Manganese and Iron Ore In ECER

Apparently, there are still some mining activities in the Peninsular Malaysia.

In summary for ECER states:

Pahang
Iron Ore
- Semantan Resources Snd Bhd
- Tajau Makmur Sdn Bhd
- Ibam Mining Sdn Bhd
- Aras Kuasa Sdn Bhd
- Espereance Mining Sdn Bhd
- Pacific Megalink Sdn Bhd
- Sg. Temau Mining Sdn Bhd

Manganese
- Pekan Mining Industries Sdn Bhd

Terengganu
- there are only iron ore in Terengganu, no manganese.
- Quarry includes:

Terengganu Anshan Iron & Steel Sdn Bhd
Terengganu Anshan Iron & Steel Sdn. Bhd. No. 2

Kelantan
- only Manganese (Takrif Baru Sdn Bhd & Centamim Construction Sdn Bhd)

More information can be obtained from the departments in Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang. Other states address can be obtained from http://www.jmg.gov.my/english/profile_addresses.htm

Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, Terengganu
Lot PT3102K, Jalan Sultan Sulaiman
20000 Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu
Tel: (6)09-6251000
Fax: (6)09-6251100
e-mail: jmgtgg (@jmg.gov.my)

Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, Kelantan
3rd Floor, Wisma Persekutuan
Jalan Bayam
15658 Kota Bharu
Kelantan, Malaysia
Tel: (6)09-7482037,7484254
Fax: (6)09-7485153
e-mail: jmgkel (@jmg.gov.my)

Minerals and Geoscience Department Malaysia, Pahang
11th Floor, Wisma Persekutuan
Jalan Gambut
25000 Kuantan
Pahang, Malaysia
Tel: (6)09-5521742, 5521299 / 515 6148
Fax: (6)09-5554696
e-mail: jmgpahang (@jmg.gov.my)

Move to can mutton for Aidil Adha aid

Wednesday September 24, 2008
Move to can mutton for Aidil Adha aid

MARANG: Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), an Muslim organisation based in Britain, has teamed up with state-owned Pertima Terengganu Sdn Bhd to can mutton for distribution to countries that may face food crises during this year’s Aidil Adha celebration.

Islamic Relief Malaysia manager Zawahir Che Abdullah said that 20,000 goats would be slaughtered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the purpose.

“The slaughtered animals will be exported to Malaysia for processing and canning by Pertima Terengganu in Chendering.

“The canned mutton will be shipped to Africa and countries like Mali, Togo, Iraq and Egypt,” she told reporters at a Ramadan feeding the fasting programme here.

At the function held in collaboration with the Terengganu Family Development Foundation, 250 people from 46 villages here comprising the poor, single mothers, orphans and the disabled were given food items, including rice, sugar, flour, canned sardines and cooking oil.

IRW has more than 30 branches worldwide. €” Bernama

Registering a Company in Terengganu

I did a research on doing a company registration in Terengganu.

According to the Registerer of Comapnies (ROC), the procedure is to submit the application via a Company Secretary. The one nearest is MCM, details as below:

MCM CORPORATE SERVICES SDN. BHD.
Lot G-1&2, Menara YIT
Jalan Sultan Omar
20300, Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu
T: 09 624 5149 / 5077
F: 09 624 5170
E: mcm_corporate@yahoo.com
Ms. Nor Haliza bt. Abu Bakar

For first time registration, the fee may range from RM 2150 - 2500, with itemised billing such as below example:
- Name search = 50
- Authorized capital of rm100k = 1,000
- Stamp Duty = 200
- Statutory Declarations (2 Directors) = 20
- Common Seal = 80
- Register of Members & Minutes Book = 60
- Share Certificate = 70
- First Directors Meeting = 60
- Form 49, 24, 44 and Memorandum & Articles of Association (2 sets) = 60
- Filing Fees = 700

To retain the service of the company secretary is RM60 per month and for audited financial statement, the lowest is RM590 for dormant company, RM600 for turnover up to RM75,000 till RM 2,700 (for RM1 million) .. and above

ECER to produce 600,000 tonnes of herbs by 2020

23-09-2008: ECER to produce 600,000 tonnes of herbs by 2020

Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com


KUALA LUMPUR: The East Coast Economic Region (ECER) planned to produce 625,000 tonnes of herbs worth some RM1.87 billion by 2020, a sixfold increase over that of 2005.

In 2005, ECER produced 80,560 tonnes of herbal products worth RM201 million, its secretariat said in a statement yesterday.

“The total area of cultivated land will also rise from 2,014ha to 10,000ha in the same period,” it said.

The ECER master plan has identified four areas to be designated as herbal parks for cultivation, processing and manufacturing purposes, at Gua Musang in Kelantan, Lanchang and Raub in Pahang, and Dungun in Terengganu.

“There will be also seven satellite farms of 20 hectares each,” it said.

The Edge Daily

"Kelantan Baloh Negara" Programme Yet To Achieve Objective, Says Mustapa

September 21, 2008 14:49 PM

"Kelantan Baloh Negara" Programme Yet To Achieve Objective, Says Mustapa

BACHOK, Sept 21 (Bernama) -- The objective to make Kelantan into the country's second rice bowl has yet to succeed due to lack of commitment by all concerned, Agriculture and Agrobased Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said today.

He said the reason could be that there was never a problem on shortage of rice supply in the country that those concerned, including the relevant agencies, were not serious in making any efforts to increase padi production.

"This is a lesson for everyone not to wait until there is shortage of rice to do something to increase padi production," he told reporters after a visit to the padi farming areas in Kampung Jelutong and Kampung Telaga Ara here, Sunday.

The move to make Kelantan the second rice bowl of Malaysia was part of an effort to make the state into a national food hub under a special programme known as "Kelantan Baloh Negara" which was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in Pasir Puteh about three years ago.

On his visit, Mustapa said the main problem facing the padi farmers there was irrigation as the only source of water to the area was from Sungai Jelawat and that he had asked the relevant agencies to look into the matter and overcome the problem.

He said the government had allocated RM800 million for various programmes to address the shortage of rice supply in the country.

-- BERNAMA

ECER Targets To Produce Over 600,000 Tonnes Of Herbs By 2020

September 22, 2008 15:10 PM

ECER Targets To Produce Over 600,000 Tonnes Of Herbs By 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has the potential to become a herbal hub in the Asia Pacific region with various strategic initiatives under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

In a statement here Monday, the ECER secretariat said the region, which was rich in biodiversity and possessed a strong tradition of herbal medicine, targeted to produce 625,000 tonnes of herbs by 2020, a sixfold increase over that of 2005.

In 2005, ECER produced 80,560 tonnes of herbal products worth RM201 million.

The ECER said the estimated value of production would surge to RM1.875 billion by 2020.

"The total area of cultivated land will also rise from 2,014ha to 10,000ha in the same period," it said.

The ECER said to spur development of the herbal industry, its masterplan has identified four areas to be designated as herbal parks for cultivation, processing and manufacturing purposes.

"The areas include the herbal and biotech product park in Gua Musang, a herbal park in Lanchang, Temerloh, herbal garden in Raub and a herbal park in Dungun.

"There will be also seven satellite farms of 20 hectares each," it said.

The secretariat said the strategies for the herbal industry included emphasising on research and development in priority areas such as the production technology of both raw materials and end-products.

"Programmes will also be put in place to domesticate and cultivate valuable species on a large-scale plantation with the use of biotechnology," it said.

-- BERNAMA

Canned mutton to be sent to countries facing food crisis

2008/09/21

Canned mutton to be sent to countries facing food crisis

Bernama

MARANG, SUN:

The Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), a United Kingdom-based Islamic organisation, has teamed up with a state government owned company, Pertima Terengganu Sdn Bhd, to can mutton for distribution to countries facing food crisis for this year’s Aidiladha celebration.

Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) manager Zawahir Che Abdullah said a total of 20,000 goats would be slaughtered in Jeddah for the purpose.

“The slaughtered animals will then be sent to Malaysia to be processed and canned by Pertima Terengganu in Chendering.

“The canned mutton will be sent in five containers to the affected countries, like Africa, Mali, Togo, Iraq and Egypt, “ she told reporters at a Ramadan’s Feed the Fasting programme here today.

At the function, held with the cooperation of the Terengganu Family Development Foundation (YPK), a total of 250 people, comprising the poor, single mothers, orphans and the disabled from 46 villages in the Pangkalan Bernagan state constituency, were given food aid like rice, sugar, flour, sardine and cooking oil.

IRW has more than 30 branches worldwide.

KADA Targets Zero Rice Imports Via ECER By 2015

KADA Targets Zero Rice Imports Via ECER By 2015

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- The Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority (KADA) has initiated plans to eliminate the need to import rice by 2015 by earmarking a 'rice bowl' in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER).

It has set aside RM63.8 million to subsidise compound fertilsers, level land and enhance agriculture infrastructures which includes irrigation system and machinery.

Currently, Malaysia produces 7.6 million tonnes of rice, enough to meet 72 per cent of the local demand, it said in a statement today.

"Various measures and initiatives have been taken by KADA to lessen the nation's dependence on rice imports from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar and hence reduce rice imports to zero by 2015," said KADA general manager Ibrahim Mat.

KADA, an agency entrusted by the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry to raise the socio-economic welfare of local farmers, is charged with paddy production in 37,000 hectares of land in Kelantan.

This covers the ECER land in northern Kelantan which includes Bachok, Kota Baharu, Pasir Puteh, Tumpat and Pasir Mas, with more than 8,000 farmers in the five districts.

Asia is gripped by the soaring price of rice and a shortage of domestic supply. This has forced major rice-exporting countries in the region, including Vietnam, Cambodia and India, to introduce curbs on overseas sales recently.

Malaysia is also affected as it has to import from countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Experts believe the only way to ensure food security is to raise the local rice production.

Ibrahim said the fastest way to self-sufficiency is to follow the example set by farmers in Sekinchan, Selangor.

