Govt to help company secure funding for major Maldives project
MALE: The government has pledged to help a Malaysian company obtain extra funding to complete a major construction project here.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the project involved the construction of multicomplexes for the Maldives Finance Ministry.
“The Maldivian government sees the project as very important for its country,” he said at the Velana International Airport, Hulhule, here yesterday.
Najib, who is also finance minister, said the project developer from Malaysia, WZR, needed an additional injection of funds totalling US$155 million (RM631 million) from Exim Bank.
“This is still under the consideration of Exim Bank.
“When I return, I’ll discuss with the bank on ways to implement the project.”
Najib said Malaysia thanked the Maldivian government for giving Malaysian firms the opportunity to participate in the country’s construction sector.
He said another important project in the Maldives was awarded to Malaysian firm Sime Darby to build a 300-bed private hospital, as part of the development in a new growth centre designed for youths in the island nation.
In return, Najib said Malaysia was willing to help the Maldives in the field of human resources development by giving short-term courses to Maldivians under the Malaysian technical cooperation programme.
He said he had proposed that certain measures be taken to give recognition to institutions of higher learning and medical degrees of Maldivians studying in Malaysia.
“This will facilitate their entry into Maldivian hospitals as accredited doctors when they complete their studies in Malaysia.”
He said there were 1,700 Maldivians, including 65 medical students, at Malaysian higher learning institutions, mostly private colleges.
He said another proposal he raised during his visit was on the cooperation between Malaysia and the Maldives to develop halal products and services for the export market.
He said the proposal was made on grounds that halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department, or Jakim, was the benchmark for halal standards worldwide.