2 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD PRODUCTS • Centralised Issuance System • Distributed Issuance System • Biometric Verification • Desktop Embossers • Consumables and Supplies SOLUTIONS • Identifications and Security Documents • Border Control • Credit and Debit Card Personalisation • Terminal and Kiosks Do WHAT WE Datasonic Group Berhad is one of the prominent security-based ICT solutions providers in Malaysia with track record in mission-critical national projects. We pledge to continue to strengthen our core competencies and enhance our capabilities in pursuit of maximum value for our customers by providing excellent solutions and services. In this journey without boundaries, we aspire to enrich people’s lives through creative and innovative ICT solutions. 1999 – Present • MyKad raw cards, chips, consumables and personalisation system for National Registration Department of Malaysia 2021 • Facial Live Capture (FLC) Image System for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2018 • Public Key Infrastructure, Public Key Directory and Autogates 2015 • Passport Chips for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2013 • Passport System for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2011 • Data Centre and Helpdesk for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2022 • Foreign worker card (i-KAD) for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2019 • Malaysia Automatic Clearance System (MACS) 2016 • Passport Booklets for Immigration Department of Malaysia 2014 • Integrated Security and Surveillance System for Penang State Government Milestones Achievements & 2023 • Perimeter Security and Surveillance • Telecommunications Network Infrastructure • Data Analytics • Artificial Intelligence • Fintech and Digital Payment • Custom Solutions
Annual Report 2023 3 Strategies VISION, MISSION AND VISION To enrich lives through creative and innovative Information and Communication Technology Solutions. MISSION • To focus on our customers’ challenges and needs. • To sustainably provide our customers with excellent solutions and services. • To consistently create, attain and extend maximum value to all our customers and stakeholders. STRATEGIES • To provide advanced, innovative and high-quality products and services to customers to meet or exceed their expectations in the fast-changing Information and Communication Technology market by way of extensive Research and Development activities. • To customise and deliver integrated solutions and services to maximise investment returns to customers. • To continuously conduct in-depth Research and Development for the improvement and innovation and leading-edge technologies to stay ahead of the global competition. • To recognize, develop and retain our most valuable human capital and to nurture a conducive environment for their success. • To develop strong distribution channels and marketing network to increase and widen our market penetration via our resellers and strategic partners in Malaysia and overseas. Datasonic continuously forge and pave new ways in the journey of technology. The grids, illuminated neon line and the person are representations of Datasonic’s ability and expertise to blaze new trails in the journey of technology. The overall design gives out a sense of never-ending exploration and betterment as Datasonic leads the way in its journey through technology. Rationale COVER
4 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD 0 INSIDE THIS Report OUR LEADERSHIP Director’s Profile Key Senior Management’s Profile 14 29 02 GOVERNANCE Corporate Governance Overview Statement Audit Committee Report Statement on Risk Management & Internal Control Additional Compliance Information Directors’ Responsibilities Statement 68 90 99 106 108 05 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Directors’ Report Statement by Directors Statutory Declaration Independent Auditors’ Report Statements of Financial Position Statements of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income Statements of Changes in Equity Statements of Cash Flows Notes to the Financial Statements 110 117 117 118 123 125 126 129 131 06 ABOUT DATASONIC Share Price Performance Corporate Highlights Corporate Structure Corporate Information The Year @ a Glance 6 7 8 9 11 01 SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability Statement 46 04 OTHER INFORMATION List of Properties Statistics of Shareholdings Statistics of Warrantholdings Notice of 15th Annual General Meeting • Form of Proxy • Personal Data Protection Notice/ Notis Perlindungan Data Peribadi 204 206 209 211 07 PERSPECTIVE Chairman’s Statement Management Discussion & Analysis 34 38 03 15th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Fully Virtual Basis SS E Solutions Sdn Bhd via Securities Services e-Portal’s platform at https://sshsb.net.my Wednesday, 2 August 2023 10:00 a.m. QR CODE or you can scan to download This Annual Report is available at www.datasonic.com.my
01ABOUT DATASONIC 01
6 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD ABOUT DATASONIC 01 Performance SHARE PRICE LOWEST PRICE : RM0.410 (27 MARCH 2023) HIGHEST PRICE : RM0.590 (01 JUNE 2022) HIGHEST VOLUME TRADED : 51,612,200 SHARES (7 FEBRUARY 2023) LOWEST VOLUME TRADED : 472,600 SHARES (16 MAY 2023) DATASONIC SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE AND VOLUME TRADED FOR THE PERIOD FROM 31 MAY 2022 TO 31 MAY 2023 MAY 2023 MAR 2023 JAN 2023 NOV 2022 SEP 2022 JUL 2022 MAY 2022 Trade Volume Share Price 500K 0.40 0.45 0.50 0.55 0.60
Annual Report 2023 7 Highlights RM344.71 million Revenue RM76.35 MILLION Profit After Tax (PAT) RM146.31 million Earnings Before Interest, Taxes Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) (RM MILLION) Include Other Income, excluded Interest Income RM2.68 sen Earnings Per Share (EPS) (SEN) Based on weighted average 2.85 billion of ordinary shares REVENUE (RM MILLION) PROFIT AFTER TAX (PAT) (RM MILLION) EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST, TAXES DEPRECIATION AND AMORTISATION (EBITDA) (RM MILLION) EARNINGS PER SHARE (EPS) (SEN) 2023 2022 2021 2023 2022 2021 344.71 136.43 138.41 76.35 10.23 7.28 146.31 28.69 27.03 2.68 0.36 0.28 2023 2022 2021 2023 2022 2021 CORPORATE
