30/1/06 JAKARTA, (Bernama) -- Johor Corporation (JCorp) that has invested over RM300 million in Indonesia is eyeing opportunities to expand and increase its investment in the republic especially in the oil palm plantation, medical and health, and carpark management sectors.

The company had already established a strong foothold in the three sectors here, said JCorp Chief Executive Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim to reporters after presenting a lecture at the 2006 Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Conference, here, Monday.

He said JCorp would not wait until Indonesia achieves rapid development before looking for investment opportunities including in other sectors.

"Our principle is to begin cooperating and channelling aid wherever we can since our partners are still small and in need of assistance and by this way we can grow together in a strong collaborative bond," he said.

Presently, JCorp has 24,874 hectares of oil palm plantations through its subsidiary Kulim (Malaysia) Bhd in Indonesia. It set up its first palm oil plant in Lahat, Sumatra, in 2004.

The company which now operates 13 specialist hospitals in Malaysia through KPJ Healthcare Bhd also has two hospitals in Jakarta and one in Padang, Sumatra.

"Yesterday, we received an offer to jointly manage a hospital in Yogyakarta," Muhammad Ali said.

Through Metro Parking (M) Sdn Bhd, JCorp also operates five carparks in Jakarta with nearly 1,000 parking bays.

Muhammad Ali, also the Malaysian Islamic Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Bureau chairman, is accompanied by 15 Malaysian businessmen in his visit here and will meet his counterparts from Indonesian Muslim Entrepreneurs Network that organised the conference.

-- BERNAMA