FOLLOWING its lawsuit against the Maldives government for alleged breach of contract, home-grown builder WZR Property Sdn Bhd (WZR) is hoping to seek intervention at the highest diplomatic level to resolve its long-standing business-to-government (B2G) dispute with Malé.
When asked about updates on its arbitration case and the official four-day visit to Malaysia (April 27-30) by the Maldivian president Dr Mohamed Muizzu, WZR told FocusM that the visit presents a timely opportunity for Malaysian leaders to raise the issue.
In a written reply to FocusM, WZR’s group executive director Wan Nadzir Wan Mohamad emphasised that unresolved issues with the Maldives state government not only disrupt WZR’s business operations but also send the wrong signal about the investment climate for Malaysian enterprises seeking to grow overseas.
This marks Muizzu’s first visit to Malaysia since assuming office on Nov 17, 2023. According to Bernama, Muizzu will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Perdana Putra Complex tomorrow (April 28) followed by a meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Putrajaya has been helpful
Wan Nadzir also shared that the Malaysian government has been actively assisting in engaging the Maldives Government at the government-to-government (G2G) level on this matter over the years.
“We are truly appreciative of our government’s continued support,” shared Wan Nadzir. “Our hope is that with the upcoming high-level meetings, we can finally bring this legacy issue to a close and move forward to build a stronger, mutually beneficial partnership between Malaysia, the Maldives and their respective business communities.”
Despite the setback, Wan Nadzir reaffirmed WZR’s bullish outlook on the Maldives by highlighting its future potential.
“We believe that we can resolve these issues amicably and quickly so as to restore confidence and pave the way for greater prosperity between our two nations,” he enthused.
Established in 1999, WZR is a Class A Bumiputera contractor with a CIDB Grade 7 license known for delivering residential and commercial projects across Malaysia.
Its foray into international markets, including the Maldives, forms part of a broader strategy to showcase Malaysian construction capabilities on the world stage.
It was reported in 2020 that the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) had ruled that the Maldives must pay WZR US$22.8 mil for works completed under a construction contract.
Recall that in September 2019, WZR has filed for arbitration against the Maldivian government over an alleged breach of a contract to build a 25-story office building for Maldives’ Finance Ministry in reclaimed suburbs of Hulhumale’.
However, WZR said that the payment has yet to be fully settled to date. Separately, WZR is also pursuing a further US$61.2 mil claim for damages due to an alleged breach of contract. – April 27, 2025