8 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD ABOUT DATASONIC 01 CORPORATE Structure (Registration No. 200801008472(809759-X)) Investment holding and provision of management services DATASONIC CORPORATION SDN BHD (Registration No. 198001009852 (63636-X)) Personalisation of smart cards 100% DATASONIC TECHNOLOGIES SDN BHD (Registration No. 199101009313 (219626-X)) Customisation of software and hardware solutions, project management and consultancy 100% DATASONIC SMART SOLUTIONS SDN BHD (Registration No. 200401009261 (647764-K)) Research and development and technical consultancy services 100% DATASONIC MANUFACTURING SDN BHD (Registration No. 199701003312 (418808-K)) Manufacturing of electrical integrated circuit cards or commonly known as smart cards and its related products 100% DATASONIC INTERNATIONAL SDN BHD (RegistrationNo. 201601034314 (1205255-U)) Dormant 100% MEDICLOUD MALAYSIA SDN BHD (Registration No. 201701022145(1236311-W)) Wholesale of pharmaceutical & medical goods 100% DATASONIC GRID SDN BHD (Registration No. 201901043506 (1352836-K)) Dormant 25% DATASONIC NEW ZEALAND LIMITED (Registration No. 5489621) Software development services and computer systems design and related activities 100% DATASONIC DIGITAL SDN BHD (Registration No. 201501031952 (1157276-P)) Dormant 100% DATASONIC DIGENT SDN BHD (Registration No. 201901038405 (1347735-U)) Dormant 60% PT DATASONIC TEKNOLOGI INDONESIA (Registration No. 4017092031103223) Personalisation of smart cards 99% 1% DATASONIC INNOVATION SDN BHD (Registration No. 201401026924 (1103014-X)) Provision of biometrics solution 100% DATASONIC BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES PHILIPINES INC. (Registration No. CS201914539) Dormant 39.99% AMALAN FOKUS SDN BHD (Registration No. 201501031947 (1157271-K)) Dormant 100%
Annual Report 2023 9 AUDIT COMMITTEE Chairman Mr Yee Kim Shing @ Yew Kim Sing Independent Non-Executive Director Member Dato’ Wan Mohd Safiain bin Wan Hasan Independent Non-Executive Deputy Chairman Datin Normaliza binti Kairon Independent Non-Executive Director Encik Azrul bin Yahaya Non-Independent Non-Executive Director NOMINATION AND REMUNERATION COMMITTEE Chairman Dato’ Wan Ibrahim bin Wan Ahmad Independent Non-Executive Director Member Dato’ Ibrahim bin Abdullah Independent Non-Executive Director Dato’ Roseleen binti Buyong Non-Independent Non-Executive Director RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Chairman Dato’ Wan Mohd Safiain bin Wan Hasan Independent Non-Executive Deputy Chairman Member CP (R) Datuk Mohd Khalil bin Kader Mohd Independent Non-Executive Director Dato’ Roseleen binti Buyong Non-Independent Non-Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS DATUK HAJI ABU HANIFAH BIN NOORDIN Executive Chairman DATO’ WAN MOHD SAFIAIN BIN WAN HASAN Independent Non-Executive Deputy Chairman MR CHEW CHI HONG Executive Director MR CHIA KOK KHUANG Executive Director ENCIK AZRUL BIN YAHAYA Non-Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI AHMAD ZAKI ANSORE BIN MOHD YUSOF Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI BORHAN BIN DOLAH Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI DATO’ SERI DR KHALID BIN ABU BAKAR Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ IBRAHIM BIN ABDULLAH Independent Non-Executive Director CP (R) DATUK MOHD KHALIL BIN KADER MOHD Independent Non-Executive Director DATIN NORMALIZA BINTI KAIRON Independent Non-Executive Director ENCIK SAFIAN BIN MOHD YUNUS Non-Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ ROSELEEN BINTI BUYONG Non-Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ WAN IBRAHIM BIN WAN AHMAD Independent Non-Executive Director MR YEE KIM SHING @ YEW KIM SING Independent Non-Executive Director CORPORATE Information
10 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD ABOUT DATASONIC 01 SHARE REGISTRAR Securities Services (Holdings) Sdn Bhd (Registration No. 197701005827 (36869 -T)) Level 7, Menara Milenium Jalan Damanlela Pusat Bandar Damansara Damansara Heights 50490 Kuala Lumpur Tel No.: (603) 2084 9000 Fax No.: (603) 2094 9940/ (603) 2095 0292 STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING Listed on Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad on 3 September 2012 Stock Name/Code: DSONIC/5216 Stock Sector: Technology Stock Sub-Sector: Digital Services INVESTOR RELATIONS Capital Front Sdn Bhd (Registration No. 199601007634 (379980-U)) Email: info@capitalfront.biz PRINCIPAL BANKER AmBank Islamic Berhad (Registration No. 199401009897 (295576-U)) 24th Floor, Bangunan AmBank Group No 55, Jalan Raja Chulan 50200 Kuala Lumpur Tel No.: (603) 2036 2633 Fax No.: (603) 2072 4360 HEAD OFFICE Level 6, Bangunan Setia 1 No. 15, Lorong Dungun Damansara Heights 50490 Kuala Lumpur Tel No.: (603) 2632 9699 Fax No.: (603) 2632 9600 Website: www.datasonic.com.my REGISTERED OFFICE Level 6, Bangunan Setia 1 No. 15, Lorong Dungun Damansara Heights 50490 Kuala Lumpur Tel No.: (603) 2632 9699 Fax No.: (603) 2011 3560 REPORTING ACCOUNTANTS & AUDITORS Crowe Malaysia PLT 201906000005 (LLP0018817-LCA) & AF 1018 Level 16, Tower C Megan Avenue II 12, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng 50450 Kuala Lumpur Tel No.: (603) 2788 9999 Fax No.: (603) 2788 9998 EMPLOYEES’ SHARE OPTION SCHEME COMMITTEE Chairman Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah bin Noordin Executive Chairman Member Mr Chia Kok Khuang Executive Director Dato’ Wan Ibrahim bin Wan Ahmad Independent Non-Executive Director Datuk Ab Hamid bin Mohamad Hanipah Managing Director of Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd Puan Talya Zholeikha binti Abu Hanifah Executive Vice President, Human Capital Development COMPANY SECRETARIES Niu Chew Wei (MAICSA 7022900) (SSM Practising Certificate Registration No. 202008001346) Lee Jin Foong (MAICSA 7077841) (SSM Practising Certificate Registration No.: 202308000123 CORPORATE INFORMATION
Annual Report 2023 11 THE YEAR AT A Glance
12 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD 0DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD THE YEAR AT A GLANCE CORPORATE RAYA EVENT DATASONIC EVENT HIGHLIGHT YEAR 2023 IFTAR RAMADHAN DATASONIC FANTASTIC 4 LAWN BOWLS TOURNAMENT KL OCBC CYCLE GOTONG-ROYONG @ ASDAF MEET & LUNCH WITH MEDIA ABOUT DATASONIC 01
02OUR LEADERSHIP 02
14 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF Directors Executive Chairman Date of Appointment : 14 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • Employees’ Share Option Scheme Committee (Chairman) Board Committees Membership(s) Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah is the Founder of Datasonic Group Berhad (DGB). He was the first Managing Director of DGB until his retirement on 31 January 2020. He rejoined DGB on 14 September 2022 as the Executive Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and subsequently redesignated as Executive Chairman on 29 September 2022. Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah graduated from University Malaya with an Honours Degree in Economics and subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Certified Public Accountant in 1976. He was a practising accountant for more than 20 years and was the Chairman and Managing Partner of Ernst & Whinney/Einst & Young for 9 years. He also served as the President of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) in 1987 and led the Institute for 13 years until 2000. Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah sits on the Board of Titiwangsa Foundation. Previously, he had also served on the boards of several public listed companies, government-linked companies and government committees. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. DATUK HAJI ABU HANIFAH BIN NOORDIN MALE 71 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN
Annual Report 2023 15 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Independent Non-Executive Deputy Chairman Date of Appointment : 27 June 2011 Length of Service : 12 years Date of Last Re-election : 15 September 2021 • Risk Management Committee (Chairman) • Audit Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) DATO’ WAN MOHD SAFIAIN BIN WAN HASAN MALE 76 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Dato’ Wan Mohd Safiain bin Wan Hasan was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Company on 29 November 2013. He holds a Diploma in Business Administration from the Cambridge International University, United States. He began his career in 1974 as a Government Security Officer, and held this position till 1986, while working with the Malaysian Ministry of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Department. In 1986 he assumed the position of Deputy Chief Government Security Officer of the Prime Minister’s Department and was promoted to Chief Government Security Officer in 1996. He was responsible in providing advisory on protective security measures to the Federal Government Ministries and Departments and also at the State level. He retired from civil service in December 2002 and joined PQM Consultancy and Management Services Sdn Bhd as Chief Executive Officer (2003-2006). He was also responsible in overseeing the collaboration of training programmes between the Government of New South Wales, Australia and the Open University of Malaysia. He also held the position of the Honorary Member of the Royal Council of Terengganu (2006-2009) and the Comptroller of the Royal Household, Istana Negara (2006-2008). He holds directorships in several private limited companies and does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies.
16 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 14 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • None Board Committees Membership(s) Mr. Chew Chi Hong hold a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Marketing from University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom in 1999. He has more than 20 years of working experience in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry in semiconductors and smart card technology. His career spanned a wide portfolio from Sales and Marketing, Corporate Planning, Strategic Development to operations management. He joined Datasonic as Senior Manager in Corporate Planning and Strategic Development in 2006 and was subsequently promoted as Chief Operating Officer in 2007 and assume the position Chief Corporate Officer in 2021. In 2022, he was promoted to the position of Executive Director. His responsibilities include overseeing the Group’s strategic planning, corporate exercises and overall operations of Datasonic Group of Companies. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 46 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Executive Director MR CHEW CHI HONG
Annual Report 2023 17 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 29 March 2021 Length of Service : 2 years Date of Last Re-election : 15 September 2021 • Employees’ Share Option Scheme Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) MALE 45 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Mr Chia Kok Khuang holds a Bachelor of Science in Microelectronic from Campbell University, North Carolina, United States of America and Advanced Diploma in Science of Microelectronics from Tunku Abdul Rahman College. Mr Chia was appointed as Deputy Managing Director of the Company on 29 March 2021 and was subsequently redesignated to Executive Director on 14 September 2022. Mr Chia has ventured into a broad range of engineering and software realms throughout his 18 years of career development. His extensive experience in design and development covers system, application, board and chip. Mr Chia works alongside the executive team of the most established Identity Document and Solutions Company of this region. He specialises in security and identity technology and is responsible for leading the R&D department on design and development of solutions related to identity management, border control, deep learning, biometric technologies, etc. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. Executive Director MR CHIA KOK KHUANG
18 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 Date of Appointment : 31 May 2021 Length of Service : 2 years Date of Last Re-election : 15 September 2021 • Audit Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) Encik Azrul is an accomplished financial expert with over a decade of experience in the industry. He graduated with a Diploma in Investment Analysis and a Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) in Islamic Banking from Universiti Teknologi MARA. Currently, he serves as the Head of Operations & Treasury of Urusharta Jamaah Sdn Bhd (UJ) and is part of the pioneer team responsible for managing assets worth over RM10 billion. He also sits on the Management Executive Committee (MEC) of UJ, where he contributes his expertise and leadership skills to guide the company’s growth and development. Throughout his career, Encik Azrul has gained extensive experience in treasury, investment operations, valuation, performance measurement and reporting. He has worked for several foreign and local financial companies in various capacities, honing his skills and expanding his knowledge base. As a technology-savvy professional, Encik Azrul has been instrumental in driving digitalization initiatives such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), data analytics, and financial systems integration. He has led successful projects that have helped reduce business costs, streamline processes, and improve efficiency. Prior to joining UJ, Encik Azrul was the Head of Client Experience and Investment Operations Manager of Hong Leong Asset Management. He also worked with the Royal Bank of Canada Investor & Treasury Services as the Fund Accounting Manager, serving the Dublin region. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 35 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Non-Independent Non-Executive Director ENCIK AZRUL BIN YAHAYA
