MIDA, DAIKIN AND SHRDC COLLABORATE TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL SUPPLIER CAPABILITIES THROUGH SUPPLY CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Image 1: Opening remarks by Mr. Faizal Jalaludin, Executive Director, Investment Promotion, MIDA

SHAH ALAM, Selangor, May 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), in collaboration with Daikin Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre (SHRDC), successfully organised the MIDA – Daikin Supply Chain Programme (Awareness Session), aimed at helping Malaysian suppliers and local SMEs strengthen their competitiveness and participate more actively in global manufacturing supply chains.

Held on 21 May 2026 at SHRDC, Shah Alam, the programme brought together more than 100 participants comprising Daikin’s ecosystem partners such as Daikin Electronics Devices Malaysia, local SMEs, financial institutions and government agencies. The session provided practical guidance on supplier requirements, digital transformation, smart manufacturing and financing support to help Malaysian companies grow, upgrade their operations and better meet the evolving requirements of multinational corporations.

Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA, emphasised, "Integrating Malaysian SMEs into global value chains is critical to sustaining our nation's industrial competitiveness. Through targeted vendor development programmes like this, MIDA is helping Malaysian SMEs build the capabilities needed to become trusted partners in global supply chains. When Malaysian companies become part of the global chain, the impact goes beyond business growth. It creates better jobs, strengthens local industries, encourages technology adoption and opens more opportunities for Malaysians to participate in higher-value economic activities."

Speaking on the importance of ecosystem collaboration in supporting industrial transformation, SHRDC highlighted that talent development remains a key foundation in strengthening industry competitiveness and future readiness.

Ms. Teh Sook Ling, Executive Director of SHRDC, said, “At SHRDC, we believe that transformation begins with people. Guided by our tagline, Leading Transformation Through Training, we continue to champion a people-first strategy in supporting industry growth and future readiness. Through SINERGI, we are able to strengthen the support ecosystem by connecting talent, technology, policy makers, industry, and collaboration under one platform — enabling industries not only to transform, but to accelerate transformation collectively and sustainably.”

Ms. Ho Much Jia, VP, Procurement, Daikin Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., said, “At Daikin, we believe a strong manufacturing ecosystem is built upon capable and future-ready suppliers. Through this collaboration with MIDA and SHRDC, we strive to support local companies in strengthening their capabilities, accelerating digital transformation and adapting to evolving industry requirements. By fostering closer collaboration across the supply chain, we can collectively build a more resilient, connected and sustainable manufacturing ecosystem that creates long-term value for both industry and the nation.”

The programme featured opening remarks by Mr. Faizal Jalaludin, Executive Director, Investment Promotion, MIDA, and Mr. Sukri Abu Bakar, Director of MIDA’s Domestic Investment Division, both of whom underscored MIDA's proactive facilitation role in supporting scaling companies, including assistance with Manufacturing Licence applications and regulatory compliance.

Due to the strong response, the programme was conducted in two sessions to accommodate overwhelming participation from industry players and SMEs. The sessions featured presentations by representatives from MIDA, Daikin Malaysia, Daikin Electronics Devices Malaysia, SHRDC, Alliance Bank and industry players, covering supplier requirements, smart manufacturing transformation, sustainable supply chain development and financing solutions to support digitalisation. Participants also toured SHRDC’s facilities to gain first-hand exposure to automation, digitalisation and Industry 4.0 applications.

Due to the strong response, the programme was conducted in two sessions to accommodate overwhelming participation from industry players and SMEs. The sessions featured presentations by representatives from MIDA, Daikin Malaysia, Daikin Electronics Devices Malaysia, SHRDC, Alliance Bank and industry players, covering supplier requirements, smart manufacturing transformation, sustainable supply chain development and financing solutions to support digitalisation. Participants also toured SHRDC’s facilities to gain first-hand exposure to automation, digitalisation and Industry 4.0 applications.

