The encouraging growth figure which was higher than the government’s earlier prediction of 5.8 percent compared with 5.2 percent in 2005 was marked by Malaysia’s impressive trade sector which chalked up a value in excess of RM1 trillion.

For this year, prospects remain favourable.

Releasing the gross domestic product figures here today, the Statistics Department said on the production side, the fourth quarter growth was boosted mainly by the sturdy growth of services and agriculture sectors.

Services, underpinned by higher expansion in finance, insurance, real estate and business services sub-sectors, grew by 7.0 percent in the fourth quarter, agriculture rose by 6.5 percent, manufacturing moderated to 4.3 percent, construction rose 0.6 percent and mining 1.9 percent.

Bank Negara Malaysia, in a separate statement, said the Q4 expansion was more broad-based with all sectors of the economy now recording positive growth.

The central bank said it was underpinned by stronger consumer sentiment and sustained business confidence, with the private sector the main contributor to growth supported by the external and public sectors.

The department said positive growths which were recorded across all the five main sectors of the economy translated to an eight percent growth in nominal prices.

In terms of final expenditure, growth was mainly driven by higher gross fixed capital formation expenditure and private consumption, the department said.

Value added in the agriculture sector continued to increase further by 6.5 percent, supported by the robust performance of the oil palm and rubber production, which expanded by 10.3 percent and 7.5 percent respectively.

Other activities in the agriculture sector, which includes fishing, forestry, livestock and other agriculture, collectively grew by 3.7 percent against two percent a year ago.

Higher commodity prices of oil palm from a year ago propelled the agriculture sector to attain a growth of 15.3 percent in nominal prices in the fourth quarter of last year, the department said.

For the mining sector, it rebounded to a positive growth of 1.9 percent after a period of declining growth in the past four quarters, supported by higher output of crude oil and natural gas.

The manufacturing sector moderated to 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2006 due to a decline in demand for electrical and electronic products.

Bank Negara said the growth of the electronic and electrical (E&E) and the chemical industries moderated as external demand for laptops, computers and plastics moderated.

On the other hand, strong external demand for resource-based products supported the growth of the rubber, wood and petroleum industries, it said.

As for construction, it recorded a positive growth of 0.6 percent after 10 quarters of lacklustre performance.

The Statistics Department said exports, however grew at a slower rate of 4.1 percent compared to 10.5 percent last quarter, contributed by electrical and electronics products, palm oil and palm oil based products, crude petroleum, timber and timber based products and petroleum products.

At the same time, a similar trend could be seen in imports, which grew by 3.5 percent compared to 7.4 percent in the previous quarter, due largely on account of imports of intermediate goods.

On an annual basis, exports showed a growth of 6.3 percent while imports registered an increased of 7.2 percent in 2006, said the department.

Looking ahead, Bank Negara said prospects for Malaysia is expected to remain favourable this year.

While any moderation in the external economic conditions can affect the export sector, domestic demand, including both the private sector and public sector activity is expected to support the growth momentum of the Malaysian economy.

Sustained private consumption and continued expansion in investment activity are expected to provide solid support for the growth. This will be reinforced by the implementation of the Ninth Malaysia Plan projects which have already commenced in the fourth quarter of 2006, the central bank said.

– BERNAMA

A study to draw up a new roadmap for a fresh plan of action for the 35-year-old body will be conducted soon and it will be fully financed by the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The decision to carry out the study was made here today at the inaugural meeting of the new Board of Directors of IINA which was established at the seventh meeting of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers in Jeddah last September.

The IINA board members comprise nine news agencies — three each from the Middle East, Africa and Asia with Saudi Arabia as the secretariat. Asia is represented by Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey.

At today’s one-day meeting, Malaysia was represented by Datuk Zakaria Abdul Wahab, deputy editor-in-chief of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama). Zakaria also sat in as an observer for the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) whose presidency is held by Bernama.

Malaysia, Turkey and Senegal have been assigned by the meeting to draw up the terms of reference for the conduct of the study to be done by a private entity to be decided by the IDB later.

OIC Secretary-General Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, in his remark at the board meeting, said this might be “the last opportunity for the OIC to do something concrete and useful for IINA in light of the current international situation affecting Islamic countries and the Muslim peoples who could no longer tolerate that their official information and media apparatus and instrument of joint Islamic action can remain so crippled and ineffective”.

He said the new plan to revive IINA should be carved with a clear vision and inspired by a rational mindset, challenges and demands of this new millennium.

“That is, a vision focused on revitalising and remoulding IINA in the shape that the founding forefathers of the OIC had in mind, more than 30 years ago,” he added.

He said IINA should be in the vanguard of Islamic information and media as both the instrument and beacon that could rally Muslims, defend their vital causes and protect their higher interests on the international stage, and convey their views and perspective to those outside the Islamic world.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Culture and Information of Saudi Arabia, Iyad Amin Madani.