Annual Report 2023 19 Date of Appointment : 29 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • None Board Committees Membership(s) Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore bin Mohd Yusof holds a Master of Arts in Science Policy from Saitama University, Japan and a Bachelor Degree in Economics (Hons) from National University of Malaysia (UKM). Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore has 37 years of service in the public sector in various capacities. He started his career in the Economics and International Division, Ministry of Finance in January 1983 followed by stints in the Public Service Department, Ministry of Primary Industry/Plantation Industry and the Implementation Coordination Unit Prime Minister Department (ICU JPM) before assuming the post of the Director General in April 2016, he had served as the Deputy Director, Federal Development Office of Sabah in 1996, Deputy Director, Johor Development Office, before assuming the Deputy Director General of ICU JPM in June 2007. Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore was then promoted to head the Post Flood Recovery Unit, Prime Minister Department in February 2015 and then was appointed as the Director General of ICU JPM in April 2017. During his time in the civil service, he had attended numerous trainings and courses. He had also attended short term Executive Development program from the University of Oxford and Harvard Business School. Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore was also a member of several Committees set up by the Government, such as the National Development Council, PEMUDAH, the Eastern Corridor Development Committee, the Northern Corridor Development Committee, a board member of ISIS and Penang Regional Development Authority (PERDA). He retired from the civil service since December 2018. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 66 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI AHMAD ZAKI ANSORE BIN MOHD YUSOF
20 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 12 October 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • None Board Committees Membership(s) Tan Sri Borhan bin Dolah holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Hartford USA and Bachelor of Art (Hons) from the Universiti Malaya. He holds a Diploma in Public Administration INTAN. Tan Sri Borhan has 35 years of service in the public sector. He had held numerous strategic positions in the Government where he used to be the Director-General of Public Services Department, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Rural Development, Sabah Federal Secretary, Deputy Secretary-General (Finance and Development) of the Prime Ministers Department and Director-General of the Youth and Sports Department. Tan Sri Borhan has served as a government’s representative on EPF Board, Permanent Member of the Executive Council on the National Cost of Living Action Council, Chairman of Investment Committee of South East Johore Development Authority, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FELCRA Asset Management and Professor Of Practice at Putra Business School, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Tan Sri Borhan currently serves as Chairman of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commissions Consultation and Corruption Prevention Panel (CCPP), Chairman of the Panel of Experts Committee, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Chief of the Single Border Agency Nucleus Team, Ministry of Home Affairs and Director of RISDA Holding Sdn Bhd. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 63 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI BORHAN BIN DOLAH
Annual Report 2023 21 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 29 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • None Board Committees Membership(s) Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid bin Abu Bakar holds Bachelor Degree in Law from International Islamic University Malaysia and Wolfsons Leadership Course from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid started his career with the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) on 5 December 1976. Upon completing the basic training as Probationary Inspector, he was transferred to the Anti-Narcotics Branch at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. Prior to reaching the summit of PDRMs hierarchy, he had served various posts including the Deputy Director of Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department; the Head of Management at the Pahang Police Contingent; Kuantan District Police Chief and the State Police Chief of Negeri Sembilan and Selangor. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid was appointed as the Director of the Internal Security and Public Order Department on 25 October 2010 before being promoted as Deputy Inspector-General of Police on 15 April 2011. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid was appointed as the Inspector-General of Police on 17 May 2013. During his time in the force, he received extended experience at the international level where he attended various courses and capability development programmes in countries like Australia, Japan, Thailand, Canada and the Netherlands. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid was the driving force in establishing various strategic alliances and collaborations with foreign enforcement agencies in combating global security issues. On 5 September 2017, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid was appointed as Special Envoy to the Prime Minister of Malaysia in matters relating to combating terrorism, extremism and human trafficking on the international stage. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 65 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director TAN SRI DATO’ SERI DR KHALID BIN ABU BAKAR
22 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 5 February 2020 Length of Service : 3 years Date of Last Re-election : 17 September 2020 • Nomination and Remuneration Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) Dato’ Ibrahim bin Abdullah graduated from National University of Malaysia (UKM) in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts (Geography). He had joined the Public Service as an Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs in December 1981 and has since held various positions at the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Prime Minister Department, Jakim, Langkawi District, Immigration Department of Malaysia and the last position was the Deputy Director General of Immigration Department until June 2017. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 66 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ IBRAHIM BIN ABDULLAH
Annual Report 2023 23 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 14 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • Risk Management Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) CP (R) Datuk Mohd Khalil bin Kader Mohd holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management and a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from the Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom along with a Master of Arts in Security and Policy Analysis Studies from National University of Malaysia (UKM). CP (R) Datuk Mohd Khalil has joined the Royal Malaysian Police (“RMP”) in 1982 and served in the RMP for almost 40 years. CP (R) Datuk Mohd Khalil retired as the Director of Narcotics Crime Investigation Department, Royal Malaysia Police in February 2020. During his tenure with the RMP, he had served in various positions including Johor Police Chief, Chief of Inspector General’s Secretariat and Principal Assistant Director of Serious Crime Special Investigation. Currently, he is the Personal Security Advisor to His Majesty Sultan of Johor, Security and Government Affairs Consultant to Top Glove and Group Security Advisor to JCORP. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 63 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director CP (R) DATUK MOHD KHALIL BIN KADER MOHD
