy walk was not ready, it had the potential to become a main tourism draw.

“I was simply astounded when I took my first walk here last month. Apart from being safe and handicapped-friendly, the tree-top walk provides bird-watchers with a good vantage view of the birds in their natural environment.

“This canopy walk is comparable to the canopy walk called Valley of The Giant in Perth, Australia, which is about 400m shorter,” he added after leading seven Japanese bird-watchers on the walk yesterday.

Among the birds spotted were the Blue-Winged Leaf Bird, Tailorbird, White Headed Yuhinia, Blacked-Winged Fly Catcher Shrike and Serpent Eagle.

Group leader Sasaki Yutaka from Hokaido Island said he was impressed with the bird-watching experience at Sedim.
haha....it seem that kedah will be able to achieve her vision, KEDAH MAJU 2010...haha....Kedah is going beyond expectations....Fly high, Kedah

A hot spot to let off steam
Thursday November 24, 2005
By CHRISTINA KOH


MOHD Awaludin Ghazali works as a gardener and massage therapist at the Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park near Sungkai, Perak.

In between helping to maintain the landscape plants decorating the park, the 33-year-old man offers visitors hour-long massages in the traditional Malay style.

“I develop techniques based on ps-ychology and from what I learnt from my father and grandfather who are from Sumatra,” he said.

Mohd Awaludin, nicknamed Ijam by his friends, is one of two massage therapists at the park popular with tourists from Korea, Sri Lanka, the United States and Japan.




http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/11/24/north/ipcpanas%201.jpg

A woman wading in the main pool of the Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park near
Sungkai, Perak, which has become a hot destination almost overnight for
both local and foreign visitors.




The service is one of the attractions at the 6.6ha park located about 3km from the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) Sungai Klah village.

Nestled in the forested foothills of the Titiwangsa Range, the hot springs are becoming increasingly renowned as both a family holiday spot and a therapeutic retreat for health buffs.

Its attractions include a 1m-deep main pool, three smaller soaking pools and a fountain for newcomers to wash their hands in the warm wa-ter.

Families can also rent any of the six enclosed Jacuzzi spas for at least RM25 an hour and opt for a traditional massage by the poolside.

Since Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched the RM6mil park in May, scores of locals have flocked to the hot springs, especially during wee-kends and public holidays.

According to park deputy manager Hamidi Mamat, the springs have been ar ound for a long time and villagers and orang asli would come by to bathe in the waters.

Felda then decided to deve-lop the site into a tourist attraction and opened it about two years ago as a soothing getaway from the bustle of city life, he said.

Since then, the park has seen over 300,000 visitors, with about 2,800 people on weekends.

For those who want to avoid the crowds, visiting the hot springs during the weekdays is your best bet.

From the park entrance, a 202m boardwalk leads visitors through lush greenery along with an interesting view of the natural springs emitting steaming hot clouds.

The park is disabled-friendly as visitors in wheelchairs can access the hot springs through a 220m walkway.

There is a man-made waterfall and the area is beautifully landscaped with herbal and medicinal plants such as tong-kat ali, jerangau, mata pelanduk and pegaga.

Visitors can view labelled plants such as Japanese bamboo, spider lily, petai, ferns like pakis and sarang burung, and even a merbau tree.

While outside food is disallowed, visitors can drop by the food court for snacks. The fancifully named dessert of ‘ABC Su-per Klah’ has corn, lychee, cocktail, fruits, cincau jelly, nutmeg and nuts.

For RM1, visitors can also buy three eggs from the food court to dip in the nearby ‘egg pool’. Its waters can go up to a boiling 100 degrees Celcius, and an egg can be boiled in just seven minutes.

The three soaking pools, lo-cated next to the reflexology path, are a big hit with families with its carefully regulated temperature ranging from 38 to 43 degrees Celcius.

For non-swimmers, there are benches and grassy picnic spots for them to sit and soak in the tranquillity.

Hamidi pointed out that the park was a popular stopover for tour groups making their way home after visiting Came-ron Highlands or Genting High-lands.

Hot spring water, he said, has proven to have therapeutic and healing effects for rheumatism, arthritis, insomnia, backbone complaints, dermatological disorders and fractures.

Recently, Felda announced plans to invest RM10.5mil more to turn the park into a health and spa resort of international standard.

Among the facilities in the works is a cold-water swimming pool that will begin construction in December.

While the park allows people to camp out on the premises for a small fee, Felda plans to build a dormitory large enough to house 50 people and 10 cha-lets.

Said Hamidi: “The chalets will each have two bedrooms and should be completed around June 2006.”

The entrance fee is RM3 for adults and RM1.50 for children aged six to 12 during weekdays. On weekends and public holidays, the fees are RM5 and RM3 respectively.

Admission is free for children younger than six years old.

The park is open from 7am to 10pm.

For more information on the Sungai Klah Hot Springs Park, located about 16.5km from the Sungkai toll plaza, contact 05-4388687.

Perak

http://infobanjir.water.gov.my/perak.jpg

Good promotion needed for Kedah’s tourism products
Thursday November 24, 2005


Kedah has a diverse potpourri of tourism products that should be marketed and promoted well to attract the right niche market.

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board director for Kedah/Perlis Ammar Abd Ghapar said the state had many tourist attractions to draw key tourism markets from all over the world.

He said among the attractions were Gunung Jerai in Gurun which was ideal for trekkers and nature lovers, Sedim Recreation Park in Kulim for extreme sports enthusiasts and Langkawi for shoppers and beach lovers.

He said historical artefacts in Bujang Valley in Kuala Muda had been a haunt of archaeology and history enthusiasts and the Ulu Legong hot water springs in Baling, known for curative minerals and properties, had been attracting people from all over the country.

“Apart from that, we have Pulau Payar with its marine resources to attract those interested in scuba diving, corals and marine biology,” he said in an interview recently.

“However, what is sadly lacking is flight access into Kedah. Unlike Penang, we have very, very limited flights to Alor Star, which can be a stumbling block for tourists who are always having tight schedules and can’t spend much time travelling by road,” he added.

Ammar, who assumed his current post in Kedah after a long stint with Tourism Malaysia in Japan, had vast experience in the promotion and marketing of tourism products.

He said the board would work closely with tour operators for feedback on the demands of their respective clientele and markets including Taiwan, China, the Middle East, Japan and Europe.

Boom time for Tanjung Malim
Thursday November 24, 2005


MORE jobs, better roads and more revenue for the authorities are among some of the benefits Tanjung Malim and surrounding areas are deriving from the automotive industry.

The set-up of Proton City there has seen an influx of people and mushrooming of rela-ted industries.

One obvious advantage is the higher revenue for the Tanjung Malim Municipal Council.

According to the council, a major portion of its revenue comes from the Proton manufacturing plant and Proton City which pay RM5mil in assessment annually.

The council anticipates its annual revenue will reach RM12mil when Proton’s 13 vendor factories are operatio-nal.

Tanjung Malim resident Chew Poh Thoi said the go-vernment had upgraded many roads near Proton City.

“We now have nicer roads especially the double-carriage road leading to Behrang Sta-tion,” said Chew, who is also Pe-rak MCA Wanita chief.

She said eateries had also be-nefited with the patronage of more customers.

Kong Wai Chan, 72, of Res-taurant Yik Mun which sells the famous Tanjung Malim pau, said more new customers were now patronising the restaurant.

“We see new faces every now and then,” said the worker.

The property sector is ano-ther area which has seen a boom. Residents are reaping higher rental for their premises.

Proton plant worker Mohd Yusri Mohd Yunus, 35, said the property prices within Proton City had increased tremendously.

“An apartment used to cost RM250,000 when I first moved here from Shah Alam last Feb-ruary. The same apartment can now fetch RM350,000,” he said when met outside the factory in Behrang Hulu about 7km from Tanjung Malim recently.

Development has also trickled to nearby areas like Beh-rang and Sungkai.

A good example is the Beh-rang 2020 township.

In existence since the 1990s, the township was virtually un-inhabited until Proton City was set up.

Grocer C. Jayanthi, 35, said many Proton plant workers rented houses at Behrang 2020 as rental and real estate prices in Tanjung Malim were high.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Gha-zali had recently said that many related industries could be set up Tanjung Malim and Tapah.

He said he had received a proposal to set up a motorcycle spare parts factory near Tan-jung Malim.

In terms of infrastructure, Tajol Rosli said the state would develop a dedicated railway and a dedicated road from Prot-on City to Port Klang if the plant could produce 250,000 cars.

He said the North-South Ex-pressway from Ipoh to Rawang would be extended to three lanes.

The Proton plant within Pro-ton City, which started ope-rations last year, was open- ed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in February.

The RM1.8bil plant, which produces Gen.2 cars, is five times the size of Proton’s facility in Shah Alam.

Proton City (http://www.proton-city.com/), spread over 1,600ha, will become a modern integrated township worth over RM12bil upon completion by the year 2015.

Perak

http://www.malaysia.com/images/malaysia/maps/large_perak.gif

Is everyone knows why can find the Malaysia emblem and state's emblem, especially Labuan, KL and Putrajaya crest?

Thanks ya

Proton City Development seeks land for new project
Updated : 29-11-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : ANNA MARIA SAMSUDIN


PROTON City (http://www.iproperty.com.my/coverstory/protoncity/coverpage.htm) Development Corp Sdn Bhd (PCDC) is planning a new integrated property development project outside the Tanjung Malim area, which will be modelled after Proton City.

Chief executive officer Datuk Zahri Abdul Ghani said the company is looking for suitable land for the project, which would most likely be in the Klang Valley.

He is optimistic that the new project would be well received by house buyers, based on the favourable response to properties offered in Proton City.

'However, this idea is still at a preliminary stage. We will make a further announcement on this in due time,” he told reporters after the launch of the Cadence Waterfront bungalow units and Avenca semi-detached villas in Tanjung Malim, Perak, on Sunday.

PCDC, a joint venture between DRBHICOM Bhd and Proton Holdings Bhd, is the developer of the RM10.7 billion Proton City project. It will be among the most modern, sophisticated and pragmatic townships upon completion in 2020.

Covering some 1,600ha, the township is divided into six zones — residential, commercial, Proton factory, industrial area for Proton vendors, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris campus and public amenities such as infrastructure, recreational parks and schools.

DRB-HICOM managing director Tan Sri Mohd Saleh Sulong said DRB and Proton have principally agreed on the idea to venture into a new property project.

He said that such a move is crucial to ensure that PCDC will continue to grow.

”Nevertheless, we are still unable to announce when we would like to embark on this new project. As for the location, this will depend on market demand,” he added.

Is everyone knows why can find the Malaysia emblem and state's emblem, especially Labuan, KL and Putrajaya crest?

Thanks ya


Here's the Malaysian coat-of-arms:


http://www.gov.my/NR/rdonlyres/183FA8FB-1894-4B1B-BB3F-D659B703507C/615/MalaysiaEmblem.jpg

http://www.gov.my/MYGOV/BI/Directory/Government/AboutMsianGov/MsianFlagAndCrest/


I dunno where to get the state emblems anymore as I couldn't find it anywhere. Our Ministry of Information website used to feature em :(

Here's the Malaysian coat-of-arms:


http://www.gov.my/NR/rdonlyres/183FA8FB-1894-4B1B-BB3F-D659B703507C/615/MalaysiaEmblem.jpg

http://www.gov.my/MYGOV/BI/Directory/Government/AboutMsianGov/MsianFlagAndCrest/


I dunno where to get the state emblems anymore as I couldn't find it anywhere. Our Ministry of Information website used to feature em :(
hehe..thanks, but how about other states?

by Eu Jin Song

http://www.pbase.com/ejsong/image/43744845.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/ejsong/image/43744851.jpg

Carnival time at Semenggoh
Friday December 2, 2005
BY SHARON LING
PHOTOS BY RAPAEE KAWI



The Semenggoh Nature Reserve, on the outskirts of Kuching, recently threw open its doors to the public for its annual park carnival.

Now in its second year, the Semenggoh Carnival is aimed at promoting awareness of the importance of conservation among the public, especially children.





http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/12/2/southneast/ms_pg06centre.jpg

WARM WELCOME: Visitors entering the wildlife centre.






At the same time, it is an opportunity for the reserve, which houses a wildlife centre, a botanical research centre and a tropical-tree seed bank, to showcase its conservation and research activities.

The reserve managed by Sarawak Forestry is home to 40 species of wildlife including its star attraction, orang utans.

According to Wilfred Landong, Sarawak Forestry’s protected areas and biodiversity conservation general manager, the wildlife centre cares for 22 orang utans, including two babies born a few months ago.

“The centre was established in 1972 for the care and rehabilitation of confiscated or surrendered animals. The animals are trained to live in the wild again,” he said during the carnival’s opening ceremony.

Other protected wildlife in the reserve include the Bornean gibbon, sun bear, wild cat, bear cat, python, argus pheasant, hornbills, storks and eagles.

Landong added that the reserve had more to offer visitors than just animals.

“The lowland dipterocarp rainforest here, although small in size, has over 250 tree species and over 200 species of other plants.”

Sarawak Land Development Minister Datuk Dr James Masing, who opened the carnival, reminded visitors that the wildlife centre was not a zoo but a rehabilitation centre.

“The animals are not on display. Once they are fit and able to cope on their own, they will be released into the wild,” he said.






http://thestar.com.my/archives/2005/12/2/southneast/ms_pg06masing.jpg

JUNGLE WALK: Dr Masing (second from left) posing with his children
at the start of Masing Trail.





He later launched a 900m trail in the reserve named “Masing Trail” in his honour.

Dr Masing and Landong then gave away ornamental plants, seedlings and posters to visitors.

One of the carnival's highlights was the feeding of orang utans, an event that takes place twice daily.

Visitors followed Sarawak Forestry rangers along a trail to a clearing where they laid out food for the orang utans.

However, only one orang utan came swinging down from the trees to collect its meal.

The rest perhaps felt shy because of the many people.

Another highlight was a demonstration on how to catch and restrain crocodiles.

The crowd watched in awe as American wildlife expert Robert Adams and Sarawak Forestry staff manhandled a crocodile and restrained it to measure its size and weight.

Other carnival activities included talks on wildlife, orang utans and conservation by Sarawak Forestry experts, jungle trekking and a lucky draw.

Seremban2, Negeri Sembilan
Official site (http://www.s2.com.my/English/CBD/CBD_overview.asp)

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1301/413532za.jpg

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3017/453658672zz.jpg

by KenChoo (http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=47832&papass=&sort=2)

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6020img_0238.jpg

Seremban
by KenChoo

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6020img_0018.jpg

http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/6020img_0011.jpg

Tanjong Jara Resort is Independent's 'Hotel Of The Week'
Kuala Lumpur, 1 December 2005


http://www.ytlcommunity.com/common/showimage.asp?imgid=48247


The Independent on Sunday, a weekly newspaper in Britain, has featured YTL's Tanjong Jara Resort (http://www.infoscreen.com.my/video/TJRTVC2.mpg) as its 'Hotel of the Week'.

Tanjong Jara Resort (http://www.tanjongjararesort.com), with its Unmistakably Malay charm, has enticed travellers from all over the world since its inception in 1979. The Malay architectural marvel is a feast for the eyes as it unfolds the mystique of the Resort. The Resort is also a much sought-after spa destination, with its award-winning Tanjong Club Spa providing authentic traditional Malay treatments that are not found anywhere else. With a unique lifestyle concept of Sucimurni, which promotes wholesome living by emphasising the purity of spirit, health and well-being, it is no wonder why Tanjong Jara Resort has consistently been the traveller’s top choice when it comes to deciding on a holiday or spa destination.


http://www.ytlcommunity.com/common/showimage.asp?imgid=48246


Commenting on the accolade garnered, Resort Manager, Mr. Adrian Chung said: “Having been named “Hotel of the Week” by a well-established newspaper such as The Independent on Sunday is an honour, without doubt. Tanjong Jara Resort has always strived hard to be the ultimate holiday destination for the discerning traveller to Malaysia. The Resort’s ingredients to its success lies in its employees’ continuous hard work to provide world-class service and its award-winning product which includes the Tanjong Club Spa which has won rave reviews worldwide.

The categories the Resort was assessed by were comfort, which includes rooms, facilities, beach and the spa, dining experience, the people and the locality.

Is Seremban 2 going to develope as Negri's new capital???

^^ Nolah......it is just gonna compliment Seremban just like a satellite township ;)

Petronas finds gas offshore Sarawak
06 Dec 2005 4:00 PM


http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/storage/images/com.tms.cms.image.Image_ff152a8e-cb73c03a-df4bfc00-42c7b183/1/Kanowit%20gas%20field%20location%20map_inside.jpg


Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has discovered gas at its Kanowit-1 exploration well in Block SK306, about 180km northwest of Bintulu, Sarawak, in a water depth of 80 metres.

In a statement on Dec 6, Petronas said the well was spudded on Oct 25, 2005 and reached a final depth of 2,029 metres below sea level.

It said the Kanowit-1 well, drilled by semi-submersible rig Naga-1, encountered a very significant gas accumulation in a Miocene limestone reservoir.

Petronas conducted two production tests, which resulted in a cumulative flow rate of 72 million standard cubic feet per of gas per day and 3,400 barrels of condensate per day, with 5% to 10% carbon dioxide.

Petronas said it believed the pinnacle reef had potential for development. Other gas fields in the vicinity of the Kanowit discovery are Kumang, F28 and the gas-producing F6.

Kedah

http://www.malaysia.com/images/malaysia/maps/large_kedah.gif

Largest chip maker to invest RM870mil in Kulim
Friday December 9, 2005



PETALING JAYA: Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, will invest US$230mil (RM870mil) in a new plant in Kulim (http://www.khtp.com.my/), creating 2,000 jobs.

The investment is one of the largest by a foreign firm in Malaysia in recent years and is a clear expression of Intel's confidence in the country.

Intel currently has five facilities in Malaysia, employing 10,000 people, which is about 10% of its global workforce.

Announcing the new investment, Intel chairman Datuk Craig Barrett said Malaysia had become increasingly integral to Intel.

”Utilising the country’s technically skilled workforce allows Intel to best serve our customers worldwide,” he said.

The new investment, which is for an assembly and test site and a design and development centre, will be spread over a couple of years.

The new plant will start operations in 2007.

Intel also has a board and design centre in Kulim, which is responsible for the design and development of the largest number of Intel motherboards worldwide.

Intel has invested US$3bil (RM11.3bil) here since starting operations 33 years ago.

Five Intel sites in the country manufacture the latest products and serve as pilot sites for some of the company’s products.

These facilities support almost a full range of Intel products.

The new facility in Kulim will include the creation of the Platform Compatibility and Ecosystem Validation Lab, which will focus on supporting digital home and digital office platforms and channel platform business.

“This expansion reflects Intel’s long-term commitment in supporting Malaysia’s economic development through technology,” said Intel Malaysia assembly and test managing director K.C. Yoon.

He said the investment in new facilities had strategic value to Intel not only from a business perspective, but also in the people it hired.

“Already, several employees from Malaysia have contributed to our organisation in management roles around the world,” he said.

Barrett said Intel was looking to growing the engineering and development side of the business in Malaysia instead of testing and assembly.

Asia is now the biggest market for Intel and the fastest growing among regions that make a sizeable contribution to the electronic giant.

“We have a big presence in China, India and Malaysia. Asia is our largest and fastest growing market and it is important from a sales and marketing and resource standpoint,” he said.

The company announced earlier this week a planned investment of US$1bil (RM3.77bil) in India, which will feature a US$250mil (RM942mil) venture capital fund.

Barrett, who leaves for Sri Lanka after visiting Malaysia, had earlier in the week opened the company’s fourth assembly and test plant in China.

Barrett said that for South- East Asia to become an even more attractive investment destination, governments would have to continue upgrading educational programmes and improve on communications and IT infrastructure.

Bridge to Seberang Takir being planned
Friday December 9, 2005


Plans are underway to build a bridge across Sungai Terengganu to link Taman Shahbandar in Kuala Terengganu to Seberang Takir under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

State Infrastructure Development, Public Amenities and Communications Committee chairman Wan Hisham Wan Salleh said it could be a draw bridge which could be opened and closed to accommodate sea traffic.

“The bridge can be opened to allow big boats and ships to pass when necessary,” he said in an interview.

He said the construction of the bridge was included in the five-year Terengganu Development Plan.

“We are studying the matter and a decision will be made soon,” Wan Hisham said.

He said a permanent bridge would obstruct the passage of big vessels.

The state, he said, had plans to turn Pulau Duyong near the river estuary into an international yachting centre.

Wan Hashim was commenting on calls for the construction of the bridge by Bukit Tunggal assemblyman Mohd Nasir Ibrahim and Tepoh assemblyman Muhammad Ramli Nuh during the debate on the Supply Enactment Bill at the state assembly on Wednesday.

Mohd Nasir said the additional bridge would ease traffic congestion on Sultan Mahmud bridge.

He called for the construction of another bridge across Sungai Terengganu linking Losong to Pulau Kati.

http://www.abcmalaysia.com/maps/images/terengganu_map2.jpg

Kuala Terengganu

http://www.rsfc.com.my/Photos/locations51.jpg

Deficit budget for Perlis
Friday December 9, 2005


THE Perlis State Government has tabled a deficit budget for next year with spending projected to surpass revenue by RM43.68mil.

The state expects to get RM65.38mil in revenue against a management expenditure of RM109.061mil.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Sha-hidan Kassim said the state was focusing on further development in the agriculture, industrial and services sectors.

He said the state would also provide friendly service to investors and tourists and promote a better quality of life for residents.

In the agriculture sector, the state will work to increase production at the 23,000ha of padi land. The average production now is 4.2 tonnes per hectare, Shahaidan said.

The state hopes to become a research centre for agriculture with the aim of producing quality seedlings and livestock, he added.

“The state hopes to set up two new industrial areas in Pauh and Padang Besar to help spur its economic growth.

“We also hope to develop a centre for production and distribution of halal products which will be known as the Perlis Halal Hub.

“We will also develop new tourist destinations,” he added.

To reduce poverty, Shahidan said the state government would encourage the poor to participate in cottage industries.

Perlis had spent RM287.25mil under the Eighth Malaysian Plan although its federal allocation was only RM230mil, he said.

Taiping’s hill of the tulips
Friday December 9, 2005
Story by RASLAN BAHAROM


BUKIT LARUT, formerly known as Maxwell Hill (http://www.worldisround.com/articles/166959), in Taiping (http://www.asiaexplorers.com/maxwellhill/index.shtml) may not be as attractive as the Cameron Highlands of Pahang or Fraser’s Hill in Selangor. But it is the only place in the country where tulips have been successfully grown and harvested.

Come next year, some 30,000 tulip bulbs are scheduled to bloom, followed by another batch before May.

“There is more reason to visit Bukit Larut now,” said Noor Faridatul Hanisah, 28. She was enjoying the view from the newly refurbished Cendana Hut, whose grounds have been used for a tulip growing project by a locally based company.

The tulip-growing site, about 1,128m above sea level, overlooks a panoramic view of Taiping town, the Kuala Sepetang coastline and the Straits of Malacca.

To go up the hill, a visitor has to take a jeep – a service provided from the foot of the hill daily from 8.30am to 5pm.

Other than Cen-dana Hut, accommodation faci-lities are also available at the Gu- nung Hijau rest house (1,113m above sea level), the Bukit La- rut rest house (1,034m), Bun-galow Beringin (1,036m), Bun-galow Tem-pinis (1,143m), Rumah Ang-kasa (1,036m), and Sri Kayan-gan (1,250m) which is re-served for VIPs.

Historically, the hill was founded in 1884 and named after George Maxwell, a British Resident of Perak. Before the jeeps came into service after World War II, going up the hill was either by hiking, ponyback or sedan chair rides.

