MTC & team visit the Gulf's oldest sawmilling company in Ajman

Media Release

October 10, 2017

Timber trade between the Middle East and South Asian countries has steadily progressed over the past decades, and Malaysia has stood at the forefront for the majority of that period. This is on account of the sheer variety of timber species and other value added products such as plywood that is available for export from the Malay peninsula. Malaysia also possesses many highly industrialised sawmilling companies and large plywood manufacturing plants that are well equipped to cater to the growing demands for both local and international markets combined.

The Middle East and in particular the United Arab Emirates is a huge consumer of tropical hardwoods, that are shipped either in containers or break-bulk to various ports in the Gulf, namely - Jebel Ali port in Dubai, port Khalid in Sharjah, Jubail port in Saudi Arabia and Port Sultan Qaboos in Oman. The UAE virtually acts as a hub for all timber trade related activities in the Gulf region on account that a significant number of well-established timber traders are based in the UAE alone.

The Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) has a dedicated office in Dubai comprising of a dynamic team of individuals who promotes the use of Malaysian timber and other allied products to various traders and end-users in the Middle East. As part of their annual activities to stimulate growth and promote trading activity between Malaysia and the Middle East, the MTC organizes visits by various Malaysian delegations from within the Malaysian timber industry to leading private and government entities in the Middle East and North African region.

As part of this exercise the MTC organized a visit by the Timber Exporters Association of Malaysia (TEAM) to Mohiudeen Wood Works Co. LLC (MWW), the oldest sawmilling company and the largest importer of round logs and sawn timber in the Middle East. MWW hosted members from MTC and TEAM at their head office in Ajman on 02/October/2017 to discuss various topics: such as the expected demand for Malaysian timber products in the Gulf for the next five years and the most pressing matter of all that is advocating the usage of timber and allied products that are derived from sustainable sources which is a very important endeavour undertaken by Mr. B.M. Ashraf, the founder and Managing Director of MWW. Mr. Ashraf was also keen to point out, “meetings like this strengthen relationships and help pave the way forward by creating dynamic new synergies to stimulate growth and push the entire market forward.”

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Israel launches new aggression on residential neighbourhood in Lebanon’s capital, many killed

News Network

November 24,2025

Israel has launched a new act of aggression on a residential neighborhood in Lebanon's capital, Beirut, killing and injuring about two dozen civilians.

The Israeli regime's military said in a statement that its forces carried out a so-called precise strike in a residential apartment in Dahiyeh in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sunday.

The aggression targeted residential areas, killing at least five people and injuring more than 28 people, Lebanon's Health Ministry said.

Hezbollah announced the martyrdom of senior Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai and four resistance fighters.

Lebanese President Michel Aoun condemned the airstrike, calling it a clear demonstration of Tel Aviv’s disregard for repeated international calls to halt violations on Lebanese soil.

“Israel refuses to implement international resolutions and all efforts aimed at ending the escalation and restoring stability,” Aoun said, urging the international community to take action to prevent further aggression.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement also condemned the attack, holding the international community accountable.

“The international community bears responsibility and continues to provide cover for these attacks as long as it does not restrain the occupiers,” said Ali Abu Shahin, a member of the group’s political bureau.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that the Israeli army carried out a strike “in the heart of Beirut."

Netanyahu reportedly approved the operation following recommendations from top Israeli security officials.

Two senior US officials commented on the Israeli strike.

The first official said that Israel did not notify Americans in advance about the attack. "We were informed immediately after the strike was carried out."

The second senior official said that the "US knew for several days that Israel was planning to escalate its strikes in Lebanon, but did not know in advance the timing, location, or target of the strike."

Speaking from the site of the Israeli strike, Lebanese MP Ali Ammar condemned the attack as part of a broader campaign of aggression that has targeted "all of Lebanon since the Washington-sponsored ceasefire."

He stated that "any attack on Lebanon is a violation of red lines; this aggression is part and parcel of the entity that targets Lebanon's dignity, sovereignty, and security of citizens."

Ammar went on to say the resistance is responding with "utmost wisdom, patience, and will confront the enemy at the appropriate time."

"Unfortunately, the enemy is emboldened to commit its aggression by voices within Lebanon that have turned themselves into tools that support its aggression," he added.

The Israeli attack on the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital is the latest blatant violation of the ceasefire Israel signed with Hezbollah in November 2024, which was intended to end hostilities that had escalated into full-scale war.

An Israeli strike on the Ain al-Hilweh camp near Sidon in southern Lebanon late Tuesday killed at least 14 people. It wounded several others, including young students, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

The military claimed the attack targeted “a Hamas training compound” used to plan and carry out attacks against the regime -- a claim that has frequently been made without evidence.

Hamas rejected the allegations as “a blatant lie aimed at justifying the massacre,” stating it had “no military installations in the Palestinian camps in Lebanon” and that the targeted site was merely “an open sports field.”

According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks have killed approximately 4,000 people and displaced more than 1.2 million residents across the country since October 2023.

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