Crude palm oil C-P-O prices, expects to stabilise
Wan Nor Azura Bt Mior Abdul Aziz
Assingment on 25/2/2009

Crude palm oil C-P-O prices, expected to stabilise between 1,800 and  1,900 ringgit per tonne, are still at manageable levels to support export earnings this year.
 
Despite the global recession, Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui said, the palm oil industry would be able to provide the country with the export earnings that it needed.

"From 1,400, because of our efforts, its now gone up to 1800 - 1900 what ever is this price at the particular moment of time even its stable and our cost is control properly so there will always be a profit margin for our producers", he said.

In 2008, palm oil contributed 65.2 billion ringgit in export earnings, which marked another significant and record year of contribution from the industry.
 
Chin said the contribution of Malaysian palm oil to the world's oils and fats market was also very significant.
 
Palm oil accounted for 11.1 percent or  17.73 million tonnes of the total 160 million tonnes of oils and fats produced globally in 2008.
 
And Malaysia would need higher income from overseas sale of palm oil as it attempted to avoid a recession, Chin told reporters at the Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Malaysia's Exports  (PRIME) 2009 at Bukit Kiara on Thursday.
 
In his speech, Chin described PRIME as a platform to promote market expansion and ensure continuous improvement of Malaysian palm oil exports.
  
PRIME is one of Malaysia Palm Oil Council (MPOC)'s export promotion strategies to encourage exporters to penetrate new markets and introduce innovative product lines to develop new areas of business.
 
(ENDS)

Islamic Finance Market

Assignment 27/2/2009

ISLAMIC FINANCE MARKET NOT SEVERELY HIT BY ECONOMIC CRISIS
Wan Nor Azura Bt Mior Abdul Aziz

The Islamic finance market is not severely hit by the global economic crisis compared to the conventional market as it is backed by real assets.
 
Dr Zaha Rina Zahari, co-author of an Islamic Finance Encyclopedia, said the Islamic market was not greatly affected as many Islamic finance products were structured in a more transparent way.
 
"So hopefully will not be affected as badly but global markets been what it is, you can't help be affected, you will be affected, you will be affected, I am not saying that you won't, you will but probably lesser extent than the conventional market", she said. 
 
Zaha Rina said the Global Islamic Financial Services Industry had experienced spectacular growth in the last 4 decades, driven in part by the greater awareness and understanding of Shariah Compliant Instruments.
 
She was speaking to reporters after the launch of her Islamic Finance Encyclopedia by Securities Commission (SC) chairman Datuk Seri Zarinah Anwar at Bukit Kiara on Friday.
 
In her speech, Zarinah said The Encylopedia was set to become a useful reference material for anyone seeking  quick references in understanding the terminologies of Islamic Finance.

"Well this is an important initiative we welcome contribution  to the compilation of knowledge and information on Islamic capital market as you know the Islamic capital market is very important segment of our financial system this is an area where malaysia have competitive edge", Zarinah said.
 
Zarinah said Malaysia had a comprehensive Islamic finance system with a comprehensive Islamic capital market comprising products such as bonds, unit trust, private equity and fund management.
 
The encyclopedia was co-authored by Dr Zaha Rina, Prof Dr Bala Shanmugan and Nafis Alam, all of whom are renowned individuals in their respective fields.
 
(**ENDS**)
 

PLUS - Lorong Tambah Nilai Bermesin

16 Februari 2009

Hampir seminggu PLUS menggunakan mesin untuk lorong TAMBAH NILAI. Saya sebagai pengguna aktif PLUS yang menggunakan highway setiap hari pergi dan balik agak kesal dengan sikap PLUS yang menutup lorong TAMBAH NILAI tanpa sebarang pengumuman.

Agak menyedihkan lagi dengan menggunakan mesin tersebut, pengguna akan dikenakan bayaran sebanyak 50 sen sebagai caj perkhidmatan. Bagi mereka yang tidak begitu mahir dengan penggunaan mesin terpaksa mengambil masa yang lama untuk membuat penambahan nilai.

Wajarkah caj perkhidmatan tersebut dikenakan kepada pengguna sedangkan pengguna terpaksa menggunakan mesin untuk menambah nilai tanpa bantuan pekerja plus?

Plus seharusnya peka dan perihatin kepada penggunanya.

Dengan pemberian diskaun 10 peratus kenderaan ringan (Kelas 1) yang menggunakan Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dan Lebuhraya ELlITE oleh syarikat PLUS Expressways Berhad 18 November lalu tetap membebankan pengguna jalanraya.

Diskaun tersebut tidak realistik memandangkan kebanyakan pengguna jalan raya bergerak pada waktu siang.

November lalu juga, syarikat PLUS Expressways Berhad turut memberi rebet 5 peratus untuk pengguna yang hanya menggunakan Touch N' Go dan Smart Tag minima RM200 setiap bulan. Ini beerti pemberian rebet tertumpu kepada mereka yang menggunakan Touch N' Go dan Smart Tag.

Walaupun plus cuba menarik hati pelanggan secara memberi rebet 5 peratus, namun ianya adalah pemberian yang tidak ikhlas dari syarikat tersebut.