The Tea Garden was a former government tea plantation’s ex- perimental area where the Assam hybrid tea was grown in 1892. The tea plants were later introduced as the main crop in Came-ron Highlands.

In fact some of the tea plants can be seen growing wildly in the jungle terrains around the Tea Garden.

The day temperature in Bu-kit Larut is be-tween 15 de-grees Celcius and 25 degrees Celcius. On certain nights, the temperature may fall below 10 degrees Celcius and the best season for visiting is between February and June when there is little rain.

According to a record kept by the district office, French beans, carrots, beetroot, lettuce, cabbage and leeks were successfully cultivated on the hill.

The Superintendent of Govern-ment Plantations had reported that revenue derived from the sale of vegetables, flowers, milk and butter produced on the hill station amounted to $2,087.20 cents for the year 1905.

For jeep service and accom- modation, call the Bukit Larut administrative office 05-8077241 (office hours). The management of Cendana Hut also organises jun- gle trekking, bird watching and camping, and can be reached at 05-8066789/8410563, or fax 05-8075188 or e-mail : kamatravel@yahoo.com.

to the ppl who is from labuan or sabah or who else, do u know what is Labuan's logo?

Master Development Plan for Shah Alam outskirts
Tuesday December 13, 2005
By ELAN PERUMAL


THE Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) is drafting a Master Development Plan for traditional villages and Malay reserve land in Paya Jaras and Sungai Buloh to achieve balanced and systematic development in the outskirts.

Seven villages, Kampung Kubu Gajah, Kampung Mer-bau, Kampung Paya Jaras Hilir, Kampung Paya Jaras Hulu, Kampung Paya Jaras Tengah, Kampung Paya Jaras Dalam and Kampung Sungai Plong, are in the proposed draft plan.

Shah Alam mayor Ramli Mahmud said the plan had been carefully prepared un-der the Town and Rural Planning Act 1972 to ensure these villages benefited from the massive development encroaching into their areas.

Covering more than 1,425ha, the villages were facing the threat of indiscriminate development tak-ing shape around them, he said.

“Rapid development is taking shape in the northern and southern parts of the villages and therefore the draft plan is vital,” he said in his speech at a dialogue session held to hear the views of the villagers.

He added that the villages were in the outskirts of Shah Alam and within a two-kilometre radius of Sungai Buloh.

Under the proposed plan mapped out for the next 15 years, Ramli said, the villages would be provided with systematic, balanced and comprehensive development.

He said the villages would have their own identities, with emphasis on low-density development.

“The draft plan ensures that proper roads are provided alongside good landscape, with various facilities such as schools and community halls.

“Due consideration has also been given o the environment, recreational facilities, commercial and indust-ries,” he added.

Ramli said the villagers would be given a month to state their views on the plan before it was passed by MBSA.

While expressing his satisfaction over the result of the dialogue more than 300 people participated, he urged the residents to voice their grievances to the city council within the stipulated period.

“I hope there will be no complaints after the draft is passed,” he added.

Sabah Set To Become World's Premier Biodiesel Centre
Updated : 14-12-2005
Media : Bernama



KOTA KINABALU, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- Sabah, the biggest palm oil producing state in Malaysia, is set to become the world's premier bio-diesel producing area with a 300,000 tonnes-per-year plant to be set up at the state's palm oil industrial cluster in Lahad Datu.

The designed output would make the plant the biggest of its kind in the world. A UK-based plant of 200,000-tonne capacity is reputed to be the biggest in operation currently. A 100,000-tonne plant is being developed in Darwin, Australia.

Three palm diesel plants, each with capacity of 60,000 metric tonnes per year, have been also planned for Peninsular Malaysia, a recent statement released by KKIP Bhd under the State Industrial Development Ministry, said.

The palm oil-based bio-diesel plant in Lahad Datu will be a joint-venture between state-owned POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, Sabah-based Suria Sama Resources Sdn Bhd and South Korea's Eco Solutions Co. Ltd.

KKIP said a joint-venture framework agreement was signed between the three parties at the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities in Putrajaya Monday and was witnessed by its Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui and the South Korean Minister of Commerce, Industries and Energy, Lee Hee Bong.

Sabah State Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Ewon Ebin, who is also the chairman of POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd, was also present at the event.

When in full capacity, the JV is expected to involve some US$50 million (about RM180 million) in investment.

It is envisaged that the plant will have an initial capacity of 150,000 tonnes when it goes into production in September 2007. Full capacity is expected to be achieved in December 2008. Most of the production is also expected to be exported to Korea.

The proposed name of the joint venture company to be incorporated in Malaysia will be Palm Oil Biodiesel International Sdn Bhd. The Company will have a five-member Board, chaired by a POIC Sabah nominee.

Because of the size of the proposed biodiesel plant, Ewon said it was expected to have a huge impact on the growth and direction of oil palm plantation development and palm oil downstream industries in Sabah and neighbouring Sarawak. He said the bio-diesel plant will not only act as an anchor industry for the development of the Lahad Datu POIC, but also consolidate investors' confidence and create spin-off industries such as those producing phytonutrients such as vitamin E, sterols, lecithin and co-enzyme Q.

POIC Sabah is wholly owned by the Sabah state government and its main mission is to develop palm oil industrial clusters in Sabah to encourage downstream processing of palm oil.

Perak Gets Its First Biomass Industry Project Worth RM260 Mln
Updated : 14-12-2005
Media : Bernama



IPOH, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- A public listed company is expected to invest about RM260 million in what would be Perak's first biomass project that would see the production of oil palm based biomass.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali, who declined to reveal the name of the company, said that the state government was prepared to offer incentives to the company which expected to produce paper from the pulp and trunks of oil palm as well as biofuel from crude palm oil.

"The state government has agreed to sell land owned by the State Agriculture Development Corporation (SADC) to the company at quite a high price as the company wanted the area to be close to a palm oil mill," he told reporters after chairing the state Exco meeting, here Wednesday.

The SADC's pieces of land to be sold include an area measuring 19.2 hectares and another land measuring eight hectares in Lekir, Sitiawan.

"The state government is not looking so much at the returns from the project but its cooperation is geared more towards the gains to be derived from the development of agriculture in the state using biotechnology," he said.

The company is expected to start building its plant mid next month if the Environment Impact Assessment Report from the Department of Environment comes through soon, he said.

Tajol Rosli said the products from the plant, which expected to employ about 400 people, would be exported to Europe and other developed countries.

He said that the company had also selected Perak for its investment as the state had among the highest number of palm oil mills in the country.

Strong property market in Sarawak
Thursday December 15, 2005
BY JACK WONG


SARAWAK property market remains buoyant with strong demand for residential houses priced below RM180,000 each, said state Housing Minister Datuk Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said such houses were selling well in Kuching-Samarahan areas and in Sibu (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=188074&page=1), Miri (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=184040&page=1) and Bintulu (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=200366).

However, he said the sales for high-end detached and semi-detached houses costing over RM360,000 was slowing down.

Johari said the ministry expected the state’s residential property as a whole to achieve a modest growth next year.

“The Sarawak Housing Developers’ Association has projected that the prices of houses in the state will increase by between 10% and 15% next year,” he said in Kuching recently.

He said higher basic building materials and labour costs would partly contribute to the increasing house prices.

Based on the feedback from private developers, he said about half of the 1,160 high-end residential houses, which were proposed to be built statewide last year had been completed by September this year.

“Up to October this year, 2,300 units of private sector-built affordable houses are available for sale,” added Johari.

He said that in an attempt to stabilise the prices of residential houses, particularly in Petra Jaya, Kuching (seat of the state administration), the Sarawak Housing Development Corporation’s subsidiary company, Daya Perumahan Sdn Bhd, would build semi-detached houses there.

Each unit, which will have contemporary design and other attractive features, will cost less than RM320,000.

Pahang cybercentre to take shape soon
Source : The Star Online
Date Posted : 9/12/2005


Work on Pahang's Cybercentre, part of the east coast Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), will start next year.

State Publicity, Information, Communications Technology Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin said the exco would discuss the blueprint of the project soon.

“The Cybercentre will cover 14ha in Kuantan and be equipped with modern infrastructure in line with the state government’s efforts to develop Pahang as the east coast’s MSC.

“It is going to be the signature (project) of Kuantan,” he told reporters after launching the State Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) e-agency portal yesterday.

In September, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had said that Pahang, together with Perak and Malacca, would have MSC cybercities by next year.

Earlier, Mohd Sharkar lauded SEDC's effort to introduce the portal, aimed at improving work efficiency and staff performance.

“The staff must include technology in their work culture and do away with the old system,” he said.

SEDC chief executive officer Datuk Lias Mohd Noor said the SEDC should be seen as one of the major players to stimulate the state's economic growth, especially in the ICT industry.

Johor to kickstart MSC project soon
By Ravi Nambiar

http://www.mdc.com.my/today/html/img/2005-johormsc.jpg

Johor’s first multimedia super corridor project will kick off with the opening of the State’s first cyber centre here early next year. Sixteen local and foreign companies will initially move in and start operations at the centre, which will be located at Menara Sarawak in Stulang Laut.

The 30-storey office tower will eventually be renamed Menara MSC Cyberport in line with the State Government’s plan to position Johor as one of the top MSC sites in the country.

Besides Cyberjaya in Putrajaya, only Penang and Kulim, Kedah have established cybercities under the national roll-out of the MSC programme by the Multimedia Development Corporation.

Johor will be the third to follow suit, but unlike elsewhere in the country where the Government is behind the effort, the project will be public-private sector driven.

"The programme will be spearheaded by MSC Cyberport Sdn Bhd, in which the Johor Government will hold 30 per cent equity," said Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

Under the Cyberport project, which will take off before March next year, some RM24 million in direct investments is expected from the participating firms.

These companies will offer services such as software development, call centre operations, one-stop logistic outsourcing, bio-informatics and bio-technology development and Internet content creation and distribution.

"We are targeting some 200 companies to invest some RM400 million in Johor Cyberport by 2008," said Ghani, adding that the plan was to attract leading IT-based companies from Singapore and the region.

"Because of our strategic location, efficient infrastructure and cost-effectiveness, it makes economic sense for them to move the back-end of their operations to Johor".

The State Government will set up a fully web-based one-stop centre to serve all requirements of companies located at Johor Cyberport. It plans to market it as the most cost-effective and efficient "Gateway to Asia".

MNCs and outsourcing companies will be invited to become stakeholders in the project, which will be aggressively promoted at international exhibitions, conferences and road shows.

Companies will be accorded full privileges and incentives as stipulated in the Bill of Guarantees, if approved for MSC Status by the MDC and if their projects are located in Johor Cyberport and Cybercity.

This includes full foreign ownership, unrestricted employment of knowledge workers and corporate tax relief for up to 10 years.

The MSC Cybercity, in Kulai is to be developed at a cost of RM500 million in phases over five years. It will be designed to become an established hub for MSC activities with full residential, logistics and research facilities to attract new k-economy based companies.

The location is designed to become the catalyst for the building of new information technology-based industries and will target global IT-based companies.

Cameron valley, Perak

http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/5033/453542rv.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4448/cameron2jpg1116kf.jpg

Cactus Valley is one of the biggest and most popular tourist destination located at the cool mountains of Brinchang, Cameron Highlands.

Cactus Valley boast of having one of the most variety of cactus plants, some as old as 60 years. Hydroponics mehod of cultivating crops such as tomatoes, strawberry and others are being practiced.

Cactus Valley also have the most comprehensive variety of plants and foliage including roses, calla lily impatiens, fuchsia, ananas/vriesea, camellia, hibiscus, rhododendron, bird of paradise, glory bush, clivia miniata, peaches, hippeastrum, geranium, coleus, gerbera, oncidium and many other. 8 varieties of apple trees, passion fruit plants are also cultivated in Cactus Valley. Cactus, fresh strawberry, potted plants, souvenir items and dried flowers are available for sale at Cactus Valley. Your visit to Cactus Valley will be one of the most wonderful experience in your life.

by tefal (December 2005)

http://static.flickr.com/43/77918921_0e8b030d68_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/36/77921347_fb335d8fb4_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/38/77922325_98b20111df_o.jpg

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^^ that building must be Star Regency. stayed there before:D

looks like there's lots of development going on there :ohno:

Wow..Cameron is sweet;).hope to visit there again next year:D:DWish i have time:D:D

I-City Selangor – the making of an icon
Updated : 24-10-2005
Media : The Star



Excerpts from an interview with I-Bhd's CEO Eu Hong Chew and American architect Jon A. Jerde on the I-City Selangor.

STARBIZ: What is I-Bhd's vision for I-City Selangor?

Eu Hong Chew: There are two aspects to our vision. From the property development perspective, the vision for I-City is an urban centre where the infrastructure and services are information and communications technology (ICT)-based.

It is also a place with a high concentration of knowledge-based workers. From the corporate perspective, I-City is a means for us to extend our ICT business, as well as to diversify into property services.

StarBiz: What is its expected contribution to group earnings and revenue over the next few years?

Eu: We will be reporting revenue and earnings for two sectors – ICT and property. For the ICT sector, contribution will come from the current digital convergent product business, as well as the new system integration (SI) business. While I-City will provide SI work during the duration of the project, we intend to take this time to market this service to other townships.

For the property sector, we differentiate between contribution from property and facilities management and those from rental and property development. We expect the revenue and earnings from the current digital convergent product business to continue to grow. At the same time, the new business areas will enable group revenue and earnings to grow very significantly higher than what they are today.

StarBiz: In terms of architecture plans, will it become another landmark in the Klang Valley?

Eu: We want I-City to be an icon. At this stage, it is still early to say what the icon will be, but we are confident that with Jerde's involvement, it will be different from what we have in Malaysia today.

We don't think it is a question of surpassing other landmarks in the country, but it's more about I-City being another milestone in Malaysia's journey to becoming a developed nation.

StarBiz: Is I-Bhd looking to replicate the project in other parts of the country or the region if the project proved to be a success?

Eu: It is still early to talk about developing similar projects elsewhere. However, we plan to offer our system integration and property services to other developers and municipalities, and in this sense, we are assisting other urban centres to be more intelligent.

StarBiz: What do you hope to achieve or showcase in I-City Selangor in terms of design architecture and industry benchmark?

Jon Jerde: With I-City, we hope to redefine the Malaysian concept of a town centre. Our objective is to create a community centre with a full mix of uses that will create 24-hour activity within I-City.

StarBiz: With Malaysia's humid weather, what would be some of the salient features of your design plans and use of materials for I-City?

Jerde: As in all of our projects, we would combine water, generous landscape elements, and architectural structures that provide shade, such as canopies, in an experiential environment that blends indoor and outdoor settings.

StarBiz: I understand that you have been offered other jobs in Malaysia, but chose the offer from I-Bhd. What are your reasons for accepting this job over the rest?

Jerde: Our firm is being sought after by many clients, so we assess each prospective client to make sure they have a vision that will result in the best collaboration. We felt I-Bhd would be a forward-thinking client that would embrace the idea of doing something different in Malaysia, and we have had a great working relationship with I-City.

StarBiz: What are the challenges that you expect to face while working on the project?

Jerde: We expect the new concept for this type of development in Malaysia to be met with scepticism from conventional real estate market consultants.

However, we have confronted this challenge in other parts of the world. We have found that the scepticism fades away once the project is built, and the real estate consultants can see how the community embraces it, and once they can measure its strong results.

StarBiz: Do you look forward to undertake more jobs in Malaysia and what type of projects would they be?

Jerde: Right now, we are focusing on the I-City opportunity, which we feel represents a move in Malaysia away from suburban development into a more urban type of development.

StarBiz: What are the major highlights in your career?

Jerde: There have been many high points – from working with great clients and other partners to receiving countless awards. But, for me, what I remember most are the comments, unsolicited I may add, that I get from people who love my projects. This is what truly inspires me to keep doing what I do.

posted by fairul

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I-City Declared A Tourist Destination



KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 (Bernama) -- The information communications technology based I-City township, to be developed by I-Berhad in Shah Alam, Selangor has been declared a tourist destination in Malaysia through the joint efforts taken by the company and the Ministry of Tourism.

Director of I-Bhd, Mat Hassan Esa, said that as part of the joint efforts, the company would be participating in overseas missions to be organised by the Ministry to promote Malaysia outside the country.

"Our target is to attract the high-end market from the west and through this cooperation, we hope that I-City would become an attraction for foreign tourists to come to the country," he told reporters during a ceremony held here, Friday for the declaration of tourist status for the ICT township.

At the function, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also presented the certificate of acknowledgment to Mat Hassan.

The RM1.5 billion I-City, expected to be developed under three phases, is expected to attract 12 million visitors annually.

The entire development of I-City meanwhile, which covers 29 hectares of land, is expected to take 10 years and have the capacity to attract 30 million tourists annually.

Featuring among others, three blocks of condominiums, office blocks and a shopping centre, the township would be built under supervision by famous American architect, Jon Jerde.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid said the I-City was expected to help bring in more western tourists into the country. Currently tourists from Asian countries make up 65 percent of foreign tourists coming into the country.

I-City to leverage on strong Shah Alam growth
Updated : 31-12-2005
Media : The Star
Story By : THEAN LEE CHENG


FOR several years, properties in Klang have been on a growth path. Be it commercial or residential, prices have increased steadily, its margin depending on location.

A real estate agent from Reapfield, C.K. Phua says the most popular area at the moment is Bandar Bukit Tinggi.

“A lot of the bustle and popularity in Klang today is due to the growth of the retail scene. The opening of Jaya Jusco, Giant and Tesco outlets in Klang has played a big part in promoting growth here. They have attracted people to make their homes here because housing prices are affordable compared with other satellite towns,” he says.

'The port and its related activities are also a good draw. At the same time, the vibrancy has encouraged many to remain.”

It is against this backdrop – a ready and growing population – that I-Bhd is building their maiden property project in Shah Alam, which is roughly equidistant from Klang and Petaling Jaya.

The 72-acre integrated development will be unlike the run-of-the-mill mix of residential, retail and commercial that developers are known to build. To be called I-City, its twin pillars will be a robust blend of technology and retail. Its main residential component is a serviced apartment. There will also be a hotel.

'There are enough residential areas around us,” says I-Bhd executive director Monica Ong.

Although I-Bhd started off as a home appliances manufacturer, it adopted a new vision in 1999 to serve the home of the future – the smart home. The new millennium saw it diversifying into digital convergence products such as computers, digital cameras, projectors, home theatre systems and MP3 players.

What is I-City made of?

By making property development as a core business, I-Bhd will be able to leverage on this sector to showcase its ICT capabilities.

Located within Section 7, Shah Alam, and Bukit Rajah Industrial Park, the 72-acre development will have the latest in technology and software. It will have a commercial centre, a convention centre, a smart school, serviced apartments and a technology centre.

The township is expected to keep I-Bhd busy for a decade and would have a gross development value of RM1.5bil. Phase one, to be launched at the end of the first quarter of next year, will have an innovation centre (a sort of incubator hub), a retail centre and shop-offices. It will take three years to complete.

The first phase is expected to generate revenue of RM500mil and a profit of RM164mil. Says Ong: “Not everything is for sale. We will keep some for investment.”

Blending all this will be a pedestrian mall called CityWalk.

I-Bhd has hired American architect Jon Jerde for the job. His portfolio includes Mall of America in Minnesota, and Tokyo's Roponggi Hills.

Will it work?

Retail consultant Tan Hai Hsin from Henry Butcher says Shah Alam has a population of 470,000.

'The average population growth rate is 4%, while the average household size is 4.5 persons per household. Based on the growth rate of 4% per annum, the population of Shah Alam is expected to grow to 590,000 by 2010,” says Tan.

“Within 15-minute driving distance, there is a residential population base of 250,000. Several new townships, housing middle-income earners, are under construction. There will be a total of 130,000 residents living in the new growth areas when completed, based on the total housing units that will be completed within three to five years.”

Tan says that within 30-minute driving distance, the population in Shah Alam and Klang numbers 900,000. Subang Jaya and Damansara areas will be its secondary catchment.

There is no large shopping centre with a strong anchor tenant in Shah Alam. The most popular shopping hang-out is the Bukit Raja shopping centre in Klang, with Jaya Jusco as its anchor tenant.

Ong says I-City will be able to draw some of that crowd.

But visitors aside, in terms of commercial and retail space, shopping centres in Shah Alam and Klang have an average occupancy rates of 95%. This means there is a good demand for retail space, says Tan.

An executive with one of Klang's top three developers, who declined to be named, says prices of its shop offices in Bandar Bukit Tinggi have been healthy despite the country's overall soft market.

Says the marketing manager: 'Our latest phase of three-storey shop offices were launched three years ago at RM580,000. Today, they are going for RM1.2mil.

'We are surprised. Klang has long been perceived to be quiet and with few activities. But of late, it has been as vibrant as SS2 in Petaling Jaya.”

The question is: Will the sort of high-tech city envisaged by I-Bhd be as popular?

Govt to help private sector develop tourism projects
Updated : 31-12-2005
Media : Business Times
Story By : RUPINDER SINGH

http://www.i-digital.com.my/images_features/i-city-big.jpg


THE Government will partner the private sector to develop outstanding landmarks and facilities for tourists as the country seeks to halt the recent fall in visitor arrivals.

Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Zahid Hamidi said such joint ventures will go hand in hand with the government's efforts to promote Malaysia as a second home for tourists.

'The Government is happy to work with the private sector to develop such tourism-related facilities and promote them in our Visit Malaysia tourism programmes,” he said.

The Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign will begin today. Malaysia is expecting 20 million visitors by the end of the campaign.

The ministry will work towards attracting long-haul tourists, namely from beyond the Association of South-East Asian Nations region as well as those in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) industry, Zahid said.

Zahid was speaking to the press after the ministry endorsed I-Bhd's RM1.5 billion information and communications technology (ICT) township development as a tourist destination for Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

He added that I-City is an example of a private sector development of outstanding landmarks and facilities to woo tourists.

'I am confident that with I-Bhd's innovative approach I-City will put Malaysia on the world map and will be a destination for local and foreign tourists,” he said.

I-City's first phase includes a RM40 million pedestrian walkway named CityWalk, which will be the first of its kind in the region to utilise a multimedia programmable “sound and light” display.

'We expect to attract 12 million visitors annually to CityWalk when it is completed by end of 2007,” said I-Bhd's director Mat Hassan Esa.

I-Bhd expects the project to help power the group's earnings and future growth through its role as an ICT provider as well as a property developer.

The group recently said that I-City is expected to contribute significantly to the company's revenue, generating a profit of RM450 million over its 10-year development period.

About I-City

I-City's fabric, clearly, lies in the game plan to create a buzz that goes on 24
hours a day, seven days a week. For this to happen, the project will offer
components comprising:

http://www.i-digital.com.my/images_press/press20051129-1.jpg

I-City (artist's impression) is an integrated development that will
encompass state-of-the-art information and communications technology

A cyberport, which will act as an IT backbone for I-City;
A one-million sq ft lifestyle commercial town centre;
A residential community;
A four-acre smart school;
A 300-room hotel;
An office park; and
A shop-office district.

Location

As in any real estate-linked proposition, location is king, be it a residential, retail, entertainment or commercial development. The I-City site sits along Federal Highway Route II, fronting the Sungai Rasau toll plaza. This renders the development highly accessible and visible, two very pertinent considerations when investing in real estate either directly or indirectly.

The site sits in a mature area within Shah Alam's Section 7, tucked between the UiTM's main campus and the Bukit Rajah industrial park. Broadly, it is sandwiched by Klang and Shah Alam with the attraction that it is less than a 40-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur .

Needless to say, the freehold tenure of the site will go down well with the market. The I-City site is the same one that is supposed to have housed the mega Sumur City , promoted a decade ago as the world's first covered city.

This had grand components, including a multimillion sq ft entertainment-based retail mall, complemented by an exciting array of residential and commercial offerings to draw people to live, work, shop and play there.

