Kuwait Telecom News/Middle East Oil and Gas

Malaysia: End Intimidation of News Website

(New York, October 8, 2003)-The Malaysian government should drop its case
against the news website Malaysiakini, Human Rights Watch said today. On
October 6, the government announced that it had forwarded its nine-month-
long investigation to the attorney general for a decision on whether to
prosecute.

The government began investigating the popular online news outlet for
posting a letter to the editor on January 9 that criticized government
policies favoring ethnic Malays.

"Malaysiakini is one of the few independent media voices in Malaysia," said
Brad Adams, executive director of the Asia Division of Human Rights Watch.
"The government has been investigating Malaysiakini for almost ten months
for simply posting a political letter. It's time to close the case and move
on."

An official of the United Malay National Organization (UMNO), the party
that dominates Malaysia's ruling coalition, called the letter "seditious"
and claimed that Malaysiakini's decision to publish it was "very dangerous
to the harmony of this country." Another UMNO official called for
prosecution of the website's publishers under Malaysia's Sedition Act in
order to "teach them a lesson."

The police raided Malaysiakini's offices on January 20 and confiscated 15
computers and four servers. The police have returned most of the equipment,
but still hold two computers for possible use in court as evidence.

The Malaysian government has frequently stated that it will not censor the
Internet, in part to attract international investment to its high-
technology sector. In 1996, Malaysia introduced the Multimedia Super
Corridor Bill of Guarantee, which stated that the government would "ensure
no Internet censorship."

Malaysiakini began operating in November 1999, and has since become one of
the leading independent Internet news outlets in Malaysia. It is one of a
handful of print and online publications that offer an alternative view to
Malaysia's largely pro-government mainstream media, much of which is owned
by large corporations affiliated with UMNO. Because Malaysiakini is
available only online and not in print form, it is not subject to many of
the onerous licensing requirements that print publications must follow.

"This controversy is not just about the staff of Malaysiakini," said Adams.
"It's about the right of all Malaysians to receive news and opinion
unfiltered by the government. Malaysiakini has been singled out precisely
because it does what many other news sources in Malaysia don't do: it
criticizes all sides, including the government. It shouldn't be
investigated or punished for doing so."

Media freedom is a particularly sensitive issue in Malaysia as the country
gears up for national elections, which may be called as early next year.
During Malaysia's hard-fought 1999 elections, opposition parties-some
running for the first time-complained that they could not get a fair
hearing because of the media's heavy bias in favor of the UMNO.

Wataniya Telecom Drives for Regional Expansion, Competition

"Competition in GSM markets produces greater choice and value for subscribers, richer services and wider opportunities for developers and others in the region," says CEO Murray The company has moved into clear market leadership in Kuwait, with over 800,000 subscribers using a growing range of services which now includes Action - positioned by Wataniya as the Middle East's most extensive range of multimedia wireless content services--KM Kuwait Bureau Wataniya Telecom CEO David Murray.

Dubai-UAE, 7th October 2003 Wataniya Telecom, Kuwait's leading mobile operator, has confirmed that it will continue to pursue regional mobile license opportunities in the Middle East region. The company has already pursued its intent to bid for licenses in Lebanon, which is expected to open its market to operators in 2005 and Iraq, where bids are currently being evaluated by the CPA from a reported total of 35 bidders. "There are other clear regional opportunities in the Middle East that we are pursuing strongly and we believe that Wataniya has a compelling case to make," said Wataniya Telecom CEO David Murray.

Speaking at the 'GSM in the Middle East and Gulf conference', held in Dubai on the 7th and 8th October 2003, Murray pointed out that competitive markets have brought significant benefits to subscribers. "When monopoly markets have moved to a competitive model, we have seen vast increases in mobile penetration, typically over ten times that of penetration under a monopoly. But we have also seen major movement in the provision of advanced services aimed at providing subscribers with easier, better, richer communications. The regional technology leaders, in terms of the innovations that have made it into consumers' hands, are the competitive markets, without doubt."

