Hartanah Kenyalang pushes into West M’sia with RM200 mln tender pipeline

KUCHING (March 24): Sarawak-based ACE Market-listed construction firm Hartanah Kenyalang Bhd is expanding into Peninsular Malaysia through its 60 per cent-owned subsidiary, Hartanah Kenari Sdn Bhd, which has built up a tender book of about RM200 million.

Managing director Seah Boon Tiat said the subsidiary is targeting both government and private sector projects with a focus on upgrading dilapidated schools (sekolah daif).

“For government projects, we are focusing more on sekolah daif. We have completed more than 20 such schools over rural Sarawak, and we aim to replicate our approach in Peninsular Malaysia,” he told The Borneo Post in an interview on Tuesday.

He added that the group’s experience in Sarawak provides a strong foundation to compete in the segment, particularly for educational building projects.

In 2025, the company completed several sekolah daif projects in Sarawak, including the SK Tambay, Kota Samarahan in April and SK Kujang Mawang, Tebedu in September.

It has also delivered similar sekolah daif projects in Kapit, Pendam, Kanowit, Lawas, Limbang, Bintulu and Belaga.

Despite acknowledging stiff competition in the market in Peninsular Malaysia, he expressed cautious optimism.

“We just try our best,” he said, noting that the company has submitted several tenders with a combined value exceeding RM200 million.

The expansion comes after a slow start following the company’s listing in June last year, during which it did not secure any new projects for about six months.

Momentum has since improved, with three major contract wins secured within two months.

This includes its largest contract to date, a RM275 million design-and-build job for a new prison in Sibu, awarded by the Public Works Department to its wholly owned subsidiary, Hartanah Construction Sdn Bhd in January this year.

Other wins include a RM42.79 million contract to build an immigration post and staff quarters in Serikin, Bau in December 2025, as well as a RM184.3 million contract from JKR Sarawak to upgrade and repair the Sarawak Stadium in January 2026.

Seah noted that project timelines and tender processes can take time to finalise.

“In some cases, like the Sibu Prison project, we submitted our tender mid last year, and it took time for validation by the Public Works Department (JKR). The award only came through in January this year,” he said.

According to Seah, the group’s current order book stands at about RM560 million, which is expected to provide earnings visibility for the next three years.

Furthermore, the tender book for Hartanah Construction Sdn Bhd stands at about RM2 billion.

“This order book can sustain us for the next three years,” added Seah.