SingTel rubbishes reports it plans to sell Optus stake
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SYDNEY, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - SINGAPORE TELECOMMUNICATIONSLTD (ASX:SGT) has again denied reports it is set to sell offits interest in Australian telco OPTUS. SingTel chief executiveChua Sock Koong told journalists on a conference call onTuesday that she was unaware of the basis for reports Optus maybe listed separately on the Australian Securities Exchange inthe near future.

* "No decision has been made on selling or listing Optus,"she said.

* "I can assure you that if we make a decision to do that wewill make the appropriate announcements. I would also emphasisthat SingTel remains a long-term strategic shareholder inOptus."

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Probe reveals dodgy accounting at Japan's JVC Kenwood
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TOKYO, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - JVC KENWOOD HOLDINGS INC.(TSE:6632) said Monday that it had revised losses incurred bysubsidiary VICTOR CO. OF JAPAN in the July-September quarter toabout 17 billion yen (US$190 million) from around 7.6 billionyen (US$85 million). Most of the red ink stems from beforeVictor\'s merger with KENWOOD CORP.

* JVC Kenwood will revise results dating back to the fiscalyear ended March 2005.

* The firm also said an independent panel uncoveredinappropriate accounting of sales expenses and inventory lossesat Victor\'s foreign operations. The panel\'s report indicatesthat Victor was "under excessive pressure to meet profitgoals."

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Korean shipbuilder Daewoo posts 44% rise in 2009 net profit
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SEOUL, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINEENGINEERING CO. (KSE:042660), South Korea\'s third-largestshipbuilder, said Monday that its earnings increased sharplylast year on currency-related gains and delivery of more ships.Net profit reached 578 billion won (US$493 million) last year,compared with a profit of 402 billion won a year earlier, thecompany said in a regulatory filing.

* Sales increased 12 per cent to a record 12.44 trillionwon, while operating income dropped 34 per cent to 685 billionwon, it said.

* The shipbuilder said it aims to win US$10 billion worth oforders this year and attain sales of 12.4 trillion won.

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Japanese game developer Square Enix reports 820% surge in profit
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TOKYO, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO.(TSE:9684) is among three Japanese video game software firmsthat have reported higher group pretax profits on the year forthe October-December quarter, as its major titles sold well.Square Enix\'s pretax profit surged 820 per cent to 8.8 billionyen (US$98.5 million) on sales of 44 .8 billion yen, up 26 percent.

* Domestic sales of "Final Fantasy XIII" -- released duringthe third quarter -- and "Dragon Quest IX" reached 1.91 millioncopies and 4.15 million copies, respectively, as of December31. Its global shipments increased 58 per cent to 5.63 millioncopies.

* SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS INC. (TSE:6460) saw sales rise 21 percent to 130.9 billion yen and pretax profit soar 720 per centto 28.3 billion yen.

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Japanese aircraft seat manufacturer faked test data: Ministry
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TOKYO, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - The Japanese Transport Ministryon Monday issued a business improvement order to KOITOINDUSTRIES LTD. (TSE:6747) for falsifying fire- andshock-resistance data for its aircraft seats over more than adecade. The firm is Japan\'s largest supplier of aircraft seats,having delivered some 150,000 seats for about 1,000 aircraftflown by 32 carriers worldwide, including JAPAN AIRLINES CORP.(TSE:9205) and ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS CO. (TSE:9202).

* The KOITO MFG. CO. (TSE:7276) subsidiary is suspected oftaking improper steps at various stages of the productionprocess.

* The ministry said it has confirmed wrongdoing dating backto the 1990s, with the possibility that such acts took placeeven earlier.

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Japan's Juki to build sewing machines in Vietnam
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TOKYO, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - Japan\'s JUKI CORP. (TSE:6440)will begin making industrial sewing machines in Vietnam inApril as the industry rebounds in emerging nations. The sewingmachine manufacturer will make lockstitch machines at JUKI(VIETNAM) CO., which until now has been a parts producer.

* The first floor of one of the three buildings at theVietnamese site is being upgraded and an assembly lineinstalled at a cost of around 20 million yen (US$224,000).

* Forty new workers will be hired locally to staff theassembly line.

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Bangladesh to import sugar to meet high domestic demand
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DHAKA, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - The Bangladesh government hasdecided in principle to import sugar well ahead of Ramadan tomeet high demand in the holy month, as the market is already onan upturn again. Installing distilleries, power generation fromsugar refuse, sugarcane import are also among a number ofdecisions taken Sunday for the food industry.

* BANGLADESH SUGAR AND FOOD INDUSTRIES CORPORATION (BSFIC)has been asked to complete necessary procedures immediately formaking the import.

* The decisions were taken Sunday at a meeting of highofficials of BSFIC, Agriculture Ministry, Food Department andsenior officials of government offices concerned and researchorganizations with Industries Minister Dilip Barua in thechair.

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Bangladesh firms get US$4.4 mln export orders at Dhaka fair
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DHAKA, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - Dhaka International Trade Fair(DITF) 2010 concluded in the city on Saturday withmanufacturers bagging export orders worth about Tk 30 crore(US$4.4 million). "We have already registered about Tk 25 crorespot orders. It may cross record Tk 30 crore mark aftercounting the total orders in this fair," Commerce MinisterFaruk Khan told the closing ceremony of the fair.

* He said the fair successfully ended drawing 30-37 lakhvisitors enabling them an opportunity to compare the quality oflocal and foreign products.

* The minister hoped such international fair would helpachieve this year\'s US$17 billion export target.

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Bangladesh to issue proposal request for Bibiyana power plant
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DHAKA, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - The ice has finally startedmelting regarding setting up one of Bangladesh\'s largest powerplants - 450 MW combined cycle Bibiyana unit - as the Ministryof Power has decided to issue the request for proposal (RFP) infavour of qualified bidders for the project. According toofficial sources, the Power Cell, a technical wing of the PowerMinistry, will soon invite four qualified bidders to submittheir respective technical and financial offers for theproject.

* Industry insiders consider the government decision as amajor development in the power sector as no large power plantwas set up in the last eight years.

* In most cases, the government process was found to havebeen stuck up in tender invitation and cancellation only.

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Bangladesh's PDB inks contracts to set up 2 power plants
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DHAKA, Feb 9 Asia in Focus - Bangladesh\'s state-owned PowerDevelopment Board (PDB) on Monday signed separate contractswith two Chinese contractors to set up two power plants havingtotal capacity of 250 MW. The projects are Chandpur 150 MWcombined cycle plant and Sylhet 100 MW simple cycle plant.

* However, the Sylhet 100 MW simple cycle plant will be setup as part of a 150 MW combined cycle plant.

* Officials hoped both the projects will come into operationby 2011.

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