Malaysia Pushing For More Middle East Construction Projects

By Abdul Muin Majid

DUBAI, March 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysian contractors are currently working on 51 projects worth US$10 billion in the Middle East and are eyeing for more amid a projected upswing in construction demand.

The majority of projects are in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Syria, Iran, Jordan and Yemen, the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) said in a statement today,

In value terms, the Middle East contributed the highest share of 42 per cent among the 614 overseas projects worth US$24 billion in which Malaysian contractors have been involved from 1997 to 2009.

"Malaysian expertise in infrastructure building have been deployed in 73 projects across the Middle East, including landmark initiatives such as Burj Khalifa, Al Reem Island, Dubai Metro, Dubai Mall and Meydan Race Course," Matrade Chief Executive Datuk Noharuddin Nordin was quoted as saying in the statement.

He said Malaysia's construction expertise was currently being exported to 49 countries worldwide.

Construction companies in Malaysia foresee substantially improved demand from the Middle East as infrastructure outlay continued to top national budgets and as growing population seeked high quality, cost-effective living and amenities in the region, it said.

Matrade cited a Business Monitor International study forecasting that the global construction industry, re-emerging from the clouds of the global economic slowdown, could grow between one per cent and more than five per cent up to 2014.

The projected increase was chiefly on account of growth expectations in the Middle East, North Africa, China and India.

Matrade said Malaysian construction companies, which already have an international project portfolio of US$15 billion, were aiming to lead the revival in key markets.

To further cement their strong reputation and seek further inroads in the Middle East, the Malaysian construction sector will attend the third Malaysia Services Exhibition (MSE) 2010 to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre here from April 13 to 15.

"The unique advantages we offer in terms of resources, skills, quality, cost and experience in mega projects give us a competitive edge over leading providers in the United States, Europe and other Asian countries," Matrade's Noharuddin said.

He described MSE 2010 as the right time and place to attract attention to these advantages as the Middle East construction sector was getting back on track.

Organised by Matrade, MSE 2010 will showcase the world-class capabilities of Malaysian companies specialising in eight service clusters, namely professional services, oil and gas, construction, information communication technology, healthcare, franchising, education and specialised training, and financial services.

The three-day exhibition will be attended by 150 establishments including 130 service providers, 12 professional associations and eight government agencies.

A major addition to Malaysia's construction services portfolio at MSE 2010 will be environmentally friendly architecture and engineering.

An "Eco-Oasis", to be set up at the exhibition, will provide an overview of state-of-the-art green building technologies developed and deployed by Malaysian companies.

The Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB), which coordinates the industry's representation at MSE 2010, will also address the Malaysia Services Forum, scheduled to be held on the second day of the event, to facilitate outreach and networking with potential partners in the Middle East and beyond.

-- BERNAMA