The land belongs to Sumurwang group, which is controlled by Datuk Lim Kim Hong. The group, in turn, controls I-Bhd with a 48.57% stake.

As fate would have it, the 1997/98 financial crisis dealt the unborn Sumur City a deathblow, as it did many other projects in the country at the time.

Under a strategic alliance with Sumurwang, announced on Sept 13, I-Bhd has been appointed developer and manager as well as the ICT solutions provider for I-City. I-Bhd also has the option to develop some of the components of the project.

Jerde remembers Sumur City all too well — he had a hand in it, and it is one of the many plans he has shelved. "Now the project has come to life; it would have fallen apart [during the financial crisis]; what goes around comes around," he joked in a telephone interview with City & Country. "Patience is the word. Don't feel bad if you have to put it off..."

How different is Sumur City from I-City? With the benefit of hindsight, Jerde recalls the former to have been "very naïve". He explains: "It had no idea how magical it [the project] could be. Now, it is more elegant, full of ideas..."

I-Bhd's chief executive officer Eu Hong Chew says Sumur City was planned as a high-tech development. However, the focus was on the environment and energy efficiency — the covered city concept. "Today, we are still talking of a high-tech development but it is more related to a technology we know."

Jerde's designs
The Edge Daily
Date: October 18, 2005
Section : City & Country

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In Hong Kong , he recently completed the Arcade@Cyberport, an ICT-based
residential, office and retail development. Here, Jerde walks through some of
his designs that have relevance to I-City.


I-City, the information and communications technology (ICT)- based urban township, which is coming up in Shah Alam and has an estimated gross development value of RM1.5 billion, has been touted to become Selangor's ICT hub.

The person handpicked by I-Bhd to design the 72-acre freehold hub, Jon Jerde, is no stranger to high-profile and mega-development projects. In the last 37 years, he has come up with iconic designs worldwide.

In the US, the list includes Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles (it was redefined as an intricate weave of uses and services); the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas, Nevada (now a dynamic destination for a new form of urban theatre); and the iconic 4.2 million sq ft Mall of America in Minnesota (the largest mall in the US and one of the most vibrant shopping complexes in the world with 520 shops, theme parks and a university).

Also significant is Jerde's experience in Asia where in Japan , he has been responsible for architectural landmarks such as Canal City Hakata in Fukuoka and the well-known Roppongi Hills in Tokyo .

I-Berhad’s 72-Acre ICT-Based Township In Shah Alam To Be Named I-City Selangor


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From left: I-Bhd director - Mat Hassan Esa and Datuk Ch'ng Toh Eng


SHAH ALAM, OCT 3, 2005 - The Selangor State Government and public-listed company I-Berhad today jointly announced that the 72-acre ICT-based urban township project being developed by I-Berhad in Section 7 Shah Alam will be called I-City Selangor.

This 21 st century ICT-based urban township will be the State's new landmark, incorporating the latest state-of-the-art information and communications technology and software solutions and systems that is being developed by I-Berhad in conjunction with leading ICT companies of the world.

The World Comes Alive At I-City

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I-City Logo


KUALA LUMPUR , MONDAY, NOV 28, 2005 - Every dynamic, vibrant city in the world needs a theme that can characterise it, and it's no different with I-City. The 72-acre freehold development in Shah Alam by I-Berhad called I-City is being programmed to be the place ‘where the world comes alive'.

“The concept we are planning will make I-City the gateway to all the exciting events taking place on the world's stage,” said En Mat Hassan Esa, Director of

I-Berhad, at the I-City logo launch officiated by YB Dato Mustapa Mohamed, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department this afternoon.

“The theme is also in line with I-Berhad's aim of making the development the premier ICT hub of Selangor, an international tourist destination and also an edutainment venue for the whole family,” he added.

Adopting the theme “Where the world comes alive” as its tagline, Mat Hassan explained that significant events happening in and around the world, such as festivities, celebrations or commemorations could be simultaneously organised at I-City. The activities would be supported by professional events management teams as well as by sophisticated amenities and ICT applications.

“We are able to realise this as we can programme it into our development right from the beginning. It will make I-City a major attraction, both day and night, 24/7,” he added.

Although the RM1.5 billion development that will feature over a million square feet of retail space, a hypermarket, corporate offices, an innovation centre, intelligent school, hotels, serviced apartments, a exhibition centre and shop-offices will take eight to 10 years to complete, the promise of being a place “Where the world comes alive” will become reality within two years.

Vibrance of CityWalk

The first phase of I-City, to be launched by the end of Q1 2006, comprises three components namely,

- The Innovation Centre;
- Retail Centre; and
- Shop-Offices.

The focal point of the shop-office development will be a pedestrian walkway called CityWalk that will form the backbone of the precinct.

“To be completed by the end of 2007, CityWalk will be the main stage for visitors to experience the events that will take place,” said Mat Hassan.

“Imagine strolling through an event such as Mardi Gras at CityWalk, supported by retail merchandising, F&B, entertainment and cultural performance here. The events will change accordingly to generate excitement and repeat visits.”

On its physical appearance, he pointed out that CityWalk will be:

- A 1,000ft long by 80ft wide open concept pedestrian walkway;
- On either side of the walkway will be 40 units of shop-offices, for a total of 80 units;
- While the shop-offices along the walkway will have unique architectural design and elements, the main attraction of CityWalk will be the sound and light display.

“The sound and light display, costing RM40 million will be multimedia-based, supported by sophisticated ICT hardware and software technology. It will make CityWalk a very vibrant and happening place to truly reflect its theme,” he explained.

“With it, we have set a target to attract 12 million visitors a year to the CityWalk component alone when it is ready (independent of the completion of other phases in the development).

Of the 12 million visitors, we expect 85% to be locals and 15% tourists (50:50 domestic and overseas tourists).

“When the entire 72-acre development is fully completed, we hope to attract 30 million visitors per year”, Mat Hassan said.

Smart by design

On the Innovation Center where I-Berhad will be nurturing the incubatees by providing space and other ICT support amenities, Mat Hassan said it is expected to be ready by 2008.

While waiting for the MSC status and the construction to be completed, I-Berhad's incubation programme can nevertheless start much earlier as the initial group of incubatees can be inducted and temporarily housed in the shop-office precinct.

“The focus of the programme will be on incubatees who can provide smart ICT solutions for I-City, such as on lightning technology, security management and multimedia”, Mat Hassan said.

Making progress as planned
Saturday January 7, 2006
What? How Shah Alam has progressed over the years.
Where? Shah Alam, especially Section 14.
When? As it is today.


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The Shah Alam City Council building is one of many landmarks in the city.


KOMPLEKS PKNS, Plaza Perangsang, Alam Sentral, Wisma MBSA, SACC these are among the names that make up the landmarks in Section 14, Shah Alam.

Located just a stone's throw away from the State Secretariat Building (SUK), the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque and state police headquarters, Section 14 is a popular place, even after dusk.

When Shah Alam came to be about three decades ago, its developer, the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) had made Section 14 the capital city's main business centre. The other popular place is Section 12.

Section 14 has gone through numerous changes over the years.

“Not too long ago, Kompleks PKNS was the only landmark in Shah Alam,'' said Norian Adnan, who operates a hair salon in Kompleks PKNS.

“Most of the people simply go straight home after office hours,'' she said, adding that the area was rather quiet when she first set up her salon in the building 20 years ago.

The only access road to the city, she said, was through Federal Highway, which connected Shah Alam to Klang and Kuala Lumpur.

“The rest of Shah Alam was still a jungle,'' said Shaiful Anuar Mohd Taib, a retiree and resident of Section 2 that borders Section 14

“People just didn't buy houses in Shah Alam then,'' he said.

The scenario has changed.

With more high-rise buildings came more people and businesses.

Eateries open late into the night and some go on for 24 hours a day.

Housing estates have mushroomed in surrounding sections such as 6, 7, 9 and 11. And so did institutes of higher learning and colleges such as Universiti Teknology Mara (UiTM).

The students are the reason why Shah Alam is booming even further.

Though there are no cinemas or karaoke lounges in the city centre, the youngsters find other means of entertainment.






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A couple of men taking a break during lunch time at the Shah Alam Walk.







For instance, on weekends, they gather at Dataran Shah Alam to show off what latest gadgets and sound systems they have in their cars.

“I don’t have a car, but I like to watch those who have bring theirs to show to others,'' said college student Ahmad Fareez Ismail.

“They spent so much on their cars that sometimes the accessories cost more than the vehicle itself.''

Ahmad Fareez said sometimes he and his college mates would gather at the square for cultural shows and concerts by local artistes.

“We go to Klang or Subang Jaya when we want to see a movie,'' he said.

Unlike other earlier towns in Selangor, Shah Alam is a planned city. Development is carried out in stages and is kept according to the original blueprint.

There are no cluster of buildings concentrated in just one part of the city, nor are the traffic congestions during peak hours bad like in other roads in Selangor.

“It is a homely city,'' said Necia Abdullah who works in the city centre.

“It's a nice place to raise a family,'' she said, adding that she hoped that Shah Alam would remain the way it was and not go the way many townships and cities had in recent times.

Developed in the early 1970s, Section 2 and Section 1 (the latter where UiTM is located) are inseparable with Section 14. The three sections complement each other and has helped spur Shah Alam's progress.

It is no wonder then that shopping malls have become common sights in the capital city. Among them are the PKNS complex, Alam Sentral and SACC.

City centre:

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Shah Alam Mosque:

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Bukit Ceraka Agriculture Park:

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was there a development of big bungalows near bukit cerakah called puncak alam or something like that....

Bukit Cerakah.....my last visit was about 14 years ago. Quite a long time

Shah Alam "feels" like Ipoh with some highrises :D

Shah Alam "feels" like Ipoh with some highrises :D
Haha... you are right... But Shah Alam one is new highrises, Ipoh one is old highrises. Most of the highrises in Ipoh already more than 20 years...

Rep’s focus on improving life for villagers
Monday January 9, 2006
By OTHMAN YAHAYA


BANDAR Baharu folk in Kedah are happy with various projects implemented in the district since Datuk Azimi Daim was elected as their assemblyman in March last year.

Kampung Kuala Dingin Village Development and Security Com-mittee (JKKK) chief Mohd Noor Darus, 42, said one of the projects was the upgrading of irrigation and drainage systems in several villages in the district.

“This project is of utmost importance because most of the villagers are padi farmers who depend on water for cultivation,” he said.

He said Bandar Baharu, being an agro-based area, relied on good and efficient water supply.

Mohd Noor also said local folk were always plagued by flash floods whenever rain falls continuously for a few days.

He said Azimi, who is state Education and ICT Committee chairman, had also created an opportunity for locals to pursue higher education with the set- ting up of Bandar Darulaman Community College in Bandar Baharu.

“He has given local youth who are unable to enter local public universities the chance to pursue higher education without having to travel far,” he added.

Kampung Setol JKKK chief Saidin Hasssan, 60, said he was proud of Azimi’s achievements in such a short span of time since he became Bandar Baharu assemblyman.

“He is a caring person who places great importance on education and bettering the village community,” Saidin said.

Villager Ahmad Fuad Zainal Abidin, 46, said Azimi frequently made rounds in the constituency to meet the people.

“He is very easygoing and not too fussy about protocol. We don’t have a problem calling him direct on his handphone whenever we have a problem. If he is not overseas, he’ll be right over,” he added.

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Selangor targets RM7b investments in 2006
By Tamimi Omar, 09 Jan 2006 7:02 PM


Selangor aims to attract about RM7 billion in investments this year from the RM6.50 billion in 2005 following the state government's implementation of an improved delivery service.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said Selangor continues to be the destination for global and local investments which had increased from RM5.01 billion in 2003 to RM6.03 billion in 2004 and RM6.50 billion last year.

Selangor attracted RM6.50 billion in investments last year, an increase of RM500 million from the earlier projected RM6.0 billion as the state government implemented measures to cut red tape, he said after officiating the Haco Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd plant in Shah Alam on Jan 9.

Dr Khir said under the measures, government departments had to decide on any applications within two weeks or sooner.

He added that the state government had also set up the Selangor State Investment Centre (SSIC), a one-stop agency, to facilitate investments and re-investments.

Kota Permai is top
Wednesday January 11, 2006


KOTA PERMAI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (KPGCC) bagged the top award in the seventh edition of the Golf Malaysia magazine readers poll on golf courses.

A total of 2,546 voters took part in the 2005/2006 poll conducted between April and November last year.

KPGCC (http://www.kotapermai.com.my/fnb.htm) garnered 70% of the votes to finish ahead of runner-up Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort (http://www.cwsgolf.com.my/n_anna.htm) (Perak) and third-placed Impian Golf & Country Club (http://www.cwsgolf.com.my/) (Selangor) in the “Malaysia Top 20 Golf Courses” category.

KPGCC president Datuk Ahmad Khairummuzammil Mohd Yusoff, who received the award from Golf Malaysia publisher Juliana Cheah, praised the club's management for administrating the course well.

“I felt that the course has been over-utilised,” Ahmad joked as he referred to the club's third place finish in the “Best Maintained Golf Course” category.

In addition, KPGCC also emerged first in the “Most Memorable Golf Course” category. KPGCC's second hole of the 18-hole Par-72 Ross Watson designed course bagged the “Most Scenic Hole” category.

“It was a great honour for Kota Permai to be voted as the number one course again. We are pleased that hole two has remained as the most popular hole among golfers,” said KPGCC general manager Ding Meng Siang.

Last year, KPGCC hosted the Volvo Masters and World Cup qualifier.

In the “East Malaysia Top 10 Golf Courses” category, Damai Golf & Country Club was voted first followed by Sutera Harbour Marina Golf & Country Resort and Shan Shui Golf & Country Resort.

Kelab Golf Perkhimatan Awam (KGPA) won the “Most Difficult Golf Course” category. KGPA's Hill course sixth hole and Lake course 12th hole ended first and third respectively in the “Most Difficult Golf Hole” category.

Tan Muen from Sungai Buloh, who was the grand prize winner for the poll, received a Ben Hogan golf set.

“With more and more golf courses nominated for the poll, it was a challenging task tabulating the votes.

The survey was a true reflection about what readers felt about the courses,” Cheah added.

Sarawak to record DNA of 5,000 plants
Saturday January 21, 2006
By STEPHEN THEN

MIRI: Sarawak is to start DNA profiling of some 5,000 jungle plants that could be used to develop new drugs or medicines.

These plant species were collected from jungle areas with the help of Bidayuh and Penans from the interior lowlands and Kelabits and Lun Bawangs from the Bario Highlands, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam.

“Sarawak Biodiversity Centre has identified and taken samples from more than 5,000 plants and herbs. Some of the plants are unique to Sarawak.

“They are used traditionally by ethnic groups to deal with ailments and illnesses in rural areas.

“We (the state) want to analyse all the plants and see if we can develop new drugs or medicines from them,” said Dr Chan, who is also State Agriculture and Modernisation Minister and State Industrial Development Minister in an interview.

The centre would soon start DNA analysis on the specimens at its molecular and chemistry laboratories in Kuching (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6917753#post6917753), he added.

“However, for more specific and in-depth scientific analysis, we may have to send the DNA results to more established research centres and universities, either in other parts of Malaysia or overseas,” he said.

Dr Chan said that Sarawak did not have local scientists experienced in higher and more advanced levels of medicine.

The state is collaborating with several renowned foreign scientists to help develop a local pool of expertise as it has great potential in coming up with new medicines and drugs, he added.

Perak On Track For Zero Poverty By 2010

IPOH, Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Perak expects to wipe up hardcore poverty in the next four years when an oil palm plantation developed under its poverty eradication programme starts generating revenue.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the 800ha plantation operated by the State Agricultural Development Corporation (SADC), was expected to start harvesting fruits in 2009.

"The plantation is expected to yield an income of about RM3.84 million annually to the state government and the money will be used to support 1,192 hardcore poor families in the state," he told reporters after chairing the state executive council's weekly meeting, here Wednesday.

He said that presently, 6,130 families in the state were under the hardcore poverty line and the number would be reduced to 1,192 by the end of the year as several other oil palm plantations under the programme had started to yield income.

"We have two more projects handled by Felcra and the Orang Asli Affairs Department. Perak doesn't give land to the hardcore poor but provide them with RM250 cash aid per family under the programme that was introduced in 1994," he said.

Tajol Rosli said the financial assistance would be stopped when the recipients had come out of the abject poverty category.

He said the latest plantation was acquired by the state government at RM8 million and if the number of hardcore poverty families did not increase markedly in the next three years, revenue from the plantation would be sufficient for Perak to achieve zero poverty by 2010.

According to the second term report of the Eight Malaysia Plan, Perak ranked second after Kelantan in terms of the number of hardcore poor families with 7,372 in 2004. Kelantan had 12,145 hardcore poor families while Pahang, with 7,345, was third.

Tajol Rosli attributed the figure to the high number of Orang Asli in the state. It had since been reduced to 6,130 last year, he said.

Of the 6,130 hardcore poor, 4,026 were Orang Asli families, he added.

The total number of Orang Asli families statewide is 9,642.

-- BERNAMA

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Gunung Kinabalu

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Gunung Kinabalu golf course

What the heck is that?? :eek2:

What the heck is that?? :eek2:

just a cloud... :) :)

Dell to expand Penang facilities
By Regina William, 26 Jan 2006 6:05 PM
Source : News (http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_60c72c20-cb73c03a-b113c700-2260b82d)


With its global notebook business growing annually by 30% to 40%, Dell has acquired a 4ha site adjoining its existing 3.64ha site in Bayan Lepas, Penang to facilitate its expansion to meet increasing demands.

Dell president and CEO Kevin B Rollins said Dell plans to add equipment and people in Penang, where 95% of its notebooks are produced. It currently employs 4,000 employees in Penang.

Although he did not specify the amount Dell had invested on its two facilities in Penang over the past 11 years, Rollins indicated it was slightly less than the RM380 million (US$100 million) that Dell had spent on a facility in the US.

Dell's exports from Penang at RM28 billion represents 30% of the total electronic products out of Malaysia last year.

Rollins was speaking at a press conference after the launch of its Enterprise Command Centre (ECC) in Penang by chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon yesterday.




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Also present were Dell Asia Pacific/Japan president Steve Felice and Asia/Pacific managing director Simon Wong.

Rollins described the ECC in Penang as a critical facility as it would serve its businesses relying on Dell server and storage products in Australia, New Zealand and South Asia.

Like other similar ECCs in the US, China, Ireland and Japan, the Penang ECC, which is the third in Asia Pacific/Japan, tracks and helps respond and resolve critical server and storage issues for the region's corporate and institutional customers.

The ECC incorporates industry-leading technologies to provide real time tracking of calls, technicians and parts.

It facilitates redeployment of technicians and routing of parts to customers' sites by monitoring complex, external factors like weather and traffic patterns that may cause delays.

"We are committed to Malaysia and Penang and we will continue to grow here.

"The Malaysian ECC reinforces our exceptional enterprise service delivery in the region by constantly enhancing our already significant service capability," Rollins said.

Asked what his comments were about, and his advice to, Penang, Rollins commended Malaysian leaders whom he described as forward thinking and urged them to continue "what they are doing now".

He said with emerging large economies like China and India, Malaysia and Penang should move forward and not to be afraid to "break glass".

Inner city streets all aglow
Wednesday January 25, 2006


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The decorative lightings in China Street, Penang


RED lanterns and colourful bulbs have been strung up in many parts of inner George Town to mark the arrival of Chinese New Year.

Roads such as Kimberly Street, Campbell Street, Cannon Street, Upper Penang Road and parts of China Street and Queen Street are dazzling with their colourful decorative lighting.

The display of lights lends an air of festivity to these places to the delight of those who frequent the outlets along these streets.

Komtar assemblyman Lim Gim Soon said the decorative lighting had certainly brightened and livened up the inner city, especially at night.

He said traders in Kimberley Street should receive a pat on the back for their concerted efforts in lighting up the area.

“The cost of putting up the decorative lighting was shared among the traders.

“I think the money is well spent as the eye-soothing scene will definitely leave a mark on visitors, both foreigners and locals,” he said.

At Upper Penang Road, hundreds of colourful bulbs formed the shape of stars while the lights at Cannon Street formed the outline of mandarin oranges.

Five new tourism packages launched in Sarawak
Thursday January 26, 2006


KUCHING: The Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) recently launched five new packages under its tourism and leisure division to attract domestic and foreign visitors.

The packages are the Sarawak MICE Escapade, Sarawak Family Adventure, a one-day cultural package at Sarawak Cultural Village, a stay-and-play golf package, and the Matang Family Park customised-event package.

The packages were launched by SEDC chairman Datuk Talib Zulpilip at a get-together for tourism players organised by the corporation at Matang Family Park near here recently.

The Sarawak MICE Escapade package is targeted at the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions sector, while the Sarawak Family Adventure is aimed at companies planning incentive activities for their staff.

Both packages include a traditional welcome at the Sarakraf Pavilion, a jungle breakfast or dinner at the Sarawak Cultural Village or on a Sarawak River cruise.

The one-day package at Sarawak Cultural Village, priced at RM73, includes a village tour, cultural show and lessons in traditional dances, music and handicrafts.

Visitors will also get to play traditional games and dress up in traditional costumes for a photo session.

The Matang Family Park meanwhile can be booked as a venue for government, corporate or individual events at RM450 from 8am to 5pm or RM420 from 6 to 11pm.

“We want to position the park as an alternative outdoor venue for events,” SEDC’s tourism and leisure director Wan Lizozman Wan Omar said.

Finally, the stay-and-play golf package is available at the Holiday Inn Resort Damai Lagoon, comprising one price for accommodation and golf rounds at the Damai Golf and Country Club.

Landscaping competition for Seremban residents
Saturday January 28, 2006
By AUDREY EDWARDS

A LANDSCAPING competition to foster love for Seremban is now open to residents of the Negri Sembilan state capital.

Pertandingan Pelan Lanskap Rakyat 2006, organised by the Seremban Municipal Council, aims to give an opportunity to the public, especially Seremban residents, to submit their ideas, suggestions or views, which are suitable and achievable.

The contest opened last Thursday and all submissions must be sent in by Feb 20.

It is open to all Seremban residents regardless of age, except professionals and those involved in landscaping and beautification work.

The prize money is RM1,000 for first place, RM750 for second placing and RM500 for third place, and there are five consolation prizes worth RM50 each. Prizes will be given out during the council’s “day with customers” programme.

Each landscape sketch must be on an A3-size paper and can be done either by hand or computer.

The participant's name, identification card number, age, mailing address, telephone number and location of sketch must be included in the top right hand corner at the back of the entry.

All entries must be mailed to Pertandingan Pelan Lanskap Rakyat 2006, Majlis Perbandaran Seremban, Wisma MPS, Tingkat 1 Jalan Yam Tuan, 70300 Seremban.

Johor's Bermuda Triangle
MERSING, Jan 30:
Siti Nurbaiyah Nadzmi


Kuala Mersing fishermen may be as full of tall tales as any of their brethren around the world, but mention the waters around mysterious Pulau Sri Buat and they lapse into fearful whispers.

Here, there are stories of sea spirits, sudden storms, colleagues who never came back, and an uninhabited island nobody wants to set foot on.

This 10-nautical mile stretch around Pulau Sri Buat, Kuala Mersing and Kuala Endau has been dubbed the "Bermuda Triangle of Johor".

Pulau Sri Buat (below) has no freshwater but has a well-tended mango orchard, coconut trees planted in symmetrical rows, and a mysterious graveyard.




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Othman Jusoh has a stock of hair-raising stories of paranormal phenomena which have taken many to a watery grave over the decades.

"I have fished off the west coast of the peninsula, Singapore and the Indian Ocean, but this area is the most difficult," said the 78-year-old, who began fishing at 14.

Known as "Pak Itam" in the fishing community here, Othman said there had been instances of thick fog suddenly appearing.

