Allianz General makes home protection smarter with multi-year coverage and exclusive rewards

Sean Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Allianz General

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Allianz General Insurance Company (Malaysia) Berhad (Allianz General) continues its 25th anniversary celebration by making home protection smarter and more rewarding with the Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan, offering three years of uninterrupted coverage and a complimentary 2-in-1 Hotpot & Barbecue Grill Cooker for eligible policies starting 1 July 2026.

Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover is a comprehensive home insurance solution designed to provide customers with smarter, more flexible home coverage tailored to their needs, ensuring peace of mind for homeowners, tenants and landlords.

With the Multi-Year Plan, customers can enjoy three years of uninterrupted protection with a single premium payment, eliminating the hassle of annual renewals while benefitting from lower premiums.

“Allianz General is committed to delivering value and convenience to our customers. With this campaign, the Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan not only ensures long-term protection for your home but also rewards our customers with an exclusive gift,” said Sean Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Allianz General.

With the increasing risks of natural disasters and unforeseen events, safeguarding one’s home is no longer optional, but a high priority. Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover goes beyond basic home insurance, offering a comprehensive, all-in-one solution that includes protection for home structure, contents and even additional benefits such as Mortgage Loan Installment Protection, HomeFix and Landlord Insurance.

Customers who opt for the Multi-Year Plan will not only enjoy lower premiums and uninterrupted three-year protection, but also free reinstatement for the first two valid losses paid under the HouseOwner or HouseHolder components.

To redeem the complimentary exclusive gift, customers can follow the steps below:

1. Contact an authorised Allianz General agent to purchase a Smart Home Cover Multi-Year policy with minimum gross premium of RM1,000. Only new policies are eligible; customers who previously held an annual Smart Home Cover policy and subsequently converted to the Multi-Year option during renewal will also be eligible for the complimentary gift.

2. Provide a valid mobile number and email address to the servicing agent during policy issuance.

3. Receive one (1) complimentary 2-in-1 Hotpot & Barbeque Grill Cooker within 30 working days from the policy issuance date, upon confirmation of delivery address via email.

The campaign will run from 1 July 2026 until the total number of cookers given away reaches 1,000 units. The giveaway is on a first-come first-served basis.

For more information on Allianz General’s Smart Home Cover Multi-Year Plan and this campaign, please visit: https://www.allianz.com.my/personal/home-motor-and-travel/home/smart-home-cover.html

SOURCE: Allianz Malaysia Berhad ​

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Shamala Gopalan
Group Head
Corporate Communications Department
Allianz Malaysia Berhad
Tel: 016.285.0685
Email: shamala.gopalan@allianz.com.my

Name: Gary Mark Nagan
Manager
Corporate Communications Department
Allianz Malaysia Berhad
Tel: 012.367.1450
Email: gary.nagan@allianz.com.my

--BERNAMA

GUEST SUPPLY, HAAN SIGN LICENSING DEAL FOR APAC HOTELS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Guest Supply Asia, part of Sysco Corporation, has announced a licensing agreement with HAAN, a personal care brand, to manufacture and distribute HAAN-branded personal care products for hotels across Asia Pacific (APAC).

The agreement combines HAAN’s design-led, refillable approach to personal care with Guest Supply’s product development, manufacturing, distribution and service capabilities for hotel operators, giving hospitality customers easier access to premium, operationally ready products.

Guest Supply senior vice president, EMEA and APAC regions, Gustaf Lantz in a statement said this partnership is a strong fit for the hospitality market in the APAC.

“It combines HAAN’s modern, refillable design and clean formulations with Gilchrist & Soames’ expertise in developing and manufacturing high-quality amenities and Guest Supply’s ability to distribute at scale across the region,” added Lantz.

Under the agreement, Guest Supply will work with HAAN to localise product formats and operational requirements for the APAC hospitality market, supporting consistent brand execution, dependable supply and streamlined ordering for hotel partners.

A travel-centric personal care brand, HAAN is known for practical, portable products designed for life on the go. Its formulas emphasise clean, natural and vegan ingredients, while its refillable systems are designed to reduce single-use plastic waste.

HAAN products are already available in more than 50 countries through thousands of points of sale, including concept and department stores, beauty chains and select travel retail locations.

Guest Supply said the partnership is intended to accelerate availability and service levels for hospitality customers across the region.

