Countdown to 2020!

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by nazrey

Government plans to engage with cyber hackers
Posted on July 6, 2011, Wednesday
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/07...cyber-hackers/

PUTRAJAYA: The government plans to engage with cyber hackers to understand them better and put their skill to good use, Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said yesterday.

It planned attending their annual conferences of cyber hackers who he said “should not be looked at only negatively”.

“CyberSecurity, the National Security Council, police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission must be with them so that we can get to know a bigger networking circle among the hackers,” he told reporters here.

The government would be better able to distinguish between good and bad hackers and also “learn … how to defend ourselves,” he added after opening a seminar on legal and technical aspects of cyber crime.

The three-day seminar is organised by the Attorney-General’s Chambers in collaboration with CyberSecurity Malaysia.

Meanwhile, CyberSecurity Chief Executive Officer Lt Col Datuk Husin Jazri said there were lessons learnt from the recent cyber hacking incident.

He said there was need to engage with young people who possess hacking talent.

“We need to engage with them so that we can turn them around to channel their dissatisfaction and grievances in a positive way,” he said. — Bernama

Cybersecurity Malaysia wins ethical hacking contest
Posted on November 18, 2011, Friday
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11...cking-contest/

KUALA LUMPUR: CyberSecurity Malaysia, the national specialist centre for cyber security, has won the Global CyberLympics Asia Pacific Championship, the first international team ethical hacking competition ever organised in Malaysia.

CyberSecurity Malaysia is an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Mosti. A joint statement by CyberSecurity Malaysia and MOSTI issued here yesterday said the championship was held on November 15, at the annual Hacker Halted Asia Pacific Conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The competition was a series of ethical hacking games comprising both offensive and defensive security challenges, and was organised by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants, a global organisation incorporated in New Mexico that certified individuals in cyber security and e-commerce.

The Global CyberLympics aimed to discover gifted hackers and cyber-defenders, raise awareness of ethics in information security as well as foster friendships and create cohesiveness among information security professionals. — Bernama

[shiha]

hi, don't miss here! a big surprise here: http://tinyurl.com/7xvdcp8

[nazrey]

NAJIB bersalaman dengan Muhyiddin selepas melancarkan program KAR1SMA,
di Putrajaya, semalam. Turut kelihatan Menteri Pembangunan Wanita,
Keluarga dan Masyarakat, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
http://www.bharian.com.my/articles/R...R1SMA/Article/

KAR1SMA distributes RM1.4bil to 469,000
Monday November 21, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...557&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The 1Malaysia Social Welfare Programme (KAR1SMA), an initiative of the GTP, is aimed at improving the livelihood of low-income earners and ensuring that every citizen can enjoy the benefits of the country’s development.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the programme, under the GTP’s Low-Income Households NKRA, is a government initiative formulated to provide assistance for the people in a holistic manner.

Through the programme, RM1.4bil was distributed to some 469,000 recipients through the ministry’s various KAR1SMA categories.

The total amount consisted of RM290mil for children, RM332mil for the disabled, RM455mil for senior citizens and RM303mil for community social programmes.

Shahrizat said KAR1SMA also allocated RM4.1mil for widows of army and police personnel as the Government’s way of honouring the sacrifices made by the soldiers and law enforcers who preserve the peace and security of the nation.

Other forms of assistance include monthly allowance, daycare services, disabled productivity incentive, Job Coach training programme for the disabled, training courses for women and single mothers, health check-ups and mammograms, babysitting services and productive welfare incentives.

[nazrey]

http://www.pemandu.gov.my/

1,089 rural water projects to be done by year-end
Monday November 21, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...572&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has, to date, spent RM1.97bil for the construction of 1,089 clean treated water supply projects in rural areas across the country and is expected to complete the project by the end of the year.

Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Hasan Malek said during a Dewan Rakyat sitting recently that the amount was an increase from RM413.3mil used for 554 projects last year and RM297.38mil for 671 projects in 2009.

He said the increase in allocation indicated that the Government had increased its efforts to provide basic amenities for the people living in rural areas.

In other developments, he said the Government had spent RM1.36bil for 582 electricity supply projects in rural areas this year, which would also be fully completed by next month.

He said 54,374 houses had been constructed in rural areas since 2009 under the Housing Assistance Programme.

The implementation of basic amenities such as the supply of clean treated water, electricity and housing assistance comes under the GTP’s Rural Basic Infrastructure NKRA initiative.

[nazrey]

Malaysia to adopt international accounting system
Tuesday November 22, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...978&sec=nation

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia wants to learn from countries in adopting an international accounting system before implementing it next year, Inland Revenue Board (IRB) chief executive Datuk Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar said.