Sekinchan, dubbed the 'rice bowl' of Selangor, is renowned for producing up to 10 tonnes per hectare, the highest yields in the nation.

Generally, paddy yields in KADA are low, averaging 3.16 tonnes per hectare in 2005.

He said KADA sees no reason why Kelantan farmers cannot do the same since they use certified seeds such as the MR219 and MR220 approved by the government.

He said it is also a good time to boost local production as consumers are opting for cheaper local rice compared with costlier imports.

Under the ECER master plan, strategic initiatives for developing the rice industry cluster include improving water supply for irrigation, increasing yields and productivity, encouraging private sector participation in paddy cultivation and promoting industrial parks in the granary areas.

In 2005, Malaysia used a total area of 451,715 hectares to cultivate rice, of which 95,850 hectares or 21 per cent were in the ECER.

The ministry has allocated RM923 million this year to help paddy farmers increase production.

Bernama

New Publications

New publications for distribution / reference:

- Beginner's Guide to Exporting
- Malaysia's Free Trade Agreement
- Malaysia - Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (MJEPA)
- Malaysia - Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA)
- What's New From Malaysia

Nur Abadi Garment Labur RM7 Juta

7.11.2006

KOTA BHARU: Syarikat pengeluar pakaian seragam agensi kerajaan dan
swasta di negeri ini, Nur Abadi Garment Sdn Berhad melabur RM7 juta
bagi meningkatkan pengeluarannya mencapai 250,000 pasang pakaian
sebulan.

Pelaburan oleh syarikat Bumiputera itu termasuk kos pembinaan
bangunan kilang baru serta peralatannya bernilai RM3 juta di kawasan
Perindustrian Pengkalan Chepa II, di sini.

Pengurus Besarnya, Ariffin Mahmood, berkata kilang baru itu
membolehkan pihaknya meningkatkan pengeluaran pakaian sehingga
250,000 pasang sebulan berbanding keupayaan kilang lama hanya setakat
60,000 pasang sebulan.

Katanya, kilang baru itu mampu menyediakan 600 peluang pekerjaan
kepada ibu tunggal, orang kurang upaya (OKU) serta suri rumah dan
belia yang baru tamat persekolahan.

"Syarikat kami mengutamakan pembangunan modal insan dengan memberi
kemahiran secara berterusan dan penggunaan teknologi dan alat jahitan
pakaian yang tinggi serta selaras dengan dasar kerajaan.

"Kami berharap menjadikan syarikat ini sebagai antara industri
keselamatan negara. Bagi menjayakan hasrat ini, sokongan semua pihak,
terutama dalam memperoleh kontrak amat diperlukan," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada majlis peletakan batu
asas bangunan baru kilang itu, yang disempurnakan Setiausaha Politik
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Mohd Fatmi Che Salleh.

Hadir sama ialah, Ketua Polis Kelantan, Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah;
Panglima Markas Lapan Briged Infantri Malaysia Pengkalan Chepa, Brig
Jen Shaharudin Abu Bakar dan Pengarah Jabatan Pembangunan Persekutuan
(JPP) Kelantan, Shukri Salleh dan Pengarah Urusan syarikat itu,
Noreen Chan Abdullah.

Ariffin berkata, pemberian kontrak kepada syarikat tempatan yang
mampu berdaya saing akan memberi keuntungan kepada negara terutama
dari segi pertukaran mata wang asing.

"Ia juga memastikan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan kepada rakyat
tempatan yang ditamatkan perkhidmatan akibat penutupan syarikat
antarabangsa yang berpindah ke China dan negara ketiga lain," katanya.

Sementara itu, Mohd Fatmi dalam ucapannya, mahu syarikat Bumiputera
yang terbabit dalam industri pembuatan meningkatkan kualiti
pengeluarannya supaya setanding syarikat asing yang beroperasi di
negara ini.

Beliau berkata, kegagalan syarikat Bumiputera dalam industri
pembuatan itu kerana masalah mutu pengeluarannya tidak mampu
menandingi syarikat bukan Bumiputera.

"Kita mahu syarikat Bumiputera di negeri ini mengutamakan mutu
pengeluaran dan merangka reka bentuk yang sesuai mengikut kehendak
dan keperluan semasa agar dapat menyaingi syarikat asing," katanya.

Mohd Fatmi berbangga pada masa banyak kilang perindustrian di
Pengkalan Chepa ditutup, kilang milik Bumiputera berasaskan pembuatan
pakaian itu masih beroperasi sejak ditubuhkan di situ enam tahun
lalu.//BHarian

Kelantan Companies

Our friendly MIDA Kelantan office has been good enough to forward the list of Kelantanese companies for selection during our B&C in KB. Have to say that most of them never heard of a website or email. Hmm.. a bit hard to go about in a globalised world nowadays..

Anyway, as quick reference:

Building Material
1. Lama Tile (Timur) Sdn. Bhd: Link
- Roof tiles

Clothing
1. Chaudry Textile (M) Sdn Bhd
- fabrics (batik etc) and cotton products

Pharmaceutical
1. Ain Medicare Sdn Bhd: Link
- Hemodylasis solutions, sodium, lens solution
- Already exporting to Singapore, Banglades, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Brunei

Water, Wastewater and Environment Engineering

1. Midaco (M) Sdn. Bhd. Link
- Water & wastewater equipment

Kelantan teroka penghasilan VCO dan Bio Diesel

Kelantan teroka penghasilan VCO dan Bio Diesel

on 16-09-2007 10:10

PENGKALAN CHEPA – Perkembangan pesat bidang Bioteknologi banyak memberi faedah kepada peningkatan taraf ekonomi rakyat khususnya golongan petani. Penemuan-penemuan baru bioteknologi dalam pertanian telah berjaya menambah nilai komersial terhadap hasil pertanian.

Menyedari peripentingnya bidang bioteknologi kepada kesejahteraan ekonomi negeri dan rakyat maka kerajaan negeri Kelantan melalui Perbadanan Menteri Besar Kelantan (PMBK) telah menubuhkan anak syarikatnya bagi meneroka dan memajukan bidang biotek iaitu Kelantan Biotech Corporation Sdn. Bhd.

Setelah berjaya melancarkan projek tanaman pokok Karas (Depu) bagi menghasilkan gaharu kerajaan negeri juga akan melancarkan beberapa lagi projek pertanian berasaskan bioteknologi antaranya projek tanaman pokok kelapa berkualiti bagi menghasilkan Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) dan tanaman pokok Jatropha atau Jarak bagi menghasilkan bio diesel.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pentadbiran Awam, Perancangan Ekonomi, Kewangan dan Pembangunan Masyarakat, Dato’ Paduka Haji Husam Musa berkata, beberapa peluang meningkatkan ekonomi rakyat sedang dalam penerokaan kerajaan negeri bagi dilaksanakan dalam masa terdekat di Kelantan.

Katanya, melalui Syarikat Kelantan Biotech Corporation Sdn. Bhd., telah meneroka penghasilan Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) atau Minyak Kelapa Dara yang mempunyai nilai komersial tinggi dipasaran kerana kegunaannya dalam bidang perubatan dan kesihatan.

“Kejayaan mengeluarkan VCO tempatan akan menambahkan lagi punca ekonomi rakyat dan negeri selain tidak lagi hanya bergantung kepada ekonomi teradisi semata-mata.”

Tambah Husam, bagi memastikan rakyat mendapat manfaat daripada penemuan dan penghasilan VCO maka kerajaan negeri akan melibatkan mereka dalam industri ini dengan membekalkan anak-anak pokok kelapa berkualiti yang sesuai untuk penghasilan VCO bagi ditanam.”

“InsyaAllah selepas hari raya kerajaan negeri akan melancarkan projek pengagihan anak-anak pokok kelapa kepada rakyat di kampung-kampung supaya mereka dapat menggantikan pokok-pokok kelapa yang sudah tua dengan benih bari yang bernilai tinggi selain mengeluarkan hasil dalam masa singkat antara dua hingga tiga tahun.”

“Kawasan yang akan terlibat dengan pengagihan anak-anak pokok kelapa adalah Bachok, Pasir Putih, Tumpat dan lain-lain kawasan yang sesuai,” katanya pada majlis ceramah sempena Konvensyen Gerakan Berdikari Rakyat Kelantan di Putik baru-baru ini.

“Kerajaan negeri juga dalam masa terdekat akan membina kilang bagi menghasilkan Minyak Kelapa Dara (VCO) dengan adanya kilang itu pasti akan memberi faedah besar kepada penanam-penanam benih kelapa terutama yang diagih oleh kerajaan negeri.”

Katanya lagi, kerajaan negeri juga dalam waktu terdekat akan melancar program tanaman pokok Jatropha atau pokok Jarak sebagai alternatif kepada penanam tembaku di negeri ini.

“Melalui perjanjian perdagangan bebas (FTA) diantara Malaysia dengan Thailand maka industri penanaman tembakau di negara ini dijangka akan mengalami kemerosotan dan akan mengalami masa depan yang tidak menentu terutama kepada penanam tembakau.”

“Ini kerana melalui FTA yang telah kita tandatangani menyebabkan hasil tembakau dari luar boleh memasuki pasaran tempatan tanpa apa-apa sekatan lagi dan dengan harga tembakau luar yang lebih murah menyebabkan harga tembakau tempatan akan menjunam jatuh dan ini sudah pasti akan merugikan penanam tembakau tempatan.”

“Selain itu syarikat rokok juga akan lebih berminat untuk mendapatkan tembakau luar kerana faktor harga yang lebih murah, maka penanaman tembakau dengan sendirinya tidak ada masa depan di negara ini,” jelasnya.

Tambah beliau, maka sebagai alternatif mengatasi masalah penanam tembakau kerajaan negeri akan memperkenalkan tanaman pokok Jarak yang boleh diusahakan bagi menghasilkan bio diesel.

“Kita telah berhubung dengan Universiti Bogor di Indonesia dan mereka telah bekalkan 2500 benih sebagai percubaan dan ia akan ditanam di kawasan pondok moden di Bachok.”

