COMPANY BACKGROUND
United Malacca Berhad (UMB), formerly known as The United Malacca Rubber Estates, Berhad was incorporated on 27 April 1910 under the Companies Ordinance 1889 by its founder, the late Tun Tan Cheng Lock who held the post of Chairman until 1960.
Thereafter, the Company was managed by his family until his son, the late Tun Tan Siew Sin took over the Chairmanship in 1974 after his retirement from the Cabinet. He held the post of Chairman until 1988. Under the distinguished leadership of Tun Tan Siew Sin, the former Minister of Finance, UMB had accumulated substantial reserves which contributed significantly to the financial strength of the Group today. The late Tun Tan Siew Sin was posthumously awarded the National Integrity Award by The Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity on 28 June 2003.
Mr. Choi Siew Hong, the former Deputy Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, who has been on the Board of Directors since 1976, became the Chairman of the Group following the death of Tun Tan Siew Sin in 1988. Under the present leadership of Mr. Choi, the Group has expanded and broadened its earnings base and continues to grow steadily in financial strength.
The present Board of Directors are:-
Ms. Tan Siok Choo (Chairperson)
Mr. Boon Weng Siew
Tan Sri Dato’ Ahmad bin Mohd Don
Mr. Tan Jiew Hoe
Mr. Teo Leng
Dato’ Tan Ang Meng
Principal Activities & Operations
United Malacca Berhad (UMB) started in 1910 with a paid up capital of RM315,000 and 460 acres of rubber. Over the years, UMB expanded its planted acreage and operations through acquisitions and mergers to 13,000 acres with estates in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Johore.
In 1966, UMB adopted the policy to diversify into oil palm cultivation under which old rubber trees were replaced with oil palm. Government compulsory acquisitions of the Company’s land resulted in the reduction of its planted acreage from 13,000 acres to 9,000 acres all of which have since been diversified into oil palm.
Starting from 1997, the company has embarked on expanding its plantations activities to Sabah. To date, it has acquired 16,924 acres of land which have been developed into oil palm estates including a new 45/60 m.t./hr palm oil mill operating since April 2004. UMB has invested more than RM100 million in Sabah, all from internal sources.
In February 2004, the Company acquired two estates with an area of 8,025 acres and a 40 m.t./hr crude palm oil mill in Pahang. The acquisition cost of RM88 million was financed entirely from internal sources.
In November 2009, the Company acquired two contiguous parcels of leasehold land located in Sungai Millian-Labau, District of Kinabatangan, Sabah, measuring total gross area of approximately 10,102 hectares. The acquisition cost of RM240 million was financed entirely from internal sources.
The Group currently owns a total of 58,918 acres of oil palm plantations and two palm oil mills.
The Company has a present paid up capital of RM202,394,251 and its major shareholders are OCBC, Singapore and Aberdeen Asset Management PLC Group. The Company owns 7 wholly owned subsidiaries and has equity interests of 20% in Malaysian Trustees Berhad and 25% in Niro Ceramic (M) Sdn. Bhd.
As oil palm cultivation and crude palm oil milling will continue to be its core business, the UMB Group is on the lookout for opportunities to further expand these activities.
Company Logo Identity
Our Identity is composed of two elements: the logotype, which is the words. “UNITED MALACCA BERHAD” and the symbol, which is the image of a square with the palm leave an arrow and a green triangle. Each of these elements communicates a different, yet integrated and complimentary message about who we are and what our mission is.
Therefore, it is important to convey a complete picture of our identity whenever possible. The preferred and strongest presentation is of the logotype and symbol together at all times. Whenever space permits use of both elements of the Identity, it is acceptable to use only one.