14  theSun | THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10 2009

business

BToto’s Q1 pre-tax
profit up 8.8%
KUALA LUMPUR: Berjaya Sports
Toto Berhad’s (BToto) pre-tax profit
for the first quarter ended July 31, 2009
increased 8.8% from RM130.7 million a
year ago to RM142.1 million despite a
marginal revenue growth.
Announcing its quarterly results
yesterday, BToto said it registered a rev-
of the first quarter for the financial year
ending April 30, 2010.
It had also distributed a share divi-
dend comprising 89.7 million treasury
shares on July 27, 2009 on the basis of
one treasury share for every 14 existing
ordinary shares held.
The first interim dividend amounting

enue of RM826.17 million in the current
quarter compared to RM825.9 million
last year.
The higher pre-tax profit was due
to its principal subsidiary, Sports Toto
Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Sports Toto) having
recorded a lower prize payout for the
quarter.
Sports Toto’s revenue decreased mar-
ginally to RM795.4 million from RM796.6
million but pre-tax profit increased 6.6%
to RM133.4 million from RM125.1 mil-
lion in the previous year’s corresponding
quarter
BToto had, on July 27, 2009, paid the
first interim dividend of 19 sen compris-
ing 9 sen tax exempt dividend and 10 sen
single-tier exempt dividend in respect
Carlsberg M’sia signs agreement
to RM238.64 million represented about
237.6% of the attributable profit of the
group for the quarter ended July 31,
2009.
The board remains committed to the
company’s dividend policy of distributing
at least 75% of its annual net earnings to
shareholders.
Given the prevailing global economic
conditions and the adverse impact on the
Malaysian economy, the board is of the
view that the NFO business in Malaysia
will remain resilient.
Barring unforeseen circumstances,
the board is optimistic that the group’s
performance for the remaining quarters
of the financial year ending April 30,
2010 will be good.
BERNAMAPIX
Tuanku Mizan puts his signature on a plaque at the official opening of Menara Bumiputra-Commerce on
Jalan Raja Laut yesterday. Looking on are (from left) CIMB Group chairman Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof, CIMB Bank
chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Nor and Nazir.
Good to allow China sovereign wealth
funds to invest in Malaysia: Nazir
KUALA LUMPUR: It is a good idea to for his views about the possible sale saying that if there was such a
encourage sovereign wealth funds of Sime Darby’s stake to a company mandate, CIMB would certainly try
from China to invest in Malaysia, from China. to win that mandate.
says CIMB Group chief executive It was reported last week that He had said the relisting of the
Datuk Seri Nazir Abdul Razak. Sime Darby was offering China a telecommunications giant would
“Apart from financial implica- stake in the conglomerate. be seen as a major international
tions, it will create greater con-
nectivity to that part of the world
However, government officials
later denied the unprecedented
initial public offering and the most
important equity transaction of the

to buy Carlsberg S’pore economy that is going to be the

KUALA LUMPUR: The board of directors
of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Berhad
(Carlsberg Malaysia) has on Tuesday, after
completion of the due diligence review,
entered into a share purchase agreement
(SPA) for the proposed acquisition of one
million ordinary shares representing 100%
equity interest in Carlsberg Singapore
Pte Ltd (CSPL) from Carlsberg Asia Pte
Ltd (CAPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Carlsberg Breweries A/S (CBAS).
The purchase consideration for the
acquisition of the one million ordinary
shares in CSPL of RM370 million is to be
fully satisfied in cash and will be financed
by Carlsberg Malaysia’s internally gener-
ated funds, Carlsberg Malaysia said in an
announcement on Tuesday.
“We are pleased the purchase considera-
tion which was arrived at on a ‘willing-buyer
willing-seller’ basis was confirmed to be
well within the range of fair value as esti-
mated by the independent valuer Messrs
PricewaterhouseCoopers Capital Sdn Bhd
after considering the current performance
as well as future prospects of CSPL,” said
Carlsberg Malaysia chairman Datuk Lim Say
Chong.
He said, “The proposed acquisition
and expansion in the region will benefit
Carlsberg Malaysia strategically as it is a
good business fit, the beer market in Singa-
pore is attractive and Carlsberg Singapore
is a successful, well run and profitable
company”.
“In addition, the financial rationale
for the proposed acquisition is justifiable
as there are significant synergies to be
realised, the investment is earnings accre-
tive to Carlsberg Malaysia and Carlsberg
Malaysia’s surplus funds will be better
utilised.”
world’s largest by 2030 to 2035,”
he told reporters after opening of
the 39-storey Menara Bumiputra-
Commerce by the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.
“I am very much in favour with
those kind of transactions,” he said.
Nazir said Malaysia was generally
very open to receiving investments
by strategic foreign players.
“I would be surprised if there is
any resistance,” he said when asked
Sindora proposes to sell vessel for US$4.2mil
KUALA LUMPUR: Sindora Bhd has
proposed to dispose of a vessel,
the M.T. Nautica Segamat, a liquid
petroleum gas carrier for a total
cash consideration of US$4.2 mil-
lion (RM14.38 million).
In a filing to Bursa Malaysia,
move.
On reports that CIMB has been
appointed financial adviser to Max-
is’s re-listing on Bursa Malaysia,
Nazir said: “Are we? Who told you
that. I also read the news.”
CIMB was the lead banker for
both Maxis’s listing and privatisa-
tion exercises. Thus, the market
fraternity expects the chances were
bigger for the group to re-involve in
the relisting exercise.
Nazir was quoted before as
Sindora said its 51% subsidiary, E.A.
Technique (M) Sdn Bhd, has entered
into a memorandum of agreement
with Lucky Marine Co Ltd for the
sale of the vessel.
It said RM10.33 million from the
sale consideration would be used to
year in the Asia-Pacific.
There has been talk of Maxis
becoming a public company again
within the second half of the year
after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib
Razak urged the company to return
to the Malaysian stock market.
Maxis had said it would return
but stopped short of providing a
time frame.
It was listed on Bursa Malaysia
in 2002 but taken private five years
later. – Bernama
reduce borrowings and the balance
utilised to meet E.A. Technique’s
working capital requirements.
The proposed sale forms part
of its fleet renewal plan involv-
ing the disposal of older vessels.
– Bernama

DRB-Hicom seeks
partners for auto cluster
project in Saudi Arabia
KUALA LUMPUR: Conglomerate DRB-
HICOM Bhd is seeking partners to develop
its integrated automotive cluster project
in the Jazan Economic City in the Jizan
Province of Saudi Arabia.
Its group managing director Datuk
Mohd Khamil Jamil said towards this
end, the company would cooperate with
potential partners in both manufacturing
and assembly activities.
“We are looking for suitable partners
who can work together with us to develop
the auto cluster in Jazan,” Mohd Khamil
told Bernama recently.
Last year, DRB-Hicom signed an agree-
ment with the Jazan Economic City Land
Limited (JEC), the Saudi Binladin Group
(SBG) and GIIG International Holding
Company Ltd (GIIG), to explore business
prospects in respect of establishing the
integrated automotive cluster project.
The Jazan Economic City encompasses
113sq km and is located along the Red Sea,
60km north-west of Jizan City.
The economic city focuses on heavy
industries, secondary industries, human
capital and lifestyle.
Various industries such as a power
plant, port, aluminium smelter and steel
cluster have also been identified in the ap-
proved master plan for the economic city.
– Bernama