Kerajaan negeri juga sedang berbincang dengan satu syarikat German bagi membolehkan dibawa masuk teknologi pemprosesan buah jarak bagi menghasilkan minyak diesel.

Sekiranya berjalan lancar maka kerajaan negeri dijangka dalam masa terdekat akan meluluskan sebuah kilang menghasilkan bio diesel daripada buah Jarak.

Menurut beliau, pemilihan pokok jarak sebagai menghasilkan bio diesel kerana tempoh pengeluaran hasilnya yang singkat iaitu sembilan bulan sudah mula mengeluarkan buah serta jangka hayatnya yang panjang iaitu antara 33 hingga 35 tahun.

Bagi mempelbagaikan lagi hasil kepada penduduk kita juga telah berhubung dengan pihak Institiut Penyelidikan Perhutanan Malaysia (FRIM) bagi mendapatkan benih pokok vanila sebagai tanaman integrasi dengan pokok Jarak.

“Sekiranya projek ini berjaya Insyaallah akan memberifaedah yang cukup besar kepada rakyat dan sekaligus akan mengubah lanskap muka bumi Bachok yang sebelum ini terkenal dengan tembakau,” jelas beliau.

Turut bersama pada majlis itu Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Perdagangan, Perindustrian dan Sumber Manusia, Haji Zulkifli Mamat dan Adun Pasir Tumboh, Ustaz Ahmad Baihaki Atiqullah.

Sementara itu, Haji Zulkifli Mamat berkata, konsep Gerakkan Berdikari Rakyat Kelantan yang dilancar kerajaan negeri sejak tiga tahun lepas bertujuan melahirkan rakyat yang bebas diripada pergantungan kepada kerja makan gaji semata-mata, sebaliknya berubah menjadi mereka yang berkerja atas hasil usaha sendiri.

Saudi Company To Buy Fresh Water Fish From ECER Aquaculture

September 16, 2008 14:13 PM

Saudi Company To Buy Fresh Water Fish From ECER Aquaculture

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 (Bernama) -- Koperasi Permodalan Kuala Krai Bhd (KPKKB) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Aero Supplies and Consulting Pt. of Saudi Arabia for the export of freshwater Patin fish.

The project is part of the East Coast Economic Regions (ECER) efforts to boost the country's freshwater aquaculture industry, the ECER said in a statement here today.

The MoA includes the purchase of 20-40 containers of Patin per month from KPKKB and will generate an income of between RM80-100 million per year.

"The Patin fish-rearing project was started with the cooperation of the Kelantan Department of Fisheries and to date 140 ponds have been identified for use," said KPKKB's chairman, Datuk Seri Abu Raihan Wan Jaafar.

The MoA was signed between the chairman of KPKKB, Datuk Seri Abu Raihan Wan Jaafar, and Aero Supplies chairman, Abdul Rahman Ali Al-Khalaf.

"We will invest between RM15-RM20 million to build a factory to process the Patin in pallets not later than the end of this year," said Abu Raihan.

He added the venture would offer better economic prospects and generate additional income for the Kuala Krai residents who are mostly rubber tapers.

"When the factory is ready, it will open job opportunities for 400-500 workers at the site," he said.

Abu Raihan said KPKKB would work on ventures for black tilapia fish, prawns, and chicken in stages for the export market.

The Patin is in high demand in international markets like Europe, Middle East, and United States.

Locally, the price for the Patin is RM8 per kg and RM4-5 per kg for the wholesale market.

The nations freshwater aquaculture industry has significant growth potential due to expanding demand in both local and export markets.

The national demand for fish-based food is expected to increase from the current 1.2 million tonnes to 1.5 million in 2010. This means, Malaysia's current per capita consumption of fish would rise from 49 kg to 56 kg.

Malaysia exported a total of 283,385 tonnes of fisheries commodity valued at RM2.253 billion in 2004 to countries like the United States, Thailand, Singapore, China, and Indonesia.

Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the Aquaculture Industrial Zone (AIZ) initiative in the East Coast Economic Region, is projected to develop and improve the nations aquaculture industry.

Aside from that, the AIZ concept is also aimed at increasing the net income of aquaculture participants to at least RM3,000 (U$875) per month.

Malaysia's aquaculture industry was valued at RM1.4 billion in 2007, with the production of 213,780 tonnes of fish.

Aquaculture production is envisaged to increase up to 600,000 tonnes by 2010. Of this, 400,000 tonnes would be produced through marine culture (land and water based aquaculture) while 200,000 tonnes will come from the freshwater fish industry.

-- BERNAMA

Business in Kelantan

I was tasked to find suitable companies for MATRADE to conduct visits in conjunction to our B&C in Oct.. Have to say I never thought that searching for companies would be this hard especially as Kelantan companies do not use the web effectively - no websites, no registrations in online directories etc.

Anyway, I am trying contact the Malay Chamber of Commerce to see if they can give me any lead.

KELANTAN
Aras 2, Lot 171, Bangunan DPMMK
Jalan Kuala Krai
15050 Kota Bharu
Tel : (609)748 3964 Faks : (609)748 2334
Email : dpmmnk@chamberpoint.com
Web : www.chamberpoint.com
Pemangku Yang Dipertua: Haji Mohd. Rosli Ismail / Puan Samirah

Note: One company of note is Sukimi, however, the plant is in Shah Alam.. hmmm...

Sukimi to Build RM300m Oil Terminal in Kelantan

Sukimi to Build RM300m Oil Terminal in Kelantan
Posted on: Tuesday, 8 July 2008, 00:00 CDT

By Sulaiman Jaafar

INTEGRATED petroleum company the Sukimi Group of Companies (Sukimi) will build Kelantan's first independent oil terminal at Pantai Senok in Bachok at a cost of about RM300 million.

Construction of the terminal, which can accommodate 12 million litres of fuel at a single time, is expected to take off early next year and will be fully operational by 2010.

Sukimi president Datuk Ahmad Sukimi Ibrahim said a memorandum of understanding for the project would be signed by the company and state-owned Perba-danan Menteri Besar Kelantan Bhd next week.

Founded in 1997, the group which has its headquarters in Kota Baru, is involved in oil and gas exploration and production, oil refining, marketing of petroleum products, trading, petrochemical manufacturing and logistics and marine, among others.

Ahmad Sukimi said group turnover for last year was RM300 million and expected to go up to RM500 million this year and more than RM1 billion next year.

"Besides generating the local economy, the oil terminal will turn Kelantan into a hub for petroleum distribution in the east coast and southern Thailand.

"Multinational petroleum companies like ExxonMobil, Shell and Caltex have also agreed in principle to use our facilities for the distribution of their products in Kelantan," he told a press conference yesterday.

Ahmad Sukimi said the first phase, covering about eight hectares, involved the construction of a jetty, storage tank and distribution pipes which is expected to cost about RM50 million.

The second phase costing RM250 million involved a refinery and facilities for multi-national companies.

He said the land for the entire project was on a 800 hectare site previously allocated by the state government for a joint venture between state subsidiary KelOil Sdn Bhd and KUB Bhd which failed to take off.

"We are confident that we will be able to carry out the project as the funds are all ready. We expect to start the land acquisition by August followed by groundworks before it starts early next year," he said.

Ahmad Sukimi said it was expected to employ about 2,000 people once the whole project was completed.

Source: New Straits Times

Contact:

SUKIMI (M) SDN BHD
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Keeping Suzanne Chalmers

Emmm... since I have finished my portion of the Organisational Behavior group assignment, I think my hard work deserved a place in the world wide web.

CASE 4 : KEEPING SUZANNE CHALMERS

CASE SYNOPSYS

Thomas Chan, the Vice President of Advance Photonics Inc. (API) was apprehensive when he was asked for a private meeting by Suzanne Chalmers, one of API’s top software engineers.

Chan had been through the routine before when valued employees asked for private meetings which ended by announcing that they wanted to quit with reasons ranging from long hours, stressful deadline, to decompress or just to spend time with their families again.

Chan had realized that the real reasons that the staffs were leaving is having too much money which gave them financial independence and therefore were able to choose where they want to work.

During the meeting, Chan tried to persuade Chalmers to remain with API by negotiating with her on:
- Giving her up to three months unpaid leaves with full paid benefits;
- Workplace improvements via latest computer technology or solving problems with co-workers;
- Moving her to larger workspace with better park view;
- 25 per cent pay increase and stock options; and
- Stating that Suzanna was one of API’s valued employees and the company would suffer if she left

Chalmers responded by saying she did not have problems with her workplace or working in API. However, before she left, promised Chan that she would considered the salary revision and the stock options.

Two days later, Chalmers tendered her written resignation from API. Five months later, Chan heard that she had joined a new start up software firm within the area after several months of travelling with her husband.

SYMPTOMS

Chan should have realized that API was having trouble with turnovers especially by high achievers because:

• There had been instances before Chalmers that API’s valuable employees asked for a meeting and then announcing their intention to leave API.

• The trend that people who left API will join a start-up company a few months later.

• Many of API valued workers have financial independence making them less prone to stay indefinitely with API.

• Many of them stated reasons such as stress long hours in API but however, will find work again in the same industry with the same stated problem that API have.

• Many unsatisfied API employees were reluctant in revealing their frustration in API and have no desire to convey their problems to the management. Instead, they prefer to quit the company.

• The existence of many start-up IT firms that were actively headhunting expert IT personnel such as Chalmers with better learning experiences, challenges and potential gain in stock options.

PROBLEM ANALYIS

There are several OB theories and models that can be applied to explain Chalmers’ decision:

In Chalmers case, she had fulfilled her lower need (such as ability and monetary) and therefore could progress to fulfilling her job satisfaction and work-life balance:

• Job Satisfaction

Refers to a person’s evaluation of his or her job and work context which comprises of perceived job characteristic, work environment and emotional experience at work.

