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Marriot and partners launch Destination Convention M’sia

Kerjaya Prospek wins RM37.8m contract from Persada Mentari KUALA LUMPUR: Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd (KPGB) has secured a construction project valued at RM37.82 million from Persada Mentari Sdn Bhd. In a Bursa Malaysia filing yesterday, KPGB said its wholly owned subsidiary, Kerjaya Prospek (M) Sdn Bhd (KPM), received and accepted a letter of award from Persada Mentari Sdn Bhd for the execution and completion of piling and substructure works for a proposed affordable apartment development at Bandar Tanjung Pinang, Pulau Andaman, Penang. “The contract shall commence on Oct 1, 2026, and shall be completed within 24 months from the commencement date. “The acceptance of the contract is in the ordinary course of business of KPM and is undertaken on an arm’s length basis, based on normal commercial terms which are not more favourable than those generally available to the public,” it said. KPGB added that the contract is expected to provide an additional revenue stream for the group over the next two years and further increase and strengthen the group’s existing order book. – Bernama Batik Air to launch Subang-Bali, Penang-Batam routes in October KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Air will launch direct flights from Subang to Bali and Penang to Batam in October, expanding its international connectivity between Malaysia and Indonesia. In a statement yesterday, the airline said the Subang-Bali service will start on Oct 20, operating four times weekly, while the Penang-Batam service will begin on Oct 18 with three weekly flights. Batik Air CEO Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said the new services are being introduced amid continued travel demand between Malaysia and Indonesia. “Bali and Batam are both important destinations for Malaysian travellers, while Malaysia remains a significant market for Indonesian visitors. “These new routes allow Batik Air to build on that demand and strengthen its international footprint from Subang and Penang,” he said. Batik Air also said the Subang-Bali route will connect Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport with Bali, giving travellers in the Klang Valley and surrounding areas a direct option to the Indonesian destination and complementing its existing Kuala Lumpur International Airport service. On the Penang-Batam service, the carrier said the direct route will provide travellers from Penang and the northern region with a more convenient connection to Batam, supporting leisure and business travel between the two markets. “Batam recorded 738,186 international visitor arrivals in the first six months of 2025, with Malaysia accounting for 188,713 visits, making it the second largest source market during the period,”it said.

o New platform showcases venues and local experiences KUALA LUMPUR: Business event planners will be able to explore Malaysia as a connected, multi-location proposition through Destination Convention Malaysia, a new collaborative platform launched yesterday by Marriott International, the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak), and Sabah Convention Bureau. The platform presents regional and international event organisers with a broader view of the convention, corporate meeting and incentive experiences available across the country, bringing together Malaysia’s events infrastructure, hospitality capabilities, and distinctive local experiences. The initiative comes as Malaysia builds a strong pipeline of business events. As of June 30, 2026, MyCEB had secured 416 events scheduled to take place between 2026 and 2030, with an estimated economic impact of RM3.98 billion. Destination Convention Malaysia combines the established convention infrastructure and international connectivity of destinations such as Kuala Lumpur with the cultural, natural and incentive experiences available across Sarawak, Sabah and other parts of the country. Through the platform, Marriott International and its destination partners aim to help regional and international organisers understand how Malaysia’s venues, accommodation, hospitality and destination experiences can be brought together to support different event formats and delegate needs. “Malaysia has all the ingredients to be a leading business events destination in Asia-Pacific: strong connectivity, world-class hospitality and an extraordinary variety of destinations and experiences,” said Marriott International market vice-president, Malaysia, George Varughese. He added that Destination Convention Malaysia brings these strengths together so planners can more easily see the range of possibilities available across the country. “The opportunity is not only to attract more events to Malaysia, but to help organisers create experiences that delegates will remember long after they return home,” said George. During the launch event, senior representatives from Marriott International, MyCEB, BESarawak and Sabah Convention Bureau took part in a panel discussion examining the next phase of Malaysia’s business events growth.

(From left) Marriott International country director of sales and distribution Joyce Wong; Business Events Sarawak CEO Jason Tan Chin Foo; George; Tan; Sabah Convention Bureau CEO Noredah Othman and Marriott International director of field marketing for Malaysia Zhamir Faris Zulkifli at the launch of Destination Convention Malaysia.

convention venues, including: Marriott Putrajaya International Convention Centre, Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel & Convention Centre, Courtyard by Marriott Kuala Lumpur South, Desaru Coast Conference Centre and Langkawi International Convention Centre. Across the portfolio, planners can combine meeting and convention facilities with accommodation, F&B, wellness offerings and local experiences. This provides options for events ranging from large-scale conventions and corporate meetings to bespoke incentive programmes. Properties can also support itineraries extending beyond the meeting room through locally inspired dining, destination excursions and sustainability initiatives. These elements give organisers greater flexibility to design programmes around the interests and expectations of their delegates. Through Destination Convention Malaysia, Marriott International and its partners will promote these capabilities as part of a wider national proposition, connecting Malaysia’s business events infrastructure with the culture, cuisine, nature and experiences that distinguish its destinations.

Panellists discussed how the country could capitalise on its connectivity, value, infrastructure and destination diversity, including by encouraging organisers to consider locations and experiences beyond Kuala Lumpur. The conversation also examined changing expectations among business event organisers. Personalisation, wellness, sustainability, technology and destination-led experiences are increasingly influencing how planners design events and evaluate potential locations. “Malaysia’s strong business events pipeline reflects the confidence organisers have in our capabilities, and our opportunity now is to build even greater awareness of the diversity we can offer across the country,” said MyCEB CEO Tan Mei Phing. She added that by bringing destinations together through Destination Convention Malaysia, they can showcase the collective strength of Malaysia’s business events ecosystem and present an even more compelling proposition to regional and international organisers. Marriott International currently operates 65 hotels across Malaysia, giving planners access to accommodation and event facilities in key business and leisure destinations. The company’s portfolio includes properties connected to or serving several major

Kelington secures RM1.83 billion works deal in India KUALA LUMPUR: Integrated engineering solutions provider Kelington Group Bhd has secured a RM 1.83 billion turnkey project from a leading semiconductor manufacturer in India. Kelington said its wholly owned subsidiary, Kelington Engineering (S) Pte Ltd (KESG), has accepted a letter of award (LoA) for turnkey total facility tool hookup services for a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility in Gujarat, India. Module 2 of the facility,” it said. “The works are expected to be completed over a period of 30 months, with completion targeted by February 2029.” Meanwhile, Kelington CEO Lim Seng Chuan said the contract marks the largest project the group has secured, providing an important platform to deepen its presence in the semiconductor industry and create opportunities for further growth. part of bringing semiconductor manufacturing equipment into operation, requiring close coordination across multiple engineering disciplines and stringent execution standards,” he said. Lim added that Kelington is well positioned to leverage India’s significant investments to build its domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, while further strengthening its presence in the market.

For the six months ended June 30, 2026, Kelington secured RM1.23 billion in new contracts, including subsequent contract wins of RM538 million and the RM1.83 billion hookup contract; its total year-to-date wins stood at RM3.59 billion. – Bernama

“It marks another important step in elevating our contracting and management capabilities to become a main contractor in semiconductor turnkey total facility tool hookup services. “Turnkey total facility tool hookup is a critical

“Under the LoA, Kelington will act as the main contractor and undertake the overall design, installation, connection, testing and handover of manufacturing, laboratory and support tools, together with related tool-specific support systems for Module 1 and