Riding high on Fiji

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LATEST JOB: Workmen laying premix on the road site for Nadi to Lautoka in Fiji. Naim's latest contract involves a pavement rehabilitation programme for Fiji's Northern Division worth approximately RM12 million in total contract value.

Naim secures third contract in Fiji

KUCHING: Homegrown construction and property contractor, Naim Holdings Bhd (Naim) is looking forward towards gaining more contracts in Fiji, following its successful bid for a third job in the small Pacific nation.

The contract, which involved a pavement rehabilitation programme for the Northern Division, was awarded by the Fijian government to Naim’s construction arm Naim Cendera Sdn Bhd, worth 7.241 million Fijian dollars (approximately RM12 million) in total contract value.

The job award should further be accretive to Naim’s total contract value in Fiji, which had reached more than RM200 million throughout the past one year, said Naim’s corporate services and human resource senior director Ricky Kho.

“We have proven ourselves and gained the confidence of the Fijian government to do the job,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Naim’s first foray into Fiji began in 2009 when the Fijian government, led by its Prime Minister Comodore V Bainimarama, approached the group to undertake works on a 338-kilometre road around Fiji’s main Viti Levu Island, worth about US$40 million in total contract value.

“The latest contract awarded clearly shows Naim is not only able to do local jobs, but can also deliver foreign contracts as well. We have the professionals, talent and skills as well as resources to perform all requirements,” he added.

Notably, the third secured contract from Fiji further signified Naim’s progressive development throughout the past 18 years, underscored Kho.

“We have proven ourselves by having achieved completion of more than 16,000 affordable housing units; already occupied by 50,000 to 60,000 residents.

“We have also shown that via fair and transparent bidding, we secured an oil and gas (O&G) contract in Sabah awarded by Petronas and Samsung Engineering. These two are world-renowned giant multinationals who would have done thorough homework and research on us (Naim) before electing us for the highly significant contract,” he pointed out.

Although very much institutionalised in terms of shareholding composition, Naim’s foreign institutional shareholdings had been significant reaching 12.44 per cent out of the overall composition to date.

“These achievements are not ‘handouts’, despite us being very much institutionalised. We have worked hard to get where we are today; in return for which we have gained the opportunity and liberty to carefully choose our jobs,” Kho stated.

Sabah’s RM2.44-billion O&G mega infrastructure contract also marked Naim’s maiden entry into the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) specialisation.

“Whatever and wherever we expand or enhance our capabilities, we will continue to subscribe to our mission to deliver results within or ahead the specified timeline, targets and of course, budget, to our employers.”

Voicing out further, Kho stressed, “Above all, transparency remains our priority. As a public-listed entity, we want to be recognised for our ability and track record; not for preferentiality. This, I believe, is already evident based on what we have achieved so far.”

STAKEHOLDERS’ COMPOSITION: Although very much institutionalised, Naim’s foreign institutional shareholdings have been significant, reaching 12.44 per cent out of the overall composition to date.

STAKEHOLDERS' COMPOSITION: Although very much institutionalised, Naim's foreign institutional shareholdings have been significant, reaching 12.44 per cent out of the overall composition to date.