07/01/2026

BIZ & FINANCE WEDNESDAY | JAN 7, 2026

14

Spotlight on dialogue, talent gap at Rehda Institute event

our deep understanding of how Malaysians use their vehicles. Guided by our best in town philosophy and a customer first mindset, we remain committed to delivering mobility solutions that are practical, inclusive, and reliable, ensuring Toyota continues to serve Malaysians today and for generations to come.” Building on the momentum of 2025, UMWT said, it will continue expanding its network, strengthening service excellence, and introducing initiatives aligned with evolving customer expectations. As part of its year-end initiatives, UMWT introduced the Toyota Extend Plan on Dec 1, 2025, reinforcing its customer first commitment to long term ownership confidence. PETALING JAYA: Industrial REIT AME Real Estate Investment Trust (AME REIT) has entered into an agreement with an existing tenant for the sale of three industrial properties in i-Park @ SILC for a total cash consideration of RM14.5 million. The properties, i-Park SILC 3, i-Park SILC 4, and i-Park SILC 6, comprise 1.5-storey semi-detached factories with ongoing leases with a combined agreed lettable area (ALA) of 37,104 sq ft. The sale price represents a significant premium of between 18.5% and 24.8% above the respective market value of the properties as appraised by the independent valuer. The transaction is expected to generate a gain on disposal of RM4.5 million (excluding estimated incidental costs), representing a 44.7% gain over the original cost of investment. This move is in line with AME REIT’s strategy of portfolio opti misation by unlocking capital appre ciation achieved on mature assets against a backdrop of strengthening capital values within the Johor Singapore Special Eco-nomic Zone (JS-SEZ). I REIT Managers Sdn Bhd CEO and executive director Chan Wai Leo said: “This divestment forms part of our active portfolio management and capital discipline, where mature, smaller-format properties are monetised at attractive valuations and capital is redeployed into larger, scalable properties with stronger long-term growth. The premiums achieved under score the continued strength of industrial demand and rising capital values within the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. Importantly, the transaction allows us to unlock value while maintaining income stability, portfolio efficiency and balance sheet flexibility.” The transaction is conducted via AME REIT’s trustee, RHB Trustees Bhd, and is expected to be completed in phases between the first and second quarters of 2026. AME REIT sells three i-Park @ SILC properties for RM14.5m

o This year’s CEO Series comes amid shifting global capital flows, technological disruption and intensifying regional competition

PETALING JAYA: As Malaysia enters 2026 amid shifting global capital flows, technological disruption and intensifying regional competition, industry leaders are calling for deeper, more candid engagement between the private sector and policymakers to ensure the country’s economic momentum is matched by talent readiness and structural resilience. Rehda Institute’s CEO Series 2026 is shaping up as a key early-year platform for that dialogue, bringing together senior government leaders, industry captains and regional experts to examine Malaysia’s economic outlook and its implications for investment, labour markets and long term competitiveness. Rehda Institute chairman Datuk Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip said the CEO Series has consistently played a critical role in surfacing private sector concerns directly to policymakers, particularly on issues that require more holistic and coordinated solutions. “The CEO Series has always been about meaningful interaction between the private sector and senior government officials. From the private sector’s viewpoint, many issues need to be addressed in a more efficient and integrated way, and this platform allows those issues to be raised constructively,” he told reporters. Ng said the 2026 edition, to be held on Jan 15, carries particular significance, as it comes at a time when global and regional economic headwinds are increasingly in fluencing investment decisions, Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X Bhd yesterday announced that Tune Group Sdn Bhd has ceased to be a substantial shareholder of the company following the disposal of 66,829,975 ordinary shares. As part of the final stages of AirAsia’s aviation business conso lidation exercise, AirAsia X said in a statement yesterday, the cessation is a result of a disposal of shares via a direct business transaction and was executed pursuant to the under taking by Capital A Bhd and its persons acting in concert (PAC) to reduce their collective shareholding in AirAsia X to below 33% in order not to trigger any takeover obligations in the Rules on Take-overs, Mergers and Compulsory Acquisitions issued by the Securities Commission Malaysia.