As the company that brought competition to Kuwait, Wataniya believes that it understands intimately the dynamics of fast-growing, competitive GSM markets. The company has moved into clear market leadership in Kuwait, with over 800,000 subscribers using a growing range of services which now includes Action - positioned by Wataniya as the Middle East's most extensive range of multimedia wireless content services based on the most recent developments in 2.5 Generation MMS and GPRS technologies. States Andrei Torriani, Wataniya Telecom's Marketing and Product Development Director, "The essence and spirit of Action services are built on innovation - a direct result of competition and the need in our market to provide our customers unique services that stimulate new opportunities and fulfil customer demands"

Wataniya Telecom maintains that the benefits of GSM competition for national economies in the Middle East are not limited to growth in subscriber bases and richer services, but also have effects on direct employment and opportunity for local content developers and service providers. In addition to investments in network equipment and the creation of jobs, the company also sees major opportunities to support the growth of new businesses and indirect employment through content and services partnerships. "We're looking at a three way win here: developing first class telecommunications infrastructure for government, services for people and businesses, and value for consumers," said Murray.

Wataniya also owns 50% of Tunisian GSM operator Tunisiana. Wataniya is a publically traded company on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, an affiliated company of Kuwaiti Projects Company (Holding) - (KIPCO), a major diversified company with interests in finance, media and entertainment and with over $10 billion of assets under its control.

Launched in December 1999 as the second licensed GSM provider, Wataniya Telecom is the leading mobile communications company in the State of Kuwait. With a market capitalization exceeding US $1.8 billion, the Company has been a driving force in increasing the mobile communications market penetration in Kuwait to over 60 percent of the population. With over 800,000 subscribers in Kuwait and 275,000 in Tunisia, Wataniya Telecom has built its success on a customer focused strategy built on the philosophy that everything the company does must bring it closer to its customer. -keralamonitor.com

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Demand for natural gas expected to rise faster than for other fossil fuels in the Middle East

Oil and Gas show unveils cutting-edge technologies for the industry

The need to develop cost-effective drilling technologies that do not disturb the surface environment and the increased share of gas in the world energy demand will be part of the deliberations at the Oil & Gas Show (OGS 2003), the leading oil and gas show in the Middle East held from October 12 to 15, 2003, at the Airport Expo Dubai.

The Oil & Gas Show hosted delegations from, amongst other countries, Germany, Italy, Russia, China, Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey. The event will bring together some of the world's foremost players in specialized equipment in exploration, drilling, mapping, maintenance, safety & rescue, fighting and corrosion protection. Besides the technological aspects of the industry, the show is also expected to reveal short-term and long-term trends in the demand scenarios of various energy sources.

According to a recent World Energy Outlook report, issued by the International Energy Agency (IEA), while fossil fuels such as oil and coal will continue to dominate the global energy mix until 2030, the demand for natural gas will rise more strongly than for any other fossil fuel. While the Middle East has always been known for its vast oil resources, the region is also home to 25.5 per cent of the world's natural gas resources.

"Given the present economic and geopolitical climate, authorities in the Middle East need to look at gas as a complementary energy source. Gas production is also increasing as more Arab countries are switching from oil to gas as a source of energy. Others have pursued plans to expand existing gas projects and build new ventures for export purposes. In the Arab world, the performance of the gas sector soared by around 10 percent to 40.7 trillion cubic meters at end-2001," said Anselm Godinho, General Manager, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organizers of the show. "Analysts estimate that a typical land-based oil or gas well costs around US$400,000 to drill, while costs for an offshore well average at nearly US$4.5 million. But in some deeper or more difficult drilling terrains, costs would be much higher. Reducing the time a drill rig remains on site can lower costs and make previously uneconomic gas or oil deposits commercially attractive.

At OGS 2003 we expect these issues to take centre stage as oil and gas producers network with suppliers during the event." Empire Diamond Tools who exhibited at OGS 2003 have designed optimum diamond bits for faster drilling in soft, medium, hard and abrasive formations. These bits have changed the structure of drilling industry offering considerable savings in terms of time required for drilling of a particular well, thereby saving rig time and allowing more number of wells to be drilled in the annual pattern.

