20130116 1008 Malaysia Corporate Related News.

Alam Maritim has bagged a RM576m contract from Petronas Carigali for the supply of six vessels for five years effective 1 Jan. (BMSB)

Gamuda is in talks to sell its stakes in highway operators Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Holdings Sdn Bhd (Sprint) and Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Bhd (Litrak) for more than RM4 bn, said people familiar with the matter. Business Times was told that Gamuda is talking to a government-linked special purpose vehicle. The whole deal is part of a wider plan by the government to consolidate the toll industry.  Officials from Gamuda declined to deny the existence of the talks when contacted. (BT)

Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Rakyat) is on track to achieve its 2012 target of RM2bn in pre-tax profit and zakat. Chairman Tan Sri Sabbaruddin Chik said the optimism is based on the bank's nine-month performance ended Sept 30, 2012 of RM1.62bn. This was an increase of 8.1% over the same period in 2011 where it posted RM1.5bn, he said. (Bernama)

DRB-Hicom says there will be more corporate exercises this year as it strives to better its topline and bottomline. "In the next short to mid-term period, there will be a couple of  exercises that we are looking into to assist the progress of enhancing and making sure DRB-Hicom expands,"  MD Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil  said. Khamil hinted at more acquisitions and ventures but declined to name specific targets or industries. The group expects its services, property and defence business, apart from the automotive division, to grow further and be major revenue contributors in the next 36 months. "We are looking at streamlining and rationalising our core business and creating group synergies within the whole group to further drive the growth of DRB-Hicom," said the group's finance, strategy and planning COO  Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh.  (StarBiz,  Financial Daily)

Sime Darby Bhd  subsidiary, Sime Darby Healthcare Sdn Bhd, has sold its day care facility in Petaling Jaya  (Sime Darby Specialist Centre Megah) to BP Healthcare group. The sale price was not disclosed, but it is believed to be negligible to the group's overall revenue. An industry executive said the disposal of the "small" Sime Darby Specialist Centre Megah will enable Sime Darby Healthcare to concentrate on its three bigger hospitals  - Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya, Sime Darby Medical Centre Ara Damansara, and Sime Darby Medical Centre ParkCity. (Financial Daily)

Perodua aims to increase its service intake by 5% to 1.88m vehicles this year, from the record 1.78m registered last year, said MD  Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh. He said the group was also eyeing to increase market share in the after-sales services segment to 55% from the current 53%. "In tandem with the higher demand for after-sales services, we're targeting to increase parts sales by 6% to RM255m this year," he added. Aminar Rashid said Perodua also planned to increase its sales and service centres to 343 outlets this year from the current 267. Perodua has also taken the initiative to reach out to existing customers in the rural areas, starting with Sabah and Sarawak. On exports, he said the group was in  the midst of discussions as to which existing export markets it was likely to introduce the Myvi to, and also consider the need to look into other areas. "Exports for 2014 would depend on how fast we can complete the RM790m manufacturing facility. If it is ready in time, there's a possibility for exports to increase," he said. (Bernama)

Myanmar‟s government has begun the process of opening up the country‟s telecoms industry, inviting foreign companies to submit expressions of interest for two national licences by January 25. The licences, to be issued by June, will be the first of four telecoms licences planned for the sector and could run as long as 20 years with an option for renewal, the government said. The move signals the opening up of a sector long controlled by Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications, the state-owned telephone service provider. The tender comes as Myanmar‟s parliament considers a draft telecoms law – which could be passed within the next few months – that sets out a sweeping overhaul of the industry. Among international operators to have shown interest are Russia‟s VimpelCom, Telenor of Norway, Vietnam‟s VNPT-Fujitsu, a joint-venture between Vietnam and Japan‟s Fujitsu;  Axiata; and Digicel. Myanmar has among the lowest rates of telecoms coverage in Asia, with fixed-line coverage of about 1 per cent and about 5.5m mobile phone subscribers representing a 9 per cent penetration rate, compared with 70% in Cambodia and more than 110% in Thailand. The value of a service licence, under Myanmar‟s telecoms reform plans, could be worth “billions of dollars”, said a Bangkok-based telecoms executive. However, he noted, analysts have been unable to accurately value the sector. (FT)

Axiata  is likely to heed the "call" by the Myanmar to investors  to express interest in two telecoms licenses up for grabs. "The government of Myanmar has asked all interested parties to submit an expression of interest by jan 25 and Axiata will be doing so." (Starbiz)

The state governments of Sarawak and Sabah have dropped their request for stakes in domestic carrier MASwings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) formed as a rural air service operator to serve rural communities in the two states. State Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the decision was made following the carrier's business restructuring which met the objectives of the two state governments. Abang Johari said the restructuring fulfilled the state governments' desire to see MASwings not just serving rural routes in Sabah and Sarawak but also fly to new routes within the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). The two governments were prepared to inject additional money to the carrier for such an expansion. (BT)

Eversendai Corp has been conditionally awarded a RM325m contract to carry out structural steelworks of the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The award will boost its existing order book to RM1.5bn,  Datuk AK Nathan, executive chairman and group MD of Eversendai, said this is one of the most anticipated projects in the region and reaffirms Eversendai's continued success in winning iconic projects in the Middle East. The work is expect to start next month. (Financial Daily)