Message from the CEO

Founder's Message

Dato' Sri Mohammad Ismail Bin Norbat

Founder & CEO, Andaraya (M) Sdn Bhd

Dato' Sri Mohammad Ismail Bin Norbat, better known as Haji Ismail, is the Founder and CEO of Andaraya (M) Sdn Bhd and its group of companies.

I started Andaraya (M) Sdn Bhd in 1989, modestly, with just five staff members. Today, we are a proud family of over 100 permanent staff with nine branch offices nationwide.

It was a humble beginning before climbing the ladder of success, and we were recognised as one of the most reputable groups providing manpower recruitment, manpower supply, HR outsourcing, and immigration-related services. Our origin lies in the foundation of the Andaraya (M) Sdn Bhd group of companies, which continues to engage in the manpower business as its core.

The strength of our company is that we have the passion and will to perform excellent service for the customers who entrust their work to us, and to meet their expectations. We are well supported by professional, dedicated, experienced, and disciplined staff members who share our passion and resolve. We will continue to take on new challenges, because we believe our growth has come precisely from being an aggregate of people who share that passion.

Our Group is committed to realising its vision of reinventing how personnel management and support services are provided across the country — providing our clients with distinctive, exceptional service, and building a strong brand with a high expectation of value for the services we render. Congruent to our motto, "Transforming Our Deliveries," we have positioned Andaraya to provide reliable Integrated Facilities Management (IFM), easing the burden our clients face in the day-to-day management of their workers.

IFM — where we provide full-board management of workers' accommodation, transportation, and off-work daily welfare — is our signature service.

Over the years, the market, technology, governing laws, and procedures have continued to undergo significant change. A clear example was when the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the shoddy and poor living conditions many foreign workers in Malaysia were enduring. Our answer to that moment was, and remains, our IFM. A number of multinational corporations have commended our IFM for delivering professional, high-quality service that adheres to the guidelines set by international auditing bodies for workers' rights and wellbeing, including the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA).

Our in-house IFM is tailored not only to meet international standards, but — most importantly — the requirements under Act 446, the Workers' Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act. Act 446 is strictly enforced by the Labour Department of the Ministry of Human Resources (JTKSM), and compliance has been mandatory since 1 June 2020. Compliance is no longer a choice; failing to comply carries hefty penalties, additional costs, and — for offenders — the risk of imprisonment.

We continue to grow our IFM capacity, including working toward purpose-built labour accommodation using modular construction systems that are faster and more cost-effective to build, in partnership with interested employers and the relevant government agencies.

We are motivated, inspired, and ready to serve our clients' needs. What I would like to emphasise, above all, is that Andaraya is not the best choice for everyone — but our success as a company has always come from the quality, dedication, and competence of our people, and their success is our success.