Telco Axiata strengthens regional hold, controls 34% of Cambodian market post-acquisition
December 17th, 2012, The Star, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Foreign Investment, Industry, International Relations, Telecommunications
Being one of the biggest Asian telecommunications companies with operations across ten countries, Axiata Group Bhd has flexed its muscles to firm its grip on the Cambodian market…
After the acquisition of its rival Latelz Co Ltd, the second-largest mobile operator with a 21% market share in the Indochinese nation, Hello Axiata, Axiata’s Cambodian unit will emerge as the second-largest player there from its current fourth position.
Post-merger, the enlarged entity will have a combined market share of 34%, marginally lagging behind the leading telco in that country, Metfone, which held 35% of the total pie as at June 2012. …
Adhering to the dividend play in the Malaysian telecoms scene, Axiata has doubled its dividend payout from 30% two years ago to 65% this year, making it more attractive compared to its local peers who are also generous in rewarding their shareholders.
CIMB Research’s recent report shows that Axiata’s core price to earnings for calendar year 2012 at 19.5 times is still lower than the Malaysian weighted average of 23.4 times. Axiata is research house’s top pick in the sector.
The Star Online Staff
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/12/17/business/12469671&sec=business
Axiata’s Cambodian unit expands through M&A
December 13th, 2012, The Star, Business & Commercial Development, Industry, International Relations, Telecommunications
Axiata Group Bhd is set to strengthen its foothold in Cambodia through a merger between Hello Axiata Company Ltd and Latelz Company Ltd, which it acquires for a consideration of US$155mil (RM473mil).
In a statement, Axiata announced that its Cambodian arm had entered into a sales and purchase agreement to acquire shares of Latelz, owned by Timeturns Holdings Ltd based in Cyprus. …
Axiata’s share price climbed 2.19% or 0.14 to RM6.54 with 8.09 million shares done during midday.
The Star Online Staff
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/12/13/business/20121213134936&sec=business
Talks under way to source maids from Cambodia
September 23rd, 2012, The Star, International Relations, Labor
TALKS are under way to bring in Cambodian maids to help offset the shortfall in domestic workers from Indonesia.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is looking to make Cambodia an approved source country for domestic workers in Singapore and will make a decision soon.
Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) president K. Jayaprema said her organisation had been working for several years with MOM and the Cambodian government to make Cambodia an approved source country for foreign maids.
She added that the association had “revived the discussion”, but declined to say more.
The Star Online Staff
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/23/asia/12069202&sec=
Top Glove wants to source for its own latex
September 15th, 2012, The Star, Environment & Natural Resources, International Relations
TOP Glove Corp Bhd became the first rubber glove maker to move upstream by acquiring its own rubber plantation land to ensure a consistent supply of latex…
At for the purchase price of RM22mil, it translates to RM715 per ha, which is also 35% cheaper than rubber land in Cambodia, according to AmResearch.
As Top Glove’s target is to secure up to 40% of its its own latex supply, chairman Tan Sr Lim Wee Chai says the company will continue to source for other suitable plantation land in and around the region…
TEE LIN SAY
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/15/business/12014933&sec=business
ANRPC sees higher rubber output
September 6th, 2012, The Star, Business & Commercial Development, Environment & Natural Resources, International Relations, Reports
Natural rubber (NR) production in Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) this year is set to rise by 4.9% to 10.83 million tonnes from 10.33 million tonnes in 2011…
The members of ANRPC are Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, China, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka…
The Star Online Staff
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/6/business/11977003&sec=business
Cambodian rice expert produces ‘more with less’
August 31st, 2012, The Star, Agro-Industry, Infrastructure, Rice
WHEN he introduced his novel rice production method to Cambodian farmers more than a decade ago, Yang Saing Koma had to battle sceptics who laughed at his idea. How could less irrigation and shallower planting result in higher yield?
But Koma, founder of the Cambodian centre for Study and Development in Agriculture (Cedac), only had to tap one brave farmer to get his programme going.
Today, his System of Rice Intensification (SRI) is an official rice production method endorsed by the Cambodian government, credited for doubling the country’s total rice output in the last decade…
TARRA QUISMUNDO
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/2/asia/11950264&sec=asia
Felda Global buying more land, aims to emerge world leader in palm oil industry
August 24th, 2012, The Star, Industry, International Relations
Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGVH), the world’s third largest palm oil company by hectarage, plans to buy 150,000 ha estate land over five years to realise its cherished vision to emerge as the world leader in the palm oil industry…
On FGVH’s cross-border expansion plans, Sabori said the potential Asean countries were Indonesia, Cambodia and Myanmar…
The Star Online Staff
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/8/24/business/11904076&sec=business
CIMB aiming to be top 10 in Cambodia
June 18th, 2012, The Star, Banking & Finance, Business & Commercial Development, Economics, Financial Services, Industry
CIMB Bank plc, which aims to be among the top 10 banks in Cambodia over the next five years, is targeting more than US$100mil (RM317mil ) in deposits and US$90mil (RM285mil) in total loan size by year-end.
Its deputy general manager and head of commercial banking Bun Yin said these targets were commendable judging from the fact that CIMB started operations more than a year ago and was a relatively new player in the Cambodian banking landscape.
In an interview with StarBiz on the sidelines of the CIMB Asean Conference recently, Bun said total deposits for the first three months of this year had actually exceeded the US$100mil mark and was confident loans and deposits would grow at a strong rate. …
Daljit Dhesi
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/6/18/business/11474729&sec=