business confidence and workforce dynamics across Asean. He noted that the presence of both Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan and Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook reflects the importance of aligning fiscal, infrastructure and economic policies with private sector realities. “What both ministers can share with us, and what we can feed back to them, is especially important as industries navigate 2026 and be yond,” he said. Now in its 10th edition, the CEO Series has evolved beyond a property-focused forum into a multi industry conference supported by nearly 20 partner organisations, with speakers from across the region, including Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam. “The whole idea is not to look inward, but outward, to understand global headwinds, regional oppor tunities and how Malaysia positions itself in that landscape,” Ng said. A key highlight of this year’s conference is the launch of the Rehda Institute Youth Initiative (Riyi), a structured mentorship programme aimed at addressing persistent skills mismatches in the Malaysian workforce. Ng said data from the Depart ment of Statistics Malaysia shows that while unemployment remains low, underemployment among tertiary-educated graduates has become a growing concern, with many graduates ending up in semi skilled or low-skilled roles unrelated to their qualifications. “This is no longer an un employment issue. It’s an under employment issue, and it reflects a A matter of process, it added, this disposal of shares by Tune Group aligns with the conditions set out in the circulars to shareholders dated Sept 24, 2024 and Sept 20, 2024, in relation to AirAsia X’s proposed private placement and Capital A’s pro posed distribution respectively. Upon completion of the proposed acquisition by AirAsia X of 100% equity interest in AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd and AirAsia Bhd as well as the proposed private placement and Capital A’s pro posed distribution, the co founders, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and Datuk Kamarudin Meranun will continue to be substantial share holders via their direct and indirect interests in AirAsia X.

Ng speaking at the pre-launch press conference of the CEO Series 2026 at the Rehda Institute yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

mismatch between education and industry needs,” he said. The Riyi programme is designed to bridge that gap by pairing selected university students and young professionals with senior industry practitioners, providing early ex posure to real-world decision making and evolving career path ways across the built environment and related sectors. For the first time, the mentorship programme will extend beyond real estate to include other industries, reflecting the increasingly inter connected nature of Malaysia’s economic ecosystem. “Talent development is not just about hardware or investment dollars. It’s about the software, the skills, adaptability and capabilities of our workforce,” Ng said. He warned that failure to uplift workforce skills in tandem with economic growth could eventually undermine Malaysia’s attractiveness to investors.

or five years’ time. This initiative is about closing that gap early,” he added. The CEO Series 2026 will also feature dedicated discussions on institutional capital allocation, alternative asset classes and emerging sectors such as data centres, which have attracted significant foreign investment into Malaysia. In addition, the programme will place a strong spotlight on tourism and hospitality-led developments in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, reflecting changing con sumer preferences towards ex periential and long-stay accommo dation models. Another major focus will be the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and broader transport con nectivity, including transit-oriented development and cross-border economic spillovers.

“If talent development runs behind economic growth, invest ment momentum could slow in four UMW Toyota Motor vehicle sales top 100,000 for fourth year in a row Ng said these discussions go beyond Johor alone, with impli cations for real estate, infrastructure and growth corridors across multiple states.

AirAsia X: Tune Group ceases to be substantial shareholder

PETALING JAYA: UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) closed 2025 on a strong note, recording 14,284 units in December, bringing total annual sales to 102,417 units and marking its fourth consecutive year surpassing the 100,000 unit milestone. This achievement establishes Toyota as the first and only non national automotive brand in Malaysia to record over 100,000 vehicle sales for four consecutive years, a milestone never before achieved by a non national automotive brand in the Malaysian market. In a statement, the company said this sustained success is driven by Toyota’s Multi-Pathway Approach, which recognises that mobility needs differ across communities, usage

patterns, and infrastructure readiness. It added that by offering a balanced portfolio spanning efficient internal combustion engines, hybrid electri fication, and future-ready technologies, Toyota continues to advance its commitment to Mobility for All, ensuring progress is inclusive and grounded in the realities of the Malaysian market. “Achieving over 100,000 vehicle sales for four consecutive years is a meaningful milestone for Toyota and a celebration of the trust Malaysians place in us,” said UMW Toyota Motor president, Datuk Ravindran K. He added, “Sustaining this level of performance in a highly competitive and fast-changing market reflects the strength of our long-term strategy, our investment in local capabilities, and