04/05/2026

BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | MAY 4, 2026

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Keep foreign worker system reforms on track: Mamba

Rubber market seen extending upward momentum KUALA LUMPUR: The rubber mar ket is expected to continue its upward momentum this week, supported by firm crude oil prices and potential supply disruptions. The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) noted that rubber prices, which reached new highs last week, are likely to continue trending upwards. “Rubber prices have hit new highs this (last) week and this upward trend is likely to continue into next (this) week, driven by firmer crude oil prices and expected supply disruptions following the United States’ blockade of Iranian ports,” Margma told Bernama on Saturday. The association added that encouraging signs from China’s latest economic policies may further support demand. However, industry expert Denis Low said the rubber market is likely to see some volatility, with a softer bias. “It is a highly uncertain week ahead and the rubber market appears to be in a short supply position without reasonable causes,” he said. On a weekly basis, the Malaysian Rubber Board’s reference price for SMR 20 rose by 18 sen to 859 sen per kg), while latex-in-bulk fell 6.5 sen to 751 sen per kg.

o Don’t politicise the centralised

of solutions, including the use of more advanced digital technologies, cross-border integration and stronger international cooperation,” he said. While acknowledging that public debate on FWCMS is both necessary and healthy, Tan stressed that such discourse must be constructive and grounded in facts rather than driven by political agendas. “We welcome scrutiny and discussion, but it must be responsible. Politicising the system without a full appreciation of its impact risks reversing the gains that have been made.” He urged all stakeholders – policymakers, industry players, civil society and technology providers – to work collaboratively towards a more holistic and sustainable solution. “Our collective priority should be to protect the welfare of migrant workers, eliminate profiteering and ensure that Malaysian businesses, particularly micro businesses and SMEs, are supported by a fair, efficient and transparent system,” Tan said. “This is not an issue for political contestation, but one that demands unity and practical solutions.”

depend on,” he said. Tan underscored that FWCMS has successfully operated across five different government adminis trations, a track record which, in his view, reflects both the robustness of the system and the stringent processes underpinning its imple mentation and oversight. “Very few systems can demon strate continuity and relevance across multiple administrations. This alone speaks volumes about the system’s resilience and insti tutional value,” he said. Importantly, Tan highlighted that many of the previous inefficiencies – particularly on the demand side involving employer applications and approvals – have been signi ficantly addressed through digital isation. However, he acknowledged that challenges remain, particularly those originating beyond Malaysia’s jurisdiction, including issues within source countries such as recruit ment practices, documentation integrity and worker welfare. “These are structural and cross border issues that cannot be resolved by Malaysia alone. What is needed is the continued evolution

Chairman Datuk Mohd Idzwan Izuddin Ab Rahman said, “This fund reflects our strategic response to the growing demand for syariah compliant income solutions. We believe it is well-positioned to serve as a robust vehicle for capital preser vation and sustainable income generation in an increasingly un certain market environment.” CEO Hang Tuah Amin Tajudin said, “PMB Investment is focused on shaping the next phase of value creation. This includes expanding into future-facing asset classes such as carbon credits, while continuing to provide stable and syariah-compliant income solu tions for institutional investors.” digital platform has resolved many of the inefficiencies and leakages that once enabled abuse, delays and opacity,” he said. Tan highlighted that micro businesses and SMEs – including hawkers, market traders, pasar malam operators, small sundry shop owners and even workshops – form the backbone of Malaysia’s economy and are heavily reliant on migrant workers to support their daily operations. “Any disruption to the system will not just affect large corpo rations, but will disproportionately impact micro businesses and small enterprises, creating uncertainty, operational disruptions and financial hardship for those who can least afford it,” he said. Tan stressed that from the perspective of businesses on the ground, the system is functioning effectively and has brought tangible improvements. “For many employers, parti cularly within the micro and SME segments, the system works. It has improved processing timelines, enhanced transparency and pro vided a more structured and reliable framework that businesses can tax of RM0.59 million for the quarter under review. PAT attributable to owners of the company stood at RM0.71 million, translating into basic and diluted earnings per share of 0.19 sen, based on the enlarged issued share capital of 369.30 million shares upon listing. As this is Inspace Creation’s first interim financial report announced in compliance with the ACE Market Listing Requirements, there are no comparative figures for the preceding year’s corresponding quarter or immediate preceding quarter. During the quarter under review, project progress was affected by the year-end holiday and festive seasons, including Christmas, New Year and

