Malaysia Hot Stocks - Factors to watch

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Here are news stories that may affect the Malaysian stock market on Thursday:

MALAYSIA TO KEEP FUEL PRICES UNCHANGED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE

- Malaysia will continue to subsidise fuel prices as long as it can sustain it, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. "When we feel it is time to consider a price increase, then we will. If we can continue to maintain the price, we certainly will," The Star news paper quoted Abdullah as saying.

MUHIBBAH ENGINEERING GETS SYRIAN AIRPORT CONTRACT

- Malaysian builder Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd (MUHI.KL) has won a 196 million ringgit ($59.30 million) contract to upgrade a passenger terminal at Syria's Damascus international airport, the company said on Wednesday.

GAMUDA GETS INVESTMENT CERTIFICATE FOR VIETNAM PROJECT

- Malaysian builder Gamuda (GAMU.KL) said on Wednesday its Vietnam unit has been granted an investment certificate to develop the Yen So Park project in Hanoi.

The project involves the construction of a 1.5 billion ringgit sewerage treatment plant, the biggest in Vietnam catering to 50 percent of Hanoi's sewerage needs, and Vietnam's largest public park, to be completed by 2010, Gamuda said.

MALAYSIAN PALM OIL CLIMBS ON RISING DEMAND, CRUDE

- Malaysian crude palm oil futures began trading in the new year on a strong note, rising as much as 1.5 percent, as resilient demand and firm crude oil prices boosted the market.

For full story, please double click on [ID:nKLR19983] (Reporting by Liau Y-Sing and Naveen Thukral)