Joinland Group Creating Wealth For Papua New Guinea

December 07, 2020 - 10:30
Joinland Group Creating Wealth For Papua New Guinea

Joinland’s Central New Hanover Project Generates Over 100 Million Ringgit In Revenue For Local Landowners & Government Since 2012

 

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach - 4 December2020 - The Joinland Group, adiversified Malaysian conglomerate of varied business interests, has generatedover 100 million-ringgit (USD$25 million) in revenue for local landowners andthe Papua New Guinea (PNG) government since the start of its Central New Hanover Agro-Forestry Project in 2012.


Theserevenues, generated through the selective extraction of valuable timber as partof a licensed and regulated agro-forestry project, were paid directly to locallandowners, meeting Joinland's contractual obligations under its licence, andto the PNG government through taxes and export levies.


Inaddition to the direct revenues that the Central New Hanover Agro-Forestry Project hascontributed to the PNG and New Hanover economies, the project has also had manyother direct and indirect benefits for the New Hanover community.


These have included theplanting of over 2.5 million rubber trees, 560,000 cocoa trees, 54,000coconut trees and 800,000 nativecalophyllum trees, which will help create sustainable jobs and income for NewHanover islanders in the future. Currently, Joinland is planting 15 essentialnative trees for every single tree cleared as part of its forestry activities.


As part of the project, Joinlandhas also constructed a total of 73 permanent houses for localvillagers, with another 45 houses under construction. This total includes threechurch buildings, three pastors' houses, three primary school double classroombuildings, three elementary school buildings, three aid posts as well as acommunity health worker's house. All houses built are supplied with water tanksby Joinland and so far, a total of 1,814 water tanks, with a capacity equivalentto 9.07 million litres of water, have been provided - ensuring reliable cleanwater for the people of New Hanover.


Joinland has also made other investments in theinfrastructure of the island. This has included the construction of over 800 kmof basic roadway. This new roadway, through formerly inaccessible areas, hasgreatly expanded the social mobility of New Hanover villagers, reduced their livingcosts and improved quality of life.


SinceJoinland began operations on New Hanover it has built several clinics andrecruited two doctors and four nurses. These healthcare professionals primarilyprovide care to the 200 employees working for Joinland (approximately 70% ofwhom are locals who earn incomes at or above PNG'sstatutory minimum wage), but they also provide healthcare and medicines to local residents whorequire it -- free of charge.


Commentingon the project's contributions Dato' Sri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, the founder of Joinland, said, "We are satisfied that our efforts on NewHanover are bearing fruit both for local residents and the PNG government. NewHanover has an abundance of natural resources, but, as an isolated island, itlacked economic activity and most of its residents lived in poverty. By workingclosely with local landowner groups and the PNG government, we have been ableto develop this unutilised land in a sustainable manner. This has contributedsignificantly towards the economic and social growth of New Hanover islandersand we expect that these benefits will continue to accumulate for residents inthe future, particularly when the various cash crops we have been planting(rubber, cocoa and coconut) reach their maturity and productive age."


Dato' Sri Thomas concluded, "Joinland hasa long-term commitment to the sustainable socio-economic development of NewHanover and its residents. We are determined to maintain and even enhance ourefforts in partnership with the Papua New Guinea government, New Hanoverstakeholders and residents moving forward. We remain committed to sustainablydeveloping the island and improving the lives of everyone on it."


About Joinland Group

The Joinland Group is a diversified Malaysian conglomerate includingproperty, plantation, forestry and agricultural management, insurance andshipping businesses, to name a few. The company operates businesses andinvestments in many markets including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Australia,Papua New Guinea, China and New Zealand, among others.


The company was founded by Dato' Sri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, a self-made entrepreneur who started out in the cold storage business. In2013 he was awarded the honorary title of Dato' Sri by the Sultan of Pahang(Malaysia) in recognition of his management skills and business acumen inbuilding the Joinland Group.


Formore information on the Joinland Group please visit www.joinlandgroup.com.my


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