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ESG

Satu Creative Launches Creative Sprint 2026 For Social Enterprises

Satu Creative has launched the third edition of Creative Sprint, a venture development programme designed to help social enterprises strengthen their businesses, access funding and build industry partnerships. Creative Sprint 2026 will focus on three areas — Income Pathways, Heritage Conservation and Circular Solutions. The programme is supported by Yayasan Hasanah, Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), Digital Penang, Malaysian Business Angels Network (MBAN) and Artem Ventures. The partners will support participating social enterprises through funding, business development expertise, market opportunities and investment guidance. Satu Creative CEO Ahmad Azuar Zainuddin said Malaysia has many social entrepreneurs with ideas that can create meaningful impact, but stronger support is needed to help them grow. He said Creative Sprint aims to bring together organisations with different expertise to give social enterprises access to funding, knowledge, networks and business opportunities. Selected participants will take part in bootcamps, mentoring sessions and workshops covering areas such as business development, customer research, investment readiness, strategic partnerships and growth. They will also have opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, mentors and potential funders. Yayasan Hasanah managing director and trustee Siti Kamariah Ahmad Subki said long-term investment in people, ideas and partnerships is important to creating lasting social impact. She said the Hasanah Social Enterprise Fund 2026, in collaboration with Satu Creative, provides social enterprises with opportunities to strengthen their businesses, learn from experienced professionals and connect with organisations that can support their growth. Applications for Creative Sprint 2026 are now open. The Central Region Bootcamp will take place in Kuala Lumpur from Aug 18 to 20, followed by the Northern Region Bootcamp in Penang from Sept 8 to 10. Each three-day programme will end with a Demo Day, where participants will present their ventures to ecosystem partners, mentors and industry leaders.

Investment & Market Trends

SC Gets Court Nod To Take Action Against Supermax Shareholder

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) has obtained approval from the High Court to begin committal proceedings against Datuk Cheryl Tan Bee Geok for allegedly breaching a five-year court-ordered ban on serving as a director or being involved in the management of listed companies and their subsidiaries. High Court judge Leong Wai Hong granted the SC’s application on Wednesday, the capital market regulator said in a statement. Bee Geok is the wife of Supermax Corp Bhd founder Datuk Seri Stanley Thai Kim Sim. The case dates back to a consent judgement recorded by the High Court on Sept 17, 2020, following civil action by the SC over an insider trading offence involving shares of the former listed company APL Industries Bhd (APLI). Under the judgement, Bee Geok was prohibited for five years from serving as a director or being involved in the management of any public-listed company or its subsidiaries. However, the SC alleged that she continued to serve as a director of subsidiaries of a listed company and remained involved in their management, in breach of the court order. The SC did not name the companies involved. The regulator said it takes breaches of court orders in securities law cases seriously, warning that such conduct could weaken regulatory enforcement and undermine respect for court orders. The SC first filed an ex-parte application to begin committal proceedings against Bee Geok on Sept 17, 2025. The High Court later directed that the application be heard on an opposed ex-parte basis before granting leave on Wednesday. Insider Trading Case Bee Geok and her sister, Tan Bee Hong, were convicted of insider trading offences by the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court in 2018. Both were sentenced to five years in jail and fined RM7 million each over insider trading involving APLI shares. At the time, Bee Geok was APLI’s group executive director and was responsible for financial matters after Supermax became a substantial shareholder in the company. The SC said Bee Geok had passed confidential information to her sister regarding audit adjustments proposed by APLI’s auditors. The adjustments resulted in APLI reporting a larger loss for the financial year ended June 30, 2007 and being classified as a Practice Note 17 (PN17) company. APLI announced the audit adjustments and its PN17 status to Bursa Malaysia on Oct 31, 2007. The SC said Bee Hong subsequently sold 350,000 APLI shares from her account on the same day after receiving the non-public information. On Sept 17, 2020, the High Court recorded a consent judgement between the SC and the two sisters and granted the reliefs sought by the regulator. APLI was later delisted from Bursa Malaysia in 2009.