Huge waves also appear without warning to sink boats, while storms break out in absolutely calm weather.

"The most susceptible to these phenomena are outsiders, tourists and seasonal anglers who often become victims of the sea," he said.

He claimed there were also "sea spirits" in the shape of an island, a wave, and sometimes the light of a ship.

"If a seaman is not careful, he may steer off route and lose his way," he said.

Othman felt the eerie atmosphere could in part be attributed to the bloody history of the place, which used to see battles between pirates.

"In the early 1900s, the stretch between Kuala Endau, Kuala Mersing and Pulau Sri Buat was a busy waterway for merchant vessels from as far as Siam to trade rice, salt and other commodities in Singapore.





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LOCATION: The 10-nautical mile stretch around Pulau Sri Buat, Kuala Mersing and Kuala Endau has been dubbed the "Bermuda Triangle of Johor". — NST picture by Amran Hamid





"These traders travelled the waters for hundreds of years and no doubt blood was spilt in clashes with pirates and sworn enemies," he said.

Othman, who once captained a payang, one of the most advanced traditional fishing boats, said the most dangerous time of year in the "triangle" was the monsoon season between November and February.

In the 1900s, the villagers used to hold special ceremonies called semah to ward off evil in the area.

"The people believed that evil spirits were responsible for mishaps and deaths at the mouth of Sungai Mersing and Sungai Endau and in the open sea," he said.

He said the tradition had since died.

Mersing Fishermen’s Association chairman Mohamed Nordin Taib, 56, agreed that the area was full of unexplained mysteries.

"I last visited the island in the 1960s and the orchards were well-maintained despite the absence of inhabitants," he said.

Fisherman Wan Sulaiman Abdullah, 60, has a word of caution to anyone entering the triangle: "Always be alert, cautious and never panic. Always wear your life-jacket aboard your boat."

Unexplained disappearances

Pulau Sri Buat has a history of danger and death.

Perhaps the most baffling case of missing persons occurred in June 1995, when four people vanished at sea.

The bodies of Customs officer Mohd Salleh Buang, 48, his son Mohd Najib, 19, his brother, businessman Mohd Buang, 45, and a cousin, Abdul Wahid Othman, 48, were never recovered.

They left Triang on a fishing trip near the island and never returned.

Their fibreglass boat was found a few days later at Nenasi, Pahang, undamaged with their fishing rods and a parang still on board.

Other strange happenings:

February 2003: Four fishermen went missing after their boat capsized near Pulau Sri Buat. Only one survived to be rescued by a passing boat.

January 2003: A Royal Malaysian Air Force commando unit went missing at sea near Pulau Sri Buat. Its boat capsized after they were hit by a squall. Only one body was found.

JOHOR BERMUDA TRIANGLE!!!!!
Great another copy cat name

UPM And Melaka Govt To Cooperate In Bio Tech Area
February 03, 2006 18:35 PM


MELAKA, Feb 3 (Bernama) -- Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) will be working together with the Melaka State government to market the latter's bio technology products produced through Institut Bio Teknologi Melaka (IBM).

The university will also provide help in the technical aspects of the sector as well.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said that under the cooperation, all bio technology products produced by IBM would be planted in a commercial scale and marketed with the help of UPM.

"We hope to establish a smart partnership with UPM especially in the efforts to speed up the commercialisation of IBM products," he told reporters after a meeting here with the Vice Chancellor of UPM, Professor Datuk Dr Nik Mustapa Abdullah.

He said that three main matters were agreed upon by the two parties in the area of bio technology, namely technical cooperation, exchange of researchers, and the use of UPM facilities for research and development.

Melaka, which has set the target of making biotechnology its new source of income, has todate invested RM7 million in the area the last two years.

Besides that, the state government has also set up the IBM, Melaka Bio Technology Corporation and Bio Teknologi Holdings for coordination and commercialisation of the sector.

He said Melaka has started planting bananas and herbal plants via the bio technology commercialised by UPM.

He said IBM was also planning to plant mushrooms through a bio technology that had been successfully developed by UPM.

"For big projects between RM2 million and RM5 million in the bio technology sector, we are confident of high returns on productivity which would be profitable," he said.

Mohd Ali said IBM would be also working together with a local entrepreneur, Dr Halim Ahmad for the production of vaccine for the hepatitis B.

The vaccine, to be developed using expertise from Cuba, is expected to be produced in two years' time, he added.

Three Selangor Rivers To Be Privatised
February 03, 2006 18:35 PM


SIJANGKANG, Feb 5 (Bernama) -- Three main rivers in Selangor -- Sungai Selangor, Sungai Langat and Sungai Klang -- will be privatised soon to three companies that have been identified by the state government.

Under the scheme, the concessionaires will manage the rivers and they will be allowed to extract commodities from them as well as carry out controlled development projects to generate income.

State Infrastructure and Public Amenities Committee Chairman Datuk Abdul Fatah Iskandar said the privatisation programme would, among others, ensure that the rivers were clean.

"We're aware that the rivers are not clean. Now, the rivers are a liability to the state because we've to spend large amounts of money to take care of them.

"In future, we want the rivers to be an asset for us," he said when met after launching the School Motivational Programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sijangkang Jaya, here.

Abdul Fatah said the state government would sign the river privatisation agreements with the three companies in May. The concession period is 30 years.

He said that besides ensuring cleanliness, the concessionares must maintain the rivers including repairing damaged banks and deepening them to prevent overflowing,

Eco-tourism and recreational activities might be allowed, he said.

"We're studying their proposals to develop the rivers. We'll ensure the projects are controlled and bring benefits to all," he said.

He also said that the Sungai Klang privatisation programme would only involve sections of the river in Selangor but the state government was ready to negotiate with Kuala Lumpur City Hall to expand the scope to include those in Kuala Lumpur.

Plans for new bus stops
Wednesday February 15, 2006
By RASLAN BAHAROM

SEVERAL bus stops costing about RM10,000 each will be built along Jalan Simpang and Jalan Changkat Jering, said Taiping Municipal Council president Mu-hammad Padzil Khalid.

He said construction would start once the ongoing road widening project was completed.

The council was liaising with the Public Works Department to determine the locations for the new bus stops, he said.

“We can’t build the new bus stops before widening work on the stret-ches is completed,” said Muhammad Padzil when commenting on a re-port in The Star over absence of bus stops in Simpang and Changkat Je-ring.

Muhammad Padzil said the new bus stops should be built at laybys to prevent traffic congestion whenever buses stopped at such locations.

When told that a company based in Taiping was keen to build new bus stops along the affected stretches, Muhammad Padzil said the council welcomed the move but wanted the designs to be submitted to the council for approval .

On complaints over discontinued mini-bus service which used to give hourly service to residents at Sim-pang and Pokok Assam more than a year ago, he said those who needed such services should contact the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) for help.

Kampung Dew Barat Rukun Te-tangga (RT) chairman C. Shanmu-gam said residents of Taman Mawar, Taman Kota Jaya, Taman Pura Jaya, Taman Seri Larut, Kampung Jela-pang, Taman Simpang, Taman Mo-leh, and Taman Indah had to walk a few kilometres to catch stage buses at Simpang market to get to town.

Shanmugam said his RT sector could form a cooperative and reactivate the mini-bus service to benefit some 9,000 residents living in such schemes.

Endau-Rompin a focus of discovery
Tuesday February 28, 2006


JOHOR BARU: The exciting discovery of new flora and fauna in the Foja Mountains of Indonesia recently has raised the possibility of similar finding in the Endau-Rompin National Park bordering Johor and Pahang.

Local biodiversity and environment expert Vincent Chow said he was highly optimistic of such discoveries in the 250-million-year-old nature reserve because only 10% of the area was studied by the scientific community.

“There are many surprises awaiting, including the possibility of discovering Bigfoot or Orang Mawas.

“There are still many forests and mountain ranges in the area that are yet to be explored,” said Chow, who created a sensation last December when he spoke of the possible existence of a creature similar to Bigfoot in the western part of the park.

Chow was asked to comment on the recent discovery in Foja Mountains of what scientists dubbed the “Garden of Eden” and the possibility of a similar findings in Malaysian jungles.

He said the orang asli community in the Endau-Rompin National Park had claimed they had many times come across animals they could not identify.

The orang asli in Selai, the entry point to the western part of the reserve, once claimed they encountered an animal known as Setontot that creeps on the forest floor.

Chow said that research conducted by him and others at the park since 2002 found fish species that were never recorded and it was probably a prelude to more discoveries.

“We found 92 freshwater species previously unknown in the park,” he said.

Among the findings that took the scientific community by surprise was the discovery of a 2cm transparent ancient fish by his team and an expert from the United States.

“Prof Tyson Robert from the American Academy of Science, a renowned South-East Asia freshwater fish expert, had concurred that the species found by our group can be categorised as primitive or fossil fishes,” said Chow.

“We are yet to name the species,” he said.

The American expert said the fish at one time lived in the Sunda River that existed 15,000 years ago when the South China Sea area was a land mass.

Satellite pictures show that the ancient river had stretched through Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

“That is why the primitive fish can be found in Thailand and Indonesia as well,” he said.

He said the state's proposal to set up a scientific committee to study the existence of Bigfoot could be a prelude to the discovery of other flora and fauna. – Bernama

Way to lure more investors
Wednesday March 1, 2006


SUNGAI PETANI: The Kedah Govern-ment has set up tenancy committees in nine industrial areas to look into the fast-track approvals of permits for investors who invest above RM100mil in Kedah.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the committees were set up in January with the task of cutting red-tape faced by foreign investors in dealing with local and state agencies.

“A one-stop centre has been created to facilitate the committees in their respective tasks.

“We want to cut red-tape and ensure investors are not hampered by bureaucracy, and provide fast-track approval to encourage more investors to set up base in Kedah,” he told a press conference after opening the new extension wing at Ryco Hydraulics in Kuala Ketil, near here, yesterday.

Mahdzir said the various approvals needed by investors would now only take two months.

He said the tenancy committees were set up in Bakar Arang, Sungai Petani, Kulim, Kulim Hitech Park, Gurun, Kuala Ketil, Jitra, Bukit Kayu Hitam and Tikam Batu.

He said the Kedah Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) had been appointed as the secretariat to help co-ordinate and facilitate the committees.

Earlier in his speech, Mahdzir lauded Ryco Hydraulics for its capi- tal investment of US$20 million (RM57mil) with the expansion of its plant at the Kuala Ketil Industrial Area.

He said the factory had provided 153 jobs to locals in semi-skilled, skilled, technical, administrative and management positions.

Also present were Ryco Hydraulics Sdn Bhd managing director Leigh Morrison and Kedah Industry, Science and Technology, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Chong Itt Chew.

Mahdzir said Foreign Direct Inves-tments (FDI) in Kedah amounted to RM30bil in the past 20 years.

The FDI totalled RM5.7bil last year with the bulk coming from Ger- man wafer manufacturer Infineon and Fuji Electric in Kulim Hitech Park (http://www.khtp.com.my/) in Kulim.

Intel Expand RM870m in Kulim Hi-Tech Park
Friday, December 09, 2005


PETALING JAYA: Intel, the world’s largest chip maker, will invest US$230mil (RM870mil) in a new plant in Kulim, creating 2,000 jobs.

The investment is one of the largest by a foreign firm in Malaysia in recent years and is a clear expression of Intel's confidence in the country.

Intel currently has five facilities in Malaysia, employing 10,000 people, which is about 10% of its global workforce.

Announcing the new investment, Intel chairman Datuk Craig Barrett said Malaysia had become increasingly integral to Intel.

”Utilising the country’s technically skilled workforce allows Intel to best serve our customers worldwide,” he said.

The new investment, which is for an assembly and test site and a design and development centre, will be spread over a couple of years.

The new plant will start operations in 2007.

Intel also has a board and design centre in Kulim, which is responsible for the design and development of the largest number of Intel motherboards worldwide.

Intel has invested US$3bil (RM11.3bil) here since starting operations 33 years ago.

Five Intel sites in the country manufacture the latest products and serve as pilot sites for some of the company’s products.

These facilities support almost a full range of Intel products.

The new facility in Kulim will include the creation of the Platform Compatibility and Ecosystem Validation Lab, which will focus on supporting digital home and digital office platforms and channel platform business.

“This expansion reflects Intel’s long-term commitment in supporting Malaysia’s economic development through technology,” said Intel Malaysia assembly and test managing director K.C. Yoon.

He said the investment in new facilities had strategic value to Intel not only from a business perspective, but also in the people it hired.

“Already, several employees from Malaysia have contributed to our organisation in management roles around the world,” he said.

Barrett said Intel was looking to growing the engineering and development side of the business in Malaysia instead of testing and assembly.

Asia is now the biggest market for Intel and the fastest growing among regions that make a sizeable contribution to the electronic giant.

“We have a big presence in China, India and Malaysia. Asia is our largest and fastest growing market and it is important from a sales and marketing and resource standpoint,” he said.

The company announced earlier this week a planned investment of US$1bil (RM3.77bil) in India, which will feature a US$250mil (RM942mil) venture capital fund.

Barrett, who leaves for Sri Lanka after visiting Malaysia, had earlier in the week opened the company’s fourth assembly and test plant in China.

Barrett said that for South- East Asia to become an even more attractive investment destination, governments would have to continue upgrading educational programmes and improve on communications and IT infrastructure.

Source: The Star

Kulim building RM17m oleochemical plant
02 Mar 2006 8:52 PM


Kulim Malaysia Bhdâ's subsidiary Natural Oleochemicals Sdn Bhd (NatOleo) is building a new RM17 million oleic acid plant for the export markets.

The company said on March 2 the plant, with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes per annum, would be at NatOleoâ's fatty acid complex in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

Work is expected to start in April and operational in November 2006.

Kulim's Oleochemical division reported RM515.25 million in sales in 2004, which was 35.24% of Kulim group's total revenue, up 1.58% from 2003. It also contributed 5.7% to group pre-tax profit of RM284.88 million.

Kulim managing director Ahamad Mohamad said this would change for 2006 as sales from Kulim's oleochemical business was expected to double to RM1 billion from RM515.25 million previously.

"This will make the oleochemical unit Kulim's top earner, ahead of its plantation operations which is estimated at between RM800 million and RM900 million," he said.

Kulim said two companies in Malaysia were producing oleic acid with a combined annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes.

Oleic acid is a mono-unsaturated fatty oil used extensively as a lubricant or additive across a wide range of products spanning food, artificial flavouring, detergents, fabric care and cosmetics. The oleic acid would be exported to the European Union, the United States and Asia-Pacific countries.

New fun at cultural village
By SHARON LING
Friday March 24, 2006


SARAWAK Cultural Village (SCV) in Kuching, one of the state’s most well-known tourist attractions, has set its sights on raising its popularity by introducing three new products aimed at providing fun and a hands-on experience for visitors.

The new products – an arts learning centre, a traditional games and fun centre, and village stay – are part of SCV’s efforts to re-brand itself as a world-class attraction.




http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/3/24/southneast/05hat.jpg

Mary Liben (right) teaching some girls how
to cover a traditional hat with beadwork.




General manager Jane Lian Labang said that SCV had operated for the past 16 years with the mission of keeping Sarawak’s culture alive among its people and sharing the culture with the rest of the world.

“The introduction of these new activities and attractions will instil a sense of fun in visitors as they learn about Sarawak’s cultural traditions, resulting in a value-added experience.





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Guests enjoying lunch in the gaily-decorated Iban longhouse at the
cultural village after the new products launch in Kuching recently.





“Hopefully visitors will spend a longer time at the village to participate in these activities,” she said.

The arts learning centre offers lessons in Sarawak’s ethnic dances and music as well as handicraft and cookery.

Programmes include bamboo carving, beadwork, Malay “keringkam” embroidery and making Iban or Orang Ulu shields.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/3/24/southneast/06pipeman.jpg

SCV staff look on as a youngster tries
out the photo corner of a “blowpipe man”.





Visitors can also learn the traditional dances and music of the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau and Malay communities.

The games centre, meanwhile, promises visitors a fun time. They can try their hand at blowpipe shooting, throwing a coconut “bowling balls” at bamboo “pins” or hooking glass bottles with a special fishing rod.






http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/3/24/southneast/06chicken.jpg

Visitors from Peninsular Malaysia listening as Mary Liben (second from right)
explains how “manok pansoh” or bamboo chicken is cooked.






Finally, those who want to experience a little ethnic lifestyle can stay at the village for one or two nights.

Individual and family packages are available with accommodation in the Bidayuh longhouse, Iban longhouse, Orang Ulu longhouse, Melanau tall house, Malay house or Chinese traditional house.

The packages include meals, a tour of the village and a cultural show.

For more information about the new products, call SCV at 082-846 411.

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RM100,000 allocation for orang asli
Sunday March 26, 2006


The Government has set aside RM100,000 to improve the living standards of the orang asli community in the country.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Zainal Abidin Osman said this was to ensure that the community would not be left out in the mainstream of development.

“The Government will do all it can to help the orang asli, including the community at Ulu Legong in Baling, by providing them with better education and infrastructure as well as improving their standard of living so that they will not lag behind,” he said in Baling.

He was speaking to reporters after launching Desa Amal Rakyat Baling, or Darling, at SMK Jerai in Kupang, near here, yesterday.

Under the Darling programme, government agencies will open up customer service counters to facilitate the day-to-day dealings between the public and government departments.

UEM World to set up iCarnegie University in Johor
05 Apr 2006 7:15 PM


UEM (http://www.uemworld.com.my/) World Bhd is forming a joint venture (JV) with Southeast Asia Education Holdings, Inc (SAEH) to establish and operate an iCarnegie-managed university at Nusajaya EduCity, Johor.

Announcing the deal on April 5, UEM World said its unit, Merak Indera Sdn Bhd had signed a Heads of Agreement with SAEH to establish the basis for a JV agreement in two months.

It said the signing marked a significant milestone for its wholly owned subsidiary UEM Land Sdn Bhd, which fully owns Merak Indera, to position Nusajaya EduCity as an educational hub for the region.

UEM World said UEM Land was pursuing other foreign universities to establish their presence at Nusajaya. It said Nusajaya EduCity was expected to have at least four foreign universities and a population of more than 20,000 students.

UEM (http://www.uem.com.my/) Land subsidiary Bandar Nusajaya Development Sdn Bhd is spearheading the Bandar Nusajaya township development project with a land area of over 9,200ha.

It said the JV with SAEH was to submit an application to the Minister of Higher Education to seek its approval for the university.

SAEH is a 50:50 JV incorporated in the United States between regional education group Comat Academy Sdn Bhd and iCarnegie, an 85%-owned subsidiary of Carnegie Mellon University.

Pahang Sultan: Don’t use bridge for illegal racing
Monday May 8, 2006
By NIK NAIZI HUSIN
thestar

http://www.thestar.com.my/archives/2006/5/8/southneast/se_01chenor.jpg



MARAN: The new bridge in Chenor, which was built across Sungai Pahang, should not be used as a venue for illegal racing, Sultan Ahmad Shah said.

The Sultan of Pahang said that illegal racers should not misuse the public facility to test or show off their racing skills.

He said the bridge should be used for development of residents on both sides of the river in Kampung Chenor and Kampung Chenor Seberang.

The bridge, he said, would reduce travel time between the villages and surrounding areas.

“It has solved many problems faced by villagers, especially that involving economic and social activities. Therefore, they should utilise it in a proper manner,” he said in his address during the official opening of the bridge in Kampong Chenor here on Thursday.

The 1.41km bridge, which was completed late last year, cost the state RM102mil.

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Tan Aminuddin Ishak, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed and other dignitaries.

Sultan Ahmad Shah reminded villagers not to depend too much on state aid to develop themselves.

He said they should use their own initiative to improve their standard of living and not just depend on annual assistance.

“The state has been supportive and provideed assistance in various fields. For example, villagers are being introduced to modern technology to improve their income in agriculture,” he said.

Mohd Zin said the Government had approved an allocation of RM1.3bil to upgrade roads and build more roads under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

He said among the projects to be carried out in Pahang was a RM70mil bridge in Kuala Krau.

Najib: Government to help Kinabatangan develop
Monday May 8, 2006
thestar


KINABATANGAN (Sabah): The Federal Government is prepared to approve an additional allocation to develop Kinabatangan district according to requirements and affordability, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Thursday.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the Government would find long-term solutions to mitigate frequent flooding in the interior district.

“The Sabah Chief Minister (Datuk Seri Musa Aman) says that Kinabatangan needs several million ringgit. What is necessary and affordable, we will approve additional allocations for Kinabatangan,” he said at a function to present aid to flood victims in Kinabatangan, Tongod and Lahad Datu districts.

According to reports, Najib said that Kinabatangan district, located 80km from Sandakan, was among the worst flood-hit areas in the country as floodwaters there rise quickly but recede very slowly.

Infrastructure in Kinabatangan was reported to have been damaged or washed away when floods lashed the district in February.

It is understood that the state had identified areas in Balat, Nusa Jaya, Mengaris and Litangas as resettlement spots for Kinabatangan flood victims. The areas can take in 300 families.

Najib hoped the financial assistance of RM502,000 for 1,004 flood-victim families in the three districts would help ease their burden.

Each head of a family received RM250 in cash and essential goods worth RM250.

Najib said the Government wanted to see balanced development in Sabah and Sarawak on par with states in the Peninsula under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. – Bernama.

RM30mil boost for small towns
Saturday May 13, 2006
BY K. SUTHAKAR
thestar


JERTEH: The state government has allocated RM30mil to upgrade the infrastructure facilities in new small towns or pekan in all the eight districts in the state.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the move was to ensure the pekans are inline with the development of major towns.

He said the allocation would be used to develop one or two new small towns in each of the districts.

“We want the rural people to enjoy better infrastructure facilities just like those in major towns,” he told newsmen after opening a water melon harvesting ceremony in Kampung Darau near here recently.

Idris said the state government would provide another RM30mil for the purpose in next year’s budget.

Twelve farmers are participating in the cluster project, which was started in June last year on a 4.8ha land belonging to the government.

Idris said he was glad the participants were getting an income of RM500 per month.

“I hope the relevant departments would provide more aid to ensure their income could be increased two fold,” he said.

He said the adoption of modern technology would enable them to reap higher income as well as enjoy a better quality of harvest.

Among those present at the function were Besut district officer Datuk Wan Zahari Wan Ngah, state agriculture director Yusof Maidin and Hulu Besut assemblyman Nawi Mohamad.

Here's some pictures of G,MatChincang a Langkawi. I couldn't find a Langkawi thread, so I post it here lah. I took the pictures when I went for the LIMA 05.I kept these photos in my friendster all this time..hehe.

http://hijazzain.blogs.friendster.com/photos/lima_05/img_0775.jpg

http://hijazzain.blogs.friendster.com/photos/lima_05/img_0777.jpg
The suspension bridge at the Matchincang. How do they build this thing?

http://hijazzain.blogs.friendster.com/photos/lima_05/img_0780.jpg
The observations station uses solar panels. Apparently, solar energy contributes 5% to the power to operate the cable cars.

http://hijazzain.blogs.friendster.com/photos/lima_05/img_0752.jpg
The cable car ride damn scary, I couldn't concentrate in taking some pictures and my digicam batteries went flat at the summit, so not much pictures.

the Ipoh City views..

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/Ipoh29.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/Ipoh32.jpg

near the highway Ipoh - Bercham - Tambun..

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/HighwayBerchamTambun.jpg

near the Greentown Walk, Ipoh...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/Ipoh26.jpg

In the heart of City Centre.. the HSBC & Sztolee Building...

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/Ipoh28.jpg

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f173/adiyon84/Ipoh27.jpg

Russians the first to check into Kedah Koreans coming to play golf
Thursday January 4, 2007
Thestar


ALOR STAR: Chartered flights from Moscow will bring in over 1,000 visitors to Langkawi and herald a good start to Visit Malaysia Year 2007 in the state.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said apart from the chartered flights, golf packages had attracted many Koreans to visit the state this year.