24 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 29 March 2021 Length of Service : 2 years Date of Last Re-election : 15 September 2021 • None Board Committees Membership(s) Encik Safian bin Mohd Yunus graduated with a Diploma in Information Technology from Sal Group of Colleges, Malaysia. Encik Safian was appointed as Executive Director of the Company on 29 March 2021 and subsequently redesignated to Non-Independent Non-Executive Director on 12 October 2022. He began his career as Development Engineer with Team Partner Group, France in 2000 after which he joined Ivoli Sdn Bhd as a Technology Consultant where he led the implementation of key projects as well as operations and maintenance of networks for both international and local companies such as MCI Worldcom, Sprint Corporation and Jaring. In addition, his involvement in planning TPMNet network migration activities has provided him with the skills and experience of working in a high pressure environment early on in his career. In 2012, Encik Safian became the Executive Director of Ridds and Partner Sdn Bhd, a business consulting firm, which he established to provide corporate and strategic business advisory services focusing on small and medium enterprises. The services include starting up new business ventures, business expansion and taxation consultancy as well as business turnaround, acquisition and divestment activities. With his expertise and business acumen, he joined Jasamerin Energy Ventures Sdn Bhd, a 51% subsidiary incorporated by Marine and General Berhad (formerly known as Silk Holdings Berhad) in 2017 as Business Development Director. His primary role and function is to explore opportunities in the oil and gas sector and to strengthen the company’s financial position to become a leader in the upstream oil and gas industry. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 48 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Non-Independent Non-Executive Director ENCIK SAFIAN BIN MOHD YUNUS
Annual Report 2023 25 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 27 June 2011 Length of Service : 12 years Date of Last Re-election : 14 September 2022 • Nomination and Remuneration Committee (Chairman) • Employees’ Share Option Scheme Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) Dato’ Wan Ibrahim bin Wan Ahmad graduated from University of Malaya in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons). He began his career in the Ministry of Information as an Assistant Secretary in 1972 before assuming the position of Assistant Administrator of Hospital University in University of Malaya in 1976, Principal Assistant Secretary of the Education Service Commission in 1978, Deputy Director of the Public Service Department in 1985 and Deputy Director General of the National AntiDrug Agency from 1997 to 2001. From 2002 to 2003, he was appointed as the Director General of National Anti-Drug Agency. In 2003, he was promoted as the Director General of the National Registration Department (NRD). He retired from the civil service in 2005 and was appointed as an Advisor to Cito Holdings Sdn Bhd and Dibena Enterprise Sdn Bhd. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. MALE 74 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ WAN IBRAHIM BIN WAN AHMAD
26 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 12 October 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • Audit Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) Datin Normaliza binti Kairon graduated with a Bachelor of Accounting from University of Malaya in 1995 and in 2006, she obtained her Master of Business Administration (major in Finance) from Open University Malaysia. She is a Chartered Accountant (Malaysia) and a member of Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) since 1998, as well as a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) and a member of CPA Australia since 2014. Datin Normaliza spent 10 years with the Securities Commission, joining in 1998 in a newly established team entrusted to enforce the Malaysian approved accounting standards and other corporate reporting requirements on public listed companies (PLCs). The same team was also assigned to monitor the PLCs’ corporate governance practices when the first Malaysian Code of Corporate Governance (MCCG) was introduced in 2000. Her corporate experience includes her involvement in the preparation of financial and corporate reports, and transformation initiatives of Malaysian companies in the financial services & automotive industries. Between 2011 and 2014, Datin Normaliza was attached with a government agency assigned to implement initiatives under the Economic Transformation Programme, which include her role in the establishment of Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera (YPPB) and programs with the economic corridors. Datin Normaliza is an advocate of the sustainable development agenda and an alumna of the United Nations’ SDG Academy. She ia an independent Non-Executive Chairperson of Aurelius Technologies Berhad. FEMALE 52 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Independent Non-Executive Director DATIN NORMALIZA BINTI KAIRON
Annual Report 2023 27 PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Date of Appointment : 14 September 2022 Length of Service : <1 year Date of Last Re-election : Not Applicable • Nomination and Remuneration Committee (Member) • Risk Management Committee (Member) Board Committees Membership(s) Dato’ Roseleen binti Buyong holds a Diploma in Personnel Management from the Malaysian Institute of Personnel Management (MIPM). She is a Certified Solution - Focused Coach from the Canadian Council of Professional Certification. A self-made professional and entrepreneur, Dato’ Roseleen binti Buyong has extensive and broad-based hands-on corporate experience which spreads across the fields of Human Resource, Corporate Affairs, Communications and Branding, General Management, Business Development and the Malaysian Capital Market. A major part of Dato’ Roseleen’s professional career has been in the human resource management and corporate affairs of various multinationals and public listed companies including Harper Gilfillan Holdings, AIA Co. Ltd., TA Securities Berhad and OSK Holdings Berhad. She was also the main contact person for public relations with her various multinationals employers particularly in dealing with the Malaysian Government. Dato’ Roseleen was the Executive Secretary of the Association of Stockbroking Companies Malaysia (ASCM) where she worked very closely with all member companies, mainly the broker owners, Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad (then known as KLSE), the Securities Commission, and the Ministry of Finance. She does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. FEMALE 70 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN Non-Independent Non-Executive Director DATO’ ROSELEEN BINTI BUYONG