Surveys conducted by OB experts found that the main course of job turnover is job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is described as a person’s evaluation of his or her work and consequences. Turnover happens when an employee become dissatisfied with the organizational relationship and / or existence of shock events.

Employee’s response to job dissatisfaction is portrayed by EVLN Model i.e. Exit – Voice – Loyalty – Neglect.

In Chalmers case, her meeting with Chan gave her opportunity to voice out her dissatisfaction. Instead, she chooses to leave API.

• Work-Life Balance

o As currently Chalmers have been tasked with high pressured assignments, she might feel that was missing her work-life balances. This can be seen from the fact that she spends a few months travelling with her husband after leaving API.

However, when she has satisfied her work-life balance, she will again try to find work that fell within her preferred environment i.e. the high pressured IT software industry.

• Commitment

Commitment occurs when employees believe that it is in their own personal interest to remain in an organization.

API faces high employee turnover as the employees do not have the sense of loyalty to stay with the firm. This was further aggravated by the fact that those who left were highly skilled, able to search for comparable job as well as having financial independence.

• MARS Model

MARS Model highlights the factors that directly influence an employee’s voluntary behaviour and resulting performance – Motivation, Ability, Role perceptions and Situational factors.

Applying the MARS model, it can be seen that Chalmers have the ability (her expertise on IPs) and role perception (she was a valuable API employee)

The possible reasons for Chalmers behaviour under MARS are lack of motivation as well as situational factors:

o Motivation

Motivation represents the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity and persistence of voluntary behavior. In this regard:-

In this case, Chalmers no longer have the drive (intensity) and desire (persistence) in order to stay with API (direction).

Leaving API when an employee feel stressed seems like a routine. Even though she had chances to negotiate with Chan on terms to keep her loyal with API, she chooses to just resign than negotiate the improved terms that would keep her motivated to stay in API.

She might also feel that API can no longer fulfills her need as an employee maybe in term if work challenges etc and therefore she need to go elsewhere to find first work-life balance and then, need as a software engineer.

o Situational Factors

Situational factors include conditions beyond employee’s immediate control that constraint of facilitate their performances and behavior

There was also existence of other IT firms which woo expert IT personnel such as Chalmers with aggressive headhunting techniques offering better salary and stock options.

• Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory

According to the theory, Chalmers need to fulfilled higher needs such as Self Actualization as her lower needs such as physiological (her financial independence make her stable), safety (she was safe in her position as an expert of IP in API), belongings (she was a valuable API’s staff) and esteem (her high achievements).

• Four Drives Theory

Four drive theories are a motivation theory based on the innate drive to acquire, bond, learn and defend that incorporates both emotions and rationality. Drives related to Chalmers are the drive to acquire and learn.

o Drive to Acquire

Refers to the drive to seek, take, control and retain objects and personal experiences.

As Chalmers have fulfilled her basic need, she would then focus on her higher needs such her need for status and recognition which lead to higher self esteem.

Drive to acquire is insatiable as human motivation need to achieve higher position that others which apply to Chalmers whom may feel that she had achieved her goals in API and therefore turn to new companies to tackle new challenges.

o Drive to Learn

Drive to learn is the drive to satisfy our curiosity, to know and understand ourselves and the environment around us. The drive is related to the higher needs of growth and self actualization.

In this regard, Chalmers has already a senior employee in API and was regarded as an expert in the Internet Protocol (IP) assignments. She will therefore think that she has already fully explored and learned everything in API. Therefore, she will therefore join another company to serve her desire to learn more things rather than compartmentalized for IP works as API has enough staff to divide over specific tasks.

This can be seen by Chalmers working with a new firm which do not have direct division of work assignments. Engineers joining new start up firms have more opportunities to learn new things such as meeting customers or working on capital proposal opposed to established firms such as API with many employees ensuring them to match staffs with specific and specialized tasks.

• Learned Need

Learned need can be divided into three elements: achievements, power and affiliation.

In Chalmers case, as she is a high achiever, her need is more towards achievements.

o Need for Achievement (nAch) is a learned need in which people want to accomplish reasonably challenging goals, and desire unambiguous feedback and recognition for their success

Chalmers can be categories as having high nAch. Therefore Chan’s final attempt to lure her with the promise of monetary rewards (salary revision and options) will not tempt her.

Chan should try to persuade her by promising her more personalized task with moderate risks which she could use to fulfil her need for achievement. Chan should also give direct feedbacks and recognition for her work effort to motivate her which were apparently lacking in API work norm.

RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS

From the trend of valued employees leaving and then joining other firms, Chan should definitely formulate ways to prevent the trend of staffs resigning and keeping valuable staff with API. Among ways to consider includes:

• Change Workplace Environment / Emotions

Current API’s work environment was one with high stress with specified assignments.

As change in physical term (work cubicle etc) might be impossible as API work spaces were limited, API can focus on the emotional / physiologically term. In this regard, API work environment could incorporate the feeling of community i.e. incorporate social fulfillment and fun to the workers. Example to look up is Google’s Googglelplex where apart from being an office, it is also a gym, a restaurant, a bar, a gym, video games etc which resulted in workers being able to thrive in the environment which also cater to the work-life balance.

Other environment changes that can be addressed would be inculcating team spirits within staff, introduce flexible hours as well as more management appreciation to staff good work.

• Increase Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction may differ depending on the individual preference. In term of professional experience, some people might want more professional experience (soft skill, managerial skills etc) than technical experience.

The same goes with workloads. Some people might hate high workload while others are workaholics. In this case, they hate being overloaded and at the same time hated being idle. In Chalmers case, her work project has nearly completed. To de-stress herself as well as gaining back her work-life balance, she choose quitting as her option.

In this regard, Chan can prevent future staff turnovers by fulfilling their job satisfaction by asking their preference and to suit their preference with API’s work obligation.

• Install Organizational Commitment

Commitment occurs when employees believe that it is in their own personal interest to remain in an organization.

Chan should note that expert employees who might leave have high skills which made them highly employable as well as financially independence. Therefore, he needed to boost their commitment by maybe assigning individual projects to the staff with higher need rewards such as recognition and better positioning in API.

• Increase Staffs’ Motivations

Staff motivation can be increased by intrinsic rewards (internally satisfying such as having fun, feeling competence and successful) or extrinsic reward (money, praise and stock option).

To motivate expert staffs to stay on, Chan could ensure that their wellbeing is taken care of such as work-life balance and self-esteem needs.

Short term goals that are achievable and provided realistic challenge can be set Chan can also give critical feedback as high achievers appreciate recognition. For failures, advise and suggestion are preferable than criticism.

In addition, maybe Chen could implement Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to learn API’s staffs style and then ensuring API’s motivational program to include a variety of options to cover each individual needs.

• Address Staffs’ Drive and Needs

Different staffs may need different experience. Some IT software engineers with high level of technical expertise may leave the job as well to pursue different interest of maybe managerial skills in order to climb up the organizational ladder.

Chan should therefore provide avenue for them to voice out their concern and feedbacks which need to be addressed so that their need could be fulfilled and therefore prevent them from quitting API.

ECER woos China investors

11-09-2008: ECER woos China investors

Email us your feedback at fd@bizedge.com

KUALA LUMPUR: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECER DC) will brief a visiting Chinese delegation from Guangdong province next week on trade and investment in the East Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing in Johor.

In a statement, ECER Secretariat said the Chinese trade delegation would comprise high-level government officials and more than 500 entrepreneurs.

The briefing is one of several activities organised by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCIM) in conjunction with the 2008 China (Guangdong)–Malaysia Business conference, which will be held on Sept 12.

ECER Secretariat said investments overseas by Chinese companies stood at US$25.7 billion (RM88.15 billion) in the first half of 2008.

The National Development and Reform Commission of China said Chinese firms invested US$18.7 billion abroad in 2007, an increase of 6.3% from a year earlier.

ECER Secretariat said spending overseas also helped to reduce the excess of cash in the country’s financial system from trade, foreign direct investment and inflows of money from investors betting on gains in the Chinese yuan currency. China’s foreign-exchange reserves, the world’s largest, soared 36% to US$1.81 trillion as of June 30 from a year earlier.

It said the ECER initiative spanned over five main industry clusters — manufacturing; oil, gas and petrochemical; agriculture; tourism and education.

The Edge Daily

Organisational Behavior - Take Home Test

Well, since I have done it to my best abilities with soo many hours spent, I think I'll post my test answer rather than it stays languishing in my PC..

TEST
MGT 700 – Organizational Behavior
Answer ALL

1. Senior officers in a national military organization decided that operations in supplies requisition were inefficient and costly. They brought in consultants who recommended that the entire requisition process be ‘reengineered’. This involved throwing out the old practices and developing an entirely new set of work activities around workflow. However, contrary to expectations, this intervention resulted in lower productivity, higher employee turnover and other adverse outcomes. Discuss likely problems with the intervention in terms of systems theory.

The systems theory can be divided into open system and close system.

Open systems refers to organizations that take their sustenance from the environment and, in turn, affect that environment through their output.

Organizations are complex, open, social system that adapt and cope to survive and prosper. Successful adaptation requires an effective change with the environment. By complex means that an organization has a variety of facets in which its design, people, culture, leadership behavior, human resources etc as well as its sub-units, divisions, groups and interdependent and continuously engaged to achieve fit or congruence.

It takes sustenance from the environment and by their outputs, which also effect the environment. An organization survival and success therefore depends on how its employees received the environmental changes and adjust their pattern of behavior accordingly to fit the changes. For an organization continual survival and success, the cyclical continues process such be self sustaining.