He said Malaysia was on track to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) by 2012 and the first to use the system would be public limited companies.

“Since it is a new thing here, we reckon it will take up to five years for the full implementation of IFRS in Malaysia,” he said after the opening of the 41st Study Group on Asian Tax Administration and Research (SGATAR) by Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman here yesterday.

Malaysia is one of the 16-member grouping that includes Australia. China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea,the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

He said Malaysian firms would need time to fully adopt IFRS, describing it as a more detailed accounting report.

Earlier in his speech, Dr Mohd Shukor said it was crucial for SGATAR members to fully adopt IFRS due to the mobility of capital and finance.

“There is a need to have a standard accounting system so as to present the same picture for an entity in the various tax jurisdictions,” he said, adding that IFRS was already being used in 100 countries.

“As the tax fraternity, including accountants, grapple to understand the application and impact of IFRS taxation, we as tax administrators are doing the necessary to better understand it,” Dr Mohd Shukor added.

In his speech, Musa said that an improved delivery service and increased yearly revenue collection was among the IRB's achievements.

“I'm sure all these were possible through taxpayer service, education programmes, IT innovation, transparency in audit, investment in human capital, good governance and leadership,” he added.

Originally Posted by nazrey

UN picks Malaysia for accounting standards centre
By ZUHRIN AZAM AHMAD Tuesday July 19, 2011
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...&if_height=418

PUTRAJAYA: The United Nations has set up its global training and service centre for International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) here.

The country beat a list of UN member states from Latin America, East and Southern Africa, Eastern Europe and Asia for the honour.

UN undersecretary-general Rebeca Grynspan said Malaysia’s vast experience in establishing centres of excellence and shared service centres for global firms and organisations were too good to be ignored.

She said the country’s well established accounting profession and skills of its people, including the availability of highly skilled accountancy professionals, were also major attractions.

“It has reliable infrastructure and the support by the Government to attract and retain centres of excellence,” she said yesterday.

Grynspan was speaking at the announcement of the centre at the Finance Ministry here by Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah.

The centre is under the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and is being established to support UNDP’s adoption of IPSAS from January next year.

The centre, which will be located in Cyberjaya, will support the three most challenging areas of UNDP’s financial management processes – revenue, asset and expense management.

“This UNDP Global Shared Services Centre (GSSC) should be viewed as consistent with and a contribution to Malaysia’s New Economic Model, the 10th Malaysia Plan and the Economic Transformation Programme.

“An agreement to establish the GSSC in Malaysia is a further sign of the success of Malaysia’s strategy to become a regional and global hub for professional financial services,” she said, adding that the agreement was for 15 years.

Grynspan said the centre would have an annual operational funding of US$3mil (RM9mil) from the UNDP and it could be permanently located in Malaysia if it achieved its objectives.

Dr Wan Abdul Aziz said the centre would be staffed mostly by Malaysians.

[nazrey]

Smarter cities can propel Malaysia toward developed-nation status
Published: Monday November 21, 2011 MYT 6:25:00 PM
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...0&sec=business

KUALA LUMPUR: Investing in "smarter cities" may counter the effects of a volatile external environment on Malaysia's growth.

The World Bank in its latest Malaysia Economic Monitor report said cities were central to the country's high-income aspirations.

“Cities create proximity and facilitate the flow of knowledge that drives innovation," it said.

The World Bank's country director for Malaysia Annette Dixon said in a statement that Malaysia needs to start creating the environment for smart cities today

"Decisions about city development today are locked in for many years to come,” she said.

The World Bank said Malaysia needs coordinated policies addressed at making its cities smarter, noting that a key challenge would be to increase the volume and quality of skilled workers in its cities.
“This will require improving higher education and quality of life in cities to retain local talent and attract foreign skilled labour that can contribute to innovation," it said

Furthermore, it added that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving solid waste management were also critical challenges to achieve sustainable growth in cities.

[nazrey]

RM30b boost with bio-economy
By RUPINDER SINGH
http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/...#ixzz1ePYpMyS2



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being briefed by Professor Dr Chan Lai
Keng (right) from Universiti Sains Malaysia on the use of the ‘Equsains Airlift
Culture Vessel’ during his visit to the BioMalaysia 2011 Conference and
Exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday. - Pic: SAIRIEN NAFIS

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday launched the new National Biomass Strategy (NBS) to enhance Malaysia's competitiveness as a bio-economy and biotechnology hub.

Najib said the NBS themed "Biomass to Wealth" would put "Malaysia on the map as the world leader in new, innovative and sustainable industries".

