Wow, a POTENTIAL billion ringgit worth of business. Show some statistics and financial return expected value. At least a ROI or IRR stuff. DOH.
O ya, what else Malaysia can rely on to make $$ beside Crude Oil and CPO? Have you heard of Brain Drain?
Spas a potential billion ringgit business
THE spa industry can be the balm to heal the unemployment problem across the country but only if the unemployed are willing to work in this sector.
“The spa industry is an important contributor to the tourism industry and there is a strong demand for local spa products,” said Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Deputy Minister Datuk Khamsiah Yeop.
“The spa industry, being a service industry, requires a lot of workers.
Currently, we are employing foreign workers. Locals should get into the business as it has the potential to be a billion ringgit business.”
Speaking at the opening of the 2nd Asia Spa and Wellness Festival 2007, Khamsiah also told reporters that the government was looking into developing a spa school to train locals to master the field.
“The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) is interested in developing a spa school. The ministry certainly encourages this as it will develop local talents in a very lucrative industry,” she said.
MAH president Datuk Mohd Ilyas Zainol Abidin said the festival could help the local industry players benchmark themselves against the best international players.
“We call on hotels and resorts to set up spas as part of their service for guests. If they do not have the expertise, they can always call for independent spas to operate within their premises.
“From our experience, the moment we have spas as part of our hotel attraction, our occupancy rates can increase up to 20 per cent,” said Mohd Ilyas. — Bernama
Friday, November 30, 2007
V for Vendetta AND M For Malaysia : Past, Present & Future
Well, I just don't quite agree with the author implicit association between Malaysia PM and the villain in the movie.I don't see our PM got that kind of charisma. Maybe the Deputy PM is the actual evil root behind.
BiotechCorp Acquires Licence For Nanotechnology Platform
This is definitely sounds better than the government's intention to buy the Russian dated space "taxi" that our own space "trip visitor" used for his vacation.
To be highlighted, both of the potential deals haven't disclose amount of money involved. Crap. Transparency My Foot.
BiotechCorp Acquires Licence For Nanotechnology Platform
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) today announced its first technology acquisition by acquiring a worldwide licence to a nanotechnology platform.
The company signed the deal with Nanobiotix of France which has developed nanotechnology particles for cancer therapy.
"We identify Nanobiotix because it has excellent platform technology with wide applications," BiotechCorp's chief executive officer Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood told reporters after the launch of the nanotechnology acquisition on the sidelines of the BioMalaysia 2007 conference and exhibition here.
Nanobiotix has agreed to license the application of its nanotechnology platform for non-cancer purposes to BiotechCorp to expand the potential pipeline into non-cancer areas.
Iskandar Mizal said by acquiring the licence, BiotechCorp was able to provide access to the application of high level nanotechnology in Malaysia.
According to him, the direct applications in healthcare include cardiovascular therapeutics, eyesight therapeutics, blood clotting agents, wound and burn repair, and protein purification while the direct applications in food and cosmetics include flavour and solar protection.
On the nanotechnology acquisition, Iskandar Mizal said the due process comprised independent financial, technology, legal and intellectual property due diligence.
He said both BiotechCorp and Nanobiotix were equally confident of realising the multiplier effect of the nanotechnology platform acquired with a minimum target of two nanotechnology projects per year for the first four years.
"We are in the process of looking for the right research institution for us to take on further development work on some of the applications," he added.
With the acquisition, BiotechCorp is targeting a minimum of eight nanotechnology projects by 2011, which will mark the first year of its commercialisation phase from science to business, Iskandar Mizal said.
"Our capacity building phase will be concluded from 2005 to 2011," he said.
Nanobiotix was represented at the event by its founder and chief executive officer Dr Laurent Levy.
"We have decided to make things happen faster by having three researchers from Malaysia at our laboratory in France to work with us on the programme," Levy said.
"So at the end of the year, the researchers from Malaysia will have the knowledge to continue this programme," he said.
-- BERNAMA
To be highlighted, both of the potential deals haven't disclose amount of money involved. Crap. Transparency My Foot.
