SIME DARBY'S INITIAL INVESTMENT IN LIBERIA OVER 2 YEARS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- World's largest palm oil production
company, Sime Darby Plantation Sdn Bhd's initial investment of RM70 million in
Liberia is over a two-year period, Sime Darby Bhd's president and group chief
executive, Ahmad Zubir Murshid, said Tuesday.

Sime Darby Plantation's unit Sime Darby Plantation Liberia Ltd has sealed a
63-year concession deal for about 220,000 hectares of land and will start work
initially on 10,000 hectares.

On news reports that the total investment in the concession will eventually
balloon to US$800 million, Ahmad Zubir said: "Depending on which angle you are
looking at, 63 years that will probably be the investment that will be
involved."

At a media briefing here, he said the company has calculated the risk factor
in the country.

The company, he added, has also been approached by other African countries
like Sudan and Congo for similar plantation activities.

-- BERNAMA