KUCHING: A Miri-based engineering firm that started out in 1999 selling valves, flanges and industrial consumables has grown into a regional specialist in condition-based monitoring (CBM), asset integrity and rotating equipment reliability, with its services now extending into Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia and beyond.
Kinsajasa Sdn Bhd’s transformation has been led by its managing director, Abdul Karim Ali, a Kuching-trained mechanical engineer who spent 32 years with a multinational oil and gas company before retiring in 2015, returning to the industry in 2019 and taking the helm of Kinsajasa in 2024.
The company began with a workforce of fewer than ten people supplying industrial components to oil and gas players.
Its shift towards technical services was driven largely by its early work with PETRONAS and its ecosystem of operating companies, which Abdul Karim said set the standard for how Kinsajasa built its internal systems.
“PETRONAS pushed us to think differently. The requirements were strict and the expectations were high.”
CBM involves monitoring machinery such as turbines, compressors and pumps for early signs of vibration, temperature or performance changes before failure occurs, a capability Kinsajasa has since expanded into electrical systems, piping and structural integrity assessments.
In an industry where unplanned downtime can cost millions, the company positions this early detection work as central to protecting both production and personnel.
Kinsajasa’s first CBM contract was secured in 2008 with PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd. It was later recognised under PETRONAS’ Vendor Development Programme (VDP) in 2015, a six-year initiative Abdul Karim credited with instilling project management discipline and industry-aligned standards.
“It gave us confidence that a local Sarawak company could operate at a much higher technical level.”
The company’s lube oil laboratory in Miri, opened in 2022, achieved ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation in 2024, while Kinsajasa also holds ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 certifications.
In 2025, it received ENEOS’s Best HSE Achievement Award for its performance during a turnaround campaign.
The firm has since diversified into wireless sensor technologies, mechanical maintenance, firefighting equipment services and gas detection systems.
Despite this growth, Abdul Karim said the sector remains shaped by fluctuating prices, tightening cost pressures and competition for skilled labour, prompting Kinsajasa to invest in internal training and competency development.
“In order for us to move far into the future and grow the business, we are looking at PETRONAS and the Sarawak government to support local Sarawakian companies.”
Kinsajasa currently employs 54 staff, of whom 88 per cent are Sarawakian and 76 per cent Bumiputera, with women making up 24 per cent of the workforce.
The company operates from its Miri headquarters, with offices in Bintulu and a warehouse in Labuan since 2016, supporting 18 active contracts across 11 clients in Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
It is also seeing growing interest from partners in Vietnam, Brunei and Singapore as it explores regional expansion.
