HOPETECH LOOKS FORWARD TO HIGHER REVENUE FROM INT'L BUSINESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysian company Hopetech Sdn Bhd hopes to
increase revenue by 10 to 15 per cent from its international business starting
2012.

The company hopes to achieve the increase if the project to offer robust
integrated solutions for automated electronic toll collection (ETC) and central
toll clearing house (CTCH) in collaboration with Punj Lloyd Group Ltd, India,
kicks-off next year.

Currently, Hopetech's international and domestic business account for 65 per
cent and 35 per cent, respectively.

Hopetech is a leading provider of integrated solutions in automated revenue
collection and Punj Lloyd, a diversified global engineering, procurement and
construction conglomerate.

Both companies today inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to offer
cost-effective and robust integrated solutions in India.

ETC is a technology that allows electronic payment of highway tolls through
vehicle-to-roadside communication technologies while CTCH is to develop and
operate a pre-paid account that will provide seamless integration of payment at
all electronic toll booths.

Hopetech's chief executive officer Zainulhanif Zulkifli said Punj Lloyd and
Hopetech will be submitting the proposal to the Indian government in the first
quarter of early next year.

"The Indian government wants to establish a unified ETC and CTCH system in
tandem with the rapid highway development, with its infrastructure spending
estimated at US$1.7 trillion spread over a decade.

"We hope to seize the opportunities offered in India. Punj Lloyd is
confident of securing the bid for an unified system. We expect to roll out by May
2012, subject to approval," he said.

Asked on the value of this project, Zainulhanif said Punj Lloyd was eyeing the
New Delhi to Mumbai corridor development project as a test-bed.

"On the average, one ETC toll lane will cost about RM150,000 to RM200,000 and
this is excluding the backlane clearing and the RFID sticker.

"For every 70km, there will be one toll plaza. From New Delhi to Mumbai is about
2,000km, so you can imagine the value here," he said. (US$1=RM3.15)

Zainulhanif said after getting the approval from the Indian government, both
companies will form a working team to study the best system before rolling out
by May 2012.

Meanwhile, Punj Lloyd president and chief executive officer (Infrastructure)
S.S. Raju said Hopetech's expertise in providing a wide spectrum of automated
toll revenue collection systems and road telematics will complement the
company's capabilities to execute toll road projects and will open new
opportunities for the group.

He said the use of ETC system will play a key role in successful
implementation of the Indian government's decision for use of RFID cards in all
vehicles.

Hopetech made its foray into the promising Indian market when it completed
installation of the toll collection system for Swarna NH5 and NH9 expressways.
-- BERNAMA