Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has two bases in Malaysia. One is the Kuala Lumpur Branch (KUL) and the other is Sinar Berlian Sdn. Bhd. (SNB), which is a joint venture with a local partner (MC has a 60% shareholding, and our partner 40%). The offices of KUL and SNB are both located on the 48th floor of the Petronas Twin Towers, which is a prominent landmark in Kuala Lumpur.
KUL's main areas of business include machinery, energy (including LNG and carbon) and living essentials. SNB's main areas of business are chemical products, energy (except LNG), metals (coal) and business development (mainly domestic business). The staff of KUL and SNB work closely together toward our common goal of expanding MC's business.
Most of our business departments have business relations with Petronas, Malaysia's national oil company. Petronas has become the axis of many alliances through which we are seeking to expand business in various sectors. MC has also collaborated with Petronas on business investment. We have joint ventures involved in LNG projects (in Bintulu) and in the production of aromatics. On top of that, MC was involved in establishing sales companies in Malaysia for Mitsubishi Motors and Isuzu respectively, in 2005 as part of efforts to strengthen our involvement in the automobile industry. KUL and SNB provide overall support to both of these ventures.
With three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects and a total production capacity of close to 23 million tons per annum, Bintulu is truly an "LNG town". MC is proud to be a partner with Petroliam Nasional Bhd. (Petronas), Malaysia's national oil company, and Shell in the area's first LNG plant, which was launched in 1983 under a joint venture company, Malaysia LNG Sdn. Bhd. (MLNG). Presently, MC has an interest in three projects in Bintulu in the state of Sarawak: 5% in MLNG, 15% in MLNG Dua (the 2nd project) and 5% in MLNG Tiga (the 3rd project).
In recent years, exploration and production (E&P) activities have intensified in Malaysia; at the same time, MC has identified the E&P sector as a core area for business development. The Energy Business Department in Kuala Lumpur has been actively seeking opportunities for investment in E&P activities off the coast of Sarawak in order to sustain and expand MC's participation in the LNG industry.
Night markets, affectionately known as pasar malam in the local language, are popular shopping venues for locals and tourists alike. They are excellent places for foreigners to observe and mingle with locals in a festive atmosphere.
Pasar malam are found in every state in Malaysia. Locals appreciate the convenience of being able to shop in their own residential areas. Typically, these markets operate at different locations each night of the week between 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM. They are usually held on vacant plots or alongside roads, approved by the authorities. So, if you come across a street with many vehicles parked alongside the road, with cars honking at pedestrians who are moving slowly along the street, you are probably approaching a pasar malam. From a distance, you can see rows of stalls and carts lined up, brightly lit by fluorescent and halogen lamps. A pasar malam can be as brief as 200 meters or can even stretch on for a mile. Locals enjoy strolling around after dinner, looking and shopping as they walk from one end to the other. You may also notice some locals shopping in their pajamas.
You can find all sorts of goods at a pasar malam: fresh produce and groceries; local delicacies; clothing; accessories, watches and bags; CDs and DVDs; household goods; and electronics—all at low prices. And you can even bargain for lower prices! For tourists, these markets are excellent places to sample exotic local tropical fruits, such as jackfruit, with its rubbery texture; mangosteen, with its white flesh encased in a purple peel; and of course the durian, "the King of Fruits", with its notorious smell and creamy texture.
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