He said the first flight from Moscow ferrying about 200 passengers arrived in Langkawi on Tuesday.

“Russian tourists desire destinations like Langkawi to escape the harsh winter,” he said after the first state executive council meeting yesterday.

He said Russians would visit other destinations like Kuala Lumpur before returning to Langkawi for the flight home.

Mahdzir said 4,000 Koreans would be arriving in Kedah specifically to play golf.

“They will be staying in golf resorts including Cinta Sayang and Darulaman Golf Resort,” he said.

Mahdzir said the Koreans would be escorted to Kedah after they landed at the Penang International Airport.

He said the state was collaborating efforts with the private sector to woo tourists over.

On another matter, Mahdzir said the reshuffle of the portfolio of the State Exco would be announced next week.

8 Jan 2007: City & Country: Property market: What's hot, what's not
Compiled By Jennifer Gomez
Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com (http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_606fe8b0-cb73c03a-49706200-de5da36a#)


To buy or to sell? How will the property market fare in 2007? What should your property investment decision be this year?
There is no crystal ball to provide the answers but developers expect the market in most states to continue to show subdued growth with opportunities for exciting buys in the hot areas.
But where will the action be? How did the market fare last year? City & Country polled those helming the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) countrywide. We asked them for their outlook on property in 2007, hot spots, review of the market last year and wish list for their respective states.
The developers highlighted various industry concerns, a common one being the release mechanism for unsold bumiputera allotted units which they say must be transparent and quick. They also wish for incentives to boost the property market, such as stamp duty waivers and concessions on real property gains tax (RPGT) to boost property sales. Read on for their views.
Steven Shum
Johor
Outlook
It will not improve with the present overhang in all property sub-sectors. Take-up will be adversely affected if the government does not respond to market sentiment by reviewing its current state policy, especially on bumiputera quota, release mechanism and restrictions imposed on bumiputera titles.
Hot spots
Skudai and the Tebrau corridor. The Tebrau corridor is competitive but Skudai, in particular the Iskandar Development Region, will be the hot spot for development because it is an area under the Government's 9MP.
Snapshot of 2006
Acute oversupply. Non-performance in the secondary market contributed to the market's decline, compounded by new products coming into the market. Many developers from other states entered the Johor market, resulting in stiff competition and oversupply.
Wish list
Review existing policies and systems relating to the bumiputera quota release mechanism

Remove endorsement of bumiputera title deeds.
Ricque Liew
Kedah/Perlis
Outlook
Mixed performance. Sales of new housing units are expected to be encouraging in places like Alor Setar and smaller outlying towns like Pokok Sena and Guar Cempedak, due to limited supply. In Sungai Petani, more than 10 public-listed property companies and other smaller local developers are vying for a portion of the market, so competition will be stiff. Buyers are spoilt for choice of 1- and 2-storey terraced houses, semidees and bungalows. The apparent inflow of foreign direct investment into the Kulim Hi-Tech Park will not spill over much into the property industry. Due to Kulim's lack of amenities, many senior and executive level management staff of manufacturing concerns still prefer to reside in nearby Penang.
Hot spots
No real hot spots. From 1993 until about three years ago, Sungai Petani used to be the hot spot in Kedah. However, with the intense development that has taken place since and lack of new impetus for economic growth, it is not that "hot" anymore as most property transactions these days are more geared towards owner-occupation rather than investment. This is also observed in the other towns in Kedah.
Snapshot of 2006
Besides a few selected commercial projects in Alor Setar and Sungai Petani, the property market in Kedah has been sluggish. Many Sungai Petani-based manufacturing operations have, in the last few years, downsized, relocated or closed down. End-financiers have also been more cautious in lending, resulting in a number of loan application rejections.
Wish list
Incentives for the industry and property purchasers.

Review the low-cost housing policy. The government should assume the responsibility of providing low-cost housing instead of passing it on to developers who are already paying corporate taxes and contributing to a host of other infrastructure costs. There are some 5,000 units of completed but unsold low-cost units (as at the third quarter of 2006) because factors like supply and demand and location were not considered in the blanket policy.

A transparent and automatic release mechanism for unsold bumiputera units. Some state governments may be hoping to make a quick buck with the imposition of contributions to the full quantum of the bumiputera discount from property developers for the release of such unsold lots. In some of the other states, consent from the state for the release of unsold bumiputera lots is near impossible.
Wan Mohd Dzulkifli Wan Daud
Kelantan
Outlook
Not too optimistic given the slow sales since 2005, especially in the residential subsector. Development will be concentrated in urban areas, especially in Kota Baru and other town areas where demand for shops and bungalows is extremely high and these properties are fetching good prices. In the outskirts, developers will be more cautious and develop only small projects to avoid cash flow problems.
Hot spots
Active development in the Kota Baru area with the development of the Kubang Kerian Commercial Centre, Wakaf Che Yeh shopping area and the Kelantan riverbank's new development centres. Sales responses to these areas are well above expectations.

Pasir Mas district, where the development of the Apam new town is underway.

Should the construction of the new Kelantan university materialise as promised by the federal government in 2007, the Jeli and Bachok areas will be the other hot spots.
Snapshot of 2006
As in 2005, sales remained soft, especially for residential properties developed outside strategic areas. This is the first time established developers could not sell all their units even upon completion.
Wish list
Bring back the "feel-good" atmosphere the nation used to enjoy, when the public was more willing to spend.

Address the "economic imbalance" affecting the property industry where the cost of development and doing business is increasing while purchasing power is reducing.

The government and the media should treat developers as partners and important contributors to nation building. Only bad developers should be punished while those with good track records should be rewarded and duly recognised.
Datuk Peter Lim Cheow Seng
Melaka
Outlook
Fair. Residential property costing RM150,000 and below should sell well among non-bumiputeras, but the upper medium-cost units would face some slowdown. But if the location is right and the units are limited, they should sell well. Again, location would be the order of the day for the commercial sector, for example, new retail centre Dataran Pahlawan Melaka Megamall seems to be getting good response.
Hot spots
Commercial and residential major hot spots in Melaka are centralised in Melaka Raya, Lorong Pandan, Batu Berendam, Cheng, Semabok, Bukit Katil, Bukit Beruang and Air Keroh, as these areas are within 5km of the main centre for business development.

Melaka Raya is the main office centre with major shopping centres, tourist spots, 5-star hotels and a hospital within the area.

Bukit Katil, Bukit Beruang and Air Keroh are the government administrative centres and are also very near the North-South Highway's Air Keroh exit.

Cheng is a new growth zone due to the massive commercial and industrial development taking shape there.
Snapshot of 2006
A "windfall" year for the property market in Melaka — people were able to sell their properties and make some gains. There was also a slight increase of about 3% to 5% in the take-up rate of new residential launches.
Wish list
That the state government will reduce the bumiputera quota and implement OR (automatic release) of the quota after obtaining CFO. The Melaka government is very strict on this issue and this will affect the property industry in the long run.
Datuk Soam Heng Choon
Negeri Sembilan
Outlook
A stable and modest market expected, underlined by a more resilient residential subsector. This is due to sustained economic growth, expected to be bolstered by the implementation of 9MP projects, stable employment rate in the state, renewed confidence among consumers and increased housing loan quantum by the public sector, thus encouraging civil servants to commit. However, ample supply and choices may delay decision-making by purchasers.
Hot spots
Seremban is the most active district in Negeri Sembilan. Seremban Town, Seremban 2 and Senawang are the preferred locations in the district.
Snapshot of 2006
Generally a softer market due to rising inflation, higher cost of living, rising interest rates, lack of incentives to boost buying interest and stricter checks on credit standing and lower margin of financing by financial institutions. The residential subsector was the main pillar in the market with some support from commercial development.
Wish list
Reduce bumiputera quota.
A transparent and structured release mechanism.
Apply the bumiputera discount to low-end properties only.
Reduce the discount rate from the current 10%.
The government to undertake the building of low-cost properties, leaving developers to focus on medium and high-end properties.
Review taxes, for example, lower RPGT, and waive stamp duties.
Incentives for first-time homebuyers.
Utility companies bear their own capital cost in providing infrastructure.
Improve the public delivery system to reduce the cost of doing business.
Jonathan Kok
Pahang
Outlook
Demand expected to improve for residential properties priced below RM150,000. Selective demand for those pegged above RM150,000, with interest seen in Kuantan. The outlook for the take-up of shops is not very good due to oversupply, evident since 2006.
Hot spots
Very few selected locations within a 12km radius of Kuantan town.
Snapshot of 2006
Demand for all types of properties generally slowed down. Among the reasons was the tightening of loan facilities by banks (up to 40% rejection in loan applications, according to anecdotal evidence). Inflation caused primarily by the fuel hike reduced consumer spending power with potential buyers refraining from committing to purchases. Incoming supply exceeded demand especially for commercial properties in major towns in Pahang.
Wish list
Incentives for first-time homebuyers.
Financial institutions should relax conditions for loan facilities for property purchases.
Lower conversion fees for developers.
A transparent and effective delivery system for the various approvals required for development projects.
Datuk Jerry Chan
Penang
Outlook
Probably subdued, until the big infrastructure jobs take off. Strong demand for landed property in the established addresses. Should work on the Second Bridge proceed quickly, we should see demand pick up on both the island and the mainland. The areas: Batu Maung and Bayan Lepas (island), Batu Kawan and the Nibong Tebal/Sg Bakap corridor. Likely tougher competition with the pending launches of high-end condos in the Tanjong Bungah/Gurney Drive corridor. Demand for office space stays weak but the opening of the Queensbay shopping complex will create a new growth nucleus in the Bayan Bay area. On the mainland, supply remains strong. Again, the main driver would be the Second Bridge.
Hot spots
Bayan Bay development — it is adjoining the middle-income area of Bayan Baru/Gelugor and is near the Bayan Lepas FTZ — given the catchment and accessibility.

E&O's Tanjong Pinang development is likely to hand over its initial phases. Its location between Tanjong Bungah and the Gurney Drive belt would see the creation of a new middle-upper class neighbourhood.
Snapshot of 2006
Generally, the market has under-performed to expectations. The fuel hike, general lethargy of the economy and macroeconomic and political issues have dented sentiment. A perceived sluggishness in implementing 9MP projects has not helped. Except for isolated cases, demand has not been encouraging.
Wish list
Faster release of bumiputera units instead of a one-year or longer lock-up period.

Accurate data to support the need for low-cost housing and public amenities like surau, hawker centres, community halls, and so on rather than imposing a blanket policy that requires each new development to have these structures built and surrendered at the developer's cost.

Review density guidelines for the island and allow flexibility in the ratio composition of mixed residential/commercial developments.

Remove restrictive guidelines on heritage buildings that have penalised landowners and developers. This has resulted in many dilapidated and abandoned buildings in the city of Georgetown.
Datuk Francis Lee
Perak
Outlook
The cost of land has risen correspondingly with building cost. Values of housing property in Perak are lagging behind the rest of the country. Properties have not appreciated in tandem with rising costs, thus eating into developers' margins. So, unless prices move up significantly, Perak's housing developers will not be able to sustain the current pace of housing delivery. According to the Property Market Report 2005, the average house price in Perak is RM96,520 — 40.1% below the national average of RM160,733. A lot of latent effective demand for housing needs to be satisfied in the coming years since the current home ownership in Perak is estimated at 60% family-owned homes and the fact that, according to 2005 census figures, about 74.1% of Malaysians are aged 39 and below.
Hot spots
With the urban conurbation in Ipoh extending to a 8km radius, the new growth areas will include Klebang, Meru-Jelapang, Simpang Pulai and Menglembu-Lahat.

Outside of Ipoh, accelerated growth is expected in Taiping, Manjung, Parit Buntar, Tanjung Malim and Batu Gajah.
Snapshot of 2006
The market was slightly slower due mainly to the higher cost of living. Homebuyers stayed cautious although there was still demand.
Wish list
Accelerate the restructuring of the state's economy to improve employment opportunities.

Promote private sector investment.

Improve Perak's competitiveness by improving infrastructure — provide air connectivity, direct industrial gas supply throughout the state, upgrade Lumut port and develop a double-tracking railway line between Ipoh and KL.
Datuk FD Iskandar
Selangor
Outlook
The market will be more competitive. Housing and commercial property supply will be constant with buyers demanding well-located properties with good yields. Expect greater rural migration to the Klang Valley, hence, the market will be resilient with steady growth in good locations. Developers stand to gain from the boost in the MM2H programme but the policies should be explained in detail and the guidelines clear and consistent.
Hot spots
The northern corridor, with better infrastructure like the Guthrie Corridor Expressway and other proposed highways/ expressways. In Kota Damansara and Sungai Buloh, medium-cost units are still in demand with values rising.

The southern corridor, especially in Puchong and Seri Kembangan, due to the proximity to major cities and towns (well connected with good highways) and availability of amenities like colleges, hospitals, hypermarkets and recreational facilities.
Snapshot of 2006
Less bullish than previous years. Buyers getting more selective and careful. The higher base lending rate (BLR) with no further government incentives to boost the market, the hike in oil prices and electricity and water tariffs have also impacted negatively on the market. Developers are more cautious -— many have delayed their launches or put on the market fewer units.
Wish list
Speedier statutory approvals.
Lower construction costs.
BLR unchanged.
Waive or lower RPGT and stamp duty.
Incentives for first-time homebuyers and foreigners.
Standardise bumiputera quota.
Woo Mun Kit
Terengganu
Outlook
Expected to be good, thanks to the implementation of government projects such as the East Coast Highway (which extends from Kuantan to Jertih), the extension of the Terengganu Airport, the Pulau Duyong Resort project, Pulau Wan Man Heritage Theme Park, the New Bazaar and many more to come. Private sector developers are also active. The Barisan Nasional government is changing the perception that outsiders have of Terengganu. The Monsoon Cup sailing event has also thrust Terengganu into the limelight.
Hot spots
Kuala Terengganu is becoming very lively. Unlike in the previous years, houses and conventional shophouses are selling well, mostly achieving 100% sales.
Snapshot of 2006
The market did very well with all projects sold. The projects were small, ranging from 10 to 30 units and the developers mostly local "small-timers". The state has not experienced the so-called economic boom or recession that has affected other parts of the country. Values and rents for 1-storey terraced houses range from RM100,000 to RM130,000 and from RM350 to RM450 monthly respectively while 2-storey terraced houses are priced at about RM170,000 to RM250,000 and rented out for RM550 to RM750 respectively. Rents of the ground floor of shops in the town range from RM2,500 to RM4,000, the first floors between RM700 and RM800 and second floors and above from RM400 to RM500. The 1,500 shops in Kuala Terengganu town centre are not enough. The value for a 3-storey shop, for example, has risen from RM750,000 to about RM900,000 or RM1 million in the last two years since the Barisan Nasional government took over.
Wish list
Certain areas in Kuala Terengganu town zoned for businesses considered sensitive to Muslims, such as nightclubs, pubs, karaoke centres, snooker centres, massage parlours and spas to create more business opportunities.

Restrict access to the holiday islands to the Shah Bandar jetty in Kuala Terengganu to ensure that holidaymakers stop by and spend money in the town. Currently, they make their way to Pulau Redang, for instance, from Merang, which is about 30km from Kuala Terengganu.

Speed up the approval process for development projects.

Allocate more funds to the Kuala Terengganu Municipal Council to open and construct new roads in town to ease the increasing traffic. This will also enable the odd lots and land without access to be developed by private sector developers.

Expand the boundary of the Kuala Terengganu town centre, and solve issues and complications that are bound to arise due to the status of the land in the outlying areas, which is mostly Malay reserve land.
Teh Boon Ghee
Wilayah Persekutuan (KL)
Outlook
New launches will focus on innovative housing products like the Zenia homes in Desa Park City, "celebrity" homes Tiffani by i-zen and Verve Suites (Mont'Kiara) and Lakefields (Sungei Besi). We should see more such launches given the growing scarcity of land in KL. Buyers often compare prices on the primary and secondary markets along with consideration of travel time. KL as a business and financial services centre will thrive as public transport continues to improve. This may lead to new and continued demand for luxury homes in the city. New offerings are likely from Tan & Tan Developments Bhd (Hampshire and 6 Stonor), IJM Properties (Ampersand), TTDI (Platinum Park), the Lion Group and E&O Property. Appetite among the locals for such units has slowed. Developers are looking overseas to raise awareness of the relatively inexpensive cost of properties in Southeast Asia.
Hot spots
Good value areas include Alam Damai in Cheras where new landed 22ft wide traditional terraced houses can be obtained for around RM400,000. Astute buyers are buying older, smaller terraced homes for about RM200,000 onwards and renovating these into their dream homes.

Others are picking up city apartments at around RM250,000 (about 1,100 sq ft) in Jalan Ipoh, Wangsa Maju and Pantai Baru. With higher development costs, it is likely that future replacement values will exceed current prices.
Snapshot of 2006
Events that affected purchasers include the electricity tariff and interest rates hikes, the NAP for automobiles, fuel price increase and its resultant inflationary effect, the "fallout" between the prime minister and former prime minister, the Lina Joy case and lately the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute report. The general market mood was subdued but some luxury-type offerings such as U-Thant Residence (Tan & Tan Developments), I Menerung (BRDB), Idamansara (E&O Property), MK 10 (Sunrise) have done well. Kiara 1888 also did well.
Wish list
A higher rate of economic growth with more foreign direct investment.
More emphasis on the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme.
Incentives for first-time homebuyers.
An automatic release mechanism for bumiputera quota units.
Greater emphasis on quality by developers
Kong Kwok Wah
Sabah
Outlook
Seems promising. Currently, at least six mega shopping complexes with a total floor area of about 4.4 million sq ft are being built, satisfying demand for the next 10 to 20 years. Landed homes in reasonably good locations are doing well. There is abundant supply of apartments, especially with Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd's focus on low and medium-cost housing. The KK Industrial Park has sold all its lots to date. Other industrial estates are generally small and pocket developments. The expected tourist influx following the Kota Kinabalu International Airport's extension augurs well for the 4- and 5-star and budget-type hotels in Kota Kinabalu. There is good potential for low-density, high-end condos in choice locations as more affluent people opt for lifestyle residences with good quality finishing and a secured environment. The boom in the tourism industry and the MM2H promotion should boost demand for high-end condos and seaside resort homes. The top range condos in good locations only cost an average of RM300 to RM350 psf — a reasonable rate compared with Penang and Klang Valley, thus the further upside potential. The airport extension, the naval and submarine base at Sepangar, the oil and gas refinery off the Kimanis Bay, the new container ports, extension of the city and infrastructure works will provide the extra push for Kota Kinabalu.
Hot spots
Kota Kinabalu — the main administrative, political, financial and business centre of Sabah — which has a high population increase rate in view of youths migrating to the city every year to look for jobs.
Snapshot of 2006
Fair performance considering the oil price hike and overall climb in the cost of building materials by 10% to 20%. Landed properties, especially terraced and semidees, sold well. There are not many condominium projects in KK currently. Purchasers tend to wait until the project has been completed, allowing them to evaluate the end product before committing to a purchase.
Wish list
More aggressive promotion of MM2H and relaxation of the rules and regulations.

Banks should not impose too many pre-conditions for end-financing of property.

The airport's extension is completed in time and complemented with more direct international flights.

Sabah, with its majestic world heritage Mount Kinabalu, lovely sandy beaches, the vast virgin forest reserve Danum Valley, diving haven in Sipadan Island and Orang Utan rehabilitation centre in Sepilok and good hotel facilities at budget prices, may soon become a preferred holiday destination.

Good relations between the state government and the property industry to create a better investment climate.
William Wei
Sarawak
Outlook
Take-up rate will be slow, following through from the second half of 2006. Like last year, potential buyers will continue to focus on medium-range properties like terraced houses costing between RM120,000 and RM250,000 instead of residential units costing more than RM300,000.
Hot spots
Traditional cities/towns like Kuching, Sibu, Miri and Bintulu. New towns like Mukah.

In Bintulu, major projects such as the upgrading of the Malaysian liquified natural gas project and the expectation that the smelter plant project will be implemented are fuelling growth there.
Snapshot of 2006
Take-up slowed down in the second half. Overall, there was a 25% slowdown in sales for 2006, especially for properties costing above RM300,000. This was due to the fuel price hike, increase in borrowing rates and stiffer rulings for borrowers.
Wish list
Incentives from government in collaboration with the industry such as stamp duty waivers

Kuantan, Seremban and Kota Kinabalu seems to be doing well!!! these might be new development areas?? let's see..

Two Biotech Companies To Start Operations In Penang This Year
Updated : 16-02-2007
Media : Bernama


PENANG, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Two biotechnology companies will take off operations at the Penang Biotechnology Park in Bukit Minyak Seberang Perai, this year.

The companies, Progenix Research Sdn Bhd and Alpha Biologics Sdn Bhd will start their operations in March and September respectively.

Springhill Management Ltd chairman Datuk Dr Kim Tan said facilities for the biotechnology companies were now nearing completion and in the process of certification and verification.

He was speaking to reporters after being conferred the Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (DSPN) award, which carries the title "Datuk" by the Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas here, Friday.

Tan said with the two flagship pioneer companies in Penang Biotechnology Park, more biotechnology companies will be attracted to invest here.

"The government is committed to the building of the park and we are trying to attract more biotech and life sciences companies to come and set up facilities here," he added.

Springhill Management, a United Kingdom-based biotechnology venture capital company, is the parent company of Springhill Bioventures Sdn Bhd through which Progenix and Alpha have been set up.

Springhill Bioventures, which is jointly owned by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Pacific Mas Fidelity Sdn Bhd, Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd and THG Capital Sdn Bhd, is investing US$35 million in the two facilities.

Alpha will be involved in the production of pre-clinical trial drugs for biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, while Progenix will specialise in pre-clinical research and development for pharmaceutical industries, biotechnology and agro-chemical.

Meanwhile, Koh said there will be more biotechnology companies investing in the park and the state government will make the announcement on the investment "at a right time".

Several medical devices manufacturing companies are already operating at the park, he said, adding that these companies were doing very well.

Selangor To Build Artificial Reefs In Straits Of Melaka
June 05, 2007 22:37 PM

KUALA LANGAT, June 5 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government will build artificial reefs in the Straits of Melaka aimed at enabling better catch for fishermen in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo said: "We have six places for the artificial reefs. Now, we are building it in Kuala Langat and Sabak Bernam. We will have one in Tanjung Karang and then Kuala Selangor, Jeram and Klang."

He was commenting on a newspaper report on Sunday that fishermen in Kuala Selangor had complained about dwindling catch and the fish caught was also small in size.

Speaking to reporters after meeting civil servants in the Kuala Langat district today, Dr Mohamad Khir said the cost of building an artificial reef could reach half a million ringgit and the state government had allocated RM6 million for the project in all the six districts this year.

-- BERNAMA

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Safety, environ protection in Malacca Straits
By Presenna Nambiar
June 18 2007
BusinessTimes


Hong Kong Shipowners Association says maritime security is best taken care of by the littoral states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore

THE global maritime industry is in talks to share the burden of safe navigation and environmental protection of the Malacca Straits and not maritime security.

Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSA) managing director Arthur Bowring said maritime security is a different issue and best taken care of by the littoral states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

"Its not something that the industry should be expected to contribute to," Bowring said.

He was speaking at the conference held at the close of the 6th International Maritime Bureau Meeting on Piracy and Maritime Security last Thursday.

He said maritime organisations are looking at who are the users and beneficiaries of a safe and secure transit through the Malacca Straits.

"The industry is committed to engage in discussions surrounding the voluntary fund that Maritime Institute of Malaysia has proposed and how it might work.

"We want the fund to be transparent and accountable, how it will work, who will contribute to it, all these issues have to be worked out and we want to be involved in discussions surrounding the fund," Bowring said."

