DATO´ AHMAD PARDAS SENIN MD/CEO of UEM Group

‘We take our role seriously and always strive to deliver the best for Malaysia’
Interview with Dato’ Ahmad Pardas Senin, who sets out his vision for the future of UEM Group in the context of the 9th Malaysia Plan

2007 marks Malaysia’s 50th anniversary as an independent state. What have been the driving forces behind Malaysia’s progress and how would you describe the country’s competitive advantages in the Pan-Asian region?

Infrastructure development has undoubtedly been one of the major catalysts to propel Malaysia’s growth, contributing to the economic success and wealth creation that the whole nation is enjoying now. This can be clearly seen in major infrastructure such as the north-south expressway built by one of our subsidiaries, PLUS Expressways Berhad, in the late eighties and the early nineties. The project generated a lot of job opportunities and business spin-offs that benefited the whole country. Quite a number of new cities and towns have been established along the highway and this in turn has helped spread development to other parts of the Malaysian peninsula outside of the Klang Valley, Kuala Lumpur and its environs. Malaysia is strategically placed, a gateway to southeast Asia and within six hours’ flight of China, Indonesia and India. Our political stability and strong leaders since independence have helped to guide Malaysia and to achieve the recognition it enjoys now. Our financial market is now more liberalised and Malaysia’s fundamentals are now stonger than ever.

What are your views on the implications of the 9th Malaysia Plan for the construction sector?

With Malaysia’s relatively low inflation rate, good progress made in rolling out the 9th Malaysia Plan projects, higher investment approvals and recent policy initiatives such as the abolishment of real property gains tax, the overall outlook for Malaysia is one of continued growth, especialy in the construction sector.

The identification and development of the three economic corridors within Peninsula Malaysia has undoubtedly provided the stimulus for the overall economy of the country, and our involvement therein has been significant. We are currently involved in the construction of the Penang Second Bridge, which will support the growth of the northern corridor and the development of Nusajaya, which in turn is an important catalyst for the southern corridor and the Iskandar Development Region. These two projects are High Impact Projects identified under the 9th Malaysia Plan unveiled under the leadership of our prime minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Delivery of these projects is immensely important to the next stage of growth of the nation.

How would you describe UEM’s role in building the Malaysian nation and driving its economy?

UEM’s involvement in the earlier Malaysia Plans is significant. We take our role seriously and always strive to deliver the best - to make life better for all of Malaysia’s citizens in terms of road transportation, rail and bridges, Internet connectivity, housing needs, hospital maintenance and healthcare and our commitment to human capital and education. We are a dynamic group and we constantly review our methods and strive to ensure the right mix of portfolio, with balanced growth capabilities and strong execution. Furthermore, we are a diversified conglomerate with a wide range of skills and competencies to support 9MP projects.

What are the competitive advantages of UEM Group, and how do you see your direction in 2007 and 2008?

Our strength lies in our diversity as a conglomerate. We will continue to concentrate on all of our existing core businesses, both domestically and overseas. Our success also lies with our experienced, committed and skillful workforce that has enabled us to take on big and important projects in Malaysia and abroad. Over the next year we will continue to optimize overseas and domestic revenue mix – we have identified China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar as potential markets for investment. We will also continue to diversify upstream and downstream and product differentiation, while improving our distribution network and entering new markets such as biotechnology and herbals. As the preferred nation-building partner we will continue to promote and enhance UEM as a global brand.

Over the next five years our focus will continue to revolve around maximizing productivity of resources, growing and expanding the business, investing in people and organizational development, improving systems and processes, all the while focusing on image-building and our international perception.

What are your views on the history of UK-Malaysia relations, particularly regarding trade and investment opportunities?

Malaysia has encompassed some 20 billion ringgit annually in total two-way trade in goods – making the UK one of the largest, if not the largest, market for Malaysia in Europe, and Malaysia the UK’s largest market in southeast Asia after Singapore.

Our commercial ties with the UK are strong and we have close historical and educational links. Similarities between our commercial and legal frameworks and the widespread use of English all combine to create a good chance of developing a vibrant business relationship. Malaysia offers significant business opportunities in a wide range of sectors, including tourism, oil and gas, biotechnoloogy, research and development, areospace, environment, education and training and healthcare.

We believe that the relationship between our two nations will continue to be stronger in years to come, as there are a lot of opportunities to be shared between both countries.