The new initiative, he added, had the potential to generate RM30 billion in new income by 2020 and create 70,000 new jobs for Malaysians.

"Through the creation of new high value industries driven by locally developed innovation, including in bio-based chemicals and bio-energy, the Biomass Strategy will provide the platform for creating 70,000 new jobs. 40,000 of those will be high skilled," he said at the launch of BioMalaysia 2011 and the 6th Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy here yesterday.

He said the NBS could also deliver new growth areas, encourage development of new homegrown technologies and create more export opportunities.

"The Biomass Strategy has a clear action plan with immediate initiatives and new Entry Point Projects (EPPs) for government and industry to drive this opportunity.

"We are excited about these prospects and we are optimistic of performing well in this sector," Najib added.

The NBS is developed by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) in close collaboration with key government agencies, universities and business leaders.

Najib also announced that the the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Biotech Corp and other agencies would roll out a bio-economy roadmap by early next year.
The roadmap would complement the current National Biotechnology Policy (NBP) and would set a target for high growth in the coming years.

"We will be looking at some key focus areas in the industrial, health and agriculture sectors which will leverage on the latest approaches in biomining, bioconversions, bioextractions and key knowledge technologies such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

"As the world's largest exporter of palm oil, Malaysia generates a lot of biomass which holds tremendous potential for high value added applications ranging from the biofuels sector to bioplastics and cellulosic feedstock."

With an estimated value of RM33.4 billion in 2015, biomass is targeted to be a vital contributor to the agricultural and industrial biotechnology sectors.

[armand56]

Further to The Star's "Smarter Cities" story - a related article from The Wall Street Journal with some interesting insights:


Kuala Lumpur: A Southeast Asian Los Angeles?

Resembling a “mini Los Angeles” is not a good thing for livability and attracting talent, at least not according to the World Bank.

In a recent report about Malaysia, the World Bank said Malaysian cities need to adopt more compact urban forms and start investing in “smarter cities” to improve livability and attract talent. In their current form, the report says that Malaysia’s cities have “significant urban sprawl” and declining population densities – each looking more like a chaotic and messy “mini Los Angeles” rather than a densely-populated Asian city.

While many consider Kuala Lumpur more livable than the also-chaotic Southeast Asian cities of Jakarta and Bangkok, the report highlighted ways that urban planning in Malaysia could enhance investment and economic growth in the country.

The report references Kuala Lumpur specifically, pointing out that it abandoned a “tight fitting, heritage house style” as adopted by Malaysia’s neighbor, Singapore, and “sprawled to accommodate unrestrained motorization.”

“Cities are central to Malaysia’s high income aspirations,” said Annette Dixon, the World Bank’s Country Director for Malaysia, in a statement released during the launch of the World Bank’s November 2011 edition of the Malaysia Economic Monitor. “In order to achieve high income country status by 2020, Malaysia needs to start creating the environment for smart cities today.”

The World Bank believes that “smart cities” are crucial for retaining local talent and attracting foreign skilled labor that is able to contribute to innovation. Noting that universities are an important part of the fabric of a city, the report recommends that Malaysia increase its number and quality of skilled workers by improving educational institutions.

In 2009, Malaysia was ranked as the 11th most desirable destination in the world for international students according to the Institute of International Education, but none of Malaysia’s universities are listed as the top 400 in the world according to the latest Times Higher Education’s World University Ranking. The National University of Singapore (NUS) currently ranks as the 40th best university in the world.

Despite these criticisms, the report did note “important initiatives” that Malaysia has taken towards building the infrastructure for a “smart city,” particularly in addressing shortages in public transportation.

The report highlights the Kuala Lumpur Mass Rapid Transit (KL MRT), which, according to the KL MRT website, aims at significantly increasing the current “inadequate” rail service and integrating existing rail networks across the greater Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area. The World Bank report says the implementation of this rail network is “progressing rapidly” and will serve an area with a population of 1.2 million. Further, it mentions Johor’s rapid transit system (RTS) which may link with the Thomson MRT line in Singapore, slated for completion in 2018, which will link the 60,000 – 70 000 people commuting between the cities of Johor Bahru and Singapore daily.

The report also addresses the need for Malaysia to go green, following the drive across the globe to create more “sustainable” cities. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving solid waste management will help achieve sustainable growth in cities, it says, something that is made difficult when a city is sprawling. This will bring about economic gains and generate business opportunities for Malaysia, the report said.

Though large-scale flooding of the magnitude that Thailand has witnessed is considered unlikely in Malaysia, the report noted that Malaysia’s urban centers are concentrated in natural disaster-prone areas. The report said that the recent example of flooding in Ayutthaya, which heavily impacted supply chains in Thailand, is an example that Malaysia also needs to do more to mitigate climate change and manage the risk of natural disasters to ensure sustained economic growth.