Sarawak to have own social data system
Tuesday May 19, 2009

KUCHING: Sarawak will become the first state in the country to have its own comprehensive social data system by the first quarter of next year, providing an efficient social delivery system to the target group at the click of a computer keyboard or mouse.

Social Development and Urbanisation Minister Datuk Seri William Mawan Ikom said the main objective of the new “Sarawak Community Care System” (SCCs) is to reorganise and enhance the state government delivery system, particularly involving welfare assistance to the needy, and tackling the various social problems in the state by using the latest tools in information technology.

“We can monitor in real time the action taken by the Welfare Department and at the same time the public will have up-to-date information related to financial assistance provided by the government, such as when the assistance for the flood victims will be given out,” he told reporters after the soft launch of the first of the six components of the SCCS on Friday.

He said state welfare officers and staff were undergoing training to familiarise themselves with the system.

Meanwhile, state-owned Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (Sains), which is responsible for developing the SCCS, said in a statement the six components would be implemented in stages beginning this month.

The six components are the establishment of a community care portal, assistance management, institution management, online application/case registration, disaster relief assistance, and social care information. - Bernama

Better cellular coverage in rural Sarawak
Tuesday May 19, 2009

SARIKEI: Cellular coverage in rural Sarawak is expected to improve greatly by next year.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is to spend almost RM500mil this year and the next to erect more communications towers, said Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Joseph Salang.

This was under the Project T3 programme which covered areas with very small population deep in the interior of the state, he told reporters on Saturday after officiating at a meet the people session at a longhouse in Nanga Pedanmun, Pakan, about 60km from here.

Salang said the government had also directed the MCMC to set up more community broadband centres in such areas to help the people, especially students, to access the Internet.

On another matter, he advised traders in the state against wantonly raising the prices of goods in the run up to the Gawai Dayak festival on June 1.

He said that with two weeks before the Dayak community’s biggest celebration, the people would be spending more and there was a tendency for unscrupulous traders to hike the prices of flour, eggs, chicken and sugar to make excessive profit.

He said he hoped that officials from the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs would go down to the ground regularly to monitor the prices, especially in the rural areas. — Bernama

Selangor a cyber state by end-2010
Wednesday May 20, 2009
By JADE CHAN

BY the end of next year, Selangor will become a full cyber state, with Internet connection available and accessible throughout the state via the broadband wireless system.

According to Selangor state welfare, women affairs, science, technology and innovation committee chairman Rodziah Ismail, the state government wants to create an Internet-savvy community.

“The Selangor government wants the residents to use ICT (information, communications and technology) as a medium, for bill payment, information search and other transactions,” Rodziah said.

“Everyone will be part of a connected community, whether those residing in urban or rural areas. This plan is part of the state’s new economic plan to stimulate the economy,” she said.

“We want to make the Internet the fourth form of utility in Selangor, after water, electricity and telephone. The Internet set-up will be done by four service providers in different areas,” Rodziah said.

She said the state government would be implementing a welfare pro**gramme based on a “work-fare” (from welfare to work) concept this year.

“We’re targeting those in the low-income group, particularly the single mothers, the disabled and the school dropouts to encourage them to earn a living of at least RM1,500 a month. We want them to be independent, not rely on welfare aid and have the courage to prove that they can and must work,” she said.

According to Rodziah, the state government will provide the assistance like sending participants for training or providing micro-credit loans for them to start their own business or join the workforce.

She said getting the school dropouts involved in the scheme was to provide them an avenue to learn some skills and to prevent them from getting involved in social problems.

“The programme started in February has been implemented in each assemblyman’s constituency. We will evaluate its progress after six months,” Rodziah said.

She said she would also focus on improving and enhancing the well-being of the disabled.

“We will launch a scheme offering free parking stickers for the disabled in a week. There will be two types of stickers — a permanent sticker for those who have their own cars, and a transferable type for caregivers of the disabled,” she said.

“To qualify for a sticker, an applicant must be registered with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and go to his or her local council to obtain it,” Rodziah said.

“Each sticker has its own safety code to ensure that it is not abused. We will also work with the local councils to step up enforcement and increase the fines on those who abuse parking spots for the disabled,” she said.

“We have also instructed all local councils in Selangor, especially those in the urban areas like Shah Alam, Klang, Subang Jaya, Selayang and Ampang, to provide two adequately-equipped vans in their municipalities as transport for the disabled by the end of this year,” Rodziah said.

She also said the barrier-free concept would be highlighted to provide the disabled better accessibility to government and private buildings, shopping complexes, religious institutions and recreation centres.

“We have appointed a consultant to audit all buildings, especially those in the urban areas, on their accessibility, and to create awareness for all contractors and building developers for the concept to be implemented in new and existing buildings,” Rodziah said.

“The interesting part is that the disabled who are professionals like town planners and lecturers will be doing the auditing themselves. They will begin their auditing in the Shah Alam city centre in mid-June and move on to other areas. I will assess their reports every two months,” she said.

According to Rodziah, the state government is targeting to have at least 1% disabled and 30% women in the workforce at government agencies by the end of this year.

“We want a higher female representation, especially those at senior management or decision-making levels,” she said.

Rodziah said her plans for women included setting up female community centres at each state constituency and promoting the one-stop crisis centres (OSCCs).

“The community centre will be a place where women can have skills training, conduct their own activities, network and share issues,” she said.

Rodziah said OSCCs had been set up at the Hospital Ampang, Hospital Serdang, Hospital Selayang, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang and Hospital Kajang to offer protection to women who had been abused, raped or experienced domestic violence.

“Women in trouble can go to the OSCCs at these hospitals to seek protection and get help. We want women to be more empowered, be aware their rights, and to know where to go to get protection,” Rodziah said.

The programme was launched in 1997 by the federal government.

Malaccca likely to reach developed status by 2010
Friday May 22, 2009
By MARTIN CARVALHO

MALACCA: The state’s goal of achieving developed-state status by 2010 in on track, with the fulfilment of 85% of 32 indicators fixed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam expressed confidence that Malacca would achieve its target although there was only 227 days left.

“To date, we have achieved 100% in 16 indicators and between 33% and 90% in the rest,” he said after officiating at the Melaka Maju 2010 Seminar in MITC, Ayer Keroh, recently.

Among the indicators where full marks were scored were access to water, electricity and Internet usage.

The toughest indicator, said Mohd Ali, was the number of doctors per 1,000 people.

“OECD has set the indicator at three doctors for 1,000 people, but the state has only one for 1,000 people.

“This may not be achievable in time, but I have asked the Health Ministry to increase the number of doctors,” he said.

However, it was not a crucial factor as there were developed nations unable to meet the OEDC’s physician to population criteria, he added.

“What is important is the state’s image. It must be tidy, clean and well managed in both urban and rural areas,” he said, adding local councils must work hard to keep the state clean.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ali said the state chalked up economic growth of 4.6% last year despite the global economic downturn.

He said the state’s Gross Domestic Product stood at 5.2% while inflation was kept at 3.7% for 2008.

Kemas Sabah diperuntuk RM60j
Oleh HAMDEN RAMLI

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MOHD. Shafie Apdal (duduk) bertanya sesuatu kepada pelajar Tabika Kemas
Kampung Terusan di Sekolah Kebangsaan Terusan, Pulau Bum-Bum,
Semporna, semalam. - MINGGUAN/GHAZALI BASRI

SEMPORNA 30 Mei - Kerajaan memperuntukkan sebanyak RM60.3 juta kepada Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (Kemas) negeri Sabah bagi melaksanakan program serta projek pembangunan di seluruh negeri ini di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan (RMK-9).

Menteri Kemajuan Luar Bandar dan Wilayah, Datuk Seri Mohd. Shafie Afdal berkata, peruntukan itu meliputi pembinaan 10 tadika baru dan menaik taraf taman bimbingan kanak-kanak (tabika) sedia ada yang akan dilaksanakan tahun ini.

Katanya, dua projek baru yang akan dilaksanakan di kawasan Parlimen Semporna ialah pembinaan Medan Info Desa (MID) membabitkan kos RM500,000.

"Diharapkan dengan adanya program Kemas ini akan dapat meniup angin perubahan dan menjadi pemangkin kepada masyarakat setempat," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika merasmikan program mesra rakyat Semporna di Kampung Terusan Pulau Bum-Bum, di sini hari ini.

Hadir sama, Ketua Pengarah Kemas, Datuk Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan dan Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Bugaya, Ramli Marhaban.

Shafie yang juga Ahli Parlimen Semporna berkata, Kemas juga merancang membina asrama Pusat Kegiatan Masyarakat membabitkan peruntukan RM2 juta serta menaik taraf Tabika Bugaya kepada Tabika Permata.

Sehingga kini, katanya, terdapat 816 buah tabika Kemas beroperasi di seluruh Sabah melibatkan 828 guru.

Beliau menambah, kerajaan akan memastikan pembinaan tabika Kemas di luar bandar mampu memberi pendidikan awal kepada kanak-kanak agar tidak tercicir dalam arus pendidikan negara.

Sementara itu, ditanya mengenai status cadangan pembinaan jambatan menghubungkan Pulau Bum-Bum dengan pekan Semporna, beliau berkata, projek tersebut terpaksa ditangguh kerana kegawatan ekonomi global.

"Namun saya berjanji perkara ini akan mendapat keutamaan apabila keadaan ekonomi kembali pulih," katanya.

3 projek I'DA World RM1 trilion
1 Jun 2009
Oleh sarah nadlin rohim

KELANA JAYA 31 Mei - I'DA World Group Sdn. Bhd. (I'DA World) akan membangunkan tiga projek mega bernilai AS$300 bilion (RM1.06 trilion) di utara Semenanjung.

Tiga projek mega itu membabitkan pembinaan lebuh raya (Hubungan Timur-Barat) dan saluran paip gas dan minyak sepanjang 300 kilometer yang bermula dari Tumpat, Kelantan sehingga Kuala Perlis dan Kuala Kedah, pembangunan di Pantai Sri Tujuh (PS7), pembangunan integrasi di Tumpat serta bandar peranginan di Pasir Mas, Kelantan.

Pengerusi Eksekutifnya, Abdul Rahim Abdul Wahab berkata, pembangunan projek tersebut akan dibiayai melalui inisiatif pembiayaan swasta (PFI) dan tidak menggunakan sumber kerajaan.

''Kita telah mendapat persetujuan daripada kerajaan untuk membangunkan projek tersebut dan ia dijangka bermula pada Ogos ini dan bakal siap sepenuhnya dalam tempoh 20 tahun akan datang.

''Bagi pembiayaan projek-projek tersebut, ia akan dijana daripada syarikat-syarikat berkaitan bersekutu kami, selain aset lain di luar negara untuk meneruskan projek ini,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di pejabatnya baru-baru ini.

Tambah Abdul Rahim, jumlah pembiayaan awal adalah sebanyak AS$50 bilion (RM174.5 bilion) yang akan dibahagikan kepada tiga pakej, iaitu AS$35 bilion (RM122.15 bilion) untuk PS7, AS$10 bilion (RM34.9 bilion) untuk lebuh raya East-West Link dan AS$5 bilion (RM17.45 bilion) untuk projek Pasir Mas.

Katanya, projek PS7 akan mempunyai pusat perdagangan dan kewangan antarabangsa, pusat pendidikan dan sains serta bandar pelabuhan

Manakala, bandar peranginan pula akan mempunyai pusat pentadbiran seperti Putrajaya, hotel dan resort serta taman tema air.

Selain itu, Abdul Rahim menjangkakan projek tersebut akan menjana lebih sejuta peluang pekerjaan dan membantu memberi peluang kepada perusahaan kecil dan sederhana (PKS).

''Tujuan utama I'DA World adalah membuka peluang kepada orang ramai selain membantu menjana ekonomi negara,'' katanya.

I'DA world merupakan syarikat pembinaan yang ditubuhkan pada April tahun lalu.

Mega plans for the north
By Sharen Kaur

I'DA World Group has proposed to build a highway and an oil and gas pipeline, an integrated development in Tumpat and a resort city in Pasir Mas, Kelantan

I'DA World Group Sdn Bhd, controlled by Kedah-born businessman Abdul Rahim Abdul Wahab, has proposed three mega projects in the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia, which it hopes to undertake as a Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

Under the PFI, the private sector undertakes implementation and financing of a project and assumes the risks. The project's revenue must come mainly from the private sector and not from government sources.

Abdul Rahim, who is also I'DA executive chairman, said the proposed projects are a highway and an oil and gas pipeline, each over 300km long, stretching from Tumpat in Kelantan to Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah respectively; Pantai Sri Tujuh (PS7) integrated development in Tumpat; and a resort city in Pasir Mas, Kelantan.

The PS7 project, involving reclaimed land, will feature an international trade and finance centre, education and science centre, and a city port, among other things.

Information5739
The resort city, meanwhile, is envisaged to have an administration centre akin to Putrajaya, resorts and hotels, and a water themepark.

The total investment for the projects is estimated at US$300 billion (RM1 trillion) over a period of 30-35 years, Abdul Rahim told Business Times in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, last week, after presenting a video on the projects to the company's consortium members, key officials from Majlis Daerah Pasir Mas and members of the Kelantan royal family.

Under I'DA's proposal, an initial amount of US$50 billion (RM181 billion) will be divided into three packages: US$35 billion (RM127 billion) for PS7, US$10 billion (RM36 billion) for the six-lane East-West Link highway and pipeline, and US$5 billion (RM18 billion) for the Pasir Mas project.

Abdul Rahim expects the projects to create more than a million jobs and generate spin-off opportunities for small- and medium-scale industries.

"My aim is to create opportunities. The world economy is in turmoil so it would be a good time to initiate these projects and help people. It is a private initiative and has nothing to do with the Northern and Eastern Corridors," he said.

Abdul Rahim said he has been involved in infrastructure and building works overseas for more than 40 years. He returned to Malaysia 10 years ago.

I'DA, a general contractor with a paid-up capital of RM1 million, was set up in April 2007.

On funding for the projects, Abdul Rahim claimed that some will come from the wealth generated by various associate companies linked to him. The group also has other assets to finance the projects, he added.

"We are confident as we have the funds and people. I have built a strong base of high net worth individuals from the Middle East, Europe, South Africa and the US. These are the millionaires whom we are targeting for the properties," he said.

Blooming pride of Malaysia
Wednesday June 10, 2009
BY NIK NAIZI HUSIN

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Deep in the jungle:Only four-wheel drive vehicles can be driven into the area.
However, trekking to the place is advisable as the road is narrow and parking
space is limited.

RAUB: Many Malaysians do not fully appreciate the rich flora and fauna found in the country, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

She added that during her recent visit to Kew Gardens in London, she was told by an environmentalist there that many species of his vast collection of flora and fauna were sourced from forests in Malaysia.

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Beautiful:A file picture of a rafflesia in full bloom.

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Short life: The rafflesia dies after seven days.

Dr Ng said the person then said how lucky she was to originate from a country rich with flora and fauna.

“I was attracted to his statement. I feel sad that many in Malaysia are not concerned about this kind of heritage we have in our own backyard,” she said during her visit to the Lata Jarum recreational park in Hulu Dong, here recently.

In Lata Jarum, among the attractions is the rafflesia flower located deep in the forest.

Dr Ng said the rafflesia flower in Lata Jarum had been growing there for years, but that she only found out about it from a friend who recently visited the area.

The rafflesia in Lata Jarum belongs to the “cantleyi’’ species - a kind of parasite plant.

The cantleyi species of rafflesia can also be found on Tioman Island and some other forest areas in the peninsula.

In Lata Jarum, the rafflesia is 60cm in diameter and blooms for seven days.

On its third day of bloom, its vibrant colour will start to brown and after its seventh day, the flower dies.

Othman said Lata Jarum park is popular for its waterfall and is visited by hundreds of tourists, both locals and foreigners, weekly.

The place is one of the popular tourist destinations and located in Gunung Benom Forest Reserve area.

Sabah To Have More Tsunami Warning Systems Installed
June 18, 2009 14:46 PM

TAWAU, June 18 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Meteorology Department (MMD) is expected to install additional Tsunami monitoring and warning systems in Sabah this year, said Sabah MMD director Abd Malik Tussin.

He said a seismic station aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the earthquake detection system in real-time was being build in Sepulut, Sabah as an addition to the five stations in the state.

Abdul Malik said the five seismic stations in Sabah were situated in Tawau, Lahad Datu, Telupid, Kudat and Laumandau.

With the completion of the station in Sepulut and two more in Kota Gelangi (Pahang) and Bakun (Sarawak), Malaysia will have 14 seismic stations and 15 seismic sea wave warning systems and five of the 15 will be in Sabah.

"The Sabah coast is exposed to the risk of Tsunami and that requires additional Tsunami warning systems," he told reporters after a Tsunami warning awareness campaign at Masjid Al-Kauthar here today.

--BERNAMA

Tsunami Warning Exercise At Masjid Al-Kauthar Thursday
June 16, 2009 21:31 PM

TAWAU, June 16 (Bernama) -- The Meteorological Department will have a tsunami early-warning exercise at the Masjid Al-Kauthar on Thursday at 9am. The mosque is located by the sea.

A spokesman of the department's geophysics and tsunami division said the mosque was among 13 locations in the state that had tsunami-warning siren equipment for early warning.

"From the number of siren sounds, people would be able to know whether they have to evacuate the sea-side or move to higher ground," he told Bernama Tuesday.

The spokesman said there were 10 more sirens to be installed in the country to make the total 23.

Supervisor of the Masjid Al-Kauthar, Rahman Yahya, urged the Tawau community to turn up in force for the exercise.

The Masjid Al-Kauthar is the largest in Sabah and can accomodate 15,000 people at one time.



-- BERNAMA

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are those projects real? i dont see any update so far....

Sabah Allocates RM370 Million For 5 Agropolitan Projects
June 22, 2009 15:26 PM

RANAU, June 22 (Bernama) -- Sabah's Rural Development Ministry has allocated RM370 million to implement five agropolitan projects to help farmers in rural areas.

Its minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin said that this showed that the government was working towards improving the livelihood of the people, especially those in the rural areas.

Agropolitan is an initiative aimed at eradicating hardcore poverty through various integrated agricultural and agro-based development projects.

"We hope that those in the rural areas of Sabah will be able to achieve a living standard comparable with those in other states within a short period in line with the 1Malaysia concept," Ewon said at a harvest festival celebration involving 10 villages in the Suminimpod district here Sunday night.

He said under 1Malaysia, priority is given for the people to progress in all areas and with the focus on development, various strategies have been drawn up to overcome the problems they are facing.

These, he added, included infrastructure problems in rural areas such as roads, bridges, electricity and water supplies as well as school facilities.

-- BERNAMA

4,000 residents to benefit from solar energy project
Tuesday June 23, 2009

TAWAU: Some 4,000 residents of Kalabakan, about 100km from here, are expected to benefit from a solar energy and fresh water supply project being carried out in the area.

Kalabakan MP Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh said the RM20mil solar project under Rural and Regional Development Ministry was well underway.

“As we can see, electric poles and cabling works in the village area of Kalabakan is almost complete,” he told reporters after simultaneously opening the Umno branch annual meetings for the Kalabakan, Brumas and Luasong zones.

Abdul Ghapur said the allocation for a mini water supply plant worth RM12mil was approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak through Felda.

“In three or four months, the appointed contractor would start works on the plant, expected to be ready by end of next year.

Abdul Ghapur added that some 500 houses of the poor and less fortunate in the parliamentary constituency of Kalabakan including Merotai, Tanjung Batu and Sebatik would be given aid to repair their homes.

He said a RM7.5mil allocation from Felda was approved and repair works would be carried out soon.

“This is the first such project using this approach in Malaysia and it’sa privilege given to parliamentary constituencies with Felda estates,” he said. – Bernama.

Terengganu Listed Among Top 50 States In IMD's Global Competitiveness
June 24, 2009 17:00 PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, June 24 (Bernama) -- Terengganu has gained recognition among the top 50 states in World competitiveness after being ranked in 29 spot.

Director general of the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC) Datuk Nik Zainiah Abd Rahman said according to the list released by the Switzerland based Institute Of Management Development (IMD), Terengganu was in 29th spot.

"This is a great achievement and a proud moment for Terengganu," she told reporters after closing the ICC East Coast Awards and Certification Convention here today.

Nik Zainiah said among the factors that boosted Terengganu's status in the rankings was due to its high productivity, infrastructure and effective management in the business segment for the private sector.

She added that Terengganu was the sixth Malaysian state to achieve such status after previous achievements by Selangor, Kedah, Johor, Federal Territory and Sabah.

MPC will continue to work with the respective agencies to enhance productivity and help the state become more competitive in the future.

-- BERNAMA

S’wak protects orang-utans: Conservationist
By Samuel Aubrey
Thursday, June 25th, 2009

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GOOD VISIT: Spencer (second left), Galdikas (third left), Wilfred (fourth
right), park warden Jen Sangel (third right) and others pose for group
photograph after the visit. (Inset) Orang Utans swing freely in trees.

KUCHING: A leading orang-utan conservationist stated yesterday that Sarawak has done a great job protecting the orang-utan population, countering negative criticisms hurled at the state by foreign environmental groups.

Indonesia-based Dr Bruite Mary Galdikas, regarded as the world’s foremost authority on the orang-utan, said she was impressed with Sarawak’s progress thus far.

“The government of Sarawak is doing a very good job in protecting the orang-utan … when I was last here in 1998, the Chief Minister had created a reserve specifically for orang-utans. As you know, orang-utans are difficult to conserve because they need large areas and they are deep forest animals.

“I’m very impressed by what I’ve seen here. There are other issues but I will not want to talk about that,” she told reporters after visiting the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, which houses 24 orang-utans.

The Canadian-born Galdikas, together with her American collaborator Irene Spencer, were in Sarawak to identify sites in the state for the proposed joint tour programme that will enable visitors to see orang-utans in Sarawak, Sabah and the Indonesian province of Kalimantan Tengah.

They also visited Lanjak-Entimau in Batang Ai and the Matang Wildlife Centre on Tuesday.

According to Galdkas, the joint tour programme, which is expected to commence next year, will create greater global awareness on the protection and conservation of the orang-utan.

A primatologist by training and now regarded as an educator on orang-utan, Galdikas has spent 38 years raising public awareness on the protection of the orang-utan, particularly from Camp Leakey, Kalimantan Tengah, which is currently rehabilitating 330 orang-utans.

She rose to fame when Hollywood actress Julia Roberts did a special documentary on her work many years ago.

On Indonesia, Galdikas said the population of orang-utan there is still under threat by deforestation and plantations of oil palm and other commercial crops.

She said there are now 50,000 orang-utans in Indonesia, many of which are in Kalimantan, while only 6,000 are in Sumatera.

“In 1980, official estimates said there were 200,000 orang-utans in Indonesia, but I believe the exact numbers could have been 400,000. So, 80 per cent of the orang-utans have already disappeared,” she said.

Asked on her observations of Sarawak, she said the orang-utan population in the state is not as large as commonly believed.

She said orang-utan populations here are mostly in the mountains and highlands, and are of lower density compared to Sabah and Indonesia, where they are found mostly in peat swamps.

Meanwhile, Spencer, who has 20 years experience in tourism, said she was impressed with how Sarawak has turned the orang-utan into a natural attraction.

“In Sarawak, or Malaysian Borneo for that matter, you can find mascots, T-shirts and bags of orang-utan. Here, orang-utans are promoted as natural attractions. We don’t see this in Indonesia,” she said, adding that the proposed joint tour programme will be promoted via the Internet.

Sarawak Forestry Corporation general manager (protected areas and biodiversity conservation) Wilfred Landong said the protection and research on orang-utan will be further strengthened with the completion of an RM5 million centre of excellence in Nanga Daloh next year.