Investment & Market Trends

K-One Plans RM46mil Capital Reduction After Cloud Business Sale

K-One Technology Bhd is planning a RM46 million capital reduction and repayment exercise following the proposed RM94 million disposal of its cloud business arm, Global Access Points Sdn Bhd (GAP). The exercise is aimed at streamlining K-One’s capital structure and balance sheet, including reducing its accumulated losses, while allowing the group to return excess capital to shareholders. K-One said the proposed exercise could pave the way for a special distribution of up to RM75 million, or nine sen per share, based on its 832 million issued shares as at Aug 10. The proposed payout comprises a cash dividend of up to six sen per share, or RM47.6 million, and a capital repayment of three sen per share, amounting to RM27.4 million. The special distribution will only be carried out after the completion of the GAP disposal. K-One also noted that the nine sen per share figure is only a preliminary estimate. Following the capital reduction, K-One’s issued share capital will fall to RM77.64 million from RM123.64 million. Of the RM46 million credit generated from the exercise, RM27.41 million will be used for the capital repayment, RM12.58 million to offset accumulated losses, and RM6.02 million retained as a buffer against future losses. K-One’s accumulated losses stood at RM8.17 million as at Dec 31, 2025. Following the disposal and capital reduction, the group’s retained earnings are expected to increase to RM85.38 million. This would then fall to RM10.38 million after the proposed RM75 million distribution. The exercise will not involve any cancellation of shares or changes to shareholders’ ownership stakes. K-One expects its share price to be theoretically adjusted to 5.5 sen, compared with its closing price of 14.5 sen on Aug 10. Last Tuesday, K-One announced that it had agreed to dispose of its entire stake in GAP, an information and communication technology solutions provider, for RM94 million to Tokyo-listed ITOCHU Corp and its Singapore-based unit. UOBKH is acting as adviser for the proposed capital reduction and repayment exercise. K-One shares closed half a sen, or 3.57%, higher at 14.5 sen, giving the company a market capitalisation of RM121 million.

News

Kerjaya Prospek Secures RM223 Million Building Contract

Kerjaya Prospek Group Bhd, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kerjaya Prospek (M) Sdn Bhd, has secured a RM223mil contract from Sunway Majestic Sdn Bhd for the construction and completion of main building works for a proposed small office/home office (Soho) development in Johor Baru, Johor. Kerjaya Prospek chief executive officer and executive director Tee Eng Tiong. The construction group said the project comprises 1,012 Soho units spread across two 34-storey buildings, supported by a 10-level podium car park and two levels of mezzanine commercial space, among other facilities. Construction is scheduled to begin on Sept 1, 2026, with completion expected within 32 months. Kerjaya Prospek chief executive officer and executive director Tee Eng Tiong said the latest contract would strengthen the group’s presence in the southern region, particularly within the Johor Baru City Centre, which is expected to benefit from the upcoming Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. “We are grateful for Sunway Majestic’s trust and confidence in Kerjaya Prospek, and we look forward to contributing our construction expertise and capabilities to the successful delivery of this development,” he said. Tee added that the project marks Kerjaya Prospek’s third new contract win in Johor Baru since 2025, highlighting the group’s ability to tap opportunities within the strategic growth corridor. With the latest contract, the group’s year-to-date financial year 2026 new contract wins have reached RM2.4bil, surpassing its initial full-year target of RM2bil. Together with an outstanding order book of RM5bil, Tee said the group is well positioned with strong earnings visibility in the coming years. An analyst also maintained a positive view on the latest contract win, noting that the RM223mil Sunway Majestic project further strengthens Kerjaya Prospek’s sizeable order book and supports its near-term earnings outlook. The analyst said Malaysia’s construction sector is expected to sustain its positive momentum through the remainder of 2026, underpinned by continued private-sector investment in data centres, industrial facilities and commercial developments. Johor is expected to remain a key growth market, while major infrastructure projects including the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), RTS Link and Penang LRT are likely to provide additional long-term support to the construction sector. For the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, Kerjaya Prospek recorded a 24.5% increase in net profit to RM57.3mil from RM46mil in the corresponding quarter a year earlier. Revenue, however, declined 5.3% to RM446.8mil from RM472mil previously, mainly due to slower progress in construction activities during the quarter. Its construction segment remained the group’s largest revenue contributor, recording RM478.7mil in revenue, an 11% decline from RM537.2mil previously due to slower construction progress. Despite the lower revenue, construction segment profit rose to RM55.8mil from RM51.95mil a year earlier. Meanwhile, revenue from the property development segment increased to RM68mil from RM49.1mil, supported by contributions from The Vue @ Monterez and Papyrus @ North Kiara developments.

