February 23,1998

RESORTS WORLD BHD
PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT

THE DIRECTORS OF RESORTS WORLD BHD ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE AUDITED RESULTS OF THE GROUP AND OF THE COMPANY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 1997, TOGETHER WITH THE COMPARATIVE RESULTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 1996 AS FOLLOWS:

         GROUP         COMPANYGROUPCOMPANY
1997
RM mil
1996
RM mil
1997
RM mil
1996
RM mil
+ or -
%
+ or -
%
1.(a) TURNOVER   3,038.7   2,105.9     2,243.9    1,989.4+44+13
   (b)INVESTMENT AND INTEREST INCOME        74.6        78.0          30.1          15.7-4+92
2.(a)PROFIT BEFORE TAXATION AND MINORITY INTERESTS AND AFTER DEPRECIATION
[see note (i) below]
1,090.9802.9751.8720.7+36+4
   (b)TAXATION     (224.5)    (233.2)       (222.6)     (231.8)-4-4
(c) PROFIT AFTER TAXATION BEFORE MINORITY INTERESTS866.4569.7529.2488.9+52+8
   (d)MINORITY INTERESTS          0.9             0             0             0+>1000
   (e)PROFIT ATTRIBUTABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY       867.3      569.7     529.2      488.9+52+8
Note:
    (i)

DEPRECIATION INCLUDING AMORTISATION
       119.8     113.2       111.5      106.4+6+5
               GROUP          COMPANY
1997199619971996
3.PROFIT [2(e) ABOVE] AS A PERCENTAGE OF TURNOVER [1(a)] ABOVE28.5%27.1%23.6%24.6%
4.PROFIT [2(e) ABOVE] AS A PERCENTAGE OF ISSUED CAPITAL AND RESERVES
AT END OF YEAR
24.7%20.4%17.8%18.8%
5.EARNINGS IN SEN PER ORDINARY SHARE OF 50 SEN EACH FOR
THE YEAR BASED ON
[2(e) ABOVE]
79.4 SEN52.2 SEN
6.NET TANGIBLE ASSETS BACKING PER ORDINARY SHARE OF 50 SEN EACHRM3.21RM2.56
7.

THE RESULTS OF THE GROUP AND OF THE COMPANY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS:

GROUPCOMPANY
1997
RM mil
1996
RM mil
1997
RM mil
1996
RM mil
GOODWILL WRITTEN OFF24.2000
PROFIT ARISING FROM THE SALE OF INVESTMENTS329.313.600

APART  FROM THE ABOVE, THE RESULTS OF THE GROUP AND OF THE COMPANY FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 1997 HAVE NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY ANY MATERIAL FACTORS  AND ITEMS OF AN EXTRAORDINARY NATURE.

IN THE OPINION OF THE DIRECTORS, NO SIGNIFICANT TREND OR EVENT HAS OCCURED BETWEEN 31ST DECEMBER 1997 AND THE DATE OF THIS REPORT WHICH WOULD AFFECT SUBSTANTIALLY THE RESULTS OF THE GROUP AND OF THE COMPANY. 

8.GROUPCOMPANYGROUPCOMPANY
1997
RM  mil
1996
RM  mil
1997
RM  mil
1996
RM  mil
+ or -
%
+ or -
%
(a)PROFIT [2(e) ABOVE] REPORTED FOR FIRST HALF YEAR

282.2


312.8


253.6


273.4


-10


-7
(b)PROFIT [2(e) ABOVE] REPORTED FOR SECOND HALF YEAR 

585.1
 

256.9


275.6


215.5


+ >100%


+28
9.

TAXATION FOR THE YEAR INCLUDES DEFERRED TAX CHARGE OF RM9.9 MILLION (1996 : DEFERRED TAX CREDIT OF RM1.8 MILLION) FOR THE GROUP AND RM10.6 MILLION  (1996 : DEFERRED TAX CREDIT RM1.7 MILLION) FOR THE COMPANY. THERE IS NO MATERIAL ADJUSTMENT FOR UNDER-PROVISION FOR TAXATION RELATING TO PRIOR YEARS (1996 : RM4.2 MILLION) FOR THE GROUP AND (1996 : RM4.4 MILLION) FOR THE COMPANY.

10.THE RESULTS DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PRE-ACQUISITION PROFITS.
11.

SINCE THE PAYMENT OF THE INTERIM DIVIDEND FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER, 1997 TO THE DATE OF THIS REPORT, THE COMPANY DID NOT MAKE ANY RIGHTS, BONUS AND/OR OTHER ISSUES OF EQUITY SHARES.

12.

THE DIRECTORS ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE REGION MAY HAVE AN UNFAVOURABLE IMPACT ON THE RESULTS FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

13.(a)

A FINAL DIVIDEND OF 12 SEN LESS 28% TAX PER ORDINARY SHARE OF 50 SEN EACH IN RESPECT OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 1997 HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE DIRECTORS FOR APPROVAL BY SHAREHOLDERS. THE ENTITLEMENT DATE AND THE DATE OF PAYMENT OF THE SAID FINAL DIVIDEND WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE DIRECTORS AT A LATER DATE.

(b)

INTERIM DIVIDEND WAS 8.5 SEN LESS 30% TAX (NOW DEEMED AS 28%) PER ORDINARY SHARE.

(c)

ANNUAL DIVIDEND PER ORDINARY SHARE OF 50 SEN EACH :-
1997 (RM mil)1996 (RM mil)
INTERIM8.5 SEN LESS 30% TAX
(NOW DEEMED AS 28%)
8.5 SEN LESS 30% TAX
FINAL12.0 SEN LESS 28% TAX12.0 SEN LESS 30% TAX
(NOW DEEMED AS 28%)

(d)

TOTAL ANNUAL NET DIVIDEND :-
1997
RM mil
1996
RM mil
INTERIM65.065.0
FINAL94.391.7
                                               
                  159.3              156.7

(e)

CLOSURE OF BOOKS

THE DATES OF CLOSURE OF THE SHARE TRANSFER BOOKS AND REGISTER OF MEMBERS FOR THE PURPOSE  OF DETERMINING SHAREHOLDERS' ENTITLEMENT TO THE FINAL DIVIDEND WILL  BE ANNOUNCED AT A LATER DATE.