“Malaysian cities are especially vulnerable to floods and landslides,” said Ms. Dixon. “To reduce the risks related to these hazards, Malaysia would benefit from environmental restoration and integration of risk reduction into development planning.”

- http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/201...ogle_news_blog

[laoshu]

hi, guys, do you know this? bit.ly/vuuBVb

[nazrey]

Malaysia jadi pusat peluasan Colas Rail
25 November 2011
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info...t&pg=ko_03.htm

KUALA LUMPUR 24 Nov. - Syarikat kontraktor landasan kereta api Perancis, Colas Rail mahu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai pusat peluasan operasinya di rantau Asia Tenggara pada masa depan.

Colas Rail menerusi anak syarikatnya Colas Rail Asia Sdn. Bhd. (Colas Rail Asia) telah membuka ibu pejabat serantau di negara ini selepas berjaya memperoleh tender projek sambungan landasan LRT Kelana Jaya bernilai RM673.920 juta.

Pengerusi dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya, Patrick Guenole berkata, kehadiran Colas Rail di Malaysia adalah tepat pada masanya kerana beberapa tahun akan datang permintaan terhadap pengangkutan keretapi dijangka meningkat dengan ketara.

''Berdasarkan pengalaman dan kepakaran kami dalam industri ini, kami yakin mampu memenuhi kehendak bukan sahaja di negara ini malah di rantau ini juga.

''Malaysia akan menjadi platform kepada Colas Rail merebut sebarang tawaran tender pembinaan landasan di Singapura, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia dan Vietnam pada masa depan,'' katanya ketika berucap pada majlis Pelancaran Colas Rail Asia, di sini semalam.

Turut hadir Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Colas Rail Asia, Richard Fostier, Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD), Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif CMC Engineering, Datuk Abd. Rahman Yusof.

Guenole berkata, bagi mencapai matlamat tersebut, Colas Rail akan menjadikan Malaysia sebagai rakan strategik dan akan melakukan pelaburan dari segi teknologi serta kemahiran di negara ini.

''Kami mempunyai perancangan jangka panjang di Malaysia dan merancang mengukuhkan kedudukan di sini serta rantau ini.

''Kehadiran kami juga akan membantu melahirkan jurutera tempatan yang berkemahiran dan bertaraf antarabangsa dalam industri ini,'' jelasnya.

Sementara itu, Fostier pula berkata, Colas Rail mempunyai kepakaran dalam keseluruhan bahagian dalam industri ini meliputi sistem kereta api metro, LRT, tramways, klasik dan berkelajuan tinggi.

''Tidak mustahil satu hari nanti kami akan terlibat dengan pembinaan projek kereta api pantas Kuala Lumpur-Singapura pada masa depan kerana sudah membuktikan keupayaan di Eropah dan Afrika.

''Berdasarkan jaminan keselamatan dan pelbagai tawaran projek baharu kami mahu menjadi pelabur jangka masa panjang di Malaysia dan berkembang bersama rakan kongsi tempatan,'' jelasnya.

http://www.colasrail.co.uk/

Colas Rail is a British rail freight company, formerly known as Seco Rail. Seco Rail was the name of the UK subsidiary of the French railway engineering company SECO which operates in Europe. SECO (Société d'Études et de Construction d'Outillage) was founded in 1931. In 2000 SECO was purchased by the road building company Colas. Whilst still based mainly in France, the company has subsidiaries in the UK and Belgium, and in 2006 became a train operator (Train operating company in the UK) through its transportation of aggregates. In 2007 Colas merged its Seco Rail operations with its other rail subsidiary AMEC-Spie, under the new operating name of Colas Rail, and also acquired the Plant division of Carillion Rail which was included in the new group.

[nazrey]

FDI surge expected 9-month figure surpasses last year’s RM29.3bil
By EUGENE MAHALINGAM Friday November 25, 2011
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story...0&sec=business



SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s foreign direct investment (FDI) for the first nine months this year has surpassed the figure recorded in 2010, according to International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

“Based on current trends (in light of the economic concerns in Europe and the United States), FDI for the first three quarters will exceed the US$9.1bil (RM29.3bil) achieved for the whole of last year,” he said at the Malaysia-Singapore Business Forum 2011 yesterday.

Mustapa said the FDI figure for the first three quarters of 2011 would be revealed soon.

“We saw a pick-up in FDI this year. Malaysia has been blessed in terms of FDI and private investments,” he said, without elaborating.