For the military organization, the system theory can be summarized as such:
• External environment or inputs are the consultant’s recommendation for the entire requisition process to be reengineered
• The output is the lower productivity, higher employee turnover and other adverse outcomes; all of which can be valued such as the external environment such as the military system suppliers

Changes mail fail due to these causes;

• The organization as a whole fails to adapt to the changing environment i.e. even though the change only effect the supply requisition, the other units that are affected by it, may not be able to cope with the changed system.
• The management therefore should take note of the system needs e.g. separate units that are related to the supplies requisitions. All adverse considerations and comments should be taken into accounts first before adapting the change.
• The staff’s need and concern need to be address. Briefings may also be conducted prior to the reengineering exercise so that they feel included and their concerns are addressed so that they are able to accept the massive change.
• Outside factors such as the stakeholders should also be informed and taken notice of the change as they are able to influence the organization’s input and ability to produce the output i.e. the efficient and more economical supply requisition
• Leaders in the military should also have the ability to confront resistance to change and developed required commitments and skills from subordinates in accepting the revised changes.

To ensure the new requisition system is successful, some of the steps that can be taken that it can be integrated into the system are:
• Ensuring that the staffs affected are aware and able to give inputs and suggestions, not just directly accepting the consultant’s suggestions only, which may result in resistance thus the in lower productivity, higher employee turnover and other adverse outcomes
• Ensuring that the staffs are aware of the changes taking place and all their concern and confusions are addressed so that they are more positive in accepting the changes

Closed system in contrast, has all the resources needed to survive without dependence on the external environment.

In this regard, the adverse result due to the reengineering exercise will only be due to the internal systems i.e. the employees, units and divisions in the military organization.

Although no outside factors intervenes e.g. shareholders or suppliers, maybe the staffs need and concerns are not addressed. This in turn may affect the personnel in the supplier requisition that may feel threaten or inadequate by the new system. They may therefore quit as they are not able to cope. Those who remain may also resist changes by not performing or refused to adapt to the change and therefore lowering their productivity.

As the internal systems are interrelated, the adverse effect the supplier requisition may indirectly affect the other unit, therefore further increasing employee’s turnovers, lower productivity and other adverse effects.
2a. The sales office of a large industrial products wholesale company has an increasing problem that salespeople are arriving late at the office each morning. Some sales reps go directly to visit clients rather than showing up at the office as required by company policy. Others arrive several minutes after their appointed start time. The vice-president of sales doesn’t want to introduce time clocks, but this may be necessary if the lateness problem isn’t corrected. Using the MARS model of individual behaviour diagnose the possible reasons why salespeople may be engaging in this ‘lateness’ behaviour.

MARS Model highlights the factors that directly influence an employee’s voluntary behaviour and resulting performance – Motivation, Ability, Role perceptions and Situational factors.

The possible reasons for the tardiness and disregard of the company’s policy are:

1) Motivation represents the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity and persistence of voluntary behaviour. In this regard:-
i) The salespersons are not motivated to adhere to the company’s policy of arriving on time or to report at the office before meeting up clients (Direction i.e. choices on where to put their effort)
ii) As some sales persons are arriving late, some of the other salespersons are influenced to join in (Intensity i.e. amount of effort allocated to the goal)
iii) The existing scenario may influence the policy abiding salesperson’s persistence to crumble and to also join in the late comers (Persistence – continuing the effort for a certain amount of time).

2) Ability is the natural aptitudes and learned capabilities required to successfully complete a job.
i) It seems that the employees are not aware of the seriousness of the start-on-time policy. Maybe they are not briefed that there are no tolerance for latecomers or that everybody have to come clocked-in first before they meet clients.
ii) In this regard, they learned in the sense that the behaviour is tolerable as the management did not take any disciplinary action. They may think that lateness is ok especially when other senior people may also be showing the bad example of clocking on late.

3) Role Perception is which employees understand their functions, the relative importance / priority of their task and thirdly they understand the preferred behaviour on how to achieve the tasks.
i) In this case, the company had never put in time clocks to check the employees’ attendances. The employees may therefore have the wrong conception that coming to the office on time or reporting duty first to the office before meeting clients is not a company requirement. They may only think that the company practises open policy in which only sales figure or tasks completion matters.

4) Situational factors include conditions beyond employee’s immediate control that constraint of facilitate their performances and behaviour
i) In this regard, certain employee may have the discipline to arrive on time. However, due to the situational factor i.e. as some of the salesperson is tardy, the other employee may be influence to follow. This is showed by the increasing problem of lateness.
ii) The team norm of lateness also means that the other members tolerate and expect the tardiness.
iii) As the company had tolerated this form of behaviour so far especially with no reprimand or punch clock, the employees may think that the company has no problem with its workers coming later that the actual time.


b. Store #34 of CDA Hardware Associates has had below average sales over the past few years. As head of franchise operations, you are concerned with the continued low sales volume. The store manager wants you to diagnose the problem and recommend possible causes. Use the MARS model of individual behaviour and performance to provide four different types of reasons why employees at Store #34 might be performing below average. Provide one example for each type of explanation.

According to MARS Model of Individual Behaviour and Performances, the four reasons for the below average sales are:

1) Motivation

In this regard, Store #34 employees are not motivated enough to push up sales figure. They may think that the current level is already satisfactory therefore they are not motivated enough to approach and persuade customers to buy the hardware products.

Motivation has three components which are direction (targeted sales volume), intensity (no extra effort to push towards that figure) and persistence (no drive to continue the effort for certain amount of time).

To boost motivation, maybe the management could tie up store’s remuneration or bonuses based on their individual sales volume. By establishing a target sale for the store and the rewards in achieving it, employees will then become motivated in pushing themselves to achieve the directed target.

The management may also announce a monetary bonus or a family day vacation for the whole employees should the store target achieved certain preset target. This will encourage all employees to become motivated in helping each other in achieving the target.

2) Ability

Store #34 employees may not have the necessary ability to increase sales figure. Maybe they are not taught the skills needed to push sales to customers such as effective sales techniques. In this regard, the employees may be given classes or seminar on how to boost sales, customer relationship and satisfaction etc.

Employees may also be ignorant of the company’s rules and procedures. In this regard, they can be given a set of rules / guidebook to ensure they know the role of a good salesperson. This will in turn boost the store’s sales.

Ignorance of the company’s products: Uninformed employees may therefore be required to be briefed about the store and the products sold when they first started to work there. From time to time, briefings can be made to update them on the current developments of the existing range of products or introductions to new products.

Mismatch of workers’ capacity and capability with the work given to them may also be a factor. The management should evaluate their staff’s personalities for example those who are energetic, talkative and friendly can be positioned in the frontline or sales units. Those who are moody, grumpy or introvert can be tasked to do inventory etc.

3) Role Perceptions

The employees may not be aware of the tasks specifically assigned to them; the relative importance of the tasks in achieving the company’s objective i.e. to get the pre determined sales values and preferred behaviour in achieving those tasks.

In this case, maybe the company can conduct briefings or pep talk from time to time to remind the employees what is required of them which are to boost sales and achieved target.

The company may also nominate awards such as “Outstanding Employee of The Month” so that other employees can emulate their peer who has outstanding and exemplary performance. This will ensure the other employee can better understand the example they are supposed to follow.

4) Situational Factors

Sometime, some factors are beyond the employees or management control such as economic condition or consumer preference for example:

i) The country is experiencing slow economic condition due to the current high oil prices. In this case, the customers will prefer buying important things such as food etc to hardware.
ii) Store #34 may also have not-updated inventory of hardware products or carry unpopular brands therefore consumer are not interested to make purchases unless urgently needed, this may also make consumers to prefer shopping elsewhere for their hardware
iii) The situational factors may also be internal such as there are no budgets for the sales department to spruce up display that may attract customers. Others are factors of people, budget and physical facilities.


3. Friendly Cafe is a chain of coffee shops located throughout Canada. The company president wants your management-consulting firm to use behavioural modelling to improve customer service skills among servers. Give two explanations why behavioural modelling may be an effective learning strategy in this situation and identify two important characteristics of the behaviour model.

Behavioural Modelling is lesson learned by observing behaviour of a role models’ on a critical tasks, remembering the important element of the observed behaviour, and then practising those behaviour. It works best when the model is respected and its action is followed by favourable consequences.

In this regard, Behavioural Modelling is an effective learning strategy for customer service skills improvement because:

1) Observation plays main part in tacit knowledge and skills acquisitions

In this case, it maybe difficult to emulate good customer services by reading a manual book or verbally explaining the tasks of good customer servicing, In this regard, it can be suggested that the company trains its staffs by attaching them with an exemplary staff with good customer skills for them to observe his action (the way he/she served a customer) and the consequence (the customer is satisfied with the service and will return back to Friendly café for their next coffee break).

2) By seeing somebody perform the work, the employees will have stronger belief that they can perform work after seeing somebody perform the tasks with the effect stronger when somebody whom the observed is similar to them in respect, experience and gender

It can be suggested that an exemplary front liner staff from the other Friendly Café’s coffee chain (maybe Friendly Café has somebody it awarded as “Best Customer Services Skill” among all of it cafes. This person can be asked to come to individual servers to demonstrate how he/she handles customer servicing. This will affect the other server’s staffs’ confidence that they can do the same exemplary customer services especially he/she is similar to them as Friendly Café’s employee and have same experience and working in the same chain of cafes and serving the same brand of coffee.

To better understand Behaviour Modelling, the A-B-C’s of Behaviour Modification can be used. The behaviour modification’s central objective is to change behaviour (B) by managing its antecedents (A) and consequences (C);

• Event preceding behavior is called antecedents (A) and it lets an employee know that a particular action will lead to a specific consequence.
• Behavior (B) is what a person does or says in a certain situation.
• Consequences (c) are events that follow a particular behaviour which in turn influence future occurrences. The usual behavioural consequences are people will repeat behaviour that resulted in pleasant or positive consequences and will avoid or less likely to repeat a behaviour that resulted in unpleasant consequences or no consequences at all.

