Joinland’s Central New Hanover Agro-Forestry Project Contributes To Community Growth On Isolated Island

KUALALUMPUR, MALAYSIA - MediaOutReach - 28 December 2020 - The Joinland Group, a diversified Malaysianconglomerate of varied business interests, has constructed three churchbuildings, three Pastor's houses, three primary school double classroombuildings, three elementary school buildings, three aid posts and a communityhealth worker's house on the isolated and underdeveloped New Hanover island inPapua New Guinea (PNG).

These buildings are part of Joinland's ongoingcontributions to the economic and social development of Central New Hanover, whichresults from the company's licensed and regulated agro-forestry project on theisland.

TheNew Hanover Project is a collaboration between Joinland with a local developer,Tutuman Development Ltd. In January 2012, Joinland and Tutuman joined hands toinitiate the projectto plant rubber trees under the Special Agriculture Business Leases (SABL) arrangement.

SABLsare granted by PNG's Department of Lands and Physical Planning to facilitate thedevelopment of long-term commercial agricultural industries through the leaseof customary land. Under this arrangement, the customary landowners shallbenefit from rental payments, job creation opportunities and improvedfacilities, among others.

Joinland has made other investments in theinfrastructure of the island, which have benefited the local community. Thishas included the construction of over 800 km of basic roadway. This newroadway, through formerly inaccessible areas, has greatly expanded the social mobilityof New Hanover villagers, reduced their living costs and improved quality oflife.

Since Joinland began operations on NewHanover it has also built several clinics and recruited two doctors and fournurses. These healthcare professionals primarily provide care to the 200employees working for Joinland (approximately 70% of whom are locals who earn incomes at or above PNG statutory minimum wage), but they also provide healthcare and medicines to local residents whorequire it -- free of charge.

MrPedi Anis, the Chairman of Tutuman Development, Joinland's partner on the NewHanover project, comments, "Being a New Hanover native and an advocate of landdevelopment, I am very pleased to be working with our Malaysian partner,Joinland, on this endeavour that can stimulate growth and bring prosperity tothe people of New Hanover. Without initial and continuingfinancial support from investors, no real change is ever going to be realisedand achieved on customary land."

Commentingon the project Dato'Sri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, the founder of Joinland, said, "We are delighted that through this projectwe are having a real and positive impact on the lives of New Hanover residentstoday. While many of the economic benefits from the almost four million rubber,cocoa, coconut and native calophyllum trees (which we have already planted)will only be enjoyed by residents in the future (when these trees reachmaturity), our investments in new schools, churches, homes and road buildingare already benefiting communities who were economically and socially isolated.We are determined to maintain and even enhance our efforts in partnership withthe Papua New Guinea government, New Hanover stakeholders and residents movingforward. We remain committed to sustainably developing the island and improvingthe lives of everyone on it, both now and in the future."

Since the project began in2012, Joinland has planted over 2.5 million rubber trees, 560,000 cocoatrees, 54,000 coconut trees and 800,000 native calophyllum trees. Currently, Joinland is planting 15essential native trees for every single tree cleared as part of its forestryactivities.

Joinland has also constructed atotal of 73 permanent houses for local villagers, with another 45 houses underconstruction. All houses built are supplied with water tanks by Joinland. Sofar, a total of 1,814 water tanks, with a capacity equivalent to 9.07 millionlitres of water, have been provided by Joinland - ensuring reliable clean waterfor the people of New Hanover.

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