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MALAYSIA RAM Ratings has reaffirmed the AAA long-term rating of Tenaga Nasional Berhad's ("TNB" or "the Group") USD500 million equivalent Murabahah Medium-Term Notes Programme (2005/2025); the long-term rating has a stable outlook.

NOW under the control of Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N) continued to post a steady pretax profit of RM66 million for the second quarter ended March 31, 2013 — up 13.7% from RM58 million in the previous corresponding period.

Revenue for the second quarter rose 20.8% to RM882 million from RM730 million previously, F&N said in its Bursa filing yesterday.

IN a pleasant surprise, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) has made its maiden entry into the Bloomberg Markets’ third annual ranking of the world’s strongest banks.

President and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar (pic) attributed its No 13 rank to tough supervision by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and new stress testing and risk-control measures inside the bank.

“The central bank has always adopted a very pragmatic supervision approach,” said Abdul Wahid. “Whenever there are signs of problems, BNM has never been hesitant to intervene.”

TO create a game-changing master plan for Bandar Malaysia, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) has appointed the global team of Broadway Malyan, supported by design and engineering teams from Arup and Sinclair Knight Merz, to partner local planner Arah Rancang Malaysia.

“The winning team was selected from a total of six finalists based on their concept proposals which capture the essence of 1MDB’s vision and commitment for a mixed-use development that will help transform Kuala Lumpur into one of the world’s best global cities,” 1MDB said in a statement yesterday.

ANOTHER RM5.06 billion worth of investments has been committed to Iskandar Malaysia in the first quarter of this year, bringing the total since 2006 to RM111.37 billion as at March 31.

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) chief executive Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said in a statement yesterday of the total cumulative committed investments, RM44.82 billion or 40.2% represents investments that have been realised.

THE current managing director of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, Soren Ravn, 39 — who now oversees the Malaysia and Singapore operations — has been appointed as Carlsberg Greater China chief executive officer from July 1.

HEALTHY growth in customer deposits and loans powered the pretax profit for Public Bank Bhd to RM1.27 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2013 — up 3.1% from RM1.23 billion in the previous corresponding quarter. Revenue rose to RM3.67 billion from RM3.37 billion before.

In a statement yesterday, founder and chairman Tan Sri Teh Hong Piow said: “The loan growth was largely funded by customer deposits, which recorded a steady growth of 12.9% on an annualised basis.”

UEM Land Holdings Bhd is selling 12.5 acres of land in Puteri Harbour to Southern Marina Development Sdn Bhd, a 70:30 joint venture between the Kuok Brothers Group and Khazanah Nasional Bhd for RM182 million cash.

The proposed development by Southern Marina will comprise a mix of high-rise residential and retail/commercial units, taking advantage of its prominent waterfront location with views of the marina and Straits of Johor.

PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd has received the approval from the Securities Commission of Malaysia to establish its inaugural RM2 billion Islamic commercial papers and Islamic medium term notes (sukuk) programme, established under the Islamic principle of murabahah.

The sukuk programme is unsecured and proceeds from the issuance will be used to finance Petronas Dagangan’s capital expenditure, working capital and/or general corporate purposes which are syariah-compliant, it said in a statement.