Thursday, 12 April 2012

News Highlights - Malayan Banking, DRB-Hicom, Construction Sector


Malayan Banking Bhd (RM8.86/share)
May be bidding for Philippines’ Islamic bank
Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) said it is keeping its options open in bidding for Al Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines, the country’s only Islam-oriented commercial bank, a Philippine’s based newspaper reported.

Al Amanah Islamic Bank is looking for a strategic partner through the sale of a 49.0% stake or the entire bank to a foreign entity with expertise in Islamic banks. Maybank told the Philippine’s based newspaper that it wanted to expand further in the Asean region while strengthening its hold in the Asia-Pacific region. It alreadyoperates a commercial bank in the Philippines. Maybank Islamic Bhd, a member of the Maybank Group, is the largest Islamic commercial bank in the Asia-Pacific and17th worldwide. It is also into Islamic insurance or takaful. – StarBiz

DRB-Hicom Bhd (RM2.63/share)
Team looking into the mechanics
DRB-Hicom Bhd, the country’s biggest automotive company, has sent in a five manstrong post-acquisition team to evaluate and study the inner dealings in Proton Holdings Bhd, said an industry source. It is learnt that the team is headed by Datuk Lukman Ibrahim, DRB-HICOM’s group chief operating officer.

Business Times was told that the team which reported for duty to Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir on Monday, does not have a management role.  Rather, they are there to understand how the Proton management operates.

Another source from Proton said the team is going through all the impending deals on the table for Proton to know the rationale behind Proton management’s train of thought.

In China, Proton is working on two deals, namely a potential tie-up with China’s Hawtai Motor Group to invest in product development and vendor sourcing; and an ongoing agreement with Jinhua-based Youngman Automobile Group. The deal with GM is centred on a proposal by the American company to take up some 50.0% of Proton’s production facility.

Meanwhile, the emergence of the post-acquisition team on Monday had led to rumours that Syed Zainal had resigned from the company. The rumours were later squashed by Proton.  – Business Times

Construction Sector
Major changes in top management of Keretapi Tanah Melayu seen
Ahead of any official announcement, speculation is rife that there will be some major changes in top management at national railway company, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB).

However, according to a source, such speculation may be premature as MMC Corp Bhd is currently doing its due diligence exercise on KTMB for the purpose of taking over and turning around the ailing rail operator. As a result of the due diligence exercise by MMC, KTMB’s earlier planned restructuring exercise had also been put on hold. On the other hand, the source said KTMB also needed a really sound turnaround plan which had been long overdue.

A recent news report stated that current KTMB president Dr Aminiddin Adnan was likely to be replaced by Land Public Transport Commission chief operating officer Azahar Ahmad. It was learnt that Aminuddin had yet received any letter from the Government on that matter.

Another source also confirmed that Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, the vice-president of special projects at the office of Khazanah Nasional Bhd managing director, might be roped in to turn around KTMB. – StarBiz

Source: AmeSecurities 

No comments:

Post a Comment