The initiative reflects MIDA’s proactive efforts to deepen domestic supply chain capabilities and broaden the participation of local companies in high-value industries. Through targeted initiatives such as the Supply Chain Programme, the Grow Local Great initiative, the Enterprise Growth Platform (EGP) and the #InvestLokal campaign, MIDA connects Malaysian SMEs with multinational corporations, facilitates technology adoption and supports capability upgrading in line with the aspirations of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030). These efforts are aimed at enabling more Malaysian companies, especially SMEs, to grow alongside multinational corporations and participate more meaningfully in the country’s industrial development.

Refer this link for contact details and enquiries: https://tinyurl.com/5dujf5sr

SOURCE: Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA)

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
MIDA
Name: Mr. Sukri Abu Bakar
Director
Domestic Investment Division
Tel: +603 2267 3685
Email: sukri@mida.gov.my

--BERNAMA

MACSian74 Bridge 2026: Returning Champions Aim to Defend RM15,000 Prize

Ruixia (left) and Ruishan (right) siblings that won the 2012 and 2009 MACsian74 Bridge Competition, respectively




MELAKA, May 22 (Bernama) -- The stage is set for the Vital Factor Consulting Cup 2026: MACSian74 Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and the returning champions are ready to defend their title. Once again, they are challenging construction firms, engineering companies, schools, universities, and anyone daring enough to compete against them for the grand prize of RM15,000.

The returning champions are siblings Lai Ruishan and Lai Ruixia, who made history in past competitions. Ruishan was part of the winning team in 2009, while his sister Ruixia led her team to victory in 2012. One of their bridges supported as much as 38.9 kilograms, roughly the weight of a child, a remarkable achievement using only ice cream sticks, string, and glue. This time, armed with years of experience and shared expertise, the duo are confident they can push their bridge even further and claim the RM15,000 top prize.

But the story is more than just competition. Ruishan, inspired by his early success in the MACSian74 Bridge contest, pursued engineering at the University of Nottingham. Today, he is a project engineer at Sunway Construction, one of Malaysia’s largest construction firms. “The MACSian74 Bridge competition didn’t just teach me about structures, it shaped my future,” Ruishan said. “It showed me the power of creativity, teamwork, and pushing boundaries.”

This year’s competition promises the same blend of excitement, skill, and inspiration for all participants. The Vital Factor Consulting Cup 2026 is a nationwide challenge open to schools, universities, corporations, and individuals eager to test their innovation and engineering skills.

Think you have what it takes to beat the champions? Step up, design your bridge, and see if your team can take home the RM15,000 grand prize. This is your chance to join a legacy that changes lives, just like it did for Ruishan.

Event Details:
· Competition Date: 27 June 2026
· Venue: Malacca Anglo-Chinese School (ACS)
· Extended Registration Deadline: 13 June 2026

The event is presented by Vital Factor Consulting Sdn Bhd, with support from Ikhua Engineering Sdn Bhd.

The official site of The Vital Factor Consulting Cup 2026, together with the rules of the competition:
https://sites.google.com/moe-dl.edu.my/vfccups2026

Registration for participating:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctuIZfJewgRf5SBpKTaup37q4KH2SRZbSJnU_qYXsGU3gwsg/viewform

SOURCE: Vital Factor Consulting

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Ms Soh Lay Hui
Principal, Malacca ACS
Email: : sohlayhui@yahoo.com; or

Name: Captain Chong Yong Ku
Organiser
Email: yongkuchong@yahoo.com
--BERNAMA

I SQUARED CAPITAL LAUNCHES INDIA POWER TRANSMISSION PLATFORM

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- I Squared Capital (I Squared), a global infrastructure investment manager, has launched Cube Grid, a power transmission platform targeting India's expanding electricity grid.

In a statement, I Squared said it expects to deploy up to US$1 billion in equity capital into Cube Grid to acquire and build a portfolio of transmission assets across India. (US$1=RM3.96)

Cube Grid has signed definitive agreements for seed assets comprising more than 1,450 circuit kilometres (ckm) of transmission lines in partnership with Dineshchandra Group (Dineshchandra R. Agrawal Infracon Private Limited or DRAIPL), an infrastructure developer with operations across India and overseas markets.