28 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Family Relationship with any Director and/or Major Shareholder None of the Directors have family relationship with any other Directors and/or Major Shareholders of the Company. Conflict of Interest None of the Directors have any conflict of interest with the Company. Conviction for Offences (within the past 5 years, other than traffic offences) None of the Directors have any conviction for offences (other than traffic offence, if any) and have not been imposed of any public sanction or penalty by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year. Number of Board Meetings attended in the financial year ended 31 March 2023 The details of the Directors’ attendance at Board meetings are set out on page 78 of the Annual Report. PROFILE OF DIRECTORS Independent Non-Executive Director Date of Appointment : 27 June 2011 Length of Service : 12 years Date of Last Re-election : 15 September 2021 • Audit Committee (Chairman) Board Committees Membership(s) Mr Yee Kim Shing graduated from University of Melbourne in 1960 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He is a member of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Australia and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore. He was a practising accountant for more than 26 years, retiring as a senior partner in Ernst & Whinney (now known as Ernst & Young) in 1990. He is an Independent Director and Chairman of Audit Committee, member of the Risk Management Committee, Nominating Committee and Remuneration Committee of Pacific & Orient Berhad. MR YEE KIM SHING @ YEW KIM SING MALE 85 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN
Annual Report 2023 29 KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S Profile DATE OF APPOINTED : 17 January 2008 LENGTH OF SERVICE : 15 years Encik Md Diah bin Ramli graduated from Institut Teknologi MARA in 1983 with a Diploma in Applied Science majoring in Planting Industry and Management. He attended the Cranfield Global CEO Programme at Cranfield University School of Management, Bedfordshire, U.K and is a member of the Cranfield University Alumni. He began his career as a Plantation Assistant Manager at Harrisson Malaysian Plantation Berhad in 1983. Subsequently he joined FELCRA Settlers Cooperatives in 1985 as a Project and Marketing Assistant Manager. In 1992, he joined Dibena Enterprise Sdn Bhd in Sales and Marketing, later promoted to Senior Manager in 2004. Has vast experience after amassing through involvement in various business and management portfolio within the Group. In 2005 he was appointed as Executive Director of Dibena Enterprise Sdn Bhd, the promoter and substantial shareholder of the Datasonic Group. He was a Director of Datasonic Group from 2011 until 2019. He sits on the board of several subsidiary companies of the Group. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. Director of subsidiaries of Datasonic Group ENCIK MD DIAH BIN RAMLI MALE MALE 69 YEARS OLD 62 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN MALAYSIAN DATE OF APPOINTED : 1 June 2014 LENGTH OF SERVICE : 9 years Datuk Haji Ab Hamid bin Mohamad Hanipah began his career as a government security officer in the year 1978 and left the civil service as Deputy Director General of Chief Government Security Office (CGSO), Prime Minister’s Department in April 2014. He attended several management and security courses at Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA) in London, INTAN Kuala Lumpur and special branch school. He has contributed vastly in the development of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Security Policy and protective security covering training, directives of ICT Security and formulating manual Malaysian Public Sector Management of Information and Communication Technology Handbook (MyMis). He headed the security team during planning and construction of government complexes in Putrajaya. He sits on the board of several subsidiary companies of the Group. He is also a Director of Safe Shield Security Sdn Bhd. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. Director of subsidiaries of Datasonic Group DATUK HAJI AB HAMID BIN MOHAMAD HANIPAH
30 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 DATE OF APPOINTED : 1 November 2011 LENGTH OF SERVICE : 12 years Encik Hashim bin Abu holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from Saitama University, Japan. He was a member of Asia Pacific Technical Ladder Community since 1995. He has involved in many R&D for electronics industry including few world first microelectronics solutions. He brings with him more than 32 years of experience in the industry from multinational company, government agency and government link company. Prior joining Datasonic, he was a senior management member of Mimos Berhad before seconded to its subsidiary, Malaysia Microelectronics Solutions Sdn. Bhd. as Operations Director. He has involved in few government projects including as technical committee member for MyKad implementation (2002-2008), technical evaluation committee member for MM Chip project under MiGHTS Jabatan Perdana Menteri (2004-2006), technical committee member for Standard Malaysia ISO TC-9 (20042010). He was also a JEDEC (Joint Electronics Device Engineering Council) Technical Committee member from 1995 to 2010. In Datasonic, he led the engineering team as Project Director for maintenance of Malaysia passport personalisation (2011-2013), leading the team for Polycarbonate Datapage migration and maintenance of the personalisation system (2013-current), and deployment and maintenance of ICAO compliant chip system and border control for Malaysian citizen autogate system (2016-current). He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. Head of Government Sector 1 / Chief Technical Officer ENCIK HASHIM BIN ABU MALE 57 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S PROFILE
