Stay abreast with the latest happenings in Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad.

Ambitious for the Future - Smart E-Cushion heralded in America

Ambitious for the Future – Smart E-Cushion heralded in America

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Kuching (Sarawak), Tuesday, 11 April 2017 – The story of amazing achievement and success continues for Joseph Chung, a Form 3 student at Tunku Putra School (TPS), who received further accolades for his Smart E-Cushion with an invitation for a poster presentation to the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) Biennial Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

In essence, the NPUAP conference invited participants to implement the revised staging system and research-based strategies to optimise healing. Through educational offerings, it is dedicated to provide the most current information about pressure injury education, research and public policy. It stimulates new questions, creates ideas for research and provides “real world” ideas for clinical application.

Moved by the Christopher Reeve (the Superman actor) case, Joseph felt motivated to find a solution for pressure injury prevention and treatment. Driven by the desire to prevent both occurrence and complications associated with pressure injury, he developed a “Smart E-Cushion.” Once inflated and placed as a support surface, the device deflates and inflates, using a pressure sensor, as the patient shifts to reposition. Equipped with an alarm to alert the care giver when the patient has been in the same position for a prolonged period of time – and based on the individual needs of the patient – the Smart E-Cushion can be programmed to inflate and deflate at certain intervals. The device also has Bluetooth technology to send information to a smartphone, tablet or computer.

The Smart E-Cushion was put together using recycled parts and with the support of Arduino – an open source computer hardware and software company, project and user community that designs and manufactures microcontroller kits for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control objects in the physical world.

Commenting on his first time attending such a professional and scientific event, Joseph described it as, “an eye-opening experience, and I’m honoured to have my innovation and ideas commended by many of the attendees.”

In recognition of Joseph’s achievement, he was awarded an ‘Honourable Mention’ for the poster presentation during the conference and an invitation to attend the next NPUAP conference in 2019.

“Joseph is passionate about everything he does, a model student and an inspiration to his peers. Creative, innovative and meticulous in his research and investigations, I am confident that we will soon be reading about further ground-breaking developments led by him” commented the Principal of TPS, Susan Holmes.

“All members of the TPS Community wish Joseph well as he continues with his scientific research and enquiry and prepares for future events in 2017,” she added.

 

Previous Successes:

A member of the winning team at the Sime Darby Young Innovators’ Challenge, with his team’s winning proposal to create an app that connects supermarkets with extra food to NGOs and charity organisations.

Joseph and his TK2 team mates were announced as second runners-up in the Grand Finale of the Young Innovate 2016 State-level competition organised by Swinburne University for the Smart E-Cushion that helps to prevent pressure ulcers from occurring, regulating the pressure evenly by inflating and deflating.

The same team was also the first runner-up in the grand final of the National level Young Innovate Malaysia, held at the Malaysia International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, from 4th to 6th November 2016.

At the Kuala Lumpur Engineering Sciences Fair 2016 challenge that followed, Joseph impressed the five judges with his individual presentation about the Smart E-Cushion for which he won a gold medal certificate.

Visit www.tps.edu.my for further information.

20170406_JKR_Sarawak_and_CMS_Roads_target_new_heights_for_State_Road_Assets_Management_&_Maintenance

JKR Sarawak and CMS Roads target new heights for State Road Assets Management & Maintenance

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Kuching (Sarawak), Thursday, 6 April 2017 – Jabatan Kerja Raya Sarawak (JKR Sarawak) and CMS Roads Sdn Bhd’s co-organised seminar and workshop titled ‘Management & Maintenance of Road Assets using Performance-based Contract’ (with the tagline ‘Building on the Past for Sarawak’s Future’) is underway at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, marking an important milestone towards achieving the highest performance standard for the management and maintenance of State roads. The seminar and workshop offer an open and collaborative platform to share, discuss and determine firm strategies to enhance the State’s road assets management and maintenance approach. This is very timely with the rapid-changing needs of a rapidly developing State.

With the latest global approaches to road assets management and maintenance being considered in the local context, the seminar and workshop have been organised in collaboration with The International Roads Federation, with the event officiated by YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. James Jemut anak Masing, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation, comprising presentations and roundtable discussions with some of the State’s and international community’s most distinguished and influential industry experts in road assets management and maintenance.

CMS Roads holds the only performance-based long-term road maintenance contract in Malaysia and this format is now attracting interest as an example to be migrated to for other Malaysian road concession renewals or even for government agencies who have not yet opted for maintenance to be privatised, placing greater weight on the seminar and workshop as a focus for national and even international attention.

