Connecting people from North to South

news@nst.com.my

THE biggest road concessionaire in the country, PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) believes in serving the community by improving the surrounding communities. Its corporate social responsibility programmes reflect its goal to connect Malaysians and give back to the community.

PLUS Operations Excellence head Mohd Yusuf Abdul Aziz, 50, said this was the reason why he has continued serving the company for 21 years.

“PLUS is a company that stands tall especially in the infrastructure industry. It has introduced a lot of new technologies to improve its services, contributing a lot towards educating consumers about safety and towards new cultures such as cashless payment.”

“We constantly donate towards impacting the lives of our fenceline Community who are in dire need via our strategic community engagement initiatives.”

Mohd Yusuf, who is from Perak, said Merdeka means having the ability to make our own decisions, without having to rely on others.

“When we have the power, we then must defend it,” he said, adding that the fifth pillar of the Rukun Negara which is Good Behaviour and Morality means a lot to him as he believes that every Malaysian must uplift moral values, kindness, respect and integrity among each other to create a peaceful nation.

For Syed Mohammed Idid Syed Ahmed Idid, who has been with PLUS for six months, the company is a very unified and diverse organisation that prioritises its employees and customers.

The 51-year-old Corporate, Community and Public Engagement head said PLUS puts safety, respectfulness, mindfulness, unity, helpfulness and a friendly environment first among others in its organisation.

“Throughout my tenure in PLUS, I have learned a lot about the highway industry. The insights, challenges and PLUS points of what our highways provides is something of a revelation to me. It is exciting to know the level of safety that comes with managing assets such as the PLUS highway.

“PLUS looks at keeping road travellers safe as they enter into our highways. Before, I was not aware of PLUS having people as PLUSRonda, measures that actually protect against debris scattered on the highways and it also never crossed my mind about the importance of rest areas for travellers to stop, rest and rejuvenate. Hence, we prioritise comfort and safety.

“Our managing director once told me that all of the PLUS employees are also the customers of PLUS, as we experience travelling on the highway every day. We will deliver and always look for the best solutions when we experience it from the inside, and are aware of the challenges.

“The people in this big organisation are very united, friendly, open to sharing and always support each other. Good teamwork comes from such a moral compass. PLUS is a unified company and everybody shares the same values and beliefs that we are here for a purpose and to ensure that we take care of one another as well as the customers,” he told the

The fifth pillar of the Rukun Negara, he said, was closest to his heart. He also said if the person does not have such a moral compass and positive behaviour, the other pillars would be meaningless.

He said if a person sees each other as equals, many things can be discussed and worked out in a positive way.

“We should come to a level where we are comfortable enough with each other regardless of race or religion, to comfortably seek each other’s help. It was never an issue in the past.

“This is one of the things that we really need to look back and see how we can bring that up with our children. Such atmosphere can really harness a lot of goodwill and we can do much more as a nation if we are united.

“The fifth pillar of the Rukun Negara is universal to all Malaysians, when we have good manners and good moral standing, we are good friends to all.

“We become each other’s Rakan Negara as we become a friend to the nation and in that harmony will thrive and the people will prosper,” he said.

Meanwhile, for Catherine Tan Kai Lin, Merdeka is all about celebrating togetherness in a diverse culture.

The PLUS Category Management senior executive said being an employee in the company teaches her that the highways help to connect the people, from north to south, regardless of race or religion.

She said every year during Chinese New Year, she will always travel on the North-South Expressway and she will ask her family to stop by at the Rest and Service Area (RSA) along the way to try the good food that she recommended.

“By doing so, not only can we help to provide income to the business owners there but I am also sharing with family good food spots that we can explore along the highway.”

“The RSAs are so clean that I have advised my family members to only stop there to take a break during their journey. This is how we share with others about what PLUS provides for its customers and how it connects each and everyone of us to one destination,” said the 27-year-old.

Like Mohd Yusuf and Syed Mohammed Idid, Tan also resonates with the fifth pillar of the Rukun Negara as it is important to treat each other well.

She said taking time to greet people or even show a smile to them would make that person’s day.

For Constable Haril Hafiz Mohd Zin, it is important to show good behaviour, morality and respect especially to the customers of PLUS. As a PLUSRonda officer, it is his responsibility to create a harmonious environment among the highway users.

The 25-year-old who has been with PLUS for two years said it is also crucial to abide with the regulations set while patrolling the highway.

“With we follow the rules, it will make our job much easier. We serve the customers better and with respect, we communicate and help them as best as we can.

“As a PLUSRonda officer, there are a lot of challenges and obstacles that we face every single day. It is really tiring as we will have to deal with customers with different kinds of behaviour. As the patrol officer, we have to be tolerant and assist them if they are facing problems on the road.”