Patrick Teoh, the managing director of RIPI, strives for the highest quality of produce. All of RIPI’s pineapples are grown in the company’s own nursery through agricultural sustainability practices, and the in-house laboratory facilitates quality control with no genetic modification. The entire RIPI product range consists of fresh pineapple, branded dehydrated pineapple and jackfruit, as well as banana, jackfruit and pineapple puree and pineapple juice.

Teoh is committed to carrying out inspiring corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs for communities near the plantation that are at the heart of the company’s operations.

With ongoing support from the Malaysian government, RIPI is having a positive impact on people’s lives. Teoh’s priority is to improve the lives of the local community by contributing to the educational, cultural, economic and social development needs of the people.

RIPI’s exceptional CSR activities include building houses, providing school bags and uniforms, managing mobile clinics and facilitating cultural exchange programs for business study courses in Taiwan and Indonesia.

As the company’s first overseas export destination, Japan remains an important market for RIPI. Having achieved success in Japan, with the country’s notoriously high quality-control standards, RIPI’s international reputation for delivering quality products has opened the doors to global markets in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

“We are seeing a rise in demand for our products and we intend to increase the size of our plantation to meet this demand,” said Teoh. “Our pineapples are planted and picked by hand with a 24-hour turnaround time from farm-to-market to ensure customers enjoy produce of the highest quality.”

“We are implementing our expansion plan to increase the size of our plantation to 17,000 acres and we intend to grow our market share in countries such as Japan, Korea, Turkey, China and the United Arab Emirates. We look forward to expanding into new global markets as we bring the delight of Rompin to the world.”

www.md2.com.my

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A rich history

Versatile and with a high smoke point, palm oil was once used as an alternative to tallow and lard, the animal-based traditional frying fats that were used in the production of soap, shampoo and other products. In line with consumers demanding more natural ingredients, palm oil production levels have increased gradually and spread to all parts of the world.

From 15.2 million metric tons in 1995 to 62.6 million metric tons in 2015, annual palm oil production has quadrupled. By 2050, production is expected to reach 240 million metric tons. “Our goal is to educate farmers and consumers on sustainable oil palm cultivation and palm oil usage,” said Kalyana Sundram, CEO of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

“Current sustainability efforts are targeting a variety of final consumer products. We track agricultural techniques and production output through customer products, raise awareness, and implement sustainable practices to support the industry.”

Companies have shifted to palm oil as a healthier oil alternative and today, approximately 60 percent of personal care products contain palm oil derivatives.

The food and consumer industries account for two-thirds of palm oil production, while onethird is used in biofuels and sustainable energy.

While Malaysia is successfully researching palm oil usage for biofuel solutions, innovative farming and plantation methods are expected to offset deforestation. Reduced costs and cultivation periods combined with optimum water usage and management, make palm oil a viable alternative to annual oil seed crops such as rapeseed, soy and sunflower.

The Malaysian palm oil industry is encouraging sustainable practices across the entire production process, from farmer to end users. To address concerns regarding deforestation, Malaysia’s Minister of Primary Industries, Teresa Kok, who is also in charge of the palm oil industry, has proposed not to add new plantations onto newly deforested areas. She advocates eventually capping the total cultivated area in Malaysia to ensure no further deforestation takes place. This should thwart any claims from various anti-palm oil sectors.

Malaysian palm oil products are certified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. As an Olympic partner, Malaysia is on track to deliver sustainably certified palm oil consistent with Japan’s high food safety standards.

With education and proper practices, there is much to be excited about in terms of the future of Malaysian palm oil production. Importantly, for those working in the Malaysian palm oil industry, education, income and living standards have dramatically improved. In a bold move, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad officially launched the Love MY Palm Oil campaign to educate the nation’s consumers about all things palm oil.

MPOC is addressing opponents of the industry and driving sustainable solutions, while simultaneously reducing the negative impacts of farming and delivering palm oil to the world.

www.mpoc.org.my
kalyana@mpoc.org.my
www.usda.gov

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The company is focused on enhancing the infrastructure of the country, such as modernizing airports, sea ports and transportation infrastructure, and is keen to work with strategic local partners in this area.

“We will continue to seek new local partners in addition to strengthening our existing strategic partnerships and remain committed to the Malaysian economy,” said Kojima. “Malaysia is a welcoming foreign direct investment destination and is experiencing strong economic growth in key sectors. With the revisit of the Look East Policy, we want to encourage Japanese companies to reassess the investment opportunities Malaysia has to offer and reinvest with a renewed sense of confidence in the country, the economy and the people.”