Speaking about the contract to date, Dato Richard Curtis added: “CMS Roads has exceeded its contractual performance at every level, every year, as reflected in the Road Maintenance Index (RMI) and Contractual Assessment Rating, and we have introduced specialised equipment, such as road scanners, and an innovative maintenance management system, the CMS Road Engineering Asset Management System -CREAM- to ensure the expectations of all our stakeholders are not only met, but surpassed. Notwithstanding all this, CMS Roads acknowledges there is always room for improvement and is collaborating with JKR Sarawak to incorporate revised and improved standards and work scopes so as to ensure, going forward, that Sarawak has better roads for a better Sarawak.”

Ir. Haji Zuraimi bin Haji Sabki, the Director of Public Works Department added: “This seminar and workshop is indicative of JKR Sarawak’s continued commitment to deliver the very best in public services in terms of road assets management and maintenance. JKR has always been open in developing crucial and on-going relationships with industry leaders and research institutions to develop and maintain the State’s infrastructure in line with the rapidly changing needs of the State.”

Watch here.

Miri-Marudi Road Upgrading: Gaining Ground & Still Ahead Of Schedule

Miri-Marudi Road Upgrading: Gaining Ground & Still Ahead Of Schedule

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Kuching (Sarawak), Thursday, 9 March 2017 – CMS Roads Sdn Bhd today confirmed that construction of the road connecting Miri to Marudi is progressing ahead of schedule and is anticipated for completion before the end of the 30-month timeline assigned by the State.

In October 2016, local communities and road users appealed to the State to commence construction of the project ahead of the contracted start-date, due in part to the hazardous conditions of the existing road. Understanding their concerns, which had been aggravated by adverse weather conditions, CMS Roads mobilised resources and commenced work on the 43.2km Miri to Marudi road on 13 November 2016. As part of the company’s commitment to development and the safety and convenience of road users, CMS Roads pledged to release quarterly status updates.

Speaking about the first quarterly update for the project, Director of CMS Roads Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Richard Curtis said: “We are pleased to report that – notwithstanding the many challenges we have faced – the project is well ahead of schedule. These challenges included the rainy season, outstanding crop compensation and land acquisition issues precluding work and the need to limit our works to allow traffic to pass. We know that road users are still suffering but we are making a special effort to improve usability by tackling the most critical sections that we can first, and, more importantly, by planning to pulverise untouched sections and maintain them as gravel roads pending their actual upgrade over the next 24 months or less. This will improve road access for both regular users and for those coming up for this August’s Baram Regatta.”

Status updates for the project are:

  • Total distance 0.0km to 43.2km
  • 0.0km to 2.1km – Road-base completed and premix completed
  • 2.1km to 4.4km – Road-base complete with premix by the end of March
  • 15.925km to 16.5km – 5% of site clearing and earthworks completed
  • 24.3km to 25.4km – 70% of site clearing and earthworks completed
  • 30.1km to 30.650km – 80% of site clearing and earthworks completed

CMS Roads’ next planned update on the Miri to Marudi road is scheduled for late June 2017.

Financials_Integrated Cement Plant Aerial

CMS Cement has no plans to raise cement prices

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Kuching (Sarawak), Monday, 27 February 2017 – CMS Cement Sdn Bhd today moved to instil confidence in the property development and infrastructure market in the State by refuting market rumours of a cement price hike.

Speaking about the rumours of a nationwide cement price hike, Dato’ Richard Curtis, Group Managing Director, Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad, parent company of CMS Cement, said: “Whenever there is pressure on the financial markets, rumours of price hikes in all materials surface. I am happy to record that CMS Cement has absolutely no plans to increase prices. Due to CMS Cement’s foresight, forward planning and management, we were more than ready to deal with these challenging times, without passing the increased cost of doing business down to our customers.”

“Over the last year, CMS Cement has worked tirelessly to increase our clinker production facility’s efficiency and we have pre-emptively negotiated new more favourable rates for raw materials. These advanced planning steps, combined with our new integrated cement and grinding facility coming online in Mambong, means that despite increased costs, of doing business, we can effectively continue to support the growth and development in Sarawak by NOT having to increase our prices. Our third plant in Mambong increases CMS Cement’s total annual rated cement production capacity by almost 60% to 2.75 million MT, well above current local demand of around 1.7 million MT, enabling us to meet growing cement demand in Sarawak, including for big projects such as the Baleh Dam and the Pan Borneo Highway.”

“This positive planning by CMS Cement to ensure a reliable supply of quality cement is indicative of the company’s sound business practices, and is yet another example of the company’s unwavering commitment to Sarawak and its sustained economic growth.”