Two important characteristics of this behaviour are:

1) Contingencies of Reinforcements

Behavior can be strengthen, maintained or weakened by four types of consequences:

o Positive reinforcement – happens when a consequence increases or maintains the frequency or future of the behavior’s probability to repeat
o Punishment – is when a consequence decrease the frequency and probability of the behavior to occur in the future
o Negative reinforcement – happens when by removing or avoiding a consequence increase or maintain the frequency or future probability of the behavior
o Extinction – occurs when the targeted behavior decrease as no consequence will follow it

2) Schedules of Reinforcements

Employee behavior or action are also influenced by the timing and frequency of the above reinforcement contingencies and can be divided into:
o Continuous improvements – by giving positive reinforcement after every occurrence of the desired behavior
o Fixed ratio schedule – in which reinforcement is given after a fixed number of approved behaviors or accomplishments
o Fixed interval schedule – reinforcement will be given after a certain fixed period
o Variable interval ratio – reinforcement is given after a variable amount of time


4. Several junior investment analysts recently hired by a major firm have been placed under the guidance of senior investment analyst Roger Yu. One of the new recruits, Daphne Silberg, is the daughter of a well-known mutual fund executive who retired from the industry a few years ago. Yu has a lot of respect for Silberg’s father and has quickly developed the belief that Daphne could be as successful as her father. Based on your knowledge of self-fulfilling prophecy, explain how Yu’s expectations of Daphne might unknowingly turn into a reality.

Self Fulfilling Prophecy occurs when our expectation of another person affects that person to act in a way that is consistent with those expectations.

In this regard, Roger’s expectation of Daphne being as successful as her father may in reality affected her to become another well-known mutual fund executive.

The four steps of Self Fulfilling Prophecy are:

1) Expectations formed.
o Roger has formed expectation that Daphne will possess the same characteristic and performance as her father and ultimately become as successful as her father as a mutual fund executive.

2) Behaviour towards the employee.
o Roger’s expectation will affect him in term of giving more positive feedback to Daphne. This includes giving her more emotional support through non verbal cue (more smiling and eye contact), more frequent and valuable feedback and reinforcements, more challenging goals, better training and more opportunities to demonstrate their performance.

3) Effects on the employee.
o Roger’s behaviour will have two effects on Daphne:-
 High expectancy employee such as Daphne will learn more skills and knowledge due to better training and more practice opportunities;
 Daphne will also have more self confidence and therefore more highly motivated and more willing to set more challenging goals

4) Employee behaviour and performance.
o With higher motivation and better skills, high expectancy employee such as Daphne will more likely to demonstrate desired behaviour and better performance i.e. she will show traits of a successful mutual fund executive.
o Roger will notice this, and therefore his perception of Daphne is supported.

As Daphne is a new recruit of the firm, the self fulfilling properties are more powerful as the situation happened in the beginning of a relationship and Daphne will therefore be more susceptible to the encouraging and nurturing behaviour of Roger towards her.


5. A supervisor receives regular information about a sales employee’s performance (e.g. sales volume, incomplete paperwork, etc.) and must complete a performance appraisal of the person’s work. The supervisor has a complete description of the employee’s job but has never worked in the field as a sales representative. Moreover, the supervisor is relatively new to this job and therefore has little experience observing or appraising the performance of salespeople.

a. Explain the attribution error that is likely to occur under these conditions and what effect would it have on the performance appraisal results?

Attribution Error refers to our tendency to see the person rather than the situation as the main cause of that person behaviour.

As the supervisor is new and only have little experience on a salesperson’s performance, he cannot easily see the external factors that may constraint the salespeople’s performance. Another reason is that he may believe in the power of the salespeople i.e. assuming that they are able to overcome shortcomings more than what they really can.

In this regard, the supervisor may blame the salespeople directly based on unfavourable information e.g. low sales volume and no of incomplete paperwork and therefore may give unfavourable result to the salespeople without looking at situational factors that may affect the salespeople’s behaviour such as economic downturn, sickness in the family or weather condition affecting sales (e.g. air conditioner sales will go down during winter) etc.

On the other hand, the supervisor will give favourable result to salespeople with high sales volume and pristine paperwork without considering situational factors.

b. Justify to what extent is halo effect a problem here?

Halo effect occurs when our general impression of a person, usually based in one prominent characteristic, color our perception of other characteristic of that person.

Halo effect will most likely occur when concrete information of the perceived target is missing or we are not sufficiently motivated to search for it.

In this regard, halo effect is likely to occur as even though the supervisor has regular information and complete description, he do not have the experience of working as a salespeople or observing / appraising a salespeople performance.

The supervisor may use his general impression of the salespeople to fill the missing information. For example, he may be very up-to-date in his paper works; therefore he might view salespeople with incomplete paperwork with negative image and evaluate the people’s other traits negatively as well. He will therefore give low marks for the person’s performance appraisal.

On the other hand, if some salespeople have low sales volume, but better updated paperwork, the supervisor will tend to still give favorable performance appraisal than salespeople with both low sales volume and incomplete paperwork.


6a. Four-drive theory is one of the few theories of motivation that recognizes the central role of human emotions in the motivation process. Explain how four-drive theory applies emotions to employee motivation.

Four drive theory is a motivation theory based on the innate drive to acquire, bond, learn and defend that incorporates both emotions and rationality.

1) Drive to Acquire
- Is the drive to seek, take, control and retain objects and personal experiences
- It relates to the motivation process by:
o People becomes more motivated when they want something and therefore need to strive to achieve it (Foundation of Motivation)
o This drive also fulfil our need for esteem and therefore we are motivate to acquire something so we can prove our self worth above other
o As the drive is insatiable, it therefore boost motivation so that people are better to improve themselves over time in order to achieve higher position than others

2) Drive to Bond
- Is the drive to form social relationships and develop mutual caring commitment with others
o It effects employee’s motivation to cooperate with each other in the organization and therefore boosting teamwork. Good teamwork in turn ensures the success of organization and the society developments.

3) Drive to Learn
- Is the drive to satisfy our curiosity, to know and understand ourselves and the environment around us. The drive is related to the higher needs of growth and self actualization described earlier.
o It motivate the employee by satisfying their curiosity of the unknown
o Staffs will motivated for example to learn new techniques for example a sales person or marketeer may want to learn better selling techniques to better equip them in their job i.e. selling products to the customers

4) Drive to Defend
- Is the drive to protect ourselves physically and emotionally.
- Extending beyond protecting our physical self, it also includes defending our relationships, our acquisitions and our belief system.
o Employees in this instant may be motivated to defend their job, maybe from another colleague who is seen as s treat or a promotion, in this case he will become motivated to fight back by showing he is more capable for the promotion.
b. Your organization wants to hire and develop a group of people for executive positions in a fast-growing high-technology firm. The company’s selection tests are able to identify each applicant’s current level of need for achievement, power (both types) and affiliation. Moreover, the company has special training programs to further develop these fast-track executives on these learned needs. Identify which learned needs the company should use to select these applicants and should further develop in the training programs.

Learned need can be divided into three elements: achievements, power and affiliation.

1) Need for Achievement (nAch)

i) nAch is a learned need in which people want to accomplish reasonably challenging goals, and desire unambiguous feedback and recognition for their success
ii) The fast track executive would then amongst people with strong nACh. In this regard, the organization would nurture these executives by:
• Giving them personalized tasks as they rather work alone than with groups;
• Tasks with moderate risks that can give them challenges but neither too easy or too difficult to be completed
• Give direct feedback for failures and recognition for success
iii) For employees with low nAch, the following can be implemented:
• Money is used as incentives in which company can offer monetary bonuses when they reach certain targets

2) Need for Affiliation (nAff)

i) nAff is a learned need in which people seek approval from others, conform to their wishes and expectations, and avoid conflict and confrontation
ii) High nAff employees like to project favorable image of them, actively support others and strive to smooth offices conflict. Therefore, the organization can fully utilize their ability by:
• Put them in coordinating role to mediate conflicts such as in Human Resources departments; and
• Sales position in which their ability can be used to cultivate long term relationships
iii) Staff with low nAff can be put in position that can arise conflict as they do not feel the need for approval such as:
• Allocating scare resources may be in the production area where scare resources are needed to be carried out indiscriminately
• Other decision that generally generate conflict for example Disciplinary Work Committee monitoring staffs discipline e.g. lateness, absenteeism etc.

iv) Need for Power (nPow)

• nPow is a learned need in which people want to control their environment including people and material resources, to benefit either themselves (personalized power) or others (socialize powers)
• High nPow will want to exercise control over others and maintain their leadership position.
o In this case, they can be utilized as Team Project Leader as they will be able to lead people through persuasive communication, able to voice out suggestion during meetings and evaluate situation more frequently.
o It is better to select staffs that have socialized power as leader as they are more effective and have high degree of altruism and social responsibility.


7a. Your organization wants to improve employee motivation. Employees already have strong P-to-O expectancies and the outcome valences are quite favorable for strong performance, but they seem to have a low E-to-P expectancy. Identify three distinct types of strategies that would potentially increase employee motivation by improving the E-to-P expectancy.

Effort to Performance (E to P) expectancy is the individual perception that his or her effort will result in a particular performance level. E to P expectancies is influenced by the individual’s belief that he or she can successfully complete a task.

The three distinct types of strategies are:

i) Increase can-do attitude by assuring employee that’s they have the necessary competencies, clear role perceptions, and necessary resources to reach the desired levels of performance.

ii) Management should also match jobs based on their abilities and clearly communication the tasks required for the jobs

iii) As E to P expectancies are learned, staffs can be subjected to behavioral modeling and supportive feedbacks (positive reinforcement) so that the employees believe that he / she can do the job. In turn, this will increase their work motivation.


b. You want production employees at your company to be more motivated to complete their assignments more efficiently. They are confident that they can perform their jobs more efficiently and the rewards you give employees (pay checks, paid time off, etc.) are valued by these people. Identify the one element of expectancy theory that requires improvement and identify three possible actions that would increase employee motivation through this element.

Expectancy theory is the motivation theory that is based on the idea that works effort is directed towards behaviors that people believe will lead to desired outcomes.