BiotechCorp Acquires Licence For Nanotechnology Platform
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) today announced its first technology acquisition by acquiring a worldwide licence to a nanotechnology platform.
The company signed the deal with Nanobiotix of France which has developed nanotechnology particles for cancer therapy.
"We identify Nanobiotix because it has excellent platform technology with wide applications," BiotechCorp's chief executive officer Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood told reporters after the launch of the nanotechnology acquisition on the sidelines of the BioMalaysia 2007 conference and exhibition here.
Nanobiotix has agreed to license the application of its nanotechnology platform for non-cancer purposes to BiotechCorp to expand the potential pipeline into non-cancer areas.
Iskandar Mizal said by acquiring the licence, BiotechCorp was able to provide access to the application of high level nanotechnology in Malaysia.
According to him, the direct applications in healthcare include cardiovascular therapeutics, eyesight therapeutics, blood clotting agents, wound and burn repair, and protein purification while the direct applications in food and cosmetics include flavour and solar protection.
On the nanotechnology acquisition, Iskandar Mizal said the due process comprised independent financial, technology, legal and intellectual property due diligence.
He said both BiotechCorp and Nanobiotix were equally confident of realising the multiplier effect of the nanotechnology platform acquired with a minimum target of two nanotechnology projects per year for the first four years.
"We are in the process of looking for the right research institution for us to take on further development work on some of the applications," he added.
With the acquisition, BiotechCorp is targeting a minimum of eight nanotechnology projects by 2011, which will mark the first year of its commercialisation phase from science to business, Iskandar Mizal said.
"Our capacity building phase will be concluded from 2005 to 2011," he said.
Nanobiotix was represented at the event by its founder and chief executive officer Dr Laurent Levy.
"We have decided to make things happen faster by having three researchers from Malaysia at our laboratory in France to work with us on the programme," Levy said.
"So at the end of the year, the researchers from Malaysia will have the knowledge to continue this programme," he said.
-- BERNAMA
Ladies, Be Cool. Your Little Wardrobe is Here
One of the popular emerging ladies stuff shopping web site in Malaysia, :)
Apparently, the lady owner is as cool as the site.
Click Here to visit Your Little Wardrobe
Apparently, the lady owner is as cool as the site.
Click Here to visit Your Little Wardrobe
Thursday, November 29, 2007
SENZPAK: Sales Manager cum Customer Service Manager
Sales Manager cum Customer Service Manager
(Johor - Senai)
Responsibilities:
Formulating, developing policy goals, objectives & procedures, developing & implementing business & marketing strategies, identifying business opportunities, ensuring business target are met, improving upon service quality, increasing market penetration as well as ensuring operational efficiency & profitabality of the company
Devise & implement innovative production management & development strategies to meet growth & profit targets in channels for Asia Pacific, ROC (Taiwan, China, Hong Kong)
Strong interpersonal skills with good presentation skills, result oriented & pro-active
Cross functional teamwork oriented with customer driven approach
Excellent communications skills with a passion in meeting and interacting with people
Develop & maintain strong business relationships with new and existing customers.
Highly capable, pro-active, energetic, resourcefulness, creative & result oriented individual
Be required to manage data sheets & technical data presentations for sensor product lines, provide periodic reports on sensor markets, developments & trends.
Must be able to distinguish and promote the creation and development of sensor markets
Requirements:
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering
Minimum 10 years experience of Semiconductor and Sensor Products / Sensor Systems (Pressure Inertial, IR & Acoustic)
Minimum 5 years experience in Product Development, Design, Marketing & Business Development.
Experience in Product Development, Quality Management Systems (APQP, PPAP), Product Phase Review Process and Management and dealing with multi national companies
Must be able to travel regularly within Asia including Taiwan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe
Interested applicants who meet the above requirements, are encouraged to apply online or submit your resume and a recent passport-sized photograph and copies of all relevant certificates to:
HR & Admin Department
SENZPAK (M) SDN. BHD.