“There are now about 2,500 to 3,000 orang utans in Sarawak,” he said, adding that the government may establish a nature reserve at Bukit Niso near Lingga, where there have been recent sightings of orang-utans.

PROGRAMMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ENTREPRENEURS IN RURAL AREAS
25th June, 2009

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Ewon takes a closer look at the locally made parangs

KOTA MARUDU: The Ministry of Rural Development (KPLB) has drawn up several programmes for the development of entrepreneurs in the rural areas.

It will help with the eradication of hard core poverty and cut by half the overall poverty rate by 2010.

Its minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin said the programmes included tailoring courses, selected food courses, skill trainings and the “One District, One Product” concept.

The programmes are aimed at increasing the income of the rural folks through efforts focussed on value addition to agricultural produce as well as through the development of entrepreneurs at grassroots level.

Ewon said this to reporters when officiating a dialogue for entrepreneurs from small villages and the exhibition of products of small industries at the Kota Marudu Zone Community Hall here yesterday.

He added that the response for the ministry’s entrepreneurship programmes was encouraging especially from the people living out of the town areas.

“This is a good sign for the efforts and programmes the government had undertaken to develop Bumiputera entrepreneurs at the grassroots and for them to take full advantage and get involved in the sector,” he said.

Ewon nevertheless said many areas still needed attention in order for small Bumiputera entrepreneurs in Sabah to achieve more progress.

“Therefore, the ministry will continue to look at measures that are integrated with other government agencies as well as financial institutions in its efforts to develop and empower small entrepreneurs in the rural areas,” he said.

Meanwhile, he also said the state government would continue to work closely with the federal government so that the endeavour to eradicate poverty could be achieved.

Sabah, he added, still has a lot of land which could be developed for agriculture and therefore must be given to this sector of the economy.

Sabah records RM12.4b trade in Jan-April 2009
24th June, 2009

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s total trade for January to April this year amounted to RM12.4 billion with exports at RM8.7 billion and imports, RM3.7 billion.

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan in disclosing this yesterday, said export commodities from Sabah were mainly palm oil, crude palm oil and crude petroleum.

Imports items were machinery and transport equipment, refined petroleum products as well as chemicals and chemical products.

Jacob noted that Sabah’s total trade in 2008 increased 39.9 per cent to RM55.2 billion as compared to 2007.

The State’s exports last year grew by 48.6 per cent to RM41 billion, while imports increased by 19.7 per cent to RM14.2 billion.

Sabah’s total trade last year accounted for 4.7 percent of the country’s global trade.

Meanwhile, in the manufacturing sector, Jacob said a total of 10 projects worth RM205.4 million were approved in Sabah in the first quarter of this year.

This placed Sabah in the eighth position among the states in Malaysia in terms of approved investments in the manufacturing sector.

Major investments during the period, according to Jacob, were in chemicals and chemical products which recorded a total investment of RM150.5 million.

The paper, printing and publishing sector was at second place with RM28.1 million followed by wood and wood products with RM18.2 million.

These three major sectors accounted for 95.8 per cent of the total approved investments for the first four months of the year.

Jacob was in Sabah to deliver a keynote address in conjunction with the two-day Sabah Investment and Trade Dialogue and Seminar on Manufacturing and Service Sector, which began yesterday.

Thailand wants to supply S’wak with quality workers
Sunday, June 28th, 2009

KUCHING: Thailand is looking forward to establishing further bilateral rapport with the state government to supply Sarawak with skilled and quality workers.

Thai Minister of Labour Phaithoon Kaeothong said as many as 4,000 Thai workers had been working in Sarawak and Sabah, showing that the country was capable of offering what the state required.

“Many Thai labourers have worked in Sarawak and Sabah while Global Upline Group has recruited many from Thailand as technical workers,” he told a press conference at Four Points by Sheraton Kuching yesterday.

Phaithoon was on an unofficial visit to the city.

As he was staying at Four Points, a hotel under Global Upline Sdn Bhd, he had a meeting with its adviser Tan Sri Ting Pek Khiing.

Phaithoon noted that Global Upline had undertaken some major infrastructural development projects such as the Kuching International Airport (KIA), Sabah International Airport and hospitals in East Malaysia.

He was impressed that almost all these mega projects were completed ahead of schedule.

“Global Upline Sdn Bhd has also completed Fours Points by Sheraton Kuching hotel ahead of time,” he said, adding that the majority of workers involved in these development projects were Thais.

He thus believed that Thai workers, in terms of technical requirement, quality and capability, would be able to meet the labour demand in the state.

He also commended the state government for its progressive development in the economy and tourism industry, which had subsequently attracted foreign investment.

Among those present were permanent secretary to the Ministry of Labour, Thailand Somchai Choomrat and Global Upline deputy managing director Datuk Michael Ting.

Sarawak To Better Monitor Environment
June 26, 2009 15:20 PM

MIRI, June 26 (Bernama) -- Sarawak will soon be able to better monitor its environment when a state-of-the-art Geo-Environment Information System, currently being developed, becomes operational next year.

Upon completion, the RM2 million system, modelled after a similar system in Denmark, would be the first of its kind in South East Asia, said state natural resources and environment board (NREB) controller Dr Penguang Manggil.

He said the system would enable the board to monitor the state of environment in an integrated manner, adding that work to develop the system began last year.

"The system is now at an advanced stage of development and linked to the Department of Environment and 14 other government agencies in the state.

"Despite not being fully developed, the system which integrates with the Global Positioning System has managed to detect eight cases of open burning at large-scale plantation areas in the state," said Dr Penguang.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an NREB dialogue session here today.

He said the environmental protection authority in New Zealand had also shown interest in the system and had sent a team to study its mechanism, adding that Sarawak would be the first state in the country to enforce environmental auditing rules on major development projects in the state.

Dr Penguang said the board would soon be appointing an independent environmental auditor who will oversee measures taken by developers to protect the environment.

He said NREB would take legal action against developers who failed to comply with conditions set for the approval of their projects.

-- BERNAMA

Sabah's Seaweed Industry To Be High-impact Project
June 28, 2009 13:51 PM

SEMPORNA, June 28 (Bernama) -- The seaweed industry is to be made a high-impact project in Sabah in a government move to augment the income of fishermen and raise their living standard, said Federal Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Noh Omar.

He said 102,000 hectares had been identified in Semporna, Lahad Datu, Kudat and Sandakan for the project which would be implemented soon and have initially 220 participants.

"We see a good market for seaweed in the country. The price is good and the demand exceeds supply," he told reporters after a dialogue with members of fishermen's associations in Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Tawau, here yesterday.

Noh said the project would be implemented by the Fisheries Department and the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) with the collaboration of the Sabah government which would provide the land.

On the request by existing seaweed processing entrepreneurs for the subsidised diesel and petrol now enjoyed by fishermen, he said it could be arranged as seaweed was also a marine resource.

-- BERNAMA

Sarawak impresses orang utan expert
Monday June 29, 2009

KUCHING: A world renowned orang utan expert, Dr Birute Marija Filomena Galdikas, was impressed with the orang utan rehabilitation efforts in Sarawak, especially at the Semenggoh and Matang Wildlife Centres near here.

Dr Galdikas, a primatologist, conservationist, ethologist and author of several books related to endangered species, is also known as an authority in the field of modern primatology, having studied orang utan for 38 years.

“Orang utan is a difficult species to conserve. Nevertheless, Sarawak has done a very decent job in protecting them,” she said after visiting Sarawak Forestry’s orang utan rehabilitation centres in Matang and Semenggoh.

She was also impressed with the innovative measures the state government had implemented in taking good care of the orang utan by involving the private sector as well.

Born in Canada and now holding Indonesian citizenship, Dr Galdikas monitors 330 orang utans in Kalimantan.

Dr Galdikas is also famous for being the third member of a women trio, known as the ‘Leakey’s Angels’. The other two are Jane Goodall, who studied chimpanzees and Dian Fossey, famous for her pursuit to study and protect mountain gorillas.

Irene Spencer, a certified travel consultant from the United States who accompanied Dr Galdikas, was equally impressed with the conservation efforts carried out by the Sarawak Forestry.

She was here to look at the potential of promoting orang utan tours for high-end interest groups to Matang and Semenggoh by next year as it was a niche market that has great potential and demands in the United States. - Bernama

Wisma Putra to set up offices in Sabah, S’wak
Sunday, June 28th, 2009

KOTA KINABALU: Efforts are afoot to set up Wisma Putra branch offices in Sabah and Sarawak to provide consular-related services.

This would provide comfort and convenience for East Malaysians in seeking these services without even having to leave their states.

“This was among the first thing I noticed when I took over the office. East Malaysians have to travel all the way to Kuala Lumpur to get their Letter of Good Conduct and when dealing with other consular services,” Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman said, here, yesterday.

He told reporters this before attending a luncheon for 105 Malaysian diplomats at Bunga Raya Island Resort in Pulau Gaya, off here.

The Malaysian diplomats attended the Heads of Mission Conference which began in Kuala Lumpur on June 18 and ended here yesterday.

Anifah said both the Sabah and Sarawak chief ministers have been informed of the plan, and added: “They are both very pleased and welcome us to set up branch offices in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.”

Apart from providing the letter, a requirement especially for locals wishing to study abroad, the branch offices would help with the respective protocol offices to help in matters relating to visiting foreign dignitaries to the two states.

“And if they need any information, our local officers in both states would provide them the assistance,” he said.

Asked when the plans would be finalised, he replied: “very soon.” “It is just a matter of looking for a suitable place … and whether it will be at the Federal Office, will be decided.

“We already have the officers in mind. It is a continuation of what they are doing in Kuala Lumpur, just transferring and identifying the numbers that we need to carry out the task in both the branch offices in Sabah and Sarawak,” Anifah explained.

Alstom bids for RM900m Sabah power plant project
By Sharen Kaur
Published: 2009/06/30

Alstom is looking at hydro power potentials and public transport contracts for railway in Malaysia, says its country president for Malaysia

ALSTOM Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, a unit of French engineering giant Alstom SA, has submitted a pre-qualification bid for Petronas Gas Bhd's engineering, procurement and construction contract to build a RM900 million gas-fired 300-megawatt (MW) power plant in Sabah.

Its country president for Malaysia, Saji Raghavan, said Alstom made the bid early this year and the results were not known yet.

"Alstom is looking at hydro power potentials and public transportation contracts for railway in Malaysia," Raghavan told Business Times in an interview in Kuala Lumpur recently.

He added that Alstom was eyeing the proposed hydro power plant projects announced recently by Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) and Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB).

TNB said it plans to build a 372MW hydroelectric plant in Ulu Jelai, Pahang, and a 212MW plant in Terengganu for over RM3 billion and is in the process of calling for tenders for the projects.

Among the projects that SEB is planning is the Murum hydroelectric plant.

Raghavan said Alstom will submit proposals for the main equipment such as electro mechanical and hydro mechanical for the projects.

He said there were not enough Malaysian projects on Alstom's plate today, given that it has completed major power plant projects in the country in recent years, such as those for TNB, SEB, Malakoff, Genting Sanyen and Powertek.

"The main challenge in this business is to understand the emerging needs of the country in the Asi-Pacific region in the long-term manner. If more power generation projects come along, we will pursue them. Malaysia is a growing market with lots of potential," he said.

Alstom's current projects in Malaysia include a RM500 million contract for electro mechanical for phase one of the Bakun project in Sarawak.

It has an 18-year operation and maintenance contract from Genting Sanyen for the Kuala Langat Plant, and a 21-year service contract from Technologi Tenaga Perlis Corp for the 650MW gas-fired power plant in Perlis.

Raghavan said Alstom, which employs 800 people in Malaysia, is also interested to bid for coal-fired power plant and combined cycle power plant projects that are worth a few billion ringgit in Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

On railway matters, Alstom is eyeing the development of light rail transit (LRT) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in urban areas, and future main lines, but it will not be involved in the ongoing double tracking railway project, Raghavan said.

Alstom had bid for system works for the double-tracks two years ago. The contract was given to a consortium of Malaysian-Australian-European companies recently.

Raghavan said that this year, Alstom SA, which builds the speed record-breaking AGV and TGV high-speed trains and makes power stations, was expected to do better due to its rising order book.

Its order book was at ?45.67 billion (RM226.52 billion), equivalent to nearly two-and-a-half years of work and an annual increase of 16 per cent over the previous year.

Alstom SA had reported a 30 per cent surge in net profit to ?1.1 billion (RM5.45 billion) for its year ended March 2009. Revenue rose 11 per cent to ?18.7 billion (RM92.75 billion).

Asia Pacific contributed 13 per cent to the Alstom group's overall performance, Raghavan said.

Music Festival Is On, Says Board
June 29, 2009 21:52 PM

KUCHING, June 29 (Bernama) -- The 12th edition of the Rainforest World Music Festival will go on as scheduled, from July 10 to 12.

Stringent precautionary measures, including free screening for music fans and artists, will be taken to prevent any spread of the Influenza A (H1N1) during the event.

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) chief executive officer Gracie Geikie said the board was working closely with the health ministry and state health department to comply with their directives and recommendations.

While there was speculation the event would be cancelled due to the H1N1, also known as swine flu, she told a press conference Monday that the festival would nevertheless, go on as scheduled.

The event will be staged at the foothill of the legendary Mount Santubong near here, and feature four Malaysian groups and 13 foreign groups from among others, USA, France, New Zealand and Poland.

Geikie is optimistic that ticket sales for the festival could exceed 24,000, despite fears of the H1N1 and global economic slowdown.

EU-Sarawak Government To Hold BizTech Partnership Nov 16-19
June 29, 2009 15:16 PM

MIRI, June 29 (Bernama) -- The European Union (EU) and Sarawak government will host the first EU-East Asean Growth Area Business and Technology (EU-EAGA BizTech) Partnership here from Nov 16-19 this year.

Event technical adviser, Leong Kim Mun, said about 200 companies from Europe and the EAGA region involving Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines were expected to take part.

"The businesses for promotion will include energy, forestry, agriculture and eco-tourism," he said at a media briefing on the event here Monday.

Leong said the event would offer an opportunity for companies in the EAGA region to promote their products in Europe as eight national European business chambers would also be brought in to meet their prospective business partners.

"These business associations command extensive networks throughout Europe and can help East Asean companies promote their products to some 2,000 European companies who are their members," he said.

Other bodies involved included the Miri City Council, ConnectAsiaEurope e.V of Germany, Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam.

Leong said the BizTech Partnership was among 20 that has been approved by EU to be carried out this year from a total of about 200 trade promotional proposals, which had been received by EU from throughout South-East Asia for last year.

Meanwhile, EU-Malaysia cooperation programme manager, Pablo Iglesias Rumbo, said the event was timely in the face of the current global economic challenges.

He said the BizTech Partnership could pave the way to develop new areas for business cooperation and raise greater knowledge on trade requirements in Europe and the EAGA region.

Miri Mayor, Lawrence Lai, said the event would place the city high on the list of places to visit in the EAGA region among business people in Europe.

-- BERNAMA

Almost A Billion Ringgit To Repair Sabah's Road Slopes
June 30, 2009 15:41 PM

KOTA KINABALU, June 30 (Bernama) -- Sabah needs close to a billion ringgit to rectify its 647 road slope failures.

There are 517 slope failures on roads under the state administration while the rest have been identified on roads under federal administration.

Nevertheless, the situation is constantly monitored and repair works are already in progress in some slopes, said Sabah Public Works Department (PWD)deputy director Amrullah Kamal.

He said the state department was working together with the national PWD to address the problem and has requested RM920 million as funding to rectify the problem.

"We have submitted everything to request for the funding...the RM920 million is the current estimation.

"The allocation might also come from the emergency fund as and when required, so the issue of cost would be managed from time to time," he told reporters after the launch of a slope safety awareness seminar here today.

COMMITMENT FROM ALL VITAL TO PRODUCE QUALITY HUMAN CAPITAL
30th June, 2009

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/mediafiles/picture/6897/p2a-30_6.jpg?1246335487

Musa presenting the prize to one of the winners while Dr Yee
(second right), Edward (right) and others look on

KOTA KINABALU: Commitment from all parties, particularly teachers, is vital in the effort to produce quality human capital in Sabah, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

Human capital is one of the key sectors of development under the State’s Halatuju and the state government therefore encourages the cooperation of everyone in society towards providing quality education.

Teachers, he said, play a significant role not only in imparting knowledge to students but also in instilling morals so that the students can become upstanding individuals.

“As educators, the teachers have been given a huge responsibility to produce human capital by imparting knowledge and shaping the students to form a successful and excellent generation,” he said when officiating at the 2009 Teacher’s Day Card Drawing prize presentation ceremony, yesterday.

The Chief Minister said the effort by the Chinese Teachers Association (CTA) in organising the competition was timely and in tandem with the government’s effort to create a generation of disciplined individuals who were respectful to their elders.

Through the competition, he said students are given the opportunity to express their respect and gratitude to teachers while encouraging them to learn and use information and communication technology (ICT) in creating their art work.

“The students need to be given continuous guidance and taught to respect their teachers. An activity like this does not only provide the student a platform to express their feelings, but also learn and keep abreast with today’s ICT applications,” he said.

The annual competition jointly organised by CTA Sabah, Kota Kinabalu Chinese School Headmasters Association and Kota Kinabalu Headmasters Council, attracted primary and secondary schools in and around Kota Kinabalu.

Held since four years ago, the competition this time awarded trophies and prizes to the creator of the 40 best paintings.

The winning paintings are used to design 20 Teacher’s Day Cards, from which a total of 120,000 copies are printed and distributed at RM1 a piece in schools across the State.

The money collected from the sale is channeled to various welfare associations, especially those related to promoting education.

Also present at the ceremony were CTA Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Eng Thiam Leong, State Education Department Deputy Director Muhyiddin Yussin, Resource Development and IT Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai and Deputy Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah.

> http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/29908

Sime Darby Ready To Set Up Academic Chair In Sustainable Development
June 30, 2009 21:43 PM

LAHAD DATU, June 30 (Bernama) -- The Sime Darby Foundation is planning to establish an academic chair in sustainable development at a local or foreign university to stimulate and encourage the practice of sustainable development in the country.

Its Chairman, Tun Musa Hitam said the foundation has yet to identify the university for the purpose.

He said the establishment of the chair was hoped to attract more local and foreign students to specialise in sustainable development studies because right now such expertise was very much in demand.

"Prior to this, Malaysia's reputation on sustainable development at the international level was not that good.

"So, it is high time for Sime Darby, with its 'Sustainable Development' motto to take this initiative," he told reporters after signing a memorandum of understanding between Sime Darby Foundation and the Sabah government to preserve wildlife, here Tuesday.



-- BERNAMA

Fish Seed Production Crucial To Sabah's Success In Aquaculture Sector
June 30, 2009 20:00 PM

KOTA KINABALU, June 30 (Bernama) -- Production of fish seeds has been identified as the most crucial factor to the success of Sabah's aquaculture industry, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin.

"No seeds mean no fish for fish culture. This eventualy will stunt the advancement of aquaculture," he said.

Yahya said this at the commemoration of memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Department of Fisheries Sabah (DOFS) and National Fisheries Research Development Institute (South Korea) (NFRDI), here Tuesday.

He said the state government must adopt an immediate paradigm shift in accelerating sustainable fisheries development.

"These include creating clusters of high value-added, knowledge-intensive and technology-based counterparts to redress the lack of expertise, knowledge and experiences in fisheries research and development," he said.

He said the MOU aimed to establish a framework to boost cooperation in the field of fisheries and to encourage and facilitate mutual consultation, exchange of technical assistance and joint research.

Yahya, who is also State Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, said consumers demanded assurances on fish quality, cleanliness and safety.

"Our local fish producers, including aquaculturists, must provide confidence in their products' suitability. Products must attain such standards that are not only met but exceed their demands," he said.

He said the fisheries industry also faced another challenge, namely, biosecurity.

"Our fisheries industry must establish preventive measures to reduce the risk of intentional removal of a valuable biological materials in fish," he said.

He said as Sabah was progressing towards a more dynamic and increasingly competitive fisheries industry, it was crucial for the DOFS to explore and upgrade new scientific technologies in fisheries.

"It is my hope that our Korean partners can share in the mutual benefits.

"Sealing this MOU is timely and I believe this can be achieved through the fruitful cooperation between DOFS and NFRDI," he said.

Sabah Has Good Future In Aquaculture, Says Korea's NFRDI President
June 30, 2009 17:18 PM

KOTA KINABALU, June 30 (Bernama) -- Sabah, with vast areas that are suitable for aquaculture, has a very good future in aquaculture development, said the President of Korea's National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI), Dr Lim Kyang Soo.

This potential should be recognised and transformed into a sustainable and commercial sector, he said.

The NFRDI and the Department of Fisheries Sabah (DOFS) today signed a memorandum of understanding at Wisma Pertanian here for the close cooperation between the two parties in the development of Sabah's aquaculture industry.

Lim said the signing of the MoU was timely and appropriate.

"In aquaculture, Korea's technical expertise in research and development is among the best in the world.

"So I believe the exchange of technical assistance and joint research may further develop aquaculture sector in both countries," he told reporters after the MoU signing.

Lim signed on behalf of NFRDI while DOFS was represented by its director Rayner Stuel Galid. The event was witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum State Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Yahya Hussin.

Apart from aquaculture, the other areas of cooperation include fisheries resources management, fisheries food safety, quality assurance and bio-security and marine environment.

Lim said Korea's fish production last year was valued at US$5,000 million, while 200,000 of its people were fishermen.

Earlier, in his speech, Lim said the ties with Sabah is expected to benefit and create win-win results for developing the fisheries industry of both countries.

"We hope that this MoU will serve as an opportunity to expand and develop cooperation projects," he said.

Describing Sabah as the "Pearl of the East" with its colourful tropical coast and rich fisheries resources, Lim hoped both countries, which have already formulated cooperative relationship in the area of marine and fisheries since 1998, would continue to enhance their cooperation.

-- BERNAMA

Govt To Upgrade Amenities At Bakun Resettlement Scheme
July 01, 2009 18:31 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- The Rural and Regional Development Ministry has pledged to speed up works to upgrade public amenities at the Bakun resettlement scheme in Sungai Asap, Sarawak.

Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the infrastructure, which included roads, water and electricity supplies as well as rural clinics, would be upgraded soon to cater to the increasing number of people in the area.

"I was told that there are about 10,000 people from 15 villages currently living in the scheme," he told a news conference after meeting members of the Asap Koyan Development Community (AKDC), which is responsible for the welfare and development of the Sungai Asap community.

The meeting took place in parliament Wdnesday.

Mohd Shafie also said that the federal government should increase the development allocation for Sabah and Sarawak.

"Officers from the ministry will go down to the field to look into the development needs of the peoples of the two states so that any project implemented by the government would have a positive impact on their lives," he said.

Meanwhile, AKDC executive director Henry Luhat told reporters that he appreciated the ministry's efforts to improve the living conditions in the resettlement scheme.

"We are extending our cooperation to the ministry in the efforts to assist the affected villagers," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Repairing Sabah's slope failures, roads to cost RM1b
Published on: Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Kota Kinabalu: The State Government will need about RM920 million to repair 640 slope failures along State and Federal-maintained roads throughout Sabah.

Public Works Department (PWD) Director, John Anthony, said of the total identified slope failures, 130 occurred on Federal roads and the rest on State roads.

"Sabah has had its fair share of landslide tragedies and the Government will need about RM920 million to repair all these slopes failures," he said at a seminar on Public Awareness on Landslides and Slope Safety at Hotel Le Meridien, Tuesday.

The seminar was aimed at ensuring an understanding on the causes for slope failures and landslides, and the necessary measures to be taken to prevent them.

