SINGAPORE: Hyflux on Thursday (Apr 4) cancelled a restructuring agreement with the Salim-Medco consortium SM Investments (SMI), saying it has "no confidence" the Indonesian investor will complete the deal.
Hyflux said it "attempted on multiple occasions to meaningfully engage with the SMI on its assertions on the restructuring agreement" to no avail.
AdvertisementIt added: "In light of (SMI's) responses and conduct, Hyflux has no confidence that the Investor is prepared to continue to complete the proposed SMI Investment, even if all outstanding conditions precedent under the Restructuring Agreement."
This follows developments from last week, when SMI said it was reviewing the sums that should be set aside for Hyflux’s working capital needs and to settle creditors’ claims, in light of “new material information” on the embattled water treatment firm.
The Indonesian consortium did not specify what the new information is, but said that it “significantly increases” the working capital requirements of Hyflux group.
In light of the latest events, Hyflux has cancelled scheme meetings scheduled for Apr 5 and Apr 8, as well as the Extraordinary General meeting set for Apr 15.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn May 2018, Hyflux applied to the High Court to begin a court-supervised process of debt and business reorganisation following a period of financial strife.
The company blamed “prolonged weakness” in the local power market for its financial difficulties, which led to “short-term liquidity constraints in recent weeks”.
In October last year, Hyflux announced that SMI would take a 60 per cent stake in the company, investing a sum of around S$530 million.
Salim Group, one of Indonesia's largest conglomerates and owner of Indofoods, has interests in infrastructure, utility companies and oil and gas in Southeast Asia. It controls power company Pacific Light Power in Singapore.
Medco, an Indonesian energy conglomerate, controls and operates the West Natuna Transportation System Pipeline, which delivers gas to Singapore.
Founded in 1989 by Ms Lum, Hyflux built two of Singapore's desalination plants that can meet up to 25 per cent of the city-state's water needs.
The company employs 2,300 people worldwide and has business operations across Asia, Middle East and Africa.
The company's total liabilities stood at S$2.6 billion at the end of March.
Let's block ads! (Why?)
More...