RECYCLES MORE THAN 480,000 METRIC TONNES OF WASTE PAPER ANNUALLY

Muda Holdings Berhad, listed on Bursa Malaysia, is the pioneer in the paper milling and paper packaging industry in Malaysia. Datuk Wira Lim Chiun Cheong's father, Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik (88) has been at the helm of Muda Group since the 1980s.  He is now the Chairman while his son is MD.

The Muda Group grew to become one of the nation’s largest integrated manufacturers of industrial grade paper. Datuk Wira Lim Chiun Cheong (59) holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Arizona State University, USA and a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Birmingham, U.K. He joined the family run business in 1991.

Muda recycles more than 480,000 metric tonnes of waste paper annually which are collected from its 7  recycling centres strategically located in various parts of the country. It has 2 paper mills, 8 corrugating plants and 3 converting plants. Raw materials is a challenging aspect of this business and it has to import when there is a shortfall.

For FYE 31 Dec 2022 Muda reported revenue of RM1.77 billion but registered a pre-tax loss of RM8.81 million due to margin compression, supply chain disruption, rise in energy costs, recovered paper cost fluctuations and higher overseas freight charges. The Group is upgrading its paper machines to improve quality and manufacture a wider variety of products.

As at 24 March 2023, Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik and his son, Datuk Wira Lim Chiun Cheong are beneficially interested in 41.34% of the shares of Muda Holdings Berhad. Dato' Lim Soon Huat, founder of Asia File Corporation Bhd (ABBA files brand) is beneficially interested in 23.69% of the company's shares. 

Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik

Tan Sri Lim Guan Teik (88)  joined the Board of Muda Holdings Berhad in November 1983 and spearheaded the listing of the Company on the Stock Exchange on 2 November 1984. He was MD from 30 November 1983 to 20 May 1988, Chairman cum MD from 20 May 1988 to 23 April 2004,  Executive Chairman from 23 April 2004 to 18 February 2007  and Non-Executive Chairman from 18 February 2007 to current.  

Tan Sri Lim has two nieces on the Board of Muda Holdings Berhad. Lim Siew Ling (52) was appointed to the Board on 1 January 2020. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio USA and a Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma, USA. Lim Siew Ling joined the Muda Group in January 2006 as Deputy General Manager in Intrapac Trading (M) Sdn Bhd and was the General Manager of IntraMuda Holdings Sdn Bhd from July 2016 to December 2019. She is currently the Senior General Manager of Intra-Muda Holdings Sdn Bhd.  

Ms Lim Yen Wee (40) was appointed a Director of Muda on 1 January 2020. She joined Muda Paper Mills Sdn Bhd, Tasek, Penang as an Intern in 2013 and served as Deputy General Manager from January 2014 to December 2019. She is currently the Senior General Manager of Muda Paper Converting Sdn Bhd. Prior to joining Muda Paper Mills Sdn Bhd, she was the Practical Demonstrator of Undergraduate Students and Researcher in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne, Australia from 2005 to 2012. Lim Yen Wee holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science Degree and Bachelor of Science (Honors) Degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia.  

Competition has intensified in the local paper manufacturing industry. In 2021 China's Nine Dragons Paper, globally the largest paper making group with a production capacity of over 20 million tonnes, invested RM5.4 billion in Malaysia to expand two pulp and paper mills in Bentong, Pahang and Selangor which it acquired. More than 2000 jobs were created for Malaysians but for players like Muda and others, the playing field has definitively changed. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1. Muda Holdings Berhad. 2022 Annual Report. https://disclosure.bursamalaysia.com/FileAccess/apbursaweb/download?id=224295&name=EA_DS_ATTACHMENTS
2. The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia. https://acccim.org.my/en/tan-sri-dato-lim-guan-teik/
3. The Edge Financial Daily. 2014. https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/muda-holdings-sale
4. Special Report. Nooraishah Omar. https://library.e.abb.com/public/a142db0d111bf2b0c1257982004cf3d6/11_Article_Muda_Paper_in_Malaysia_in_paperASIA_no6_2011.pdf?x-sign=TrMJiKSea9sU+ktE6GIJUpetgsGVkn8yLfW84f4mwo47xe9xVBzYpC72JsrLNj4w
5. World Scientific. The Extraordinary Life of Tan Lark Sye. https://worldscientific.com/doi/epdf/10.1142/9789814641500_0006
6. Business Times. 2 March 2021. Azanis Shahila Aman. https://www.nst.com.my/business/2021/03/670397/chinas-largest-paper-paperboard-producer-invest-rm54bil-malaysia
7. Tan Lark Sye Biography. https://www.howold.co/person/tan-lark-sye/biography
8. Mothership.sg. https://mothership.sg/2017/09/nanyang-university-nantah-is-not-ntu-because-of-all-this-drama-it-went-through/
9. Singapore Infomedia. Tan Lark Sye. Bonny Tan. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=d1afea92-d918-4f55-912f-85b84ccedb7c
10. MIDA. 2 March 2021. https://www.mida.gov.my/mida-news/chinas-largest-paper-paperboard-producer-to-invest-rm5-4bil-in-malaysia/
11. Nine Dragons Paper (Holdings) Limited. 25 September 2023. http://www.ndpaper.com/en/about/chairman.php