Key variable interest in the expectancy theory is effort which is the individual’s actual exertion of energy. Individual effort level in turn depends on three factors:

• Effort to performance (E-to-P) expectancy
• Performance to outcome (P-to-O) expectancy
• Outcome valences (V)

In order to ensure increased employee motivation, all the three components of the theory need to be strengthened.

As the employees are confident that they can perform their job efficiently, the best suited elements for improving their motivation is by increasing their P-to-O expectations. Three possible actions that can be taken are:

• Measure employee performance accurately and distribute valued rewards to those with higher job performance
o The management may tie up remunerations in regards to each employee’s number of work assignments completed in certain amount of time without compromising the work quality.
o The motivation can be further increased if apart from the usual remuneration, a performance bonus is given should all the employees helped achieved overall production target

• Clearly describe the outcome that will result from the successful performance
o Management may want to clarify that efficiently finished assignments will result in the increased production of the company which will in turn increase the company’s sales and profit. This will in turn lead to the company’s survival and demise. Ultimately this will tie up to their remuneration and tenure in the company.
o The effect can further be seen if the company gives share options to its employee. This will increase the workers’ motivation to increase their individual performance in order to ensure that the company is successful in its business which in turn will increase the value of shares of the company which will make the employees’ own share value higher.

• Describe how the employee’s reward were based on past performances
o Here, the management may highlight that favorable past performance will lead to the employee having bonuses at the end of the year. Some companies will use performance measure such as yearly assessment at the end of each year to measure each employee’s past performance.
o This measurement result may assist the management in ensuring a worker get better salary increase percentage, bonus earned, share options allocation etc.

Adnan: Human survival is more important

Wednesday September 10, 2008
Adnan: Human survival is more important
By ROSLINA MOHAMAD

KUANTAN: The Pahang government will not mind sacrificing any land area if it can provide lucrative earnings that can be translated into scholarships and financial aid for the people, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob.

However, he said the state was yet to make a decision on a proposed RM1bil cement factory by a conglomerate at Gunung Jebak Puyuh in Maran.

“If we have to give up the area, which has numerous caves, in return for sizable earnings and benefits for the people, we will do so.

“This is my opinion. If the area needs to be relinquished without affecting residents and the environment, and in return we get money for the poor and scholarships, we will allow the project.

“It will help fill the state’s coffers,” he told reporters after chairing the weekly state exco meeting here recently.

Adnan was asked to comment on the project reported by TV3 recently pertaining to an area rich in clay and limestone deposits.

The report said the project could have adverse effects on the mountain which was more than 300 million years old.

The area has limestone caves with stalagmites and stalactites and rare flora species.

To a question that the mineral deposits were underground and the project could cause environmental damage, Adnan said the state would look at the reports before giving the nod.

“We will listen to the opinions of geologists, historical experts and environmentalists.

“There are those who want to look at the stalagmites and stalactites but the poor will continue to suffer.

“We will consider the needs of the people and their opinions,” he said.

In reply to another question, Adnan said the state could make an official stand to not have any development.

“Land need not be opened, water not sold, islands left untouched and no trees cut.

“But the Federal Government will need to provide RM1.2bil annually to manage the state.

“If I get a commitment from the Federal Government on this, I will freeze all development.

“There will be no biotechnology, biodiversity or infrastructure and we can forget about ECER (East Coast Economic Region Master Plan).

“You can visit Pulau Tioman and Gunung Tahan without having to build hotels and airports,” he added.

Adnan said that Pahang had always been accused in environment issues with critics making judgements on preserving stalagmites and stalactites more than on human survival.

The cement factory is proposed on a 240ha site.

It is expected to occupy 80ha and produce three million tonnes of cement annually.

Its production will be double that of the conglomerate’s factory in Bukit Sagu, Kuantan, in operation for the past five years.

If approval is obtained, the project will commence next year.

The STAR

KT to host equestrian show and contest

Wednesday September 10, 2008
KT to host equestrian show and contest

KUALA TERENGGANU: A horse show will be held here from October 31 to November 3 to showcase the country’s equine industry.

Kuala Terengganu was selected for the 14th National Horse Show as the World Endurance Equestrian Championship will be held here later this year.

The event’s marketing and communications committee chairman Dinah Doong said it was aimed at promoting equestrian sports in the east coast and create awareness on the industry among the local populace.

“It is a platform for local industry players to establish trade contacts.

“His Majesty the Yang-Di Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin has consented to be the patron for the show,” she said here recently.

Doong said the event would be organised by the Terengganu government, Royal Terengganu Endurance Stable and Selangor Turf Club’s Eque-strian and Sports Centre.

It will be held at Terengganu Equestrian Club.

Doong said event would showcase components of the equine industry including equestrian competitions, trade exhibitions and a horse carnival.

Other attractions would be an international farriery competition, horse breeds display, carriage display, and endurance, dressage and show-jumping competitions.

“The show will host the FEI World Show Jumping Challenge which will see the participation of renowned riders from the South East region,” she said.

Doong said that equestrian clubs from Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand would take part.

Some 30,000 people are expected to attend.

The Star

ECER Woos China Investors

September 10, 2008 14:42 PM

ECER Woos China Investors

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- Some 500 Chinese entrepreneurs from Guangdong province will be briefed on trade and investment prospects in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) on Friday.

The delegation, comprising high-level government officials, will be briefed in the east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Mersing in Johor.

Organised by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCIM) in conjunction with the 2008 China (Guangdong)-Malaysia Business conference, ECER said the conference will pitch to Guangdong businesses to venture and invest in Malaysia.

"During the conference, the ECER Development Council management will also hold face-to-face business discussions with the delegation and participate in business-matching sessions," ECER said in a statement.

ECER initiative spans over five main industry clusters -- manufacturing; oil, gas and petrochemical; agriculture; tourism and education.

According to China's Commerce Ministry, Chinese companies were venturing overseas to secure raw material supply to feed its fast-growing economy.

"Chinese companies overseas investments stood at US$25.7 billion in the first half of 2008," it said.

Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission of China said Chinese firms invested US$18.7 billion abroad in 2007, up 6.3 percent from a year earlier.

The ECER DC also launched special incentives recently to develop specific business clusters that will stimulate and promote urban and regional economic growth.

"These incentives are tailor-made especially for this region, with the aim of transforming ECER into a cost-competitive and vibrant business hub," ECER added.

-- BERNAMA

SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY IN THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION (ECER)

SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY IN THE EAST COAST ECONOMIC REGION (ECER)

OVERVIEW

The Third Industrial Masterplan (IMP3) has identified the Shipbuilding Industry as one of the main strategic industry for the country’s development. In 2005, it provided employment opportunities to 20,250 people and contributed RM 2.21 billion to the nation’s export. Between 1996 and 2005, the sector recorded an average growth rate of 10.1 per cent per annum.

To boost its growth and development, the IMP has outlined several strategic thrust for the Malaysian Shipbuilding Industry:

- Enhancing domestic capabilities in the building of smaller vessels, ship repairing and maintenance activities;
- Intensifying the upgrading of skills and engineering capabilities;
- Strengthening the infrastructure and supporting facilities;
- Strengthening the institutional supports; and
- Expanding activities in the fabrication of offshore structures

There are currently seventy (70) shipyards in Malaysia engaging in the following activities:

- Construction of ocean-going vessels, tug boats, patrol vessels, supply vessels, fishing vessels, landing crafts, passenger ferries and boats, small tankers and leisure crafts;
- Construction of offshore structures for the oil and gas industries;
- Ship repairing, maintenance, upgrading, overhauling and refurbishing of vessels;
- Conversions of ships;
- Heavy engineering; and
- Fabrication of offshore structures, steel structures and cranes.

The six main shipyards in Malaysia in term of capacity in buildings of merchant ships are Malaysian Marine Heavy Engineering (MMHE), Boustead, Sabah Shipyard, Ramunia, Sasacom and Muhibbah.

The other shipyards operate on a small-scale basis mainly for the local market and usage in the shallow waters.



In 2005, Malaysia imported RM3.2 billion worth of various marine transport products compared with RM2.2billion worth of exports, mainly contributed by petroleum production platforms. Major imports items, including cruise ships, ferry boats and cargo barges, accounted for a staggering RM2.2 billion of the total imports.

Apart from its regional counterparts such as Singapore, ROK, Japan as well as China, Malaysia also facing increased competition from Vietnam and Thailand that offer lower labour cost.

Among the challenges facing the local shipyards are manpower problems, rising operational costs, excess capacity and limited capabilities.

Source: Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)

THE EAST COAST BOAT BUILDING INDUSTRY

In the East Coast Economic Region, the boatbuilding industries are clustered in Tok Bali and Pengkalan Kubor (Kelantan), Cukai and Pulau Duyong (Terengganu) and Nenasi (Pahang).

The boat building industry can be divided into traditional boat making (wood-based) and modern boats. The types of boats include tugboats and barges for the oil and gas industry; patrol and defense boats for the state governments; and luxury boats.

Currently, there are 26 companies in the industry with 583 workers as opposed to 13,272 boat repairers and builders nationwide. The industry also recorded net revenue of RM 117.8 million or 4.13 per cent from the RM2.85 billion net revenue nationwide.

Source: The ECER Masterplan



PRESENT MAIN COMPANIES IN THE ECER

• Tok Bali Dockyard & Engineering Sdn Bhd
• Geliga Slipway Sdn Bhd
• MSET Shipbuilding Corporation Sdn Bhd
• Kay Marine Sdn Bhd
• Prospect Dockyard Sdn. Bhd.

Source: Association of Marine Industries Malaysia (AMIM)



ISSUES IN THE INDUSTRY

• Government Support
o More visionary and comprehensive policies
o More investment in R&D
o Simplified procedures / one window agency
• Insufficient Skilled Workforce
o Education institutions to offer more marine courses
• Outsource Marine Equipment Suppliers
o Lead time, currency fluctuations and shipment costs
• Cost of Raw Materials
o 70 – 80 per cent of raw materials are imported
• Constraint in Expansion
o Problems in finding suitable land, skilled workforce and capital
• Government Vessel Repair Tariff is not reviewed since 2003.