Sabah was chosen as the second venue this year, after Sarawak, as it is one of the states which recorded a high number of landslides due to its hilly geographics.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman officiated at the event during which Assistant Ministers of Infrastructure Development, Pang Nyuk Ming and Datuk Japlin Akim and Federal PWD Senior Director for Slope Engineering, Dato Dr Ashaari Mohamad were also present.

Delivering John's speech, Sabah PWD Deputy Director of Infrastructure Development, Amrullah Kamal, said these slopes were monitored and that some were being repaired.

He said the RM920 million was only an estimate and they have forwarded the request for funds to carry out repairs and maintenance on the failed slopes.

Musa said if the need was very pressing, they could also request for allocation from the emergency fund.

Amrullah said during Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor's visit to Sabah recently, the latter had immediately approved RM10 million to address the impact of the floods in Sabah last year.

"As for the rest, we will put up our requests from time to time as required," he said. John, on the other hand, said lack of monitoring and maintenance of the slopes were among causal factors for the landslides despite the design and construction being according to specification.

"We can have good design of slopes, but the subsequent monitoring is weak," he said.

Hence, he said Sabah PWD is coming up with proactive initiatives such as better control of slope cutting so that it is not done unnecessarily.

He said civil engineers should attend seminars on earthworks by-laws so that they can understand better how earthworks should be carried out.

In view of the department's aspirations, he said it believed the setting up of a special unit within the PWD's slope section to look into matters on landslides and slopes would be especially beneficial to Sabah.

"A dedicated slope agency for local authorities, state government bodies and other organisations would help us tackle the problems currently being faced," he said.

Nevertheless, John said that the problem of landslides and slope failures should not be restricted to one agency only.

He said that it takes the coordination and combined effort of numerous agencies to address these issues.

Therefore, he said the seminar is not just for gaining more knowledge and understanding of slope issues but also to present a good platform to exchange views and experiences on how to tackle the matter together.

Inadvertently, such development increased landslides. Based on reports pertaining to landslides from 1973 to 2007, the Government incurred losses estimated at RM2.55 billion.

Telco tower is for cellular coverage
Published on: Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Kota Kinabalu: The construction of the telecommunication tower near Taman Tanaki in Penampang is part of a nationwide cellular coverage improvement programme carried out with the State Government's blessing through a fast track approval procedure.

The project is subject to compliance with all technical requirements, said Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd (CTTSB) Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Haji Rahman Ghani.

CTTSB is a subsidiary jointly owned by Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned investment holding company of the State Government and KKIPC Sdn Bhd.

The construction of the tower is under a programme referred to as TIME 2 Project initiated by the Federal Government through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) with full support from the State Government under the Private Funding Initiative (PFI).

In accordance with the Federal Government's directive, the State Government had in 2005 appointed CTTSB to construct, own and lease telecommunication towers to the three major cellular companies (Celcos).

The TIME 2 Project aims to promote common use of facility and infrastructure by the telecommunication companies and concurrently assist them to provide and expand cellular telecommunication coverage to areas with high population, along major roads, tourist destinations and industries.

In this respect, Rahman said the management of CTTSB had also submitted the relevant plans and technical approvals to the local authority for approval through the One-Stop Agency for Sabah on May 7 this year.

The submission of technical documents was made after ensuring compliance and obtaining the necessary approvals from various technical agencies following the guideline issued by the Local Government and Housing Ministry on Feb 8, 2006 to facilitate the TIME 2 Project in Sabah.

"CTTSB wishes to emphasise to all parties concerned that such towers are temporary structures only and shall be dismantled when no longer required by the Celcos," he said.

He said issues raised by the residents of the housing estates as published in the Daily Express report on June 25 had been explained during a dialogue on June 19 in the presence of Moyog Assemblyman, Donald Mojuntin, Penampang District Officer, District Council personnel together with CTTSB.

On the concerns of Radio Frequency (RF) radiation raised by the residents, he said the MCMC had explained and re-assured them that any ill-effects claims are baseless due to the non-harmful nature of the RF radiation.

On the issue of safety, Rahman said the structural design by qualified Civil and Structural Engineers and integrity of towers built under the TIME 2 Project were of heavy duty specifications as agreed by the Celcos and CTTSB.

"In order to ensure highest quality, towers can only be sourced from several reputable tower fabricators nationwide, which were approved following a pre-qualification process by Celcos. The approved tower fabricators are also required to provide warranty for their product," he said.

As for the minimum distance of the structure to the nearest residential building, MCMC had certified that this had been met in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Housing and Local Government Ministry 2002.

Specified towers exceeding 45m tall must be situated 30m away from the nearest residential building.

Rahman said based on the State Government's commitment and directive to all relevant authorities to ensure the speedy and successful implementation of the TIME 2 Project for the benefit of the people and Celcos in Sabah.

"CTTSB, being a state-backed company wishes to express its gratitude to all State and Federal Government agencies and departments in Sabah that has given their full co-operation and support in order to ensure the project is implemented smoothly," he said.

It was reported that the residents were dismayed when seeing the tower being built near their houses.

WiMax firm awaits MCMC nod
Published on: Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Kota Kinabalu: WiMAX telecommunication provider, Packet One Network (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1) is spending an investment worth RM1 billion to expand its coverage to 65 per cent of the Malaysian population in five years' time.

The subsidiary company of Green Packet Bhd which plans to deliver 35 per cent population coverage by end of this year is also waiting for the go-ahead from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to move into East Malaysia by next year.

"We are prepared to start operations in Sabah once we get the blessing from MCMC," said Chief Executive Officer, Michael Lai, said when asked how soon P1 expects to start services here.

According to him, a lot of work has to be done in order to bring the WiMAX services, which include obtaining the Radio Frequency, identifying suitable sites (for its stations), negotiating with land owners and local authority.

Met after presenting a talk to customers in Sabah, Monday, he said they hoped to expand coverage by another five per cent to 40 per cent in 2010.

So far, P1 has launched its services in selected areas in Klang Valley, Johor, selected cities and towns in northern Peninsular Malaysia since its commercial rollout last year.

P1 is one of four Malaysian companies granted the licence that gave them access to 30MHz of spectrum in the 2.3GHz band.

In addition to enabling wireless, high-speed Internet connectivity services, P1 would continue to launch other new and innovative communication services throughout 209 and beyond, said Lai.

"P1 believes that broadband should not be a privilege but a right for all Malaysians and the dream of connecting all Malaysians to the Internet is alive as P1 W1MAX is not just about access.

"More, it is about touching hearts, enriching lives and connecting humanity," he said.

More information on P1 W1MAX can be obtained by logging into www.p1.com.my.

Sabah-Korea pact in fisheries development
1st July, 2009

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/mediafiles/picture/6904/MoU.jpg?1246421230

Yahya (centre) witnesses the exchanging
of MoU between Rayner (left) and Lim.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Fisheries Department and Republic of Korea’s National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of the state’s marine and fisheries sector.

Sabah Fisheries Department was represented by its Director, Rayner Stuel Galid while NFRDI by its president, Dr Lim Kyang Soo. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Sabah Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin.

Yahya described the signing of the MoU as timely and appropriate and said it was also official MoU between the department and NFRDI in establishing a framework of collaboration in the fisheries sector.

“This MoU will also encourage and facilitate joint consultation, exchange of technical assistance and joint research in specific areas in marine and fisheries sector,” he said to reporters after the signing ceremony at Wisma Pertanian here yesterday.

Yahya said both parties would cooperate in areas including freshwater and marine aquaculture, fishery resources management, fishery-based food safety, quality assurance and bio-security, and marine environment.

He said the collaboration would benefit the state government by way of exchanges of scientific data and information, scientists and scientific activities such as joint research and workshops during the three-year agreement period.

Earlier in his speech, Yahya said agriculture sector is a major contributor to the state’s economy aside from tourism.

In this regard, the ministry is giving emphasis to further develop the agriculture sector, which includes fisheries and aquaculture.

He thanked the Korean government especially NFRDI for its cooperation to accelerate the development the agriculture sector on a sustainable basis.

“Through such cooperation we could harness new technologies to enhance the yield and quality of agriculture products that are safe,” he added.

The Minister hoped that Sabah could adopt the technology used by developed countries such as Korea to further develop the fisheries industry in Sabah.

Meanwhile, Lim said that Sabah, with vast areas that are suitable for aquaculture, has a very good future in aquaculture development.

This potential should be recognised and transformed into a sustainable and commercial sector, he said.

“In aquaculture, Korea’s technical expertise in research and development is among the best in the world.

“So I believe the exchange of technical assistance and joint research may further develop aquaculture sector in both countries,” he told reporters after the MoU signing.

Earlier, in his speech, Lim said the ties with Sabah are expected to benefit and create win-win results for developing the fisheries industry of both countries.

“We hope that this MoU will serve as an opportunity to expand and develop cooperation in undertaking projects,” he said.

Describing Sabah as the “Pearl of the East” with its colourful tropical coast and rich fishery resources, Lim hoped that both Sabah and Korea, which have already formulated cooperative relationship in the area of marine and fisheries since 1998, would continue to enhance their cooperation.

Also present at the ceremony were Agriculture and Food Industry Assistant Ministers, Datuk Bobbey A. Suan and Datuk Haji Musbah Jamli, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Datuk Haji Ujang Sulani and senior officials from both organizations.

Penang to set up S'pore office
July 1, 2009

http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20090701/penang-DESMONDFOO.jpg

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng described the office as a reflection of the
growing economic ties between Penang and Singapore. --ST PHOTO:
DESMOND FOO

PENANG - WITH a view to attracting more Singaporean investors to Penang, the state government will soon set up a Penang investment and tourism office in the island republic.

This makes Penang the first state in Malaysia to set up an office overseas.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng described the office as a reflection of the growing economic ties between Penang and Singapore.

He was speaking to reporters after welcoming Jetstar's inaugural flight to the state at the Penang International Airport in Penang on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Mr Lim said there were 42 Singapore-Penang flights weekly, with Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Air Asia and Jetstar having seven flights daily each, while SilkAir has 14 flights.

He said the government had given the green light for the carriers to increase their weekly flights to 84, between the two cities.

On a report in a Chinese daily today, quoting MCA leaders as saying that leading United States chip manufacturer Intel Corporation was set to cease its Penang operations within three months, Mr Lim denied the report.

He said the company is here to stay.

Nevertheless, Mr Lim said, he had instructed his staff to check with the company's senior official on whether it was planning to shift its Penang plant. -- BERNAMA

> http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_397712.html

Reserve land cleared for reforestation
Thursday July 2, 2009
Story and photos by STUART MICHAEL

CLEARING work has started on 443ha of forest reserve in Rantau Panjang in Hulu Selangor as part of efforts to prepare the site for reforestation.

The site is part of the 10,000ha forest reserve in Rantau Panjang and the nearby Bukit Terak in which reforestation efforts are being undertaken to bring revenue to the state.

Instead of replanting the area with higher quality logs, the existing Acacia mangium trees will be replaced with rubber trees.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/7/2/central/p2sign.jpg

For replanting: This signboard shows that rubber trees
will be planted on 443ha in Rantau Panjang, Hulu Selangor

According to Selangor Forestry Department assistant director (operations and enforcement) Mohd Yussainy Md Yusop, the trees at the Rantau Panjang forest have been there since the 1980s and the time was right to harvest them.

“In fact, the Acacia mangium trees there are supposed to be cleared every 25 years and it is now almost 30 years.

“We are sad that the habitat of wildlife in the area will be affected but, due to the price of development, we have to make sacrifices,” Yussainy said.

“It is the responsibility of the other government agencies to look into the wildlife and transport any animals that are there into another forest.

“Anyway, the monkeys in Jalan Rawang-Batu Arang are a common sight with motorists feeding them and throwing rubbish,” he said.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/7/2/central/p2terrace.jpg

Massive clearing: A barren hilltop shows the clearing
of the forest in Rantau Panjang, Hulu Selangor.

Yussainy was commentimg on the influx of monkeys along Jalan Rawang-Batu Arang.

In an earlier statement, Selangor state agriculture modernisation committee chairman Yaakob Sapari said the clearing of the acacia trees was scheduled to be completed by this month and it was aimed at replacing the existing trees with new trees that would be able to generate more income for the state.

He said the value of the Acacia mangium trees was about five times lower than the trees to be planted by the state.

Yaakob said the acacia trees were not the original trees from the forest and their findings revealed that the trees had been transplanted following a logging exercise.

“They have cleared the logs from the forest before planting the Acacia species which has not much value compared with the original trees. We don’t know why they did this,” he said.

http://thestar.com.my/archives/2009/7/2/central/p2patch.jpg

All that remains: Some of the greenery has been
left behind during the massive clearing operation.

Yaakob said the state had taken all measures to ensure that the reforestation exercise would not cause any harm to the environment and had also determined that the forest was not a water catchment area.

Penang CM spells out his vision for the state
Thursday July 02 2009

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/images/stories/2009july1/guaneng-july2.jpg

Participants warmed to Lim’s vision for Penang.

SINGAPORE, July 2 — High-wage jobs and quality investments are needed if Penang is to successfully transform from an electrical and electronics hub into a leading services player, its chief minister told an investor conference.

Despite attracting slightly over RM10 billion in investments last year — including notable ones by Honeywell Aerospace and National Instruments — Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng ranked a decision by the US cardiovascular medical devices maker St Jude Medical to build a US$30 million (RM105 million) facility in the state as one his most satisfying achievements in investment drawing in the year past.

“Singapore had almost clinched the deal but somehow we convinced them to come to Penang,” Lim told investors during a panel session on Malaysia's Growth Centres: Johor, Penang & Sabah.

Minnesota-based St Jude Medical plans to put up a 300,000-sq-ft plant to make cardiac products including pacemakers, and upon its completion in 2011 is expected to provide 300 high-income jobs and close to 1,000 jobs later if its expansion goes according to plan.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Ghani Othman said Singapore had always been one of the top three investors in Johor and that there was “a huge amount of complementaries between the two”, given Singapore's strategic location and Johor's vast hinterland and natural resources.

However, he added that Johor was also well located and becoming more competitive as a future destination for investments. Indeed, much has been made of the over RM40 billion in investments that the new growth corridor Iskandar Malaysia in South Johor has managed to attract in the past two to three years.

But it was Lim's vision for Penang that the participants warmed to.

Elected the new chief minister of Penang following victory by the opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat in five states during last year's general election, Lim spoke of his vision of turning Penang into a vibrant and sustainable international city.

Over the past year, the state has been actively courting investors by highlighting its strengths: Strategic location, big pool of knowledge workers, great heritage, delicious food and hospitable people — all of which make for a grand lifestyle.

But Lim alluded to the fact that Penang's transformation would have been easier if not for the many talents lost, including to Singapore. These include a number of Singapore judges who were Penang-born.

However, because all states are reliant on federal funds for infrastructure development, there are also doubters as to whether the state's political rivals in the federal-led Barisan Nasional coalition would stymie its ambitions.

“Can the federal government allow Penang to fail because if it does it would not serve its interest,” Lim said in reply to a question from a participant. All tax revenues go to the federal coffers, he observed, noting the state accounted for nearly a quarter of Malaysia's total exports and 65 per cent of its medical tourism.

State-federal ties might not always be cordial, but it could be workable, he said, pointing to federal funding for the second Penang bridge and RM250 million for its airport expansion as acknowledgement by the national government that it could not afford to marginalise the state. — Business Times Singapore

Kampung Buah Pala Residents Want Penang CM To Resign
July 01, 2009 21:20 PM

PENANG, July 1 (Bernama) -- The Kampung Buah Pala Residents Association in Bukit Gelugor Wednesday urged Lim Guan Eng to step down as Penang Chief Minister for having failed to serve and help the people in the state.

Its spokesperson, C. Tharmaraj said the association also felt that Lim who is also DAP secretary-general was not able to discharge his duties and keep his promise.

"He is a big liar and always makes contradicting statements. He doesn't know anything about Penang because he is from Melaka.

"The promise he made to us during the last general election to return our rights on the land was never fulfilled. I think it's better if he resigns," he told reporters here today.

The residents have been in a tussle over recent years to save their cattle-rearing village, dubbed Penang's High Chaparral, from being demolished to make way for development projects.

Meanwhile, Thomas Chan, the director of Nusmetro Ventures (P) Sdn Bhd, said that as the project developer, the company had suffered a loss of RM6 million annually due to the postponement of the project which should have kicked off early last year.

"Ten families have been compensated to vacate the land so far but 22 others still won't budge," he said, adding that the company would convene a meeting with the state government within this month to solve the problem.

He said like it or not, the residents had to vacate their homes as the Federal Court on June 24, had maintained the Court of Appeal's decision ordering the residents to vacate their homes.

"If they fail to do so by Aug 2, action can be taken against them for contempt of court," he said.

In PENANG, MIC Youth chief, T.Mohan also called on the federal government to help solve the problem faced by the Kampung Buah Pala residents.

"We are concerned that if prolonged, it would create racial problem in the country," he said in a statement here.

He said the silence and uncaring attitude showed by the Opposition-led state government only proved that they were not ready to face the problem, let alone to take on the challenge to solve it.

Mohan said the village which comprised 41 homes with over 300 residents, was the only Indian settlement of over 100 years of age in the state.

Hence, he said the MIC Youth hoped that the issue would not be politicised by anybody.

UUM To Study Measures To Overcome Floodings In Kedah
July 02, 2009 12:25 PM

SINTOK, July 2 (Bernama) -- The Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) has appointed Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) to carry out a study and recommend measures to overcome floodings in Kedah.

Project chief Prof Madya Abdul Rahim Anuar said the study would cover socio-economic impact on farmers and residents in the affective areas.

"The study, costing RM111,944 is sponsored by the NCIA," he said.

Four experts, namely Prof Madya Dr Rohana Yusof, Prof Madya Dr Mohd Fo'ad Sakdan, Dr Khaltum Hassan and Mohd Razani Mohd Jali of the university's Kedah Sustainable Development Centre and 30 students would be involved in the project, expected to be completed end of this year.

"The study is important as in 2007, floods destroyed 15,622 hectares of padi field and last year, the area involved was 20,944 hectares, causing losses to 117,000 farmers," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Sabah To Launch Its Largest Agropolitan Project
July 02, 2009 15:04 PM

KOTA BELUD, July 2 (Bernama) -- A total of 550 families in Kota Belud district will benefit from a RM70 million agropolitan project to start this August, said the state Assistant Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Datuk Musbah Jamli.

He said the project is based on 820-acre dairy farm in Pintasan, the raising of cattle on 450 acres of farmland for meat at Kampong Rosok and the planting of rubber on 2,000 acres at the same village.

"The project, supported by the federal government, is the largest such pioneer venture in Sabah.

"It is hoped that the farmers in Kota Belud will be ready to open their minds as to the benefits of this programme and to make the agriculture sector their main income source," he told Bernama here today.

Musbah also said the ministry was also actively formulating a strategy for the project which among others, offers courses for dairy farming, meat processing and the processing of compost fertiliser.

"There are a lot of benefits to be reaped if the agricultural works can be implemented," he added.

--BERNAMA

Sarawak Land And Survey Dept To Blacklist Errant Developers
June 30, 2009 19:02 PM

KUCHING, June 30 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Land and Survey Department will blacklist errant property developers upon receiving complaints from residential and commercial property buyers for non-issuance of titles to their houses or property.

Its assistant director of Planning Laping Jawa said the department was concerned about their plight as they had no titles to their homes or property despite having occupied completed housing estates.

"One of the main reasons is that the developers fail to pay the required premium and execute the memorandum of surrender and alienation to enable the department to issue subdivided titles," he said here Tuesday during a meet-the-media session which was also attended by Land and Survey director Datuk Sudarsono Osman.

The department has listed 5,298 subdivided lots that have yet to be issued with titles out of 156 completed development projects, including 57 in Kuching and 34 in Miri, with a total outstanding of RM23,327,553 in premium, annual rent and title fee.

Laping advised potential house buyers in Sarawak to check the track record of property developers with the department, which was often unfairly blamed for problems, before investing on any property.

As financial institutions at present would release all the money to the developer once the occupation permit was issued by the local council, he said, one way to resolve the problem was to make sure the sale and purchase agreement was tied up to the issue of title.

Earlier, Sudarsono said he was aware of the importance of the media's role in making the department's work easier, otherwise it could be complicated as shown by recent controversial cases involving land matters, which had put it in bad light.

He said land was a very sensitive issue that was close to the people's hearts and negative comments by certan quarters had raised unduly concerns among the public due to sensationalisation and exaggeration, including the purported eviction of 10,000 villagers in Bekenu, Miri last year.

On maintaining close cooperation with the media here, he said, the department would provide the media access to information so as to give a better understanding of its role and functions as a land administrative and management organisation under the state Resource Planning and Management Ministry.

Under the current Malaysia Plan, the department had between 2006 and 2008, recorded land acquisition costs amounting to RM435,701,337 involving 10,577 lots and 391 projects with a total area of 7,523 hectares compared to RM785,720,295 for 32,810 lots and 766 projects involving 231,571 hectares under the Eighth Malaysia Plan.

Sarawak to get P1 WiMAX next year
Published: 2009/07/02

PACKET One Networks (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (P1) says its next-generation wireless broadband service -- P1 W1MAX -- is expected to be available in Sarawak by early next year.

Its chief executive officer Michael Lai said P1 W1MAX, the country's leading WiMax telco, was primed to meet the tremendous demand for broadband in Sarawak which is a key market as reflected by the progressive growth in household broadband penetration in recent years.

"Sarawak grew its household broadband penetration from 9.7 per cent in 2007 to 13.6 per cent at the end of last year and aims to increase this further to 50 per cent by 2010," he said in a statement today.

"With P1 slotted to be in Sarawak next year, we're looking forward to meeting this massive demand whilst spreading the benefits of next-generation wireless broadband," he said adding that P1 was on track to meet its target of covering 35 per cent of Malaysia's population within this year.

He also said that with one of the fastest wireless broadband networks in the country, P1 expected to contribute positively to Sarawak's economy, especially within the small and medium enterprises and industries.

With P1 W1MAX, the broadband access in rural and underserved communities within the state would become a possibility, he said.

Recently, P1 announced that it had begun covering key locations within Ipoh, Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu.

With key markets in the Klang Valley, Johor, Penang, Kedah, Perak, Pahang and Terengganu now covered with P1 W1MAX, P1 effectively has the nation’s widest W1MAX network, Lai said.
-- Bernama

P1 W1MAX | WiMAX Malaysia - Wireless Broadband Internet Service
http://www.p1.com.my/

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Major facelift for Puduraya bus terminal
By BAVANI M

THE 30-year-old Puduraya bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur infamous for congestion, pollution and crime will soon be losing its seedy image once it undergoes a facelift that will see it transformed into a modern inner-city terminal with contemporary design and first- class facilities.

The facelift, which is estimated to cost RM31mil, with a government funding of RM25mil is aimed at providing travellers and visitors a more conducive and comfortable environment, UDA Holdings managing director Datuk Jaafar Abu Hassan said.

The major upgrade and facelift will include three phases — short, medium and long term that will start immediately and is expected to be completed in November next year.

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Modern: The waiting area will have small kiosks for the traders in Puduraya.


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To be ugraded: The fourth floor that is currently a carpark will be converted to a food court.

UDA Holdings will also be taking over the management of Hotel Puduraya, which will also be upgraded eventually.

Apart from the modern facade, traders operating at the terminal will eventually have to be relocated to a more modernised kiosk-like setting.

When asked if there would be an increase in rental rates, Jaafar said: “We will look into the needs of the current traders who are renting there.

“While I cannot say much about that now, rental will be staggered,’’ he said.

Jaafar added that UDA Holdings would be working together with the Federal Territories Ministry, the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board under the Prime Minister’s Department and the Finance Ministry to tackle the problems relating to the city’s oldest bus terminal.

He added that after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s walkabout session in April, the Puduraya area was identified as a major source of the daily massive traffic congestion in Kuala Lumpur and that immediate steps were needed to improve the situation.