PTD 43005, Jalan Murni 11,
Taman Perindustrian Murni,
81400 Senai, Johor
Web Site : www.senzpak.com
Email to: corine@senzpak.com.sg
Only short listed candidates will be notified for interview
(Johor - Senai)
Responsibilities:
Formulating, developing policy goals, objectives & procedures, developing & implementing business & marketing strategies, identifying business opportunities, ensuring business target are met, improving upon service quality, increasing market penetration as well as ensuring operational efficiency & profitabality of the company
Devise & implement innovative production management & development strategies to meet growth & profit targets in channels for Asia Pacific, ROC (Taiwan, China, Hong Kong)
Strong interpersonal skills with good presentation skills, result oriented & pro-active
Cross functional teamwork oriented with customer driven approach
Excellent communications skills with a passion in meeting and interacting with people
Develop & maintain strong business relationships with new and existing customers.
Highly capable, pro-active, energetic, resourcefulness, creative & result oriented individual
Be required to manage data sheets & technical data presentations for sensor product lines, provide periodic reports on sensor markets, developments & trends.
Must be able to distinguish and promote the creation and development of sensor markets
Requirements:
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering / Electrical Engineering
Minimum 10 years experience of Semiconductor and Sensor Products / Sensor Systems (Pressure Inertial, IR & Acoustic)
Minimum 5 years experience in Product Development, Design, Marketing & Business Development.
Experience in Product Development, Quality Management Systems (APQP, PPAP), Product Phase Review Process and Management and dealing with multi national companies
Must be able to travel regularly within Asia including Taiwan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe
Interested applicants who meet the above requirements, are encouraged to apply online or submit your resume and a recent passport-sized photograph and copies of all relevant certificates to:
HR & Admin Department
SENZPAK (M) SDN. BHD.
PTD 43005, Jalan Murni 11,
Taman Perindustrian Murni,
81400 Senai, Johor
Web Site : www.senzpak.com
Email to: corine@senzpak.com.sg
Only short listed candidates will be notified for interview
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Give me my cert!
As a matter of fact, the office is technically closed after a 24 hours to their employees. Basically, it is foresee that more regional offices will be closed for sure.
Commitments to their local customers? Save your breath.
At least a dozen of their existing and new customers are shouting out loud now.
By the way, I'm a certified CA Clarity Technical Consultant that haven't receive my cert yet since last year examination. Bumpy, should I send the request directly to US or what? LOL
CA to reduce Asian presence
By Victoria Ho, ZDNet Asia
Tuesday, November 20 2007 07:53 PM
Software vendor CA is closing its Malaysian office, tallying up to a total count of six offices in the region that have already closed, or that will be downsized soon.
In a statement released Tuesday, the U.S.-based company confirmed its office in Malaysia will be "migrating to a channel partnership strategy" for its sales and account operations.
"We will maintain a direct sales relationship with our large global customers in the region and in their headquartered countries, but the majority of our customers will now be served by independent [third-party] organizations," said CA in the statement.
In sum, the software vendor will no longer maintain a direct presence in the affected markets, where its customers will be serviced by appointed partners.
As a result, the company confirmed that its staff strength will be downsized.
Daphne Chung, Asia-Pacific research manager at IDC's system infrastructure and middleware software research division, said in an e-mail interview: "A more indirect or channels sales model allows vendors to broaden their reach into the customer base at a more cost-effective manner, compared to putting more [its own] sales people on the ground."
According to some media reports, CA's other offices in the region may also see the same fate.
ZDNet Asia's sister site, ZDNet Taiwan, said in a news article (published in Chinese) that the vendor's Taiwan office will be reduced to a six-person team--encompassing technical and finance employees--down from some 60 staff.
CA has are no plans to shut its Taiwan office, Hong Kong-based Raj Seth, CA's vice president of corporate communications for Asia-Pacific and Japan, said in an e-mail interview.
