20/03/2026

BIZ & FINANCE FRIDAY | MAR 20, 2026

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Malaysia’s inflation in February stands at 1.4%

Edotco, Huawei Malaysia team up to strengthen next-gen network operations PETALING JAYA: Edotco Malaysia Sdn Bhd has entered into a next generation network operations partnership with Huawei Tech nologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd to enhance telecommunications in frastructure management through technology-enabled operations, automation, and smarter infra structure solutions, supporting Malaysia’s long-term digital ambi tions. The partnership brings together Edotco’s operational standards and infrastructure expertise and Huawei’s digital operations and maintenance capabilities. Through the collaboration, Edotco’s customers are set to benefit from more intelligent, data driven operating capabilities, including a unified operations and maintenance platform, AI-assisted scheduling, geolocation-based task assignments and more precise maintenance execution in the field. These enhancements are ex pected to deliver more reliable connectivity, fewer avoidable service disruptions and better overall experience as people and businesses increasingly depend on digital services in their daily lives. Edotco Group CEO Adlan Tajudin said the collaboration reflects the company’s commit ment to continuously streng thening operational capabilities to support Malaysia’s growing digital aspi-rations for its people and economy. “Reliable and efficient infra structure operations are critical as connectivity becomes increasingly essential for businesses, com munities and digital services. “Through this partnership with Huawei, we are enhancing our operational capabilities with ad vanced technologies and global expertise to ensure our infr astructure continues to deliver high standards of performance and meet customers’ expectations as well as Malaysia’s AI Nation 2030 goals,” he said. Huawei Malaysia deputy CEO Zac Chow said these enhance ments are expected to deliver stronger service visibility, faster fault detection and restoration, im proved incident coordination, and higher asset uptime. “Through this partnership, we are banking on our global experience to empower Edotco’s transition towards AI-driven net work operations. “By integrating intelligent inspection, smart dispatching and full-scale asset digitalisation, we envision a future of predictive and preventive maintenance to achieve operational excellence. “This strategic collaboration is set to fundamentally optimise network quality and operational efficiency. This marks the begin ning of a promising partnership,”he said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s inflation rose modestly to 1.4% in February 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbing to 136.0 from 134.1 a year earlier, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said. In a statement yesterday, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said eight categories recorded slower year-on-year growth compared with January 2026. These included insurance and financial services at 4.7% (January: 5.5%), education 2.8% (3.2%), restaurant and accommodation services 2.5% (3%), and food and beverages 1.3% (1.5%). Other groups showed marginal increases, with health rising 1.2% (1.4%), housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels up 1.1% (1.2%), and information and communication advancing 0.5% (0.7%). Meanwhile, personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services increased to 6.9% (6.6%), while alcoholic beverages and tobacco rose to 2.6% (2.5%). According to DOSM, about 59.7% of items (342 of 573) recorded price increases, of which 333 items (97.4%) increased by 10% or less, while only nine items rose by more than 10% in February. The remaining 190 items (33.2%) declined, and 41 items remained unchanged. The food and beverages group, which contributes 29.8% of total CPI weight, rose slower at 1.3% in February compared with 1.5% in January, driven by food away from home (2.4%; January 2.5%) and food earlier but rate slows from 1.6% in January o CPI climbs to 136.0 from 134.1 a year

to oversee the CLQ management business, including Simon David Leong and Datuk Wira Joey Yan Lee Chin. Yan is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive experience in manpower solutions, foreign worker management, and dormitory and CLQ operations. Leong and Yan co-founded Q Centre Group, a leading operator of CLQ and purpose-built workers’ accommodation in the Klang Valley known for its ESG-compliant and technology-driven management systems. The diversification is subject to the approval of RSSB’s shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting to be convened. The group expects the diversification to take effect upon obtaining all the necessary approvals. Month-on-month, headline inflation rose 0.2% in February (January 0.1%), driven by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (0.7%; January 0.3%), transport (0.2%; -0.4%) and clothing and footwear (0.1%; 0%). Five groups recorded no monthly changes: food and beverages, furnishings and household equipment, health, recreation, sport and culture, and insurance and financial services. Regionally, Malaysia’s 1.4% inflation in February 2026 was lower than that in Indonesia (4.8%), Vietnam (3.4%), the Philippines (2.4%) and South Korea (2%) but higher than in China (1.3%) and Thailand (-0.9%). – Bernama

the subsidised price of RM1.99. Mohd Uzir said eight states recorded inflation above the national rate of 1.4% – Pahang (2.1%), Labuan (2.1%), Negeri Sembilan (2%), Sabah (1.8%), Johor (1.7%), Penang (1.6%), Terengganu (1.6%), and Kuala Lumpur (1.6%). Kelantan recorded the lowest inflation at 0.2%. All states registered higher food and beverage inflation except Kelantan (-0.7%). Seven states exceeded the national food and beverages inflation rate of 1.3%, led by Negeri Sembilan (3%), Pahang (2.3%), Johor (2.1%), Kuala Lumpur (1.8%), Penang (1.7%), Kedah (1.6%) and Malacca (1.4%).

at home (0.3%; January 0.6%). Inflation in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels group slowed to 1.1% from 1.2% in January, driven by water supply and miscellaneous services related to dwelling, 6.8% (7.1%) and actual rentals for housing, 1.5% (1.9%). DOSM said the average price of unleaded petrol RON97 remained at RM3.11 per litre in February. The average price for diesel in Peninsular Malaysia rose to RM2.98 per litre from RM2.89 in January, while in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan it remained at RM2.15 per litre. The average market price of RON95 increased slightly to RM2.55 per litre (January: RM2.54) compared with

RSSB diversifying into CLQ management PETALING JAYA: Property developer and contractor Rivertree STF Synergies Bhd (RSSB) is diversifying its principal activities to include managing Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ). develop up to four CLQ facilities in the Klang Valley, with an aggregate indicative development value of RM600 million and a total capacity of 28,800 beds. Malaysia’s sizeable workforce of approximately 2.4 million foreign workers, further boosted by stricter regulatory enforcement under Act 446 and rising ESG expectations from multinational companies.

RSSB will undertake the role of turnkey developer and views this as a suitable opportunity to venture into the CLQ management busi ness. RSSB executive director Datuk Simon David Leong said the diversification represents a natural extension of the group’s existing capabilities in property develop ment and construction. “By participating in both the development and operational aspects of CLQ facilities, the Group is better positioned to capture value across the lifecycle of these assets. “We see strong structural demand in the CLQ segment, supported by

“These factors are driving the need for compliant and pro fessionally managed worker accom modation, positioning CLQs as an increasingly important component of industrial infrastructure.” RSSB intends to integrate operational capabilities into its service offering, including facility management, maintenance, security, compliance monitoring, tenant management, and ancillary services such as transport coordination, laundry services and other value added services. The group has identified experienced and suitable personnel

The move represents a strategic step by the group to expand beyond its current principal activities into a complementary segment that offers greater earnings visibility. The CLQ management business is expected to provide a consistent recurring income stream through long-term rental and a stable occupancy rate, supporting a more balanced and resilient earnings profile. The diversification proposal follows RSSB’s March 3 announce ment on its collaboration with Catenary Capital Sdn Bhd and Q Centre Management Sdn Bhd to