KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 11): Pertama Digital Bhd (KL:PERTAMA), whose share price dived to more than four years low on Wednesday, saw its non-independent and non-executive chairman Datuk Ahmad Nazri Abdullah reemerged as a substantial shareholder after raising his stake to 34.3 million shares or 7.83% in the company.

Ahmad Nazri ceased to be a substantial shareholder in the digital services firm on March 15, when his shareholding dropped to 20.91 million shares or 4.77% stake — falling below the 5% threshold required for substantial shareholding status, according to past filing.

In a filing on Friday, Pertama Digital said that Ahmad Nazri had bought an additional 4.14 million new shares or 0.94% stake on Wednesday (Oct 9).

Ahmad Nazri’s current 7.83% shareholding consists of a 5.72% direct stake and 2.11% indirect stake held through his son Amir Fazly Ahmad Nazri.

The filing with the stock exchange did not reveal the purchase price. However, based on the company’s closing price of 24.5 sen on Wednesday, a back-of-the-envelope calculation indicates that the block of shares was valued at about RM1.01 million.

Ahmad Nazri is currently Pertama Digital’s sixth-largest shareholder, behind Perfect Hexagon Commodity & Investment Bank Ltd — controlled by Sim Tze Shiong — with a 22.78% stake, Kenanga Investors Bhd (22.47% stake), non-executive director Tun Datuk Seri Zaki Tun Azmi (12.4%), former non-executive director Tan Sri Dr Nik Norzrul Thani Nik Hassan Thani (11.44%) and MyPay Capital Sdn Bhd (10.04%).

In a separate filing, Pertama Digital said that a block of 12 million shares, or 2.74% interest, under CGS International Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd was sold in the open market on Oct 9, reducing its stake to 4.26% and resulting in CGS International Securities Malaysia ceasing as a substantial shareholder of Permata Digital.

Based on the closing price of 24.5 sen on Wednesday, the stake is valued at RM2.94 million.

Shares of Pertama Digital closed three sen or 9.68% lower to 28 sen on Friday, valuing the company at RM122.7 million.