Source: Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)

List of Companies:

TOK BALI DOCKYARD & ENGINEERING SDN BHD
Lot 1190, Kg Pak Mayong
Tok Bali Semerak
16700, Pasir Putih
Kelantan
Tel : 09 – 7788 223 / 224
Fax : 09 – 7781 121
E-mail : tokbali1@tm.net.my
Contact person: YM Tg. Kamarul Bahrim b Tg.Kamarulzaman / En. Hashim
Web: http://www.tobalidockyard.com/aboutus.htm

GELIGA SLIPWAY SDN BHD
Lot 1046, Jln Taman Desa Awana
Bukit Kuang, 24000 Kemaman
Terengganu Darul Iman
Tel : 09-859 3673 / 859 6161
Fax : 09-859 4869
Email : wiskandar@sumaigroup.com
Contact person : En Wan Iskandar b. Wan Sulaiman / En. Sabri
Web: http://www.sumaigroup.com/gprofile.html

MSET Shipbuilding Corporation Sdn Bhd
No.19, Jalan Hiliran
Pulau Kambing
20700 Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu Darul Iman
Tel : 09-622 3700
Fax : 09-623 2844
Puan Wawa (wawa@mset.com.my)
http://www.mset.com.my/msetsb/philosophy.html

KAY MARINE SDN BHD
Lot 2650 & 2651
Bukit Tumbuh
PO Box 92
20100, Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu
T: 09 – 666 5855 /66
F: 09 – 666 5811
E: kaym@tm.net.my
W: http://www.kaymarine.com.my/web/

PROSPECT DOCKYARD SDN BHD
Lot 2641, Jalan Rompin (Beside Endau Bridge)
Tanjung Gemok, Endau,
26820 Rompin
Pahang Darul Makmur
Tel : 09 - 413 1868
Fax : 09 - 413 1869
Email : ng5269@tm.net.my
Contact person : Mr. Ng Hong Huat / Puan Ida

BOT TRADISIONAL DUYUNG ENTERPRISE
3609, Kg. Duyong Besar
20100, Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu
T: 019 – 966 2266
Product: Traditional Boats

JOHARI BOAT BUILDERS
3898, Kg. Pulau Ketam
Duyong
20100, Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu
T: 09 – 624 3533
Products: Boat Replicas

PENGKALAN BATU BOATYARD SDN BHD
102B, Jalan Hiliran
20300, Kuala Terengganu
T: 09 – 622 6684
(MOF – EE Classification)

TUAN HAJI ABDULLAH MUDA (CUSTOM MADE WOODEN YATCH)
3592, Kg. Duyung Besar
20100. Kuala Terengganu
Tel: 09 – 936 9500 / 019 - 9369500
Products: Traditional Boats

KOOY LAI HING
1/1030, Jalan Gambang Batu 3 ½
Kampung Belukar
25150, Kuantan
Pahang
T: 09 – 536 2017 (Ms. Lee)
Products: Kapal Nelayan (Gred A/B)

LIMBUNGAN TIMOR SDN. BHD.
Jalan Hiliran,
Pulau Kambing,
P.O. Box 36,
Kuala Trengganu.
Tel: 09 – 623700
MOF – DD Classification)

Boatbuilder Kaymarine gets more foreign orders

Sunday November 5, 2006

Boatbuilder Kaymarine gets more foreign orders

KUALA TERENGGANU: Who would have thought that a boatyard located at a riverine village in Terengganu would one day be able to make export-quality boats?

But Terengganu has been noted for its boat-making industry for generations, and it is thus not surprising that KayMarine Sdn Bhd, a bumiputera-owned company, has also become a noted boat-builder whose customers include foreigners.

Established in 1992, it has been building aluminium-based boats for security patrolling and leisure purposes.

Kamaruddin: ‘Confident in operations and management’

Three years after it was set up, KayMarine began to undertake more challenging tasks, like making bullet-proof patrol boats for a neighbouring country.

Its managing director, Kamaruddin Mansor, who was interviewed with chairman Datuk Wan Albakri Wan Mohd Nor at their offices in Kampung Bukit Tumbuh near here recently, said the company had built boats for the Royal Malaysian Police Force, the Armed Forces, the Marine Department, Fisheries Department and other government agencies and private companies.

It has also fulfilled orders from customers in Nigeria, Mauritius, Brunei, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and North Korea.

Kamaruddin said 90% of its boats were made from aluminium and the rest were constructed with imported timber, especially from Australia, another noted boat-making country.

He said the company was currently completing seven two-hulled catamaran boats costing RM56mil in all for the Marine Department, which would use them for rescue operations.

MORE CLIENTS: KayMarine has been building aluminium-based boats for patrolling and leisure.

“Each catamaran is 26.5m long and they are used as ‘ambulances on the sea', as they are equipped with various first aid and medical facilities,” Kamaruddin said. These boats are usually deployed off Sabah.

Kamaruddin said KayMarine was in the process of sending 12 bullet-proof patrol boats to Nigeria for use in riverine areas.

“Just before this, we received an order from Mauritius for patrol boats for use in their waters,” he said, adding that the contract was won after bidding against boat-builders from Australia and Europe.

“We are confident of ourselves as we know that we were chosen because of two major advantages or capabilities – our expertise in both our operations and management,” he said.

KayMarine has 140 permanent employees, of which 80 are engineers with 10 to 20 years of experience, and another 200 contract workers.

Kamaruddin said the company was awaiting word from North Korea on a contract that would use technology from that country.

“North Korea needs small patrol boats to guard against infiltration,” he said.

Wan Albakri said KayMarine had also established links with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Skudai, Johor, which would examine its designs.

“With KayMarine’s expertise, we are capable of building bigger boats,” he said.

“But we have put this off for the time being until our facilities are expanded.”

In future, he said, KayMarine aimed to build supply ships for use in oil and gas platforms,” said Wan Albakri. – Bernama

Terengganu to widen Redang airstrip to handle more tourists

Sunday September 7, 2008
Terengganu to widen Redang airstrip to handle more tourists
By R.S.N. MURALI

KUALA TERENGGANU: The state government has approved the widening of the airstrip on diving haven Redang island to cater for increasing tourist arrivals.

State Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Zaabar Mohd Adib said the present strip was not wide enough to handle emergencies.

“We are also planning to upgrade the airport terminal,” he said.

He said the project was crucial as the airport was a gateway to Redang for foreign tourists, especially Singaporeans.

“There are two flights daily to the island operated by Berjaya Air,” he said, adding that the flights were from the airports in Subang and Seletar, Singapore.

The island now has a 60:40 ratio of foreigner to local tourists.

“More foreigners are making Redang their popular excursion spot,” Zaabar said, adding that hotel and resorts were enjoying 85% occupancy even during off-peak seasons.

“We are also witnessing a niche market at Redang where most tourists spend lavishly during their stay on the island,” he said.

Zaabar said the state government was also encouraging tourists from Hong Kong and Europe to come to the island and to stop at Kuala Terengganu first.

“The state government is planning to recruit tourist guides to bring foreigners to the city centre once they have landed at the Sultan Mahmud Airport here,” he added.

The Star

ECER Durians Hot Favourite In Singapore

September 04, 2008 14:36 PM

ECER Durians Hot Favourite In Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 (Bernama) -- Durians from the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) are a hot favourite in Singapore, especially during its peak season between June and September.

In a statement, ECER Secretariat said, about 90 percent of durians sold in Singapore are imported from Malaysia. From the ECER, durians are mainly from Pahang, while some are from Kelantan.

The districts in Pahang famous for their succulent and sweet durians are Kuala Lipis, Raub (Benta), Jerantut, Beserah and Bentong.

In Kelantan, durian orchards are mostly located in Jeli, Kuala Krai, Gua Musang and Bachok.

According to the Federal Agriculture Marketing Authority (FAMA), last year Pahang recorded 14,065 metric tonnes in durian production and Kelantan 3,612 metric tonnes. Singapore imported 17,360 tonnes of fresh durian from Malaysia.

Durians of a superior breed with desirable yield and taste characteristics from farmers' collections are selected by Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and registered with a D-prefix, it said.

Since 1934, more than 190 varieties of durians have been registered. These include D24, D2, D18, D101 and D13. Other durians in demand are such as Mao Shan Wang, XO, Red Prawn, Tanjung Sepat and Kunyit.

Pahang is famous for its D145 durians originating from Beserah, Kuantan, and Kelantan for D169 or Tok Litok.

The Department of Agriculture said durian yields have been very good this year in Pahang, due to good weather during the durian flowering season in March and April.

Based on the production rate so far, they are confident that it will be much better than last year.

Singaporean Wonderful Fruit Enterprise durian stall manager, Tan Ching Tean said their stock of durians has increased from the usual 40 to 50 basket a day, with 30 durians in each basket.

"Durians here are usually priced by weight, although cheaper durians that range from 700 g to more than two kg are sold as a whole fruit," he said.

The Director-General of FAMA, Datuk Mohamed Shariff Abdul Aziz, recently announced that they will soon be exporting durians in fresh frozen form to Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

"The technology will facilitate the expansion of durian export markets as it helps retain flavour and colour up to two to three years, lengthening the shelf life of durians," said Datuk Mohamed Shariff.

This will also overcome the glut in production that could cause prices of the fruit to dip.

To help market the fruits, FAMA has set up 137 buying centres in 12 major cities in Malaysia.

Durian can be stored and preserved frozen as a whole fruit, frozen fruitlets or as pulp. For frozen durian fruitlets, thick fleshed, dry and firm textured fruitlets are required. Fruitlets with a strong aroma, sweet taste with slight bitterness is preferred.

Products processed from durian pulp include tempoyak, lempuk, and flavouring products like wajik, dodol and yoghurt.

It can also be processed into confectionary products such as durian cakes, durian ice-cream, durian puffs, confectionary jelly, durian chocolate fudge, and toffee.

-- BERNAMA