On the outlook for 2012, he said: “Next year, it’s unknown. But with good growth in China, India and Asean, the prospects look good for Malaysia.”

FDI surged to RM21.3bil in the first six months of 2011 compared with RM12.1bil in the previous corresponding period.

The Government had targeted total FDI to hit US$10bil (RM32bil) this year.

Separately, Mustapa encouraged Singaporean companies to tap opportunities in Malaysia in areas such as the east coast.

“Don’t just look at Iskandar (Malaysia) but also areas where Singapore is under-represented, such as the east coast or Sabah and Sarawak.”

He encouraged Singaporean companies to invest in the local services sector and high-end electronics.

Singapore’s Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang said one viable sector that Malaysia and Singapore could benefit from was in “cruise tourism”.

He said the cruise business in Europe and the United States was huge and that it should be replicated by both Malaysia and Singapore.

Lim also advised Singaporean companies to keep abreast of developments in Malaysia, which he said had been “moving fast” of late.

“Singaporean companies should take advantage of this,” he said, adding that Malaysia and Singapore should find ways to complement and compete with each other in ways that would benefit both nations.

Singapore is Malaysia’s largest trading partner. From January to September 2011, trade between the two countries grew 20.5% to RM120.06bil from RM107.22bil a year earlier.

On another note, Mustapa said the Government would embark on a second pre-feasibility study on the viability of the proposed Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail system.

He said the first study, “Pre-feasibility 1A,” was concluded in September while the second study, “Pre-feasibility 1B,” would begin next year and could take eight to nine months to complete.

The Malaysia-Singapore Business Forum 2011 was hosted by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and was co-organised by the Singapore Business Federation and International Enterprise Singapore.

Themed “Enhancing Strategic Partnership,” the event was attended by over 700 participants.

It featured a panel discussion with speakers including Mustapa, Lim, Singapore Business Foundation chairman Tony Chew, Singapore Aerospace Manufacturing Pte Ltd senior vice-president for corporate development Oh Chong Ho, YCH Group Ltd chief executive officer Robert Yap and Malaysia-Singapore Business Council representative Datuk Ghazali Yusoff.

The panel discussion was moderated by former CNN and CNBC personality Lorraine Hahn.

[nazrey]

Source: United Nation Development Program (UNDP)
- http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf
- http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2011/download/

M'sia has high human development, says report
Updated: Friday November 25, 2011 MYT 2:38:15 PM
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp...845&sec=nation

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is ranked 61 among 187 countries, placing it in the high human development category, on the Global Human Development Report 2011.

Within Asean, Malaysia at 61, is well ahead of Thailand at 103, Indonesia at 124 and Vietnam at 128. Singapore is at 26 and Brunei at 33.

Norway, Australia and the Netherlands lead the world in the 2011 Human Development Index, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Burundi are at the bottom of the table.

United Nations resident coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Kamal Malhotra, said Malaysia needed to be more proactive and coherent in dealing with a range of inequalities that remained a major challenge.

"Environmental measures such as eco-labelling which enable consumers to make informed decisions on energy-efficient products should not further skew the access of such products in favour of the rich, further exacerbating existing inequalities," he added.

He said Malaysia would have its own National Human Development Report next year.

"It is a significant breakthrough because many countries around the world have been producing national-level reports that are up to date.

"There are 622 national or sub-national human development reports that have been published worldwide," he told a press conference after the launching of the UNDP Global Human Development Report 2011.

He said the team on Malaysia's National Human Development Report 2012 would focus on many current issues such as poverty, health, education, equity growth and income.

Malhotra pointed out that the report would be indepth with details showcasing the country's development.BERNAMA

[nazrey]

Source: Vision of Humanity
http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi-data/#/2011/scor

Malaysia safest country in Southeast Asia – Lee
Posted on November 26, 2011, Saturday
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11...#ixzz1dfhoaJ00

MIRI: The Global Peace Index has ranked Malaysia as the safest country in Southeast Asia and the fourth safest in the Asia Pacific after New Zealand, Japan and Australia.

Assistant Minister of Communications, Datuk Lee Kim Shin disclosed that Malaysia also ranked 19th as the safest country among 153 countries, compared to last year, when the country was at number 22.

“As Malaysians, we should be grateful to be living in a peaceful and harmonious environment.

“In fact, our country is the envy of some countries when it comes to issues concerning safety,” he said at the Join Community Crime Prevention Programme on Thursday night.

He was representing Second Minister of Planning and Public Utilities, Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in officiating at the event held at Permyjaya New Township.

Also present was DCP Datuk Mortadza Nazarene.

In his address, Lee praised the effort of the local community here for contributing to the increase in number of Voluntary Patrolling Scheme (SRS) members.

