14/3/07 (NSTP)  -  MALAYSIA, which already has sizeable oil palm plantations in neighbouring Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, now plans to expand to southern Thailand under a government-to-government initiative.

Golden Hope Plantations Bhd group chief executive Datuk Sabri Ahmad said the Government is examining the feasibility of the venture.

"Golden Hope has built comfortable quarters for its staff in Carey Island and we hope to replicate that in southern Thailand," Sabri said in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, while presenting a paper entitled "Sustainability Key to Palm Oil Growth and Price Outlook".

He delivered the paper at the annual 2007 Palm and Lauric Oils Conference and Exhibition opened by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui.

Sabri declined to say whether the initiative will be spearheaded by Golden Hope, although the company is part of the Government-owned Synergy Drive Sdn Bhd tasked to accelerate development in the northern corridor of Peninsular Malaysia.

Synergy Drive also includes Sime Darby Bhd and Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd. - By Zaidi Isham Ismail