-- BERNAMA

HEILONGJIANG TOURISM CONFERENCE TO OPEN IN JIXI CITY ON JULY 8 – 9

The autumn landscape of the Xingkai Lake embankment in Mishan, Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province (drone photo)

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- The eighth Tourism Industry Development Conference in Heilongjiang Province will open in Jixi City from July 8 to 9, under the theme "Integration, Innovation, and Opportunity".

Centred on the theme and guided by principles of simplicity, safety and excellence, the conference aims to build platforms for cultural-tourism exchange and cooperation, innovative applications, and consumption upgrading.

It will showcase Heilongjiang’s ecological beauty, industrial heritage, culinary offerings, and openness, further unlocking the potential of cultural and tourism consumption, according to a statement.

During the conference, Jixi City will roll out a series of curated travel itineraries built around three themes, namely "Ignite the Games, Rock the Lakes", "Drive the Border, Embrace Wellness", and "Explore the Countryside, Learn Through Play".

A range of visitor-friendly incentives will also be introduced, including dining discounts, guaranteed accommodation packages, free admission to scenic spots, and shopping promotions, aimed at enhancing the overall travel experience.

The Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province Deputy Director, Jiang Xingcheng said this year's conference features three highlights.

First, driven by integration, it seeks to build a new landscape for all-for-one tourism by promoting deeper links between culture and tourism with industry, agriculture, commerce and sports, including the development of a signature travel IP linked to sporting events.

Second, driven by innovation, the event will leverage digital and intelligent technologies. A dedicated smart culture and tourism exhibition zone will feature applications such as AI-powered tourism services, metaverse immersive experiences, and digital intangible cultural heritage displays.

Third, as a platform for cooperation, the conference will strengthen international engagement through the Belt and Road Initiative, bringing together government and business representatives from 13 countries and regions and expanding Heilongjiang’s global cultural and tourism partnerships.

-- BERNAMA

AZALEA VISION SECURES EIC ACCELERATOR FUNDING TO ADVANCE SMART CONTACT LENS PLATFORM

Azalea Vision Co-founder and CTO Andrés Vásquez Quintero undergoing an on-eye evaluation of the ALMA smart contact lens.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 (Bernama) -- Azalea Vision, a Belgian healthtech company, announced it has been selected for the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, the European Union’s (EU) flagship programme for breakthrough, market-creating deep tech.

As the only Belgian company selected in this round, Azalea Vision will receive up to 7.5 million euros, including a non-dilutive 2.5 million euros grant and a planned five million euros equity investment from the EIC Fund, to advance its medical-grade smart contact lens platform into clinical development. (1 Euro = RM4.64)

“This is one of the toughest funding programmes in the world to win, and it validates everything we have been building, our technology, our vision, and the size of the market in front of us.

“Our technical validation is nearly complete, and the core platform works. This award gives us the resources to prove it clinically and to do it from Europe. We intend to move fast,” said Azalea Vision co-founder and chief technology officer, Andrés Vasquez Quintero in a statement.

The EIC Accelerator, part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, supports the start-ups judged most likely to create or disrupt global markets, and fewer than five per cent of applicants make it through its expert and jury reviews.

The EIC Fund's equity investment alongside the grant signals confidence in a company's technology, vision and market while reducing risk for private co-investors. Azalea Vision ranked among the highest-scoring applicants in its cohort and has begun the funded programme.

The funding will support clinical development alongside the final engineering work needed to bring the platform to patients.

With core platform functionality established and technical validation nearing completion, the EIC award accelerates the transition from proven technology to a certified medical product.

Following the EIC endorsement, Azalea Vision has begun discussions with strategic and financial investors across Europe and the United States to co-invest alongside the EIC Fund in its upcoming financing round.

-- BERNAMA

MALAYSIA HEALTHCARE CONNECTS CAMBODIAN FAMILIES WITH LEADING MALAYSIAN HOSPITALS DURING FIRST-EVER PHNOM PENH EXPO

 

His Excellency Professor Sok Chour, Adviser and Deputy Director General of Health; Nur Herzazzila Ghazali, Deputy Chief of Mission and Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Phnom Penh; and Suriaghandi Suppiah, Chief Executive Officer of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), during the official launch of the Malaysia Healthcare Expo in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

PHNOM PENH, June 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) today launched the first-ever Malaysia Healthcare Expo (MHX) Phnom Penh, marking the first MHX to be held in Cambodia and the organisation’s first consumer-focused healthcare expo outside Indonesia. Cambodia rapidly emerges as an increasingly important growth market for Malaysia Healthcare. Healthcare traveller volume from Cambodia surpassed 12,000 in 2025, while healthcare travel revenue reached RM30.3 million, underscoring the rising trust that Cambodian patients place in Malaysia’s healthcare ecosystem.