He pointed out that there were currently a total 28 SRS areas in Miri and urged the Neighbourhood Watch Committee (RT) to set up more SRS units to patrol their areas.

“SRS is effective in instilling the spirit of neighbourliness among residents to voluntarily guard and patrol their residential area for the sake of safety and comfort of the neighbourhood as a whole,” he said.

Lee added that among the objectives of SRS was to encourage active participation of residents in carrying out security measures in areas with high crime rate and social problems.

“We hope the scheme can help the authorities, especially the police and other enforcement agencies reduce the crime rate in residential areas.

“I am confident that with collaboration and support from all parties, we can help the government in curbing crime effectively and in an integrated manner,” he said.

The Join Community Crime Prevention Programme is a collaborative effort between the police, SRS, RT, Civil Defence Department, Miri Islamic Department, Customs Department, Immigration Department, Maritime Enforcement Agency and others.

[nazrey]

Malaysia to have own National Human Development Report by 2012
Posted on November 26, 2011, Saturday
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11...eport-by-2012/

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is expected to have its own National Human Development Report by 2012.

United Nations resident coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Kamal Malhotra said that currently, an agreement had been made with the government on the process of producing the country’s development report.

“It is a significant breakthrough because many countries around the world have been producing national-level reports that are up to date. There are 622 national or sub-national human development reports that have been published worldwide,” he told a press conference after the launching of the UNDP Global Human Development Report 2011, here, yesterday.

He said the team on Malaysia’s National Human Development Report 2012 would focus on many current issues such as poverty, health, education, equity growth and income.

Malhotra also pointed out that the report would have more indepth details showcasing the country’s development in order to have it as a guide for improvement at the global level.

On the Global Human Development Report 2011, he said Malaysia ranked 61 among 187 countries, roughly a third of the way down from the top, placing it in the high human development category.

“However, within the Asean region, Malaysia at 61, is well ahead of Thailand at 103, Indonesia at 124 and Vietnam at 128,” he said.

Singapore is at 26 and Brunei at 33.

Norway, Australia and the Netherlands lead the world in the 2011 Human Development Index, while the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Burundi are at the bottom of the table. — Bernama

[nazrey]

US$25-US$30 billion to be issued in M’sia next year
Posted on November 26, 2011, Saturday
http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/11...#ixzz1dfkZlRJ9

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of US$25-US$30 billion worth of new sukuk (Islamic bond) issuances are expected to be issued in Malaysia next year despite a slow down in the global economy.

CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd chief executive officer Badlisyah Abdul Ghani said sukuk currently accounted for 38.2 per cent of the total bonds outstanding.

In the first half of this year, the Securities Commission had approved 19 sukuk issues worth RM32 billion, of which RM24.6 billion has been issued.

“In general, 2007 was the record year for sukuk issuances, which was roughly about US$24 billion to US$25 billion. This year we anticipate to close higher in terms of total new sukuk issuances.

“Next year, we aim at the same level. Of course, we always aspire to do more but is a bit difficult to say every year we will beat the previous year’s record.

“Between US$25 to US$30 billion sukuk issuance year-on-year is something that is reasonable to anticipate,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the 16th Malaysian Capital Market Summit here yesterday.

At global level, CIMB has done roughly about US$5 billion issuance, accounting for 19 per cent world market share, placing the banking group as number one.

Earlier, Badlisyah, one of the panellists at the summit, spoke on the challenges and prospects of the bond market.

On the acceptance of the ringgit as a denominator for sukuk, Badlisyah said investors were now looking at the ringgit.

“They are a bit more sophisticated in terms of their need to diversify exposures. Ringgit is being looked into by investors,” he said.

Badlisyah said Malaysian Islamic bonds are tightly-priced due to high quality issuers.

“This is the main reason why investors from the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries don’t come in to buy our papers because the returns they get from investing is in ringgit papers,” he said.

On this note, he said, Malaysia needs to develop over time high-yield income market.

Badlisyah said the main challenge in sukuk was whether an issuer or an investor can easily undertake sukuk transactions.

“If the challenges in enabling transactions are resolved, the volume can be even more,” he added. — Bernama

[nazrey]

Panasonic in RM1.8b solar venture
June Ramlee Published: 2011/11/26
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...cle/index_html

The solar cell plant at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park is expected to start production in December 2012

Panasonic Corp plans to invest 45 billion yen (about RM1.8 billion) to build a solar cell factory in Malaysia.

The Osaka-based electronics giant will set up Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd next month to handle the venture at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah. Production is expected to kick off in December 2012, Panasonic said in a statement posted on its website yesterday.