– BERNAMA

According to Bukit Aman police, the number of deaths recorded yesterday was the lowest since the operation was launched on Feb 11. Ops Sikap XII will end on Sunday.

Five of the fatalities were motorcyclists and pillion riders while the other two were a van driver and a pedestrian.

Four of the fatal accidents occurred on federal roads, two on municipal roads and another on a state road.

Until yesterday, a total of 12,510 accidents, including 158 fatal accidents, were reported. A total of 149,329 summonses were also issued to traffic offenders during the period.

– BERNAMA

Its ambassador to Malaysia Christopher J. LaFleur said there were very clear international guidelines for such a programme.

“Many other countries do it…Malaysia wants to do it…fine, we have no objection,” he said when asked by Bernama on an earlier comment he made during a question-and-answer session at an intellectual discourse, on Iran’s nuclear programme and whether Malaysia would face any objection if it did the same.

Earlier, LaFleur had delivered a speech at the “The US and Malaysia in 2007″ discourse organised by Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Faculty of Human Ecology in Serdang today.

LaFleur said that nuclear energy was quite important for countries which had no energy resources of their own.

“If Malaysia wants to develop that field, we don’t have a problem,” he added.

Asked whether the US would assist Malaysia if the country were to pursue such a programme, the ambassador said that his country had specific procedures for assistance or cooperation in the matter.

“I think if Malaysian research institutes want to cooperate on nuclear energy research, I am sure there will be American institutions that will be happy to work with them.”

To another question whether there was any plan for US President George W. Bush to visit Malaysia, he said there was none at the moment.

– BERNAMA

The KLCI went down as much as 52.68 points to 1,220.19 intraday, before closing 35.79 points down at 1,237.08. It opened 0.56 of a point higher at 1,273.43.

Declining stocks outweighed advancers by 1,123 to 42 on volume of 3.699 billion shares.

“The correction was expected after last Friday’s run-up but not the big losses seen today,” a dealer from one of the local brokerage said.

The biggest one-day loss was recorded on Jan 12, 1994 when the key index dropped by 68.09 percent to 1,134.31.

The dealer said that investors were overreacting on the sell down in China which spilled over into the regional bourses.

The Shanghai stock market suffered its biggest one day fall in 10 years with the Composite Index closing 268.81 points or 8.84 percent lower.

“From year-to-date, we are the third best regional performer after Shanghai and Vietnam Stock Exchange, that is why when China falls, we are badly hit,” the dealer said.

Meanwhile, another dealer said that there was forced selling by foreign funds in the market and lack of support as investors continued to be concerned about the performance of Wall Street which was weak following signs that the oil price was on the rise again.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down by 15.22 points to 12,632.26 as crude oil price climbed to US$61.59 per barrel.

The dealer said that the cautious market could also be attributed to the settlement period or T+3 after last week’s record high volume.

“Actually, it was the time for investors to settle their transaction as the market had recorded a high volume of 4.782 billion shares last Thursday,” said the dealer.

Moving forward, the dealer said that the market will continue to see profit taking correction amid weaknesses in overseas markets.

“The market is likely to consolidate due to lack of investors interest. Perhaps, the announcement of gross domestic data (GDP) later tomorrow will provide some support to the market,” the dealer said, adding that the current psychological support level will be at 1,180-1,200-points.

– BERNAMA

The British High Commission here said in a statement that during the visit, Sir Richard would call on Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and meet chief of Defence Forces Jen Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal.

He will also be accorded the honour to take the salute at the Malaysian Army Day parade on Thursday.

Sir Richard will also discuss arrangements for the British army veterans’ visit to Malaysia this year, particularly during the 50th Merdeka celebrations in August.

– BERNAMA

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will be installed as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong in a ceremony steeped in Malay royal customs and tradition at the Istana Negara on April 26.

A meeting of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Installation Committee, Tuesday decided to organise 11 events in conjunction with the installation ceremony, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said Tuesday.

Tuanku Mizan, 44, was elected by the Malay Rulers at the 208th meeting of the Conference of Rulers at the Istana Negara on Nov 3 last year to serve as the 13th Yang di-Pertuan Agong for five years from Dec 13 last year, succeeding Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail.

“Various programmes will be held in the two months up to the date of the installation, including a parade steeped in customs and tradition, a royal exhibition and the production of a documentary on the Malay Sultanate,” Rais told reporters after chairing the meeting of the committee at the Craft Complex, here.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Protocol Division of Istana Negara, the Prime Minister’s Department and relevant ministries.

Rais said posters proclaiming the installation and buntings would be put up in the federal capital and the federal territory of Labuan a week before the installation.

