Wednesday, October 24, 2001 (The Star) - OLEOCHEMICALS manufacturerSouthern Acids (M) Bhd, which expects a decline in profit from itsmainstay business this year, is confident of turning around its healthcaredivision in the current year ending April 2002.According to its chairman Datuk Low Mong Hua, the loss-making healthcaredivision has shown favourable results in the 1st quarter of this year,earning about RM500,000.“We expect the division to get back into the black this year,’’ Low toldreporters after the company AGM in Klang yesterday.Low said, however, that the profit from the healthcare division this yearwould be marginal. The division suffered a loss of RM3.53mil last year.Southern Acids started the healthcare division with the setting up of SriKota Medical Centre (SKMC) in Klang in 1999.The medical centre, which recently recorded full occupancy, had started aneye laser centre on its premises under Centre for Sight Sdn Bhd six monthsago.On the group’s forecast of a decline in demand for oleochemical productsthis year against a sterling performance last year, Low said that theprojection was based on the general slowdown of the US economy.“Maybe it’s a little too early to make any forecast, we don’t know whatwill happen in the US next,’’ he said.The oleochemical division ac-hieved a pre-tax profit of RM-50.49mil in theyear ended April 30, 2001.On the progress of the group’s memorandum of understanding withIndonesia-based PT Pekebun Nusantara XIII, Low said that Southern Acidswas still finalising the terms and conditions for the proposed jointventure to build and manage a palm oil refinery.“We don’t expect the project to take off this year,’’ he said.On when the group would launch its Bandar Sawit township project, Low saidthe group had yet to overcome certain technical problems with theauthorities and the company was also not eager to embark on the project inthe immediate term due to the sluggish property market.He said the group planned to wait for the right time before launching the644.37-acre project located near Bukit Kemuning in Shah Alam.