It is learnt that on top of the 45 billion yen, Panasonic is also setting aside 22.5 billion yen (about RM1 billion) as capital for Panasonic Energy.

The plant will have a production capacity of 300 megawatt and employ some 1,500 people. It will have a built-up area of about 70,000 square metres.

Panasonic said the solar cell market is expected to grow further with environmental awareness increasing globally and the introduction of subsidy systems and Feed-in Tariff schemes in Japan.

“Robust demand is expected particularly in the residential sector, the main target of the Panasonic HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar modules.

“The new factory, to be built in the Kulim Hi Tech Park, will not only help Panasonic meet this the growing demand, but also strengthen the HIT module’s cost competitiveness with the vertically-integrated production,” the company said.

Panasonic will sell its solar modules as an individual product as well as part of a system combined with storage batteries.

Panasonic is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs.

The company, which has several subsidiaries in Malaysia, recorded consolidated net sales of 8.69 trillion yen (RM335 billion) as of March 31 2011.

The company’s shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York stock exchanges.

[nazrey]

Originally Posted by nazrey

CJ Cheil, Arkema plan RM2b biotech plant
Published: 2011/08/12
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...cle/index_html

CJ CheilJedang Corp, South Korea’s biggest food processor, and French chemicals company Arkema SA will jointly invest RM2 billion (US$669 million) in a Malaysian biotechnology plant.

The venture is the largest foreign investment to date in the Southeast Asian nation’s biotechnology industry and will manufacture thiochemicals and bio-methionine for use in animal feed stocks, the government said in a statement.

“The project is expected to generate about RM20 billion of cumulative sales by 2020 and provide employment opportunities,” Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in the statement issued at a signing ceremony today in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia expects foreign direct investment to exceed US$10 billion this year as companies invest in electronics, solar energy, gas and oil, International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said on Aug 10. The government last year identified a total US$444 billion worth of private-sector projects it wanted to champion by 2020 as Malaysia strives to become a high-income nation.

The plant will be located in northern Terengganu state and use the nearby Kuantan and Kemamam container ports, Dominique Namer, Arkema’s Asia-Pacific president, told reporters. “Raw materials can be easily obtained” in the area, he said.

CheilJedang and Arkema will invest over 10 years, the statement said. -- Bloomberg

Originally Posted by nazrey

RM30b boost with bio-economy
By RUPINDER SINGH
http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/...#ixzz1ePYpMyS2



Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak being briefed by Professor Dr Chan Lai
Keng (right) from Universiti Sains Malaysia on the use of the ‘Equsains Airlift
Culture Vessel’ during his visit to the BioMalaysia 2011 Conference and
Exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday. - Pic: SAIRIEN NAFIS

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday launched the new National Biomass Strategy (NBS) to enhance Malaysia's competitiveness as a bio-economy and biotechnology hub.

Najib said the NBS themed "Biomass to Wealth" would put "Malaysia on the map as the world leader in new, innovative and sustainable industries".

The new initiative, he added, had the potential to generate RM30 billion in new income by 2020 and create 70,000 new jobs for Malaysians.

"Through the creation of new high value industries driven by locally developed innovation, including in bio-based chemicals and bio-energy, the Biomass Strategy will provide the platform for creating 70,000 new jobs. 40,000 of those will be high skilled," he said at the launch of BioMalaysia 2011 and the 6th Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy here yesterday.

He said the NBS could also deliver new growth areas, encourage development of new homegrown technologies and create more export opportunities.

"The Biomass Strategy has a clear action plan with immediate initiatives and new Entry Point Projects (EPPs) for government and industry to drive this opportunity.

"We are excited about these prospects and we are optimistic of performing well in this sector," Najib added.

The NBS is developed by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) in close collaboration with key government agencies, universities and business leaders.

Najib also announced that the the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Biotech Corp and other agencies would roll out a bio-economy roadmap by early next year.
The roadmap would complement the current National Biotechnology Policy (NBP) and would set a target for high growth in the coming years.

"We will be looking at some key focus areas in the industrial, health and agriculture sectors which will leverage on the latest approaches in biomining, bioconversions, bioextractions and key knowledge technologies such as genomics, proteomics and metabolomics.

"As the world's largest exporter of palm oil, Malaysia generates a lot of biomass which holds tremendous potential for high value added applications ranging from the biofuels sector to bioplastics and cellulosic feedstock."

With an estimated value of RM33.4 billion in 2015, biomass is targeted to be a vital contributor to the agricultural and industrial biotechnology sectors.