Held from 26 to 28 June 2026 at Aeon Mall Sen Sok City, the three-day expo represents a significant milestone in Malaysia Healthcare’s efforts to deepen engagement with Cambodian healthcare tourists and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a preferred healthcare destination in the region. Organised under the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT 2026) campaign themed Healing Meets Hospitality, the event reflects Malaysia Healthcare’s commitment to bringing Malaysia’s excellent healthcare facilities closer to international patients through direct engagement, meaningful conversations and greater accessibility to quality care.

Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer of MHTC, Suriaghandi Suppiah said the inaugural expo reflects Malaysia Healthcare’s growing commitment to the Cambodian market.

"As MHX Phnom Penh brings hospitals and specialists directly to Cambodian families, we hope to provide trusted, quality care that are easier to access and understand. This is what the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 is about: meeting patients where they are and building lasting relationships across the region," he said.

The launch ceremony was attended by His Excellency Professor Sok Chour, Adviser and Deputy Director General of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia, whose presence underscored the growing healthcare partnership between Malaysia and Cambodia. MHTC also acknowledged the continued support of the Embassy of Malaysia in Cambodia, which has played an instrumental role in strengthening Malaysia Healthcare’s presence in the market since its earliest activations.

MHX Phnom Penh featured leading Malaysian healthcare providers, including MHTC’s Flagship Medical Tourism Hospitals, namely Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) and Subang Jaya Medical Centre. Other participating institutions included Alpha IVF & Women’s Specialists Centre; KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital; KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital; KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital 2; MSU Medical Centre; Sunway Medical Centre Penang; Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City; and Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara. The expo also featured Asia OneHealthcare, represented by Beacon Hospital and Subang Jaya Medical Centre, as well as IHH Healthcare Malaysia, represented by Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Prince Court Medical Centre.

The three-day event is also joined by Maybank Cambodia as the official Banking Partner, One Health as the Social Media Partner, as well as the various government agencies, ministries, healthcare stakeholders, and private-sector partners whose support and guidance have contributed to strengthening Malaysia’s position as a preferred healthcare destination for Cambodian patients. 

About Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council
 
Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), established in 2009 under the purview of the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia, is entrusted with developing and nurturing the “Malaysia Healthcare” brand. MHTC enhances, coordinates, and promotes Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry by fostering industry collaborations and building valuable public-private partnerships both domestically and internationally. With 82 member hospitals nationwide, MHTC continues to elevate the healthcare travel ecosystem through strong branding, seamless patient experiences, and strategic market initiatives. In line with these efforts, MHTC is spearheading the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026, the nation’s first dedicated year to celebrate and advance healthcare travel. MYMT 2026 serves as a milestone initiative to showcase Malaysia’s world-class healthcare offerings, strengthen its position as the premier global healthcare destination, and highlight the industry’s significant contribution to the national economy.
 
More information can be found at https://www.mhtc.org.my/. 

SOURCE: Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Mohamad Shahizam Fauzi                                                    
Head, Communications
Tel: +603 8776 6168
Email: shahizam.f@mhtc.org.my

Name: Muhammad Rasydan Ma’at                                       
Head of Unit, PR and Media Unit Communications
Tel: +603 8776 6168
Email: rasydan.m@mhtc.org.my

--BERNAMA 

Chery Malaysia Marks Three Years of Driving Investment, Growth and Nation-Building for Malaysia

(fifth from left) His Highness Tengku Amir Shah, The Raja Muda of Selangor was present together with (first from left) Chen Chun Qing, Vice President of Chery International, Zhang Guibing President of Chery International and Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd during the groundbreaking ceremony of Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park held early in 2025.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- Chery Malaysia continues to deepen its roots in the country through investments that create jobs, partnerships that strengthen local industries, and initiatives that deliver value to communities nationwide. Over the past three years, the automotive company has focused on creating long-term value for Malaysia by contributing to economic development, talent cultivation and community well-being.

A key milestone in Chery Malaysia's long-term commitment in Malaysia is the development of the Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park manufacturing facility in Lembah Beringin, Selangor.