ESG

ESG Reporting Unlocks New Growth Opportunities For Malaysia’s IPO Market

Malaysia’s initial public offering (IPO) market is entering a new phase focused on strengthening environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures, as companies are now required to provide more detailed information on their sustainability performance. ESGpedia vice-president Josef Acabo said such information is becoming increasingly important to investors in making investment decisions. He said ESG reporting requires companies to disclose how they manage issues such as carbon emissions, energy use, environmental impact and other sustainability matters, alongside their financial performance. Citing Deloitte’s Southeast Asia Mid-Year IPO Snapshot 2026, he noted that Malaysia’s capital market remained strong, with 36 companies listed in the first half of 2026, raising US$1.34 billion. However, he said investors are also placing greater emphasis on the quality of companies’ ESG disclosures, particularly as Malaysia’s National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF) has expanded to cover all Main Market issuers this year. “Newly listed companies will feel a short-term compliance adjustment, but the greater risk to momentum would be weak disclosure, which global funds would simply price as a discount. Incomplete disclosure is treated as unpriced risk, and investors price it,” he told Bernama. Acabo said companies that fail to provide sufficient ESG information could face higher financing costs, lower valuations and more scrutiny from investors before they decide to invest. Reporting requirements are set to become more demanding in 2027, when companies will be required to disclose more information on Scope 3 emissions, which refers to carbon emissions generated across a company’s supply chain. “For example, a manufacturer may know how much electricity and fuel it uses, but it may not have information on the emissions generated by its suppliers. These emissions form part of Scope 3,” he explained. He said Scope 3 emissions could account for between 70% and 90% of a company’s total carbon footprint, making suppliers a critical part of the reporting process. However, he cited a report from Eco-Business research showing that only 11% of Malaysian public-listed companies disclosed Scope 3 emissions in the 2023 reporting cycle, compared with 39% across the Asia-Pacific region. “This means the pressure will not only be on large listed companies. Their suppliers, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), will also increasingly need to provide reliable information on their carbon emissions,” he said. Acabo added that many companies still collect ESG information manually, with data scattered across different spreadsheets, websites and subsidiaries, making it difficult to verify its accuracy. “The real shift required is towards continuous, digitalised carbon accounting rather than an annual reporting exercise,” he said. He urged companies and SMEs to begin collecting relevant data now, so the information can be properly checked and verified before the new requirements take effect.

