10/04/2026

BIZ & FINANCE FRIDAY | APR 10, 2026

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Hospitality sector set to tackle labour shortages with AI, robotics PETALING JAYA: As the tourism industry anticipates a record-breaking year, the Hospitality Automation Summit (HOSAS) 2026 is set to convene on May 21 at a hotel in Bukit Jalil. The summit will bring together industry leaders to address a critical economic bottleneck: the persistent labour shortage in the hospitality sector and the role of high-tech automation in solving it. Founded by Vendfun CEO Benny Wee and Malaysia Budget & Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel, HOSAS 2026 serves as a strategic platform for hoteliers to adopt “contactless” and “AI-driven” solutions. The event showcases how digital transformation can reduce overhead costs by up to 30% while significantly increasing guest satisfaction. “At HOSAS 2026, we are presenting a roadmap for how Malaysian SMEs in the hospitality space can remain profitable through Smart Kiosks, Robotics, and AI,”Wee said.

Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera declares 2.5 sen distribution

KUALA Pelaburan Hartanah Bhd (PHB) and PHB Asset Management Bhd’s (PHBAM) shariah-compliant unit trust, Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera (AHB), have declared an interim income distribution of 2.50 sen per unit for the six months ended March 31, 2026. In a joint statement yesterday, PHB and PHBAM said the distribution comprises an income distribution of 2.06 sen per unit and a bonus distribution of 0.44 sen per unit, with the bonus funded by PHB as sponsor and payable on the first o RM118.74 million will be paid to 87,000 unitholders LUMPUR:

sustainable income distribution while supporting the broader national agenda of wealth creation for bumiputera investors,” he said. Meanwhile, PHBAM CEO Zulkifli Ishak said: “As AHB fund manager, we will continue to focus on financial literacy initiatives and to underscore the importance of sound financial planning, while widening accessibility to AHB among the bumiputera community.” These efforts will be complemented by a more aggressive marketing strategy to broaden outreach and encourage sustained participation, he said. Unitholders may check their income distribution from April 13 via AHB’s authorised distributors, including PHBAM via its official platform, as well as Maybank, AmBank, Bank Islam and Bank Kerjasama Rakyat. – Bernama

underscores the resilience of AHB’s portfolio and PHB’s disciplined approach in navigating a dynamic market environment. “Backed by a diversified portfolio of prime commercial assets, we remain focused on delivering sustainable and competitive returns to our unitholders,” he said. He added that AHB continues to demonstrate its strength as a shariah-compliant real estate investment unit trust fund that provides competitive value to bumiputera investors, supported by effective asset management and a long-term investment strategy. “PHB will continue to strengthen its portfolio through strategic asset allocation strategy, prudent capital management, and disciplined acquisitions and divestment, ensuring AHB remains well-positioned to deliver

one million units held by each unitholder. “A total of RM118.74 million will be distributed to about 87,000 unitholders, bringing AHB’s cumulative income distribution since inception in 2010 to RM2.5 billion,” it said in a statement. The statement said the income distribution will be paid in units to investors holding less than 10,000 units. Those with 10,000 units and above will receive cash credited directly into their bank accounts on April 13, 2026. “The distribution is net of tax and zakat, and unitholders will receive the full amount without the need for further deductions or obligations,” the statement added. PHB group managing director Mazuki Abdullah @ Muhammad said: “This income distribution

AWC secures RM22.2m plumbing job for data centre project

PETALING JAYA: Main Market-listed leading engineering services group, AWC Bhd, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Qudotech Sdn Bhd, yesterday accepted the letter of award from a joint venture contractor for the execution and completion of plumbing, silo tank and internal sanitary works in relation to a data centre project. The RM22.2 million contract is expected to be completed by Dec 27, 2026. The identity of the awarder has not been disclosed in accordance with confidentiality requirements under the agreement. Group CEO/president, Datuk Ahmad Kabeer Mohamed Nagoor said, “We are delighted to clinch this contract, which reflects the trust of our partners place in our ability to deliver specialised works for data centre projects – an environment known for its stringent timelines and technical requirements. “Our team is well-equipped to meet those expectations, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of delivery. “More excitingly, this is our Engineering Division’s second data centre contract win in FY26, which is very encouraging. “This not only suggests that we are building a consistent track record in this space, but also that we are well-positioned to capture the vast opportunities arising from the rapid growth of this sector,” he said. “This win further reinforces our strategy to expand our presence in high-tech and mission-critical infrastructure projects.” As of December 31, 2025, Ahmad Kabeer said their order book stood at RM910 million, giving the group healthy earnings visibility for the years to come.

OMS to deploy DriX O-16 to support subsea cable installation The DriX O-16 is designed to support long-duration survey missions.

Ahmad Kabeer says the company is building a consistent track record in the data centre space. “This excludes the job wins secured in 2026, amounting to RM48.8 million. “Cumulative contracts secured in FY26 is now at around RM472 million. All in all, we continue to be positive on the group’s prospects underpinned by our solid order book and tender pipeline.” At the same time, he said, the company remains vigilant in view of the new tariff measures and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and its consequential effects on global oil prices, trade flows, and investor sentiment. “We will continue to monitor these developments closely and manage our business prudently to safeguard the group’s performance and long-term interests,” he added.

KUALA LUMPUR: OMS Group and Exail yesterday announced the acquisition of a second Exail DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), accelerating OMS Group’s deployment of autonomous survey capabilities to support the growing demand for subsea cable infrastructure worldwide. The first DriX O-16, purchased last year and to be named USV Elite, is scheduled to be launched in mid-2026. Together, the two vessels will support subsea cable installation campaigns globally, performing seabed surveys, route verification, and monitoring for critical telecommunications cable infrastructure. With an operational endurance of up to 30 days and a range of approximately 3,500 nautical miles, the DriX O-16 is designed to support long-duration survey missions with minimal reliance on crewed vessels. The platform also accommodates

enabling remote supervision, real-time data validation, and coordinated multi vehicle operations. Exail VP for maritime autonomy solutions Olivier Cervantes said: “The subsea cable market is expanding rapidly, driven by global connectivity needs. Our DriX O-16, equipped with an EM124 multibeam echo sounder, provides cable-laying operators with the endurance and seabed coverage required to support complex installation campaigns. “The use of USVs can reduce the survey carbon footprint by up to 99%, decrease human exposure at sea, and offer greater operational flexibility while maintaining high data quality.” The DriX range of USVs, which includes the H-8, H-9 and O-16, is designed to address the evolving needs of offshore operations through scalable and flexible autonomous solutions.

advanced survey sensors, including the Kongsberg EM124 multibeam echo sounder, enabling precise, high resolution seabed mapping required for large-scale subsea infrastructure projects. OMG Group CEO Ronnie Lim said: “As global demand for subsea digital infrastructure continues to grow, advanced survey capability has become increasingly important. “The deployment of the DriX O-16 strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality seabed data with greater safety, lower emissions, and improved operational resilience, particularly for long-duration and remote offshore missions.” He said the DriX O-16 will be integrated into OMS Group’s expanding survey ecosystem, alongside the planned deployment of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and the establishment of a Remote Operation Centre in Singapore,