Being strategically located with easy access to the huge Asia-Pacific markets, including China, Malaysia is an ideal choice as a manufacturing and distribution center with the added appeal of being a modern Islamic country that has links to the global Islamic markets.

www.mitsui.com

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“We have successfully introduced our know-how, technology and the Japanese way of working to Malaysia,” concluded Yasuda. “Our contribution to the Malaysia-Japan partnership symbolizes the close relationship between our two countries and we intend to continue delivering superior-performance products to our customers at every turn.”

www.boonsiewhonda.com.my

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The company’s state-of-the- art 100,000-square meter manufacturing facility in Port Klang, Malaysia, has an annual capacity of over 1,500,000 square meters of formwork. The company utilizes the latest production processes including friction stir welding — an advanced, eco-friendly welding system used in the aerospace and automotive industries.

MFE’s team of over 2,500 dedicated employees work in diverse markets around the globe.

“Over the past nine years we have aggressively looked to reduce our dependency on one or two markets, such as India and Malaysia, which at one time accounted for over 90 percent of our business,” said Jim Robinson, MFE’s CEO.

“Today that dependency has been greatly reduced, as we have entered many new markets stretching across the globe from New Zealand to Latin America; to date, we have worked in over 53 countries. We have also focused on developing new products and services, including our recently launched Quick Deck slab formwork system, which has been well received within the industry.”

The MFE system allows high-rise buildings to be constructed at an impressive rate of four to five days per floor and landed properties to be constructed at a rate of one house per day. MFE structures are strong, accurate in dimensions and guarantee high-quality finished concrete surfaces.

One-hundred percent recyclable, the MFE system can be used several hundreds of times on multiple projects. The average weight is only 23 to 25 kg per square meter, so no heavy lifting or cranes are required.

MFE formwork is able to withstand high concrete pressures. Training and coaching by MFE supervisors enable MFE formwork to be assembled with unskilled labor, thus reducing costs. With a highly experienced in-house 3D design software solutions team, MFE is able to design formwork solutions for a range of buildings and applications.

From developing impressive towers to helping communities build low-cost, quality housing, MFE intends to continue to play an innovation-driven role in the global construction industry. In addition to strengthening its presence in Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam, MFE is well-positioned to work with Japanese clients.

“I believe our company values of trust, honesty and loyalty to our clients speak volumes about our business success,” said Robinson. “Our first client in Malaysia some 28 years ago is still our client, and our first client in India, some 17 years ago, is still our client. Over the years we have worked with many Japanese contractors outside Japan, such as Shimizu, whom we have worked with for over 12 years in three different countries. Repeat business from blue-chip companies is a sign of our commitment to provide formwork solutions that best suit the concrete structure and best suit client requirements. Our company slogan is self-explanatory and defines what we want the Japanese construction industry to realize about MFE — ‘No one does it better.’”

www.mfeformwork.com

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Mitsubishi KL is active in a range of key sectors within the Malaysian economy. Areas of business include construction and infrastructure, investment, automotive, manufacturing and retail. Evoking the sense of the Malaysian people’s can-do attitude, Mitsubishi KL is well positioned to play an important role in Malaysia’s efforts to become a developed nation.

Sitting on the board of several leading companies, Ichikawa recognizes the strengths of Malaysia’s dynamic and diverse economy. By taking time to speak with people from all walks of life, Ichikawa has developed a holistic outlook toward people’s needs and the steps needed to improve the lives of those living in communities across the country.

MC Biotech and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) are two examples of Mitsubishi KL’s commitment to delivering sustainable projects while contributing to the country and the region through corporate social responsibility initiatives.

MC Biotech in Brunei is cultivating astaxanthin-producing microalgae, which can potentially help economies diversify beyond oil and gas. With the government of Brunei’s efforts to preserve natural land, the country’s clean air quality and water make it an ideal location to encourage the growth of microalgae, and MC Biotech is driving biotechnology developments while encouraging the use of biofuels.

Since 2012, SBC has been exploring algae biodiversity in Sarawak, Malaysia. In addition to being a viable alternative biofuel energy source, applications include aquaculture and nutraceuticals. Mitsubishi KL is building a 1,000-square meter outdoor photobioreactor to support this important project.

“In Malaysia, I enjoy talking to people and learning of their dreams for the future of their country,” said Ichikawa. “We want to continue to support Malaysia and appreciate the fact that the people love their country. Mitsubishi KL is here to move forward together with Malaysia.”

Mitsubishi KL also works closely with national oil and gas company Petronas to ensure a steady supply of liquefied natural gas to Japan. The company is committed to educating and assisting local communities living near the company’s natural gas facility in Sarawak.

“Our hope is that we can play a role in the transfer of skills and knowledge between Malaysia and Japan,” said Ichikawa.

“Education and environmental protection are at the heart of our business in Malaysia. As we conduct our business, we take a deep interest in the local communities who live in the areas in which we work. We look forward to continuing our journey hand in hand with the Malaysian people and our business partners with whom we have developed strong and long-lasting ties.”

www.mitsubishicorp.com

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