While Seth did not comment directly on the company's moves to lower its headcount, he confirmed plans to shift CA's overall regional operations to a channel strategy. He noted that channel partners will become the vendor's "primary sales interface".
According to the ZDNet Taiwan report, CA's Hong Kong office will cease operations from Nov. 28, with its office in Thailand to follow suit at an undisclosed date.
Total tally: six to close?
Last month, CA closed its Philippine and Indonesian offices, bringing the tally to a possible six in the region.
In addition, the ZDNet Taiwan article said the company is currently evaluating options to retain or shut down operations in Singapore and Beijing. CA has five other offices in the region: India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea.
CA declined to comment on its plans for the other offices.
Seth said: "Our new strategy arises from the realization that to provide a credible local presence, we must have an established local industry leader as our go-to-market entity."
He added that the company embarks on this new regional strategy "from a position of financial strength".
CA reported a 5 percent growth in revenues for its 2007 fiscal year, ended Mar. 31, at US$3.94 billion over last year's US$3.77 billion.
IDC's Chung foresees little disruption for customers as a result of CA's latest plans, but said the software vendor may have to deal with clients that are unused to a channel model.
"In particular, CA and its partners will have to work to win over those customers who insist or require a direct sales relationships with CA, and who do not fall into CA's category for large global customers in the region," she said.
In April 2006, CA's former chief executive Sanjay Kumar pleaded guilty to charges of financial fraud--two years after he was ousted from the company.
Commitments to their local customers? Save your breath.
At least a dozen of their existing and new customers are shouting out loud now.
By the way, I'm a certified CA Clarity Technical Consultant that haven't receive my cert yet since last year examination. Bumpy, should I send the request directly to US or what? LOL
CA to reduce Asian presence
By Victoria Ho, ZDNet Asia
Tuesday, November 20 2007 07:53 PM
Software vendor CA is closing its Malaysian office, tallying up to a total count of six offices in the region that have already closed, or that will be downsized soon.
In a statement released Tuesday, the U.S.-based company confirmed its office in Malaysia will be "migrating to a channel partnership strategy" for its sales and account operations.
"We will maintain a direct sales relationship with our large global customers in the region and in their headquartered countries, but the majority of our customers will now be served by independent [third-party] organizations," said CA in the statement.
In sum, the software vendor will no longer maintain a direct presence in the affected markets, where its customers will be serviced by appointed partners.
As a result, the company confirmed that its staff strength will be downsized.
Daphne Chung, Asia-Pacific research manager at IDC's system infrastructure and middleware software research division, said in an e-mail interview: "A more indirect or channels sales model allows vendors to broaden their reach into the customer base at a more cost-effective manner, compared to putting more [its own] sales people on the ground."
According to some media reports, CA's other offices in the region may also see the same fate.
ZDNet Asia's sister site, ZDNet Taiwan, said in a news article (published in Chinese) that the vendor's Taiwan office will be reduced to a six-person team--encompassing technical and finance employees--down from some 60 staff.
CA has are no plans to shut its Taiwan office, Hong Kong-based Raj Seth, CA's vice president of corporate communications for Asia-Pacific and Japan, said in an e-mail interview.
While Seth did not comment directly on the company's moves to lower its headcount, he confirmed plans to shift CA's overall regional operations to a channel strategy. He noted that channel partners will become the vendor's "primary sales interface".
According to the ZDNet Taiwan report, CA's Hong Kong office will cease operations from Nov. 28, with its office in Thailand to follow suit at an undisclosed date.
Total tally: six to close?
Last month, CA closed its Philippine and Indonesian offices, bringing the tally to a possible six in the region.
In addition, the ZDNet Taiwan article said the company is currently evaluating options to retain or shut down operations in Singapore and Beijing. CA has five other offices in the region: India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea.
CA declined to comment on its plans for the other offices.
Seth said: "Our new strategy arises from the realization that to provide a credible local presence, we must have an established local industry leader as our go-to-market entity."
He added that the company embarks on this new regional strategy "from a position of financial strength".