Investment & Market Trends

Pioneer Heat Targets RM21.68mil Through IPO

Pioneer Heat Holdings Bhd (Pioneer Heat), a mechanical engineering services provider, is targeting to raise approximately RM21.68 million through an initial public offering (IPO) ahead of its listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd on Sept 17, 2026. The IPO comprises a public issue of 86.70 million new ordinary shares and an offer for sale of 17.35 million existing ordinary shares, priced at 25 sen per share. Following its listing, Pioneer Heat is expected to command a market capitalisation of approximately RM86.73 million. Of the IPO proceeds, RM4 million will be used to set up a new headquarters in Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan, while RM2.07 million has been earmarked for a new office in Sarawak. A further RM4.01 million will go towards purchasing machinery and equipment, RM7.90 million will be allocated as working capital, and RM3.70 million will be used to cover estimated listing expenses. From left: Wong Wei Lieh, executive director of Pioneer Heat, Wong Wan Chin, independent non-executive chairperson, Wong Wei Ken, CEO and executive director, Lim Chia Wei, managing director of Malacca Securities, Law Kim Fatt, co-head of corporate finance, and Tan Sin Jiang, vice-president. Pioneer Heat chief executive officer and executive director Wong Wei Ken said the new Sendayan headquarters will serve as the group’s operational base to cater to customers in the Central region. The facility will house administrative offices, warehouses and workshops, while the Sarawak office will support pipe spool and pipe structure fabrication activities and provide additional storage capacity. “The group recently obtained a Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) registered vendor licence, which is seen as opening up a huge opportunity to participate in the oil and gas market in this region,” he said at a media briefing following the launch of the group’s prospectus today. Pioneer Heat’s IPO application opens today and will close on Sept 3, 2026, ahead of its shares being scheduled for listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Securities on Sept 17, 2026. Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd acted as the lead advisor, sponsor, underwriter and placement agent for the IPO. Pioneer Heat has been in operation since 1997, providing mechanical engineering services with expertise in piping systems, heat treatment, flange management and non-destructive testing (NDT). The group’s services span the entire life cycle of industrial plants, including new plant construction, maintenance, scheduled plant restoration, renovation and upgrade projects.

Energy & Technology

DPS Resources Partners With BBSB On Data Centre

DPS Resources Bhd says its wholly-owned subsidiary, Shantawood Sdn Bhd (SSB), is exploring a collaboration with BBSB Holdings Sdn Bhd for a phased approach to developing up to 89 megawatts (MW) of data centre capacity in Malaysia. Under the proposed agreement, BBSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed BBSB International Ltd, may participate as a strategic partner in the planning, development and utilisation of the data centre infrastructure to be built by SSB. This collaboration would include supporting the identification and coordination of potential users, tenants or capacity requirements, subject to further discussions and the execution of definitive agreements between the parties. DPS Resources group chairman and founder Tan Sri Sow Chin Chuan. In a statement, DPS Resources said the phased data centre capacity lease of up to 89MW will be rolled out across four distinct phases over the coming years. The target delivery schedule comprises 20MW in 2027 under Phase 1, followed by another 20MW in 2028 under Phase 2, a further 20MW in 2029 under Phase 3, and the final 29MW in 2030 under Phase 4. Beyond the initial 89MW rollout, the company said the parties may also explore further discussions on expanding the project to an aggregate capacity of up to 400MW, signalling significant long-term ambitions for the data centre development. DPS Resources group chairman and founder Tan Sri Sow Chin Chuan said the collaboration reflects the company’s strategy of leveraging its existing assets to capture opportunities in the growing digital infrastructure space. “As a landowner with existing factory rights and infrastructure development capabilities, DPS is focused on unlocking the long-term value of our assets through high-specification digital infrastructure,” he said. The proposed partnership underscores the growing interest among Malaysian companies in tapping into the region’s booming data centre industry, driven by rising demand for digital infrastructure to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other data-intensive applications across Southeast Asia.

Energy & Technology

EITA Secures RM62mil LRT Project

EITA Resources Bhd has accepted a letter of award from Prasarana Malaysia Bhd for the proposed upgrading of existing lifts and escalators at light rail transit (LRT) stations spanning from Gombak to Kelana Jaya, including the Subang Depot along the Kelana Jaya Line, in a contract worth RM62.3 million. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, EITA Resources said the project is expected to be completed within 48 months from the date of commencement, or from the issuance of the notice to proceed, whichever comes first. The company noted that the board does not anticipate the award having any material impact on the group’s earnings for the financial year ending Sept 30, 2026, given the scale of the project relative to the group’s overall operations. “The company does not foresee any exceptional risk other than the operational risk associated with the award,” the filing added, suggesting that the project is expected to proceed within the normal course of the group’s business activities without introducing significant additional financial or operational exposure. The contract adds to EITA Resources’ portfolio of infrastructure-related projects, reinforcing the company’s presence in the maintenance and upgrading segment of Malaysia’s public transportation network. The upgrading works are expected to enhance passenger accessibility and improve the overall commuter experience along one of the Klang Valley’s key LRT corridors, which serves high traffic volumes on a daily basis.