DRIL-QUIP, one of the world's leading manufacturers of highly engineered offshore drilling and production equipment which is well suited for use in deepwater, harsh environments and severe service applications will also be part of OGS. The company designs and manufactures sub sea, surface and offshore rig equipment for use by oil and gas companies in offshore areas throughout the world. DRIL-QUIP also provides installation and reconditioning services as well as rental running tools for use with its products.

Another exhibitor Super Technical Enterprises have just launched a facility in partnership with Parker Aerospace to overhaul gas turbine nozzles, MOOG servo valves and provide ultra-sonic cleaning. This is the first such facility for the Middle East market. The company will be exhibiting the latest technology from Parker Instrumentation, which specialises in products that can contain ultra pure, toxic or dangerous fluids and gases. Parker Instrumentation is a major worldwide supplier to the offshore and petrochemical industries.

Organized by International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E) and supported by the UAE Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, OGS 2003 is a key event in the Middle East for suppliers of petroleum equipment and specialist visitors involved in exploration, extraction, processing, storage and transportation of oil and gas. -keralamonitor.com

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German filtration solution provider to unveil self-cleaning filtration technology at the Arab Oil and Gas Show

Dubai, October 5, 2003 Faudi Process, a division of Faudi Filter Systems GmbH, a leading German filtration solutions provider, has announced that it will launch a new automatic, self-cleaning backflush filter at the Arab Oil and Gas Show (OGS), to be held at the Airport Expo Dubai, from 12 to 15 October, 2003. Faudi Process is part of a large delegation of German oil and gas industry related equipment manufacturers that will be exhibiting at the official pavilion of the country.

"Equipment manufactures and oil and gas professionals keenly feel the need for a regular exchange in views about the varied and demanding requirements of the industry. An open channel of communication will contribute fruitfully to the process of research and development of innovative technologies for the industry" said Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences & Exhibitions (IC&E), organizers of the show. "At the OGS, our effort has been to provide a forum for such exchanges, as well as to present the cutting-edge technologies relevant to the oil and gas industry to experts in the region. The one-on-one demonstrations at the exhibition and the seminars and conference organised by the participants alongside the OGS, are aimed at providing an opportunity to the oil and gas professionals to analyse the suitability of the new technologies to their individual needs."

"OGS 2003 has registered strong participation from countries leading the technological research in the field of equipment for the oil and gas industry. As one of the countries leading in scientific research and innovation and with a strong reputation for technological excellence, the German Pavilion will be a meeting point for the leading equipment manufactures and the largest, perhaps the most diversified, group of Oil and Gas professionals," added Godinho.

"The research that has gone into the development of our portfolio of solutions aims at optimising the filtration and separation of liquid gas processes in oil and gas refineries, in the petrochemistry and chemical industries and in power station technology worldwide. Faudi Filter Systems' new backflush fully automatic filter is designed to meet the high precision and varied requirements of the separation of the mineral oil particles down to micro meter size in the oil refining process," said Mr. Ruediger Weinhardt, Managing Director, FAUDI Process, a Division of FAUDI Filter Systems GmbH. "Our participation in the Arab Oil and Gas Show will give us an opportunity to introduce our innovative range of products to our old contacts, as well as to potential new customers."
The backflush fully automatic filter is used as a pre-filter, safety and product filter in metallurgical or smelting plants and rolling mills, chemical and petrochemical plants, paper and cellulose factories and conventional and nuclear power stations. The type30 backflush filter is designed for fully automatic backflushing cleaning without interruption of the filtration process. The filter is useable for high flow rates and defined filter finesses from 0.025mm up to 5mm and for special cases down to 0.010mm (0.005mm) with filter fabrics.
The German pavilion at the OGS will host, among others, innovative technology launches in the areas of power supply, cable technology, measurement instruments and centrifugal separation systems.

