PRESS DIGEST - Malaysia - Dec 2

Following are the main stories in Malaysian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE STAR (www.thestar.com.my)

-- No politician will be awarded a Datukship in conjunction with the Sultan of Selangor's birthday on Dec. 11.

-- With six new projects coming onstream in the Klang Valley next year, the retail property market is expected to see a consolidation in occupancy and rental rates in the next few months, retail property consultants said.

NEW STRAITS TIMES (www.nst.com.my)

-- Pump petrol prices will be further lowered before Hari Raya Aidil-Adha next week, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Shahrir Abdul Samad said.

-- Maintaining economic growth is the responsibility of all, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

BUSINESS TIMES (www.btimes.com.my)

-- MK Land Holdings Bhd (MKLH.KL), a property developer, aims to sell non-core assets worth up to 400 million ringgit to fund new projects that will be launched from next year, its Chief Executive Officer, Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar said.

-- At least eight companies on the Malaysian stock exchange will be bought out by their major shareholders next year, according to three investment banks working on the deals.

THE EDGE FINANCIAL DAILY (www.theedgedaily.com)

-- Despite falling oil prices, national oil company Petronas Nasional Bhd (Petronas) PETR.UL continued to chalk up an impressive growth in net profit on the back of higher average prices of the commodity.

-- KNM Group Bhd (KNMP.KL) has terminated plans to buy Belgium-based Ellimetal NV for 20 million euro (91.7 million ringgit) after the vendor was unable to fulfil one of the conditions in the master agreement signed in January this year, a company official said.

THE MALAYSIAN RESERVE (www.themalaysianreserve.com)

-- Time dotCom Bhd (TdC) (TCOM.KL), which sold of its prized third generation (3G) licence to DiGi.com Bhd (DSOM.KL) earlier this year, is on another selling spree, its Chief Executive Officer Afzal Abdul Rahim said.

THE SUN (www.sun2surf.com)

-- Idris Jala, managing director and chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) (MASM.KL), has been named Orient Aviation Person 2008 for being the driving force-behind the national carrier's amazing comeback.

-- National carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd (PROT.KL) is exploring the possibility of undertaking CKD (completely-knocked down) operations in Egypt, its Managing Director, Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said.

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