Annual Report 2023 31 DATE OF APPOINTED : 20 September 2022 LENGTH OF SERVICE : <1 year Dato’ Ahmad Syahril bin Abdullah is a graduate of University Malaya, having successfully attained his Bachelor of Business Administration, prior to completing his MBA from Asia eUniversity, Kuala Lumpur. Dato’ Ahmad Syahril was appointed as the Chief of Special Projects on 20 September 2022. Dato’ Ahmad Syahril has over 25 years of professional and corporate experience in sectors encompassing banking, planning, corporate sales and accounts, project management, business and marketing, as well as strategic and corporate services. He has held key roles within reputable organizations such as TIME dotCom, Pixelasia, and Dagang Nexchange, with his last leadership role being at Theta Edge Berhad. Previously, he had also served Datasonic Group as Director of Business and Marketing from 2005 to 2007 before he left to pursue other opportunity. He does not hold any directorship in other public companies and listed companies. DATE OF APPOINTED : 16 January 2023 LENGTH OF SERVICE : <1 year Encik Muhayuddin bin Musa graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree from the Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. He holds a Diploma, Grade 13 from Mack International Academy of Arts & Sciences, Toronto, Canada. He was appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd on 16 January 2023. He brings with him more than 25 years of senior management experience in various public listed companies in the printing, manufacturing and banking industries. Prior to this appointment, he was the Group Chief Executive Officer of Destini Berhad and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Computer Forms (Malaysia) Berhad. Currently, he is also an Independent Non-Executive Chairman of Malpac Holdings Berhad and an Independent Non-Executive Director of Federal International Holdings Berhad. Chief of Special Projects Deputy Managing Director of Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd DATO’ AHMAD SYAHRIL BIN ABDULLAH ENCIK MUHAYUDDIN BIN MUSA MALE MALE 45 YEARS OLD 60 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN MALAYSIAN KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S PROFILE
32 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD OUR LEADERSHIP 02 0DATE OF APPOINTED : 1 October 2022 LENGTH OF SERVICE : <1 year Dato’ Rosli Bin Rashid graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Illinois University in 1988 with double major in Management and Finance. He was appointed as Director of Business Development of Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd in October 2022. Prior to joining the Company, Dato’ Rosli holds key roles within reputable organisations starting as banker in 1988 at BSN Commercial Bank, then in 1996 as Business Development Manager to Director of Gold Bridge Engineering & Construction Berhad. On January 2016, he was the CEO of Destini Berhad’s subsidiary company while his last post was General Manager of Business Strategic Sector & Acquisition for TH Heavy Industries Berhad. He brings with him 25 years of corporate experience in various industries encompassing banking, construction and property development, project management, shipbuilding and ship repair as well as business and marketing. Currently, he is Head of Government Sector 2, Datasonic Corporation Sdn Bhd. He holds directorship in Gold Bridge Engineering & Construction Berhad, a public company. MALE 58 YEARS OLD MALAYSIAN KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT’S PROFILE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE KEY SENIOR MANAGEMENT Family Relationship with any Director and/or Major Shareholder None of the Key Senior Management have family relationship with any other Directors and/or Major Shareholders of the Company. Conflict of Interest None of the Key Senior Management have any conflict of interest with the Company. Conviction for Offences (within the past 5 years, other than traffic offences) None of the Key Senior Management have any conviction for offences (other than traffic offence, if any) and have not been imposed of any public sanction or penalty by the relevant regulatory bodies during the financial year. Head of Government Sector 2, Datasonic Corporation Sdn Bhd DATO’ ROSLI BIN RASHID
03PERSPECTIVE 03
34 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD PERSPECTIVE 03 Dear Esteemed Shareholders, On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am delighted to share with you the Annual Report of Datasonic Group Berhad (“Datasonic”) for the financial year ended 31 March 2023 (“FY2023”). In the financial year under review, our business recovered healthily as we benefitted from the pent-up recovery effects from the pandemic. On the back of this, Datasonic registered a solid profit attributable to the owners of the Group (“net profit”) at RM76.4 million for FY2023. This was a surge of 7.5 folds from RM10.2 million achieved in the previous year. As for the top-line performance, FY2023 revenue rose 152.7% year-on-year (“YoY”) to an all-time high of RM344.7 million. Following the good performance, we declared a total dividend of 2.0 sen per share, amounting to RM56.7 million. This represents a dividend payout ratio of 74.2% based on FY2023 net profit of RM76.4 million. For more detailed analysis of our financial performance, please refer to the Management Discussion and Analysis section of this Annual Report. Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah bin Noordin Executive Chairman Chairman SPEECH FROM OUR
Annual Report 2023 35 ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE At the start of FY2023, there was a prevailing sense of optimism as the world seemed to be making progress towards endemicity and the global economy was gaining momentum. However, this positive sentiment was short-lived due to the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as geopolitical turbulence, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and US-China trade tensions. These factors, combined with rising inflation, interest rates and recessionary concerns, have significantly escalated market uncertainties. Due to these challenges, the global economic recovery has been impacted, with the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) estimated that global gross domestic product (“GDP”) growth moderating to 3.4% in 2022, compared to the 6.0% achieved in 2021. Conversely, economic conditions in Malaysia have been more encouraging with the reopening of the economy leading to a healthy pick-up in business activities. As a result, our GDP growth expanded firmly by 8.7% in 2022, in contrast to the 3.1% growth in 2021, according to the Ministry of Finance (“MOF”). This trend continued into the first quarter of 2023 where our country’s GDP grew by 5.6%. BUSINESS OVERVIEW The operating landscape in the financial year under review was highly demanding as we had to meet the surge in orders for passports and Malaysia National ID (“MyKad”) following the reopening of international borders. At the same time, Datasonic had to manoeuvre past the challenges such as supply chain disruptions, labour shortages and rising raw materials prices to name a few. Despite these challenges, we remained committed to our top priority: delivering the best public services to our customers. Thanks to our team’s meticulous planning and procurement, we were able to rise to the occasion and meet the increased demand with minimal disruption. Moving forward, we will continue to prioritize our customers’ needs and strive to provide the highest level of service possible. Meanwhile, we are pleased to have secured several new contracts in FY2023 despite the arduous environment by leveraging on our proven track record, strong technical expertise and capabilities supported by our in-house research and development (“R&D”) team. FY 2023 REVENUE: RM344.7 MILLION FY 2023 NET PROFIT: RM76.4 MILLION FY 2023 DIVIDEND PAYOUT: 74.2% OF FY2023 NET PROFIT +152.7% YoY +7.6 Folds
