Pelaburan Hartanah eyes RM25bil in asset value by 2030

KUALA LUMPUR: Pelaburan Hartanah Bhd (PHB) aims to increase its total asset value to RM25bil by 2030, from close to RM11bil currently.

Managing director and chief executive officer Mohamad Damshal Awang Damit said: “We are quite confident on the RM25bil target as the pipelines are there. If you examine our retail presence, we currently have about 75,000 unitholders.

“To put this in perspective, this is less than 1% of Tabung Haji’s nine million unitholders. Tabung Haji is only for Muslims, while our unit trust is open to bumiputra; Muslim and non-Muslim investors.

“We also attract bumiputra institutional investors. Hence, this gives us some confidence in raising the unit trust size. However, this growth must be complemented by pipeline development.

“In this regard, we are collaborating with Maybank, which will assist us in managing the unit trust. PHB, as the sponsor, will ensure that our pipeline not only remains stable but also growing,” he added.

Damshal said this after the launch of the issuance of additional one billion Amanah Hartanah Bumiputera (AHB) units for public subscription by bumiputra individuals and institutions yesterday.

This is the fifth additional issuance since AHB’s establishment in 2010, bringing the accumulated units to five billion.

The additional units are from PHB’s recent asset injections, namely, KPJ Damansara 2 Specialist Hospital in Kuala Lumpur; Marlborough College in Iskandar Puteri and the revaluation of buildings, namely Menara 1 Sentrum in Kuala Lumpur; Wisma Consplant in Subang Jaya and Maersk Warehouse previously known as LF Logistic Warehouse in Shah Alam.

He was confident that the one billion AHB units will be fully subscribed by next year as 500 million units had been taken up.

Damshal’s optimism comes as AHB is backed by a diversified investment portfolio of prime commercial properties, as well as the attractive dividends that the fund gives out to its holders.

“The assets that we invest in include office, retail, college, hospital and logistics. We will continue to diversify our portfolio.

“What is unique regarding AHB is that in the simplicity of the unit trust scheme, there is stability. For example, the price of the unit remains fixed at RM1, but the yield that we give out is very competitive, at about 5%.

“We distribute the yield or dividend about twice a year, and it is net of zakat.

“The fund also makes it easier for unitholders, young or old, to carry out financial planning and they will not need to worry about getting the right timing to enter the market because the volatility has been absorbed,” Damshal added.

PHB chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Nizam Salleh said the landmark assets owned by unitholders through AHB include Menara Aras Raya, Menara 1 Sentrum, and NU Sentral in KL Sentral, Plaza Conlay around KLCC, Wisma Consplant and KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital 2.

“PHB’s aspiration of supporting the nation’s bumiputra agenda will be further advanced by providing a more effective investment opportunities and ensuring a more sustainable and competitive returns from the nation’s equitable distribution of wealth,” he said.