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Micro Business Association (Mamba) has cautioned against the politicisation of Malaysia’s Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS), warning that such actions risk undermining the meaningful progress already achieved in strengthening governance, effi ciency and transparency in the recruitment of foreign workers. Drawing on recent statements by Bestinet Sdn Bhd, Mamba president Tan Peng Beng noted that the implementation of FWCMS and the broader push towards digitalisation have addressed longstanding sys temic weaknesses that had pre viously plagued the foreign worker recruitment ecosystem. “The transition from fragmented, manual processes to a centralised management system, says Malaysian Micro Business Association

PMB Investment unveils fixed price income wholesale fund for sophisticated investors PETALING JAYA: PMB Investment Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pelaburan Mara Bhd, has launched the PMB Shariah Fixed Price Income Wholesale Fund, a fixed income solution tailored exclusively for sophisticated investors, including institutions, corporates and high-net worth individuals. instruments, syariah-compliant equities, collective investment schemes and Islamic deposits.

The launch was officiated by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) director general Datuk Zulfikri Osman, in conjunction with Mara’s 60th Anni versary celebration at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. The fund is designed to generate stable and regular income, while seeking to maintain liquidity, and preserve capital through a diversified portfolio of syariah-compliant assets. These include Islamic fixed income

Zulfikri (seventh, left) together with the management teams of Mara and Pelaburan Mara at the launch of the fund.

Inspace Creation delivers healthy gross profit margin in first quarter PETALING JAYA: Inspace Creation Bhd announced revenue of RM10.71 million for the first quarter ended Feb 28, 2026 (Q1’26), derived entirely from the provision of interior fitting-out services in Malaysia. set out in the company’s prospectus, the value of work done for Malaysia’s interior fitting-out services industry is projected to grow from RM2.8 billion in 2025 to RM3.5 billion in 2027, representing a compounded annual growth rate of 11.8%.

discipline and project management capabilities. This gives us confidence as we move into the next phase of our growth journey as a listed company.” Inspace Creation’s balance sheet remained supported by total assets of RM35.88 million as at Feb 28, 2026, with total equity of RM18.56 million. Cash and bank balances stood at RM8.62 million, while total bank borrowings declined to RM4.73 million from RM4.90 million as at Nov 30, 2025. Looking ahead, Inspace Creation remains optimistic on the outlook for Malaysia’s interior fitting-out industry, particularly within the corporate office segment. Based on the independent market research report

Chinese New Year, which temporarily reduced workforce availability and moderated the pace of revenue recognition. Despite this, the company maintained a resilient margin profile, reflecting disciplined project execution, cost management and the underlying quality of its project portfolio. Executive director Wong Chong Siong said, “We are pleased to report a profitable first quarterly result as we enter the public market. While project execution during the quarter was moderated by the holiday and festive period, our gross profit margin remained healthy and consistent with our previous financial year, reflecting the strength of our execution

Gross profit stood at RM3.32 million, representing a healthy gross profit margin of 31%, which remained consistent with the 30.7% gross profit margin recorded for the financial year ended Nov 30, 2025. It was the company’s first quarterly results announcement following its initial public offering (IPO) and upcoming listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities on May 8. The company posted profit before tax of RM0.75 million and profit after

Wong said, “The structural drivers for the interior fitting-out industry remain encouraging, particularly as businesses continue to invest in workplace functionality, branding and productivity. With our listing exercise, Inspace Creation will be better positioned to strengthen our operating platform, enhance procurement efficiency and broaden our project opportunities beyond our existing core markets.”