DUBAI, June 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's MTrans Holdings and an unnamedbusiness group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are discussing a jointventure to set up a manufacturing facility for monorail and public busesin the UAE.

The project was among a number of business proposals discussed between aMalaysian business delegation and UAE companies.

"We have held serious talks with a big group in Abu Dhabi to startmanufacturing facilities for monorail and buses," said Federal LandConsolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Felcra) chairman Datuk HamzahZainuddin, who is leading the Malaysian delegation.

The 10-member group included MTrans executive director Patrick Wong.

Felcra, a government-owned company involved in plantation and otheragriculture-related businesses, also received a proposal from the AbuDhabi group to develop 40,000 sq km of land in Sudan for agriculturalpurposes.

"An offer has been made to us to develop the land for agriculture," Hamzahsaid, adding that Felcra has been approached to look into the possibilityof entering the fishing sector in the UAE.

Felcra is also planning to set up a factory in the UAE for palm oildownstream activities.

The talks in this regard involve three companies based in Dubai, Sharjahand Abu Dhabi.

"We are discussing with potential UAE partners whether to use theirexisting facilities for making palm oil products or set up a newfacility," the Felcra chief said.

No details of the scale of possible investment by Malaysian companies inprospective ventures were available.

According to Malaysia's ambassador to the UAE, Datuk Syed Hussein AlHabshee, "further talks would take place between the Malaysian companiesand concerned UAE groups" before details can be made public.

The Malaysian group's talks in the UAE also included joint ventures forconstruction projects and making office furniture.

-- BERNAMA