M-WEB Indonesia has new leader
JAKARTA: South Africa-based information telecommunications giant Myriad International Holdings (MIH) has appointed David Burke as chief operating officer for its Indonesian subsidiary, M-WEB Indonesia.
Burke, who joined M-Web Indonesia two years ago, was the company's business development director until the new appointment.
Burke will be responsible for the day-to-day activities and running of M-Web Indonesia and will report directly to Antonie Roux, the chief executive officer (CEO) of M-Web International in Johannesburg, according to the company's media statement.
A market leader in the country's Internet business, M-WEB Indonesia offers various services, including Internet portals, Internet service provision (ISP), Internet retail and web development. -- JP
Inco Q2 profit rises to US$11.2m
JAKARTA: Mining company PT International Nickel Indonesia (Inco) announced on Thursday a net profit of US$11.24 million (4 cents per share) for the second quarter of the year, a 51 percent increase from $7.4 million (3 cents per share) in the same period of last year.
Net profit for the first half of the year stood at $12.8 million (5 cents per share), compared to $16.3 million in the same period of last year.
The company said in a statement that the increase in quarterly profits was due to a rise in the price of nickel, coupled with the company's success in cutting fuel costs.
The realized average price for nickel in matte in the second quarter of the year reached $5.244 per ton, compared to $5.139 per ton in the corresponding period of last year. -- JP
Singapore's first MMS system launched
SINGAPORE: MobileOne Asia (M1) announced Thursday the launch of Singapore's first multimedia messaging service (MMS), allowing users to download and transmit pictures and other rich files via mobile phones.
Singapore's number two cellular phone company said the service will be offered for free initially from Saturday to enable subscribers to acquaint themselves with the service, now available on only a few phone models.
MMS is touted as the next big wave in wireless communications after the phenomenally successful short messaging service, which is restricted to brief text messages. By next year, most new mobile phone models are expected to sport MMS capabilities.
Apart from pictures, which can be taken with the phone's built-in digital camera, MMS-capable phones can also send animation, voice recordings and music.
M1 plans to start charging for the service in September. Each MMS message will cost 50 cents to S$1.20 (30-70 US cents) depending on the size of the file. --AFP
Mitsubishi recalls mini cars in Japan
TOKYO: Troubled automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Thursday it would recall 676,741 Minica and Minica Toppo light cars in Japan due to a battery problem, though no accidents had been reported.
"Rainwater may enter the battery box causing battery fluid to scatter (in) some cases. The scattered fluid may hit the left front brake pipe resulting in possible damage to it," Mitsubishi said in a statement.
In the worst case scenario a car's braking ability could be affected, Japan's fourth largest automaker said, adding it had received 31 reports of such a problem.
Mitsubishi would install battery covers and replace battery sheets with those fitted with a drainage hose to fix the fault, it said. The firm will also inspect braking pipes for its customers.
The recall covers vehicles made between 1993 to 1998.
Mitsubishi's image was tarnished after it confessed in August 2000 to having failed to inform authorities about at least 64,000 customer complaints over faulty vehicles since 1977, opting to repair the vehicles itself instead of issuing costly model-wide recalls. --AFP