Protemp Group of Companies

After reading about it in Business Times recently, Zainuddin visited the TSH Biotech Sdn Bhd laboratory yesterday and made a commitment to get it resolved.

"I will look into the matter because government incentives, such as power rebate, are important for the development of the biotechnology industry in the country," he said.

TSH Resources Bhd chairman Datuk Dr Kelvin Tan had said that its biotech laboratory, the largest in Sabah and Sarawak, was not enjoying incentives made available by the government.

Citing an example, Tan said the laboratory has yet to be accorded with the 50 per cent electricity rebate that at least eight other similar facilities in the peninsula are getting.

The company had since 2007 written to Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd for the rebate but its request was repeatedly turned down.

The Cabinet Committee on Competitiveness in the Palm Oil Industry in March 2007 agreed to award incentives to tissue culture labs, including rebates on power.

Zainuddin commended TSH Resources, which has not only contributed to the growth of the oil palm industry with its tissue culture lab, but also offered economic and employment opportunities to locals.

Its lab has successfully produced oil palm ramets which are able to provide a yield of 10 tonnes of palm oil extracts per hectare compared with the national average of 4.5 tonnes per hectare.