Investment & Market Trends

Evocom Signs Underwriting Deal For IPO

Evocom Bhd and its subsidiaries (collectively, the Group) provide flexible staffing solutions and network support services for the ecommerce and logistics sectors, with the latter encompassing last-mile delivery, transhipment and parcel shipment activities. As part of its listing exercise, Evocom’s initial public offering (IPO) comprises a public issue of 113.91 million new ordinary shares, together with an offer for sale of 22 million existing ordinary shares by its shareholders. Of the new shares on offer, 22.78 million will be made available to the Malaysian public via balloting, providing retail investors with an opportunity to participate in the company’s listing. Meanwhile, a larger portion of 56.95 million shares has been allocated to approved bumiputra investors, to be identified by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti), in line with the country’s equity ownership requirements. The remaining 34.17 million shares will be offered to selected investors, which typically include institutional and other strategic investors identified by the company and its advisers ahead of the listing. The IPO exercise underscores Evocom’s positioning within Malaysia’s growing ecommerce and logistics ecosystem, as the Group seeks to capitalise on rising demand for staffing flexibility and last-mile delivery infrastructure amid the continued expansion of online retail and parcel volumes in the region.

Energy & Technology

Malaysian AI Badminton Review System, Reveal Lens Makes International Debut

A Malaysian AI-powered instant review system (IRS), the world’s first for disputed badminton line calls, has moved from domestic tournaments to the international stage, making its debut at the Singapore International Challenge 2026. Known as Reveal Lens, the BWF approved technology developed by Revealtek Sdn Bhd was used at the Aug 18 to 23 tournament to review contested line calls. The Singapore outing puts the Malaysian developed system on an international platform as Revealtek looks to expand its use beyond the country, following deployments at several local tournaments. Co-founder and chief executive officer Nizam Mohamed said the technology demonstrated how AI could be used to enhance badminton officiating and match reviews. “It is more like the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) that is available in football and tennis. “It is very similar to it, but it goes ahead and gives a decision based on some calculations as opposed to just showing a video replay,” he told Bernama on Friday. He said Reveal Lens was designed with a wireless setup that can be installed within two hours, unlike more extensive systems that require substantial infrastructure and lengthy calibration. Reveal Lens, BWF-approved and world’s first IRS deployed at the Singapore International Challenge 2026.  The company is now looking at opportunities to bring the technology to other badminton markets, with organisers and associations in Vietnam and Indonesia having expressed interest following its local deployments. Nizam said Revealtek was also in discussions with continental confederations, with the aim of having the technology endorsed as a standard for use by their member associations. “We are also in discussions with the continental confederations. What we are trying to do is to make this a standard that they can endorse, so all member associations can use this technology as standard practice,” he said. Apart from instant reviews, Revealtek is developing an analytics module and a fully functioning line calling system that could perform the essential work of line judges during matches. “We are going to do the demo in an upcoming tournament in Australia in October,” he added. Nizam said the company also planned to broaden the application of AI and other locally developed technologies across the sports industry, while contributing to the growth of Malaysia’s sports technology ecosystem. ““We want to provide accurate and reliable technology at a more accessible cost, while meeting the different requirements of tournaments at various levels,” he said.  The Singapore deployment also drew strong interest from regional badminton associations, with discussions on potential collaboration and wider adoption of Reveal Lens across tournaments and institutions. Reveal Lens, BWF-approved IRS in action at the Singapore International Challenge 2026.  One of the event highlights was a special exhibition doubles match featuring Singapore’s Minister for Law Edwin Tong and Indonesian badminton legend and former Olympic gold medallist Hendra Setiawan against PT Djarum COO Victor Hartono and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Terry Hee

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