KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 3): YTL Group intends to privatise more listed companies and purchase more assets with its total cash reserves of RM14 billion, according to a report by Nanyang Siang Pau Thursday.

The Chinese daily newspaper — which carried an exclusive interview with Tan Sri Francis Yeoh, who is heading the conglomerate — quoted Yeoh as saying: "After delisting YTL Cement, we intend to privatise more listed companies. We hope to distribute more cash and dividends to our shareholders. And YTL Corporation Bhd will dish out more dividends in future."

Apart from YTL Corporation, other listed companies which come under the umbrella of the YTL group include YTL Power International Bhd, YTL Land and Development Bhd and YTL E-Solutions Bhd and Starhill Reit Bhd. All were down slightly in mid-morning trade.

According to Nanyang, analysts have singled out cash-rich YTL Power as the next logical candidate for privatisation as this company paid out about RM680 million dividend in FY2011.

Yeoh also added in the interview that YTL group is now in the market looking for takeover opportunities and asset purchase. The markets he is looking at now include Australia and China.

He said: "Every economic crisis and economic downturn provide opportunities for YTL to expand. In previous crises, we had bought Wessex Water of UK, Power Seraya of Singapore, Niseko Village of Japan and other assets."