US’ Quintiles wants to partner Malaysian biotech companies
By Roziana Hamsawi Published: 2011/11/28
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz1eyKWJQxo



KUALA LUMPUR: US-based biopharmaceutical services company Quintiles, which has been present in Malaysia since 1998, sees tremendous opportunities in the biotech sector.

Its head of Asia Markets Anand Tharmaratnam said Quintiles wants to go beyond its clinical research activity here and become the preferred partner for Malaysian biotech companies wanting to go global.

"The opportunities for us in Malaysia are significant and from our meeting with Biotech Corporation, we have communicated our interest to participate in driving the growth of the biotech sector," he said in an interview with Business Times here recently.

That would include vaccine development, giving consultations to Malaysian biotech companies going abroad, lab services management and training.

He is confident that Malaysia will go far in the global biotech space, given the investment made by the government in creating the right environment.

"This sector here is still pretty nascent and due to its long gestation period, we have yet to see a compound being tested into humans but we expect that to happen in the very near future and we want to be a part of the process," he said.

Privately-held Quintiles is an integrated bio and pharmaceutical services provider offering clinical, commercial, consulting and capital solutions.

It has more than 20,000 employees in 60 countries who have helped develop or commercialise all of 2010's top 50 best-selling products or compounds and was involved in the development of the top 30 oncology drugs last year.

Having been in Asia since 1993, it now has 28 offices and employs 4,000 people, making it the largest employer of clinical development professionals across Asia.

"We have worked closely with the Malaysian government and under the Economic Transformation Programme, it is looking at the promotion of more clinical trials and research. We have a strong brand name here and we are confident we could easily get the trust factor," he said.

Quintiles is confident Malaysia will be a successful location for biotech sector due to the incentives and the support provided by the Malaysian government and the availability of talent.

Speaking on the opportunities within Asia, Tharmaratnam who is based in Singapore, said over the last 15 years, the region has been a good place for global clinical development while in the last 2 to 3 years, Asia's commercial development is gaining importance.

In terms of drug sales, global drug sales are expected to reach US$1 trillion (RM3.18 trillion) by 2015 and about 28 per cent is to come from Asia, 31 per cent from the US and 12-13 per cent from 5 top European countries.

"Today, 41 per cent of the drug sales come from the US, 25 per cent from the Euro and only 13 per cent from Asia and this will change in the next few years," he said.

The Asian region contributes about 20 per cent to Quintiles' group revenue and the Asian business is growing about 15 per cent a year with Japan being its single largest Asian market.

[nazrey]

TNB ranked 3rd among Asia power utilities
Published: 2011/11/28
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...#ixzz1eyPjVncO

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has been ranked third among electricity utilities in Asia in the Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings for this year.

In a statement yesterday, TNB said among global electric utilities, it was placed 24th in the latest ranking by Platts, a global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information.

"In addition, TNB was ranked 20th in overall performance in Asia and 90th in overall global performance," it said.

The annual rankings are based on performance in four key areas: asset worth, revenues, profits and return on invested capital.

All companies in the list have assets of over US$3.5 billion (RM11.13 billion).

Tenaga Nasional Berhad president/chief executive officer Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said the latest rankings were in recognition of the company's commitment and perseverance in serving the customers better through improvement in efficiency and productivity.

"Tenaga Nasional Berhad will stay focused and strive harder to meet the expectations of the customers despite the tougher operational environment it has to face," he said.

The rankings were announced during the Platts Top 250 Global Energy Companies Awards ceremony held recently in Singapore. Bernama

[nazrey]

Foreign direct investments in Malaysia surge
Published: 2011/11/28
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_New...cle/index_html

Malaysia’s foreign direct investments (FDIs) surged 42 per cent to RM26.4 billion as of end September as compared with RM18.6 billion in the same period last year.

The latest data from the Statistics Department indicates that the government's initiatives to spur economic growth are bearing fruition, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

"Based on the FDI inflows for the nine months, it is likely that this year’s total FDI will exceed last year’s figure," he said in a statement today.

Total FDI for 2010 was RM29.3 billion, while in 2009, it was RM5 billion.

Mustapa said Malaysia received strong FDIs in the first and second quarters of this year, totalling RM10.1 billion and RM11.07 billion, respectively.

However, the FDI in the third quarter moderated to RM5.17 billion, partly due to weaker external economic climate, especially the euro zone debt crisis and the US economic slowdown.

On private investments, Mustapa said the government was confident of achieving the targeted RM94 billion this year.

Private investments for the January-September period totalled RM75 billion as announced by the Finance Ministry recently. -- Bernama

Total FDI
2011 - RM26.4 billion (as of end September)
2010 - RM29.3 billion
2009 - RM5 billion

[jani13]

2009 wow...