Joinland Group a diversified Malaysian conglomerate that ventures into property, plantation, forestry and agricultural management, insurance and shipping businesses, with diverse operations in many markets including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, China and New Zealand is making social economic impact in Papua New Guinea with its Agro Forestry projects.
The company founded by Dato’ Sri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, a self-made entrepreneur who started out in the cold storage business, has generated over 100 million-ringgit in revenue for local landowners and the Papua New Guinea (PNG) government since the start of its Central New Hanover Agro-Forestry Project in 2012.
These revenues, generated through the selective extraction of valuable timber as part of a licensed and regulated agro-forestry project, were paid directly to local landowners, meeting Joinland’s contractual obligations under its licence, and to the PNG government through taxes and export levies.
In addition to the direct revenues that the Central New Hanover Agro-Forestry Project has contributed to the PNG and New Hanover economies, the project has also had many other direct and indirect benefits for the New Hanover community.
Joinland has been active in planting over 2.5 million rubber trees, 560,000 cocoa trees, 54,000 coconut trees and 800,000 native calophyllum trees that will help create sustainable jobs and income for New Hanover islanders in the future. As part of its forestry program the company plants 15 essential native trees for every single tree cleared.
During the 8 years in operations, the company has built 73 permanent houses for local villagers, with another 45 houses under construction including three church buildings, three pastors’ houses, three primary school double classroom buildings, three elementary school buildings, three aid posts as well as a community health worker’s house. In addition there’s also roads and clinics built to support the local community.
Commenting on the project’s contributions Dato’ Sri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, said, “ By working closely with local landowner groups and the PNG government, we have been able to develop this unutilised land in a sustainable manner. This has contributed significantly towards the economic and social growth of New Hanover islanders and we expect that these benefits will continue to accumulate for residents in the future.”
