COMPANY LAUNCHES CENTRE FOR MANGROVE RESEARCH

BANTING (Malaysia), Feb 17 (Bernama) -- Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd, a
major company in Malaysia, on Tuesday launched its Mangrove Research Centre
(MRC), the first in Malaysia and a platform for research on the mangrove
ecosystem and coastal zone management.

Its managing director Azhar Abdul Hamid said the MRC was one of the results
of the collaboration on biodiversity of flora and fauna between Sime Darby
Research Centre and local Universiti Malaya's Institute of Biological Sciences
and Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences.

The collaboration which started in 2003 with five environmental projects
concerning the flora and fauna of Carey Island was renewed in August last year
with funding of over RM500,000 (US$137,280) from Sime Darby Plantation.

"It is part of our corporate social responsibility and efforts to keep our
environment sustainable. While we remain concerned with yields and profits, we
are equally concerned about the environment and the impact of our business has
on its environment," Azhar told reporters after launching the centre on Carey
Island here.

He said under the collaboration, six new projects will be carried out, with
four of them relating to mangrove and coastal management that have been
identified by Universiti Malaya researchers and scientists until 2010.

Realising the importance of mangrove ecosystem to human and environment,
Sime Darby Plantation also launched the Mangrove Brigade to expose the members
to various life forms that exist within a mangrove forest.

The brigade members comprise students of primary and secondary schools in
Carey Island.

They actively observe and document life forms in the mangrove forests of
Carey Island with the help of Universiti Malaya undergraduates.

They will also learn about the role of mangrove forests in the eco-system,
benefits of the forest, and ways and means to conserve and manage the
eco-system.

When asked about crude palm oil (CPO) prices, Azhar said the company would
still achieve better yield and profit but a bit less.

"If the price stays at RM1,800 and RM2,000 per tonne level, we are happy. As
far we are concerned, we do not see things that we cannot control. What we can
control is our cost, production and efficiency, and how effective we are in the
plantation field," he said.

CPO, he added, is a commodity that will depend on supply and demand.
(US$1=RM3.64)
-- BERNAMA