Financials_Integrated Cement Plant_media

CMSB reports stable earning with pre-tax profit of RM320 million

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Kuching (Sarawak), Friday, 24 February 2017 – Cahya Mata Sarawak Berhad (CMSB – 2852), the State’s leading infrastructure facilitator, is pleased to announce its financial performance for the financial year ended 31 December 2016 (FY2016). The Group reported a total revenue of RM1.55 billion and pre-tax profit (PBT) of RM302.14 million for FY2016. Revenue and PBT decreased by 13% and 22% in comparison to the preceding year’s (FY2015) record result of RM1.79 billion and RM388.60 million.

The Group, however, recorded a strong recovery in profits during the second half of 2016 (2H2016) with PBT of RM236.47 million in comparison to the first half of 2016’s (1H2016) PBT of RM65.67 million. The Group’s PBT for the fourth quarter ended 31 December 2016 (4Q16) of RM141.73 million improved by 50% in comparison to the third quarter ended 30 September 2016’s (3Q16) PBT of RM94.74 million and 16% in comparison to the fourth quarter ended 31 December 2015’s (4Q15) PBT of RM122.32 million.

Despite challenging market conditions, the Group’s Cement Division recorded a PBT of RM105.00 million for its contribution towards the results for FY2016 which is 2% higher than FY2015’s PBT of RM103.17 million. The Construction Materials & Trading Division reported a PBT of RM106.75 million for FY2016, comparable with FY2015’s PBT of RM107.99 million despite lower revenues, due to improved margins partly from lower costs of bitumen and diesel. The Construction & Road Maintenance Division recorded a PBT of RM85.40 million (excluding the share of results of joint ventures), a decline in comparison to FY2015’s profit of RM133.33 million by 36%. This was due to less construction works undertaken and due to the reinstatement of arrears of revenue from routine maintenance work during 2015 resulting in exceptionally solid financial results for the year. The Property Development Division’s PBT improved to RM23.51 million during FY2016 from a PBT of RM19.85 million in FY2015, representing an 18% increase.

The Group also recorded losses of RM35.17 million in FY2016 from the share of results of its associates. This is largely due to the losses reported by the Group’s 25% associate, OM Materials (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd during the first half of this year. The results have since improved as CMSB recorded a profit of RM13.73 million from the share of results of its associates during the second half of 2016 (2H2016). This performance level, going forward, is expected to steadily improve.

Commenting on the results, Dato’ Richard Curtis, Group Managing Director of CMSB, said: “The previous year (2016) was a challenging period for us in terms of Group performance meeting targets as we had faced challenging market and operational conditions. These macro factors included low commodity selling prices, higher costs of raw materials in the Cement Division resulting from the strong U.S. dollar, and generally the sluggish private and public sector demand attributable to bank lending restraints and the lack of any new big projects. Our Group’s core businesses, however, remained resilient during this period and continued to report stable earnings.

We continue to remain optimistic that CMSB will generate stable financial performances in the medium term, as this is evidenced by the strong recovery in profits during the second half of 2016 (2H2016). We expect this upturn to be sustained with performance levels rising further in 2017 and 2018 when it is expected that the market sectors CMSB are involved in are likely to see demand growth and price improvements. At a macro level we remain positive on a steady albeit modest recovery in oil and commodity prices to levels that enable CMSB’s businesses to grow positively. Within Sarawak, the continued focus towards a development oriented State budget bodes well for our core businesses.”

“Our confidence in our prospects is supported by our healthy balance sheet, our experienced management team and our focused portfolio of core business Divisions which are well positioned to benefit from the State’s ever growing infrastructure needs including the RM27.0 billion Pan Borneo Highway project, which is now kicking off. Looking further to the future, CMSB’s potential high growth investments in SACOFA Sdn Bhd, Malaysian Phosphate Additives (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd and OM (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd are confidently expected to materially transform our longer-term profits growth.

“We believe that CMSB continues to be one of the best proxy listed investments for Sarawak’s economic growth. This is consistent with the State’s promotion of energy intensive industries under the Sarawak Corridor for Renewable Energy (SCORE) initiative, its rural transformation plans and the infrastructure and related services that will therefore be required across the State. These few drivers, which reflect CMSB’s business focuses, are set to propel the State’s economy and CMSB to new heights in the medium and long term”, said Dato’ Curtis.

CMSB’s dividend policy provides for a net payout ratio of 40% of its annual consolidated profit after tax and non-controlling interests (PATNCI) to shareholders subject to a minimum of 2 sen per share. For FY2016, the Board is proposing a first and final tax exempt (single-tier) dividend of 6.30 sen per share subject to shareholders’ approval at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. This represents a payout ratio of 40.01% and amounts to a dividend payable of RM67.69 million (FY2015:RM48.35 million).