Tag Archives: malaysia

Malaysia To Have Region’s First Biomass Plant

Monday, 05 August 2013 Malaysia will be the first in the region to have a commercial- scale biomass-ethanol plant, a boost to the National Biomass Strategy 2020 that aims to make the country the regional leader in highvalue added biomass-based industries. Malaysian interests led by Hock Lee Group has signed a memorandum of understading (MoU) with a foreign consortium, Beta Renewables, to begin a feasibility study to develop Asean’s first commercial-scale biomass-ethanol plant. Hock Lee Group was represented by CEO Yek Siew Liong while Beta Renewables was represented by its business development director Asia Pacific Peirlugi Picciotti. The setting up of the biomass- ethanol plant is in line with Sabah’s focus on growing its green industries. This initiative will be a catalyst for a biomass-based industry cluster with a wide range of new industries such as biofuels, bio-energy and biochemicals. Suitable locations in Bintulu have been identified for the project. Such a cluster is expected to increase the state’s GDP (gross domestic product) as well as create high-value jobs by attracting high-value partnerships with local companies that will also benefit local SMEs, smallholders and local communities. The group’s major shareholders were involved in oil palm plantations, banking and finance and some are still active in major regional furniture manufacturing, steel fabrication and cable manufacturing business. Over the years, the group ventured into residential & commercial property development and investments, hospitality and owns the “Xcel” petrol retail chain in Sarawak. Beta Renewables is a joint venture between M&G Finanziaria of Italy, Novozymes of Denmark and Texas Pacific Group from the US, and owns the patented PROESA technology for the conversion of nonfood ligno cellulosic biomass to ethanol. Beta Renewables has successfully completed the commissioning and start-up of the world’s first commercial scale (60,000 tonnes of ethanol capacity) biomass-to-ethanol plant in Crescentino, Italy. The feasibility study is a result of the National Biomass Strategy 2020 initiatives by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM). AIM is in close collaboration with the Sarawak State Planning Unit and other relevant state agencies to facilitate the study which is expected to be completed by the fourthquarter of 2013. AIM’s National Biomass Strategy 2020 team has been working with the industry, academia and government stakeholders since 2011 to achieve the objective of positioning Malaysia as the region’s leader for biomassbased downstream activities globally. The MoU coupled with other significant events in Sabah recently is a sign that the industry is embracing the strategy and its highlighted opportunities. Continue reading

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“Golden 5 Years Ahead“

By JAN YONG SPRINGING FORWARD: Great investment opportunity for next five years due to pent-up demand and globalised environment, says property consultant The next five years are crucial for property investors as they present the greatest investment opportunity ever, says property investment consultant Gavin Tee. “’The period from 2013 – 2018 is the best period within the “Golden 10 Years” from 2010 – 2020 for property investment in Malaysia,” he told NST RED after the general election (GE) results were announced. “This is because politically, we are getting more matured, and the country is adjusting to a more liberalised and globalised business environment. This will raise the profile of Malaysia in the international stage which will impact on demand for properties in Malaysia.” Malaysia is currently a laggard in terms of property prices and demand for property compared to its neighbours like Singapore, Hong Kong and even Thailand and Indonesia. “The general election has held back a lot of foreign investments and major policies for the last few years. But it was also a time when we built up the foundation for the next stage of our journey,” he says. “I have given a lot of forecasts months before the GE, for example, Iskandar is going to be the hottest market in 2013 while Greater Kuala Lumpur will peak as a property hotspot in 2017 – 2018. Those forecasts still stand after GE,“ he points out. Tee had two months ago forecasted an upward swing for the property market after GE13 (8 Mar NST RED) where he predicted that although a period of adjustment is expected immediately after the GE, the local property market is expected to continue its upward trajectory in the next five years. “After the GE, there will be about two months of adjustment period followed by six months of a lot of movement in the market due to pent-up demand,” he was quoted to have said. “The best time for property investors will be within the next five years. There will be a lot of pent-up demand to propel the property market to the next level. Many foreign and private investors of major projects have been in standby mode. The property market will see a lot of action in the next six months regardless of who is in power. Malaysia is now much more open and globalised in terms of policies and developments,” Tee was quoted to have said (8 Mar NST RED). Moving forward Now that the GE is over, Tee is positive that the next five years is a very definite time to move forward. “My forecast post-GE is that the next five years will definitely present the best opportunity to invest in Malaysia in line with my prediction of a “Golden 10-Year” period for property investment in Southeast Asia including Malaysia.” Tee had made that “Golden 10-Years” prediction way back in 2010 just before the property market in Malaysia surged to an all-time high in 2010 – 2011. Tee, who is an international speaker, predicted that after 2018, there will emerge a more positive and matured business environment in Malaysia underpinned by a more liberal political system which is “closer to international standards”. “The next five years and beyond will see more globalised cities emerging worldwide including cities in Malaysia such as Greater KL, Penang and even Johor Bahru. There will be a worldwide economic adjustment where economies will become more liberalised and borderless with an underlying shift of focus from the West to the East and from the North to the South. There will be great changes in the Southeast Asian market and politics. This will present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Malaysia to go up the next level into becoming a developed nation with world-class standards.” “International price tags” Tee, who is also the Founder and President of SwhengTee International Real Estate Investors Club is optimistic that property prices within the next five years will mature, and prices in Iskandar and tourism and globalised areas will start commanding international price tags. “The comparison is no longer with domestic cities but with the world’s globalised cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore and New York. As a result, potential globalised cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu are the best places to invest in now as their property prices are still low compared with other Southeast Asian nations.” Tee adds that these five years in front of us before the next GE is the best time for Malaysians to take action as “our neighbours like Indonesia and even Myanmar are also coming up into the world stage”. “The last five years has seen a lot of adjustments, for instance, Iskandar has signed up a lot of foreign support and many of them are ongoing, while some are completed. So, from next year, there will be a lot of changes and activities, and this will go on for the next five years, therefore property investment will offer unbelievable opportunities. “Infrastructure spending will also increase within the next five years. When these are delivered, businesses can start to focus on growth and expansion, and more foreigners will come in. Examples of infrastructure which will have a huge impact are the MRT link between JB Sentral and Woodlands Singapore, the KL-Singapore High Speed Rail and the potential MRT Line 2 and 3 in KL.” Read more: “Golden 5 years ahead“ – RED – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.m…3#ixzz2StD6Dz5B Continue reading