36 DATASONIC GROUP BERHAD PERSPECTIVE 03 Separately, Datasonic also had a few exciting new developments in the financial year under review. In November 2022, we inked a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) with Meta Doers World Holding Berhad (“Meta Doers”) to form a strategic partnership through incorporation of a Joint Venture company to explore the huge business opportunities related to Metaverse, focusing on education and healthcare industries. The collaboration marks Datasonic’s foray into the Metaverse world. At the initial stage, our targeted markets are primary school, secondary school, higher education and training agencies in Malaysia and ASEAN countries. On the other hand, Datasonic had in December 2022, entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Territorial Development (“MUHAT”) of the Republic of Guinea (“ROG”). The purpose of this MOA is to combine our capacities and resources to co-operate and collaborate on issues relating to the printing of secure documents, digitisation and improvement of land management solutions and services of ROG. SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA For us at Datasonic, Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) considerations are pivotal in building a long-term sustainable business. To ensure long-term value for our stakeholders, it is essential to consider these factors and adapt our business and operational approach as necessary. By taking action today, we can create a better future. In FY2023, Datasonic continues to channel resources and efforts in our sustainability journey. We take pride that we are making continuous improvements year after year. We are also proud to have introduced our motto in approaching sustainability; Longevity, Impact, Future and Environment (“LIFE”). MOVING FORWARD Forging ahead, elevated market uncertainties is expected to persist and global economies will experience a slowdown compared to the previous year. The IMF projects the world economy to grow at a slower pace of 2.9% for 2023 as rising interest rates and the war in Ukraine continue to weigh on economic activities. Similarly, Malaysia’s GDP growth is estimated to slow down to 4.5% in 2023 according to statistics by Bank Negara Malaysia (“BNM”). Despite these headwinds, there are bright spots ahead for us. In particular, the demand for passports has been strong since the reopening of international borders and we anticipate this trend to continue in the near future. We are committed to meeting this demand with timely and uninterrupted delivery as part of our ongoing contribution to national security. In addition to this core focus, we are also excited about the potential for orders of MyKad to rebound pre-COVID-19 levels. For more in-depth elaboration on this, kindly refer to our Sustainability Statement section of this Annual Report. SPEECH FROM OUR CHAIRMAN
Annual Report 2023 37 In the meantime, we will also step-up efforts on our pursuit of various new programmes and initiatives with international travel returning to normalcy. This forms part of Datasonic’s plan to diversify our revenue streams. Our team has been travelling overseas to meet with existing and potential partners/customers to scale our business. Lastly, Datasonic will continue to invest in our research and development (“R&D”) and talent to preserve and boost our competitive edge in order to maintain our position as one of the most prominent security-related integrated ICT solutions providers in Malaysia. Overall, we are thrilled with the progress we have made in recovering from the pandemic-related downturn and we look forward to continuing to break new ground and achieve new highs in the years to come barring any unforeseen circumstances. APPRECIATION As I conclude, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our exceptional team at Datasonic for their unwavering dedication, hard work and adaptability. I am immensely proud of all the achievements and efforts made by our team, especially in the face of an increasingly challenging environment. I also wish to extend my deepest appreciation to all our stakeholders, including our customers, business partners, bankers and suppliers, for their invaluable support. Your assistance and trust in the Group have played a crucial role in achieving our goals and driving our growth forward. To our shareholders, we thank you for your steadfast support as we navigated through the challenging times and emerged victorious. Next, there were a series of changes to the Board following the retirement of several members. Firstly, I would like to give a warm welcome to Dato’ Roseleen binti Buyong who joined the Board as our Non-Independent Non-Executive Director as well as Datin Normaliza binti Kairon, Tan Sri Borhan bin Dolah, Tan Sri Ahmad Zaki Ansore bin Mohd Yusof, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Khalid bin Abu Bakar and CP (R) Datuk Mohd Khalil bin Kader Mohd who are our new Independent Non-Executive Directors. They bring on board with them a wealth of experience across different fields and spurring further diversity, which has been contributing positively to the Group. At the same time, we are delighted to have Mr Chew Chi Hong (Danny) as our new Executive Director. Danny has been with the Group for more than 15 years and was our Chief Operating Officer before assuming the position of Chief Corporate Officer prior to the role as Executive Director. On the other hand, Mr Chia Kok Khuang was redesignated as Executive Director while Encik Safian bin Mohd Yunus was redesignated as Non-Independent Non-Executive Director from Executive Director. Besides, I would like to take this opportunity to convey my gratefulness to everyone at Datasonic for welcoming me back as your Executive Chairman following the retirement of General Tun (Dr) Mohamed Hashim bin Mohd Ali (Rtd). On that note, my heartfelt recognition to General Tun (Dr) Mohamed Hashim bin Mohd Ali (Rtd.), Cik Noor Suhaila binti Saad and Dato’ Sri Sharifuddin bin Ab Ghani who retired from the Board for their immense contribution and invaluable advice to Datasonic. Finally, I would like to record my appreciation to my fellow Board members for their professionalism and for being such a joy to work with. Your insightful counsel and guidance to the Board have been invaluable. With a refreshed Board and our strong management team, I am confident that Datasonic will continue to flourish and achieve even greater heights. Datuk Haji Abu Hanifah bin Noordin Executive Chairman SPEECH FROM OUR CHAIRMAN
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