HAPPINESS BRINGS PROFIT AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND
Wan NurMuhammad Wan Mustafa hails from the building and construction sector, and had extensive working experiences working with big boys of the construction companies in Malaysia. A civil engineer by education, he graduated from UTM. Wan NurMuhammad comes from a small town of Besut Trengganu and was born in 1974 in a family whose grandfather and father are traditional wood carvers. The intricate artworks carving of his father now grace many prominent buildings in Malaysia, notably in KLIA Mosque, Istana Negara and Istana Malawati. His grandfather and father are among the last of Terengganu wood carvers in the State. Wan NurMuhammad is a late bloomer. He did not show any prominent traits of being an entrepreneur. One thing that his friends can attest to is he has the “likeability factor” with a warm personality as he mingled with all type and race of people. The only legacy he left as a student is his vast network of friends of all races. Wan NurMuhammad is number 3 of 5 siblings. Watching his grandfather and father be a part of creating and building in the construction industry has nurtured his interest in business. Their humbleness and passion for their jobs have influenced his view in doing business. His life principle is moderation in all aspects.
During the market downturn in 2007, he suffered a set-back where he was unemployed for a period of 12 months. Instead of letting this break his spirit, he fought back and crawled his way back up the construction ladder. He started by undertaking small Class F contract works and completed all jobs to the clients’ satisfaction. His turning point was in 2010 when he successfully bid for the Sub-marine Power Cable Project, laying underground cable from the Sabah mainland to Pulau Gaya. It was a challenging project since it involved lots of work in the sea and under the seabed. He managed to outbid other companies who were more experienced and financially stable. He completed the project 12 months ahead of time with zero defect, and a saving of RM500,000 to the Government. This had propelled them to the attention of the Government and the who’s who in the construction industry. From then on, he never looked back. The project had garnered him an award from the Government as the best outstanding performance for a contractor under the NKRA in the whole of Malaysia for the year 2012. Another award was received under TERAJU, a department under the Prime Minister, as a Syarikat Bumiputera Berprestasi Tinggi, the only company awarded such accolade in that category.
Currently Teras Eramaju is handling RM300 million worth of development projects in various stages of completion. Jobs involve road maintenance and power infrastructure. Wan NurMuhammad currently holds the position of CEO in the company with over 100 employees. The annual revenue of his company is in the region of RM35 million. The business model of the company is expansion and diversification, having naturally progressed from being a builder to owning Real Estate. The company is fast becoming one of the major players in the State, yet they choose to keep a low profile and concentrate on getting the job done.
Wan NurMuhammad is known among his employees as a fitness enthusiast. He says it’s a way for him to let go of all stress and to ensure he is physically and mentally fit to be on top of his game. He lives by the motto…“all works makes Wan a dull boy”. He is a devoted husband to a wife who stood by him through thick and thin, Sri Aryani Saidi and father to two lovely daughters Wan Hannah Batrisyia (12 years old) and Wan Hannah Sofia (9 years old). His success is partly due to his work ethics. Gone were the traditional top down management, but he himself goes down to the ground and works together with the rest of the employees regardless of their position. His employees view him as an approachable boss but one who expects jobs and tasks be completed on time and with zero mistake.
What does the future hold for this young enthusiastic man? The keyword is expansion and diversification! His next big move was in the hospitality industry, in particular building and managing hotels. Currently there are 2 hotels under the company’s wings and are eyeing a few more properties to acquire. Wan says, “Business is not all about profit, but responsibility to the country. Business is not merely about dollars and cents. Business is a mean of giving job opportunities to the people and to the motherland.”
Wan has set his eyes to be in the aviation industry, to own an airline and be the industry player in the aviation industry. His loyalty to the country acts as a foundation to his interest in the aviation industry. to bring the name of Malaysia in the world map. His grandfather and father have left their legacy of Malay woodcarvings in the prominent buildings in Malaysia, now it is the turn of the son to leave a legacy in the landscape of Malaysia. He goes by the motto that happiness brings profit and not the other way round. The most notable feedback from his employees is his genuine concern for them. He wants the employees to grow together with him and view them as an asset and not mere employees. Happiness to him is seeing his employees having a stable life in all aspects, not bogged down by worrying on the basic necessities by creating a working environment in the league of Google as one of the most sought after company to work in. He wants to bring this spirit in whatever companies that he is with and will go in future by putting a Malaysian made company on an equal footing with the rest of the big boys of the world in Flying the Malaysian flag high on the world map.
Wan NurMuhammad is a winner of the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards 2015 BIMP- EAGA, under the Most Promising Category. The Awards were held on 1st August 2015 at Miri Marriott Resort and Spa, Sarawak, Malaysia.