CA reported a 5 percent growth in revenues for its 2007 fiscal year, ended Mar. 31, at US$3.94 billion over last year's US$3.77 billion.
IDC's Chung foresees little disruption for customers as a result of CA's latest plans, but said the software vendor may have to deal with clients that are unused to a channel model.
"In particular, CA and its partners will have to work to win over those customers who insist or require a direct sales relationships with CA, and who do not fall into CA's category for large global customers in the region," she said.
In April 2006, CA's former chief executive Sanjay Kumar pleaded guilty to charges of financial fraud--two years after he was ousted from the company.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Reading while sleeping. Beat me.
Sickening illness wrapping me again. Sucks.
Spent the day repeating the same cycle of sleeping, eating, taking medicine and sleeping again. I believe I'm in the progress of incubating pharmacophobia. Darn, should I take the red or the blue one today?
Whatever. Lying on my 5 years old spring mattress with flatten topper, digging some pointers of what to do to keep myself awake.
Oh yeah, I can continue reading up stuffs for CFA paper 1 preparation. The quantitative section should be interesting enough.
............ (Reading while half eye closed)
Although it is possible to restate the yield convention in money market yield, quoting yield on US T-bills is generally calculated based on bank discount basis. The author pointed out that quoted yield in bank discount basis has 3 potential issues: Firstly, the yield is based on face value of T-bills. It is more meaningful to express the return in term of amount invested. Secondly, bank convention of 360 days in a year is differ from usual calendar period calculation. And lastly when annualizing the yield, it is assuming a simple interest and this prevent the incorportation of interest on interest possibilities.
To do the conversion, use the following formula:
r(mm) = r(bd) x F/D
or if the face value (F) is not available,
r(mm)= 360 x r(bd) / (360 - t * r(bd))
Because US T-bills are guaranteed face value payment at maturity by US federal government, they are shielded from default risk. Large volume of T-bills transaction avoided liquidity risk and less than 1 year maturity excluded maturity risk. Thus T-bills are considered the safest short term debt instrument in US money market. But still T-bills will be affected by monetary policy on interest rate among other factors.
Effective annual yield, EAR = (1+HPY)^(365/t) - 1
In general calculation for NPV and IRR (or other time value of money methods), US T-bills yield is the baseline for establishing a reasonable discount rate or opportunity cost of capital.
............ (Continue next time.)
Spent the day repeating the same cycle of sleeping, eating, taking medicine and sleeping again. I believe I'm in the progress of incubating pharmacophobia. Darn, should I take the red or the blue one today?
Whatever. Lying on my 5 years old spring mattress with flatten topper, digging some pointers of what to do to keep myself awake.
Oh yeah, I can continue reading up stuffs for CFA paper 1 preparation. The quantitative section should be interesting enough.
............ (Reading while half eye closed)
Although it is possible to restate the yield convention in money market yield, quoting yield on US T-bills is generally calculated based on bank discount basis. The author pointed out that quoted yield in bank discount basis has 3 potential issues: Firstly, the yield is based on face value of T-bills. It is more meaningful to express the return in term of amount invested. Secondly, bank convention of 360 days in a year is differ from usual calendar period calculation. And lastly when annualizing the yield, it is assuming a simple interest and this prevent the incorportation of interest on interest possibilities.
To do the conversion, use the following formula:
r(mm) = r(bd) x F/D
or if the face value (F) is not available,
r(mm)= 360 x r(bd) / (360 - t * r(bd))
Because US T-bills are guaranteed face value payment at maturity by US federal government, they are shielded from default risk. Large volume of T-bills transaction avoided liquidity risk and less than 1 year maturity excluded maturity risk. Thus T-bills are considered the safest short term debt instrument in US money market. But still T-bills will be affected by monetary policy on interest rate among other factors.
Effective annual yield, EAR = (1+HPY)^(365/t) - 1
In general calculation for NPV and IRR (or other time value of money methods), US T-bills yield is the baseline for establishing a reasonable discount rate or opportunity cost of capital.
............ (Continue next time.)
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