Middle East IT

IBM Takes "Vision to Reality" on the Road

International experts present technologies to reduce costs and complexity for a simpler, more effective technology future

Dubai, UAE - 18 September 2003 - The "Vision to Reality" roadshow kicks off next week, visiting Oman, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain from the 21st to 24th September, hosted by IBM and GBM, its exclusive distributor for selected products and services. This roadshow brings experts from IBM to the region to present a number of new technologies that allow organisations to reduce their spending on implementing technology, reduce the amount of infrastructure they have, and making it easier to manage. Part of IBM's strategy for On Demand computing, the technologies that IBM will cover include self-healing, self-optimising, self-protecting systems that consolidate tens or even hundreds of traditional servers into a single, easy to manage box.

"IBM's vision of an 'On Demand' computing environment is one of simplicity and elegance, where adding additional performance and additional functionality is as easy as opening a tap. A sprawling mass of servers with a mix of storage systems does not allow this. We are taking the Vision to Reality roadshow around the region to show organisations how they can simplify their technology systems, reducing racks of gear with just a few boxes," said Iqbal Hassim, Manager of IBM Systems Group, Middle East Egypt and Pakistan. "While consolidation is simple in theory, in practice the technology to bring about this simplicity is very advanced. We have several unique IBM technologies such as virtualisation, logical partitioning and advanced middleware software, which together allow IT departments to save as much as 56% of their cost of ownership."

"Virtualisation" means that a single IBM server can run multiple operating systems independently and securely on a single machine. Rather than having to buy new hardware whenever a new server is needed, a virtualised server can simply be set up on an existing machine. Similar technology can be used in enterprise storage systems.This sort of consolidation allows IT infrastructure to be used to its limits. Often servers run at only 20% of their capacity, meaning that a high proportion of technology investment is not being used. Server consolidation allows utilisation to be dramatically improved, while reducing the management burden on support staff. This, along with IBM's "Autonomic Computing" technology for self-healing, self-optimisation and self-protection allows IT staff to concentrate on designing better applications that contribute towards the business, rather than spending their time keeping infrastructure running.

Trend Reversed as Tech Market Summer Sales Rise Regionally

Jordan, 24th August 2003 Tech Data FZ-LLC, the Middle East's leading provider of IT products, logistics management and value added services, today said that overcoming the usual summer-slump in technology sales this year has been successfully achieved with a 115% regional increase in technology product sales in Q2-2003 compared to the same period last year.

Among markets outside the UAE, Jordan was the highest performer with the reseller channel generating 115% increase in sales this summer compared to the same period last year. Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia followed by 61%, 36% and 16% sales growth respectively.

In May 2003, Tech Data joined hands with key global technology companies including Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, APC and others to drive a massive regional marketing campaign that aimed at beating the summer sales slump. The campaign, Around the World in 60 Days, focused on both incentivising the reseller channel and providing promotional benefits direct to the end user.

Eliot Shepherd, marketing director at Tech Data said: "Market trend analysis shows that in the summer, technology sales in the Middle East region drop by an average of 18% across the board." Shepherd explained "Our aim with Around the World in 60 Days campaign was to cut that down by driving demand in the market. The results however were outstanding, thanks to the active involvement of our vendors and the superb response from the channel."

The combined sales of analogue and digital modems achieved a 143% growth compared to the same quarter of 2002, followed by storage devices, which grew by 82%; personal computers and processors grew by 50 and 77% respectively.

Ramli Sulaiman from Grandsys Computers & Electronics said: "Customised campaigns to meet the various cyclical drops in sales is exactly what we need to see from the rest of the distributors in this region. It has been a particularly good summer season for us thanks to the efforts of Tech Data and the vendors who took part in this campaign." Highest performing resellers have been awarded on a weekly and monthly basis a variety of valuable prizes. The grand prize, an around the world voucher ticket, was won by the Dubai based Grandys Computers & Electronics.

Sami Dajani, Channel Sales Manager from HP Middle East said: " We welcome such creative campaigns. Tech Data has always invested a focussed effort in further developing and supporting the reseller channel. The strength of the relationship the company enjoys with its customers is evident in the consistent increase in its profitability on HP business and the upwards sales out (revenue) trend during the past nine months." He continued:" The boost of 28% over last quarter and 38% over same quarter last year that the campaign delivered for Tech Data- HP business has vindicated our confidence in it, making it a huge success for us."