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Palm Stockpiles Dropping to Nine-Month Low Seen Boost for Prices

By Ranjeetha Pakiam – May 5, 2013 Palm oil inventories in Malaysia , the world’s second-largest producer, probably declined in April to the lowest level in nine months as exports held above production, boosting optimism that prices will rebound. Reserves decreased 5.1 percent to 2.06 million metric tons, the least since July, from 2.17 million tons in March, the median of estimates from three plantation companies and four analysts showed in a Bloomberg survey. While exports fell 6.5 percent to 1.44 million tons, they were higher than the output that gained 5.3 percent to 1.4 million tons, according to the survey. Official data are due for release on May 10. A drop in stockpiles for a fourth month from a record 2.63 million tons in December may help stem a 33 percent price slump in the past year as supply outpaced demand for the commodity used in everything from biofuels to noodles. Futures in Kuala Lumpur may recover as much as 20 percent by the end of this quarter as stockpiles fall and demand rebounds, according to a Maybank Investment Bank Bhd. report dated May 2. “There is still potential for stocks to go down,” said Ivy Ng, an analyst at CIMB Investment Bank Bhd. “There’s still room over the next few months for exports to improve” as we head into the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, she said. Consumption usually increases during Ramadan, which begins in July this year, boosting imports from Middle East to South Asia including India , the biggest buyer. Exports will pick up in May and June because of the festival, Rabobank International analysts led by Luke Chandler said in a report last month. Worst Streak Palm oil for delivery in July dropped 0.7 percent to 2,246 ringgit ($740) a ton on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives at 5:45 p.m. Kuala Lumpur time on May 3. Futures, which entered a bear market in June 2012, are poised for third year of losses. That would be the worst run since at least 1996. Prices may recover by end of June to 2,600 ringgit to 2,700 ringgit a ton, a level last traded in September, Maybank analysts including Ong Chee Ting wrote in a report dated May 2. Rabobank forecasts prices climbing to 2,500 ringgit in the second quarter before dropping to 2,450 ringgit in the third and to 2,400 in the fourth quarter as Malaysia enters the high- output season and global vegetable oil supplies increase. Output usually surges from July to October in the country. World production of seven major oilseeds in the 2012-2013 season may be 456.1 million tons, 1.3 million tons more than the estimate in March and 5.8 percent larger than last season, because of bigger-than-expected supplies of soybeans and rapeseed, Oil World said April 30. In March, the Hamburg-based researcher said that palm oil production may reach a record 55.7 million tons in 2012-2013, with 27.9 million tons coming from Indonesia , the world’s biggest supplier, and 19.7 million tons from Malaysia. If prices decline further Malaysia’s export will become duty free from the 4.5 percent tariff this month, CIMB’s Ng said. That should boost demand from importers, she said. Malaysia announced tax changes last year to reduce palm inventories and compete with Indonesia. The reform resulted in a zero tariff for January and February as the reference price fell below the minimum threshold of 2,250 ringgit. Indonesia has set its duty for May at 9 percent, down from 10.5 percent. To contact the reporter on this story: Ranjeetha Pakiam in Kuala Lumpur at rpakiam@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@bloomberg.net Continue reading

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