Chery recently celebrated the topping-out of phase one, marking the completion of the main structure of the assembly plant, following a groundbreaking ceremony held last year in the presence of His Highness Tengku Amir Shah, The Raja Muda of Selangor.

The 200 acre facility is expected to become a catalyst for economic growth in the area, driving industrial development while creating new employment and local business opportunities. Upon completion of the first phase, the plant is expected to generate approximately 2,000 jobs, with total direct employment projected to grow to 5,000 positions through subsequent development phases planned for 2028 and 2029.

Chery's commitment to Malaysia extends beyond mobility. Through strategic industry collaborations, supplier development initiatives and talent-building programmes, while creating job opportunities for Malaysians.

Efforts such as the Chery’s Supply Chain Programme have fostered partnerships between local and international industry players, encouraging technology exchange, skills development and supply chain growth. At the same time, Chery continues to nurture future talent through knowledge transfer initiatives, technical training and collaborations with local TVET institutions, helping equip the next generation of Malaysians with the skills needed to thrive in an evolving automotive industry.

Beyond business growth, Chery believes in making a positive difference in the communities where it operates from community welfare, environmental conservation to sports and youth development.

Among these efforts was Chery's swift response during the Putra Heights fire incident whereby 50 Chery vehicles were loaned to affected residents helping them ease their mobility needs as well as monetary support to a local mosque providing shelter to the victims.

Chery has also contributed to environmental conservation programmes, including partnerships focused on biodiversity protection and turtle conservation programmes.

The company has backed youth and sporting excellence initiatives such as the Olympic Games 2023, Asian Youth Para Games 2025 and most recently the inaugural Chery x Lee Chong Wei Cup which will be held next month, helping provide opportunities for young local athletes to pursue their aspirations and realise their potential.

"Our journey in Malaysia goes beyond mobility. By investing in people, creating opportunities and supporting communities, we are committed to advancing with Malaysia and delivering value beyond the automotive industry and create a lasting impact for generations to come,” said Men Lin Bo, Chery Corporate Malaysia Executive Vice President.

Chery Malaysia also believes in fair and healthy competition within the automotive industry as it drives innovation and ultimately benefits Malaysian consumers.

About Chery Malaysia
Chery Malaysia is part of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Chery Group, a leading Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhu, China. Established in 1997, Chery has been a key player in the automotive industry, renowned for its diverse lineup of passenger cars, SUVs, and electric vehicles. Chery has earned a prominent position in both domestic and international markets, exporting vehicles to over 80 countries worldwide, including Malaysia. For 22 consecutive years, Chery has been the No.1 brand in China for vehicle exports.

For more information, visit www.chery.my
Follow Chery Malaysia Facebook www.facebook.com/cherymalaysiaofficial

SOURCE: Chery Auto Malaysia Sdn Bhd

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
PR and Communications
Name: Christina Low
Email: christinalow@chery.my

--BERNAMA

Zhaoge Launches Spring Festival Fair With 3,000-Year Cultural Theme

KUALA LUMPUR, June 29 (Bernama) -- The millennia-old city of Zhaoge in Qi County has kicked off the nearly month-long "Encounter Qi, Dreamy Zhaoge" Spring Festival Fair, welcoming residents and tourists to embark on a 3,000-year cultural journey.

According to a statement, Zhaoge Old Street in Qi County, Central China’s Henan Province, was illuminated with festive lights and teemed with visitors celebrating the Spring Festival.

Zhaoge, which served as the capital for the last four kings of the Shang Dynasty and later as the capital of the Wei State during the Western Zhou period, stands among Henan Province’s first designated historical and cultural cities and is regarded as the cradle of Chinese surname culture.

The highlight of the fair is "Zhaoge: The Enchanted Dance of the Fengshen", a processional immersive performance staged against the backdrop of the city’s historical heritage, recreating events from 3,000 years ago.

The ancient thoroughfare comes alive with pop-up performances and NPC character parades, while speciality markets and local delicacies engage visitors. Tourists can also admire murals depicting characters from Investiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi), decode decorative lanterns, and purchase Fengshen-themed cultural products.

Ranked among Henan’s first designated historical and cultural blocks, Zhaoge Old Street is also recognised as a leisure tourism district and nighttime cultural tourism consumption cluster, and has become a popular nighttime destination for both locals and visitors.

-- BERNAMA