On the documentary on the Malay Sultanate, he said it would be produced with the collaboration of National Geographic and the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas).

Rais said the filming of the documentary was scheduled to begin next month and was expected to be completed several days after the installation, and the documentary would be shown around the world.

“Apart from depicting the uniqueness of the institution of the rulers, the documentary is aimed at, in conjunction with the country’s 50th anniversary of independence, drawing more tourists to the country in view of Visit Malaysia Year 2007,” he said.

– BERNAMA

The 19 year-old who arrived Tuesday sponsored by Carlton Holiday Hotel measures 243.8 cm tall and weighs 130 kg, and will draw the crowd to the three-star hotel which will be opened on March 1.

Haq Nawaz who hailed from Bhawal-Pur, a remote area near Multan, Pakistan started to grow taller at an unusual pace when he was 15, causing him to suffer spinal pain, liver and feet problems.

Carlton Holiday Hotel general manager, Mohamad Rafi Abdullah said, the hotel called him to assist him in obtaining funds for treatment and to help his family who became poor after his father died.

Haq Nawaz still has a mother, two younger brothers and two sisters who are normal.

He needs RM500,000 to go for treatment and for his family.

Mohamad Rafi said, the hotel welcomed any company which wished to assist the youth or to invite him for any function.

The company which was responsible for bringing Haq Nawaz, Tall Worldwide Resources Malaysia Director, Rizwan Shaikh said he had sent letters to Guinness World Book of Records and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not to obtain confirmation on the youth’s height.

– BERNAMA

World Aerospace Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Kamaruzzaman Shariff said that in addition to the usual display of aerospace and maritime technology, this year’s show would also feature light aircraft and local companies which handle aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

World Aerospace Sdn Bhd is the new organiser of the event, which is held biennially on Langkawi island, with this year’s being the ninth edition since it was introduced in 1991.

Kamaruzzaman said one of the challenges faced in this year’s Lima was the dwindling number of exhibitors due to mergers of major players in the defence aerospace industry.

“For example, if we had five or six different exhibitors before, we would now only have one as they have all merged into one group,” he told a news conference at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) headquarters, here Monday.

“Therefore, there’s a move to make Lima ’07 more affordable for smaller companies to exhibit, especially for those who handle MRO operation and technology for aircraft.”

He said this year’s airshow would also feature unique side attractions such as exhibitions on gadgets as well as on Malaysian batik, as the event would cap off the Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

Meanwhile, the company’s chief executive officer, Nonee Ashirin Mohamed Radzi, said the target for this year’s Lima was more than 300 exhibitors.

She said about 70 per cent of the floor space at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC) in Langkawi had so far been booked and sold.

The newly-renovated MIEC features a bigger space at 16,152 sq metres to accommodate new pavilions for unmanned aerial vehicles, MRO technology and space technology.

Although the event was once ranked the third best defence and aviation exhibition in the world and the sales platform for major arms and aircraft companies, the airshow is still a hit among the public. Nonee said in view of this, the company was mulling over possible collaboration with the Youth and Sports Ministry as well as the Higher Education Ministry in campaigns to expose the younger generation to the aerospace industry and inculcate their interest in it.

Meanwhile, Asli CEO Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh, who was present at the news conference, said Asli would also hold an “Aviation and Aerospace Conference” on Dec 3 and 4 during Lima ’07.

He said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Defence Minister, would be invited to open the conference and deliver a keynote address.

The conference, with sessions that discuss the future of the aviation industry, its market outlook and challenges of the military MRO business, will see the participation of industry players and speakers from Malaysia, Singapore, USA, UK and Australia, among others.

Set to be staged on Dec 4-8 at the MIEC, this year’s showcase will include more than 120 aircraft including jet fighters, helicopters and transport planes.

Besides the latest military and civilian aircraft, the newest attraction of this year’s Lima will be airport and airfield equipment.

To date, the list of participants in Lima ’07 includes SAAB from Sweden, Sukhoi (Russia), Thales (France) and MIG (Russia).

The crowd favourite in the airshow, the aerobatic Red Arrows from the USA, is also expected to make a grand return, according to World Aerospace.

– BERNAMA

“The applicants only need to bring their latest photos and their MyKads.

“They can obtain the passport between 40 minutes and two hours,” said Immigration Director-General Datuk Wahid Md Don, Monday.

The paperless application procedure would be implemented nationwide from the middle of this year, he told reporters after inspecting immigration counters at KL International Airport (KLIA) arrival hall in conjunction with the “Service With A Smile” campaign here.

Presently, the fast service was only available at the Langkawi and Melaka immigration offices, he said.

Wahid also said that the department was building a single platform containing personal details of foreigners who entered the country so that it would easier to identify whether they were tourists or workers.

The work on the single platform began in December last year and was expected to be completed by early next year, he added.

– BERNAMA