I Squared Capital Senior Partner Harsh Agrawal said the expansion of renewable energy capacity and strong policy support are expected to drive long-term growth in India’s transmission sector.

“DRAIPL has a proven track record from our work together on Cube Highways, another I Squared portfolio company in India. Extending this relationship to the transmission sector gives Cube Grid a strong execution partner,” he said.

The partnership with DRAIPL combines I Squared's global investment expertise and platform-building experience with DRAIPL's local execution capabilities and regional market knowledge.

The Government of India has outlined plans to modernise and expand the national grid, requiring an estimated US$120 billion in capital expenditure over the next five to seven years to integrate new generation capacity and meet rising electricity demand.

Over the past decade, I Squared has committed more than US$4 billion to Indian infrastructure through six portfolio companies providing essential services across the country.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

-- BERNAMA

Bitget Launches “Gold Fast or Go Home Challenge” for Gold CFD Trading

VICTORIA, Seychelles, May 21 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bitget, the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), has launched the “Gold Fast or Go Home Challenge,” a global campaign built around faster access to gold CFD trading on the Bitget app. The campaign follows Bitget’s recent product update that moved TradFi products, including gold, forex, commodities, and indices, to a first-level homepage tab, reducing the number of steps required to access these markets directly from the homepage.

The challenge invites users to record themselves by opening the Bitget app, entering the TradFi section, and completing an XAUUSD gold CFD trade as quickly as possible. Participants will publish their attempts across social platforms as part of a global speed-based trading challenge designed around accessibility, execution flow, and real-time market participation. The campaign combines trading culture with short-form social content, turning product speed into a visible user experience.

The campaign reflects Bitget’s broader direction of bringing traditional financial assets closer to crypto-native trading environments through a unified interface. Users can move between crypto assets, tokenized products, forex pairs, commodities, and gold CFD markets from a single account structure without switching across multiple platforms, wallets, or trading systems.

“Users increasingly move between crypto and traditional financial markets within the same trading cycle, especially during periods shaped by macro volatility,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget. “We have designed the platform to make these markets more directly accessible inside the app. The challenge turns that trading flow into a public and community-driven experience that shows how multi-asset trading behavior is evolving.”

Gold trading activity has continued gaining traction globally as investors monitor interest rate expectations, central bank accumulation trends, inflation risks, and geopolitical uncertainty. Across digital asset platforms, gold CFDs have become one of the most actively monitored TradFi products during periods of elevated volatility, particularly as users look for faster access to macro-sensitive assets without leaving crypto-native trading environments.

The homepage TradFi integration forms part of Bitget’s wider Universal Exchange strategy focused on reducing fragmentation between digital assets and traditional financial markets. As more users diversify across asset classes, trading platforms are increasingly expected to support crypto, commodities, equities, FX, and tokenized assets within a single interface and collateral system. Bitget’s TradFi expansion reflects growing market demand for unified multi-asset access and faster capital movement between trading categories.

The launch also follows Bitget’s continued expansion of its TradFi offering across global markets. The platform currently provides access to crypto markets alongside tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, forex pairs, and precious metals such as gold within one trading ecosystem. In 2026, Bitget repositioned its TradFi section to the app homepage as part of a broader effort to simplify market access and improve execution efficiency across multi-asset trading activity.

For more information, visit here.

About Bitget

Bitget is the world’s largest Universal Exchange (UEX), serving over 125 million users and offering access to over 2M crypto tokens, 100+ tokenized stocks, ETFs, commodities, FX, and precious metals such as gold. The ecosystem is committed to helping users trade smarter with its AI agent, which co-pilots trade execution. Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships with LALIGA and MotoGP™. Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. Bitget currently leads in the tokenized TradFi market, providing the industry’s lowest fees and highest liquidity across 150 regions worldwide.

For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord

For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3484ccd0-5df8-4c93-91cb-c0bdf7495349 

SOURCE: Bitget Limited

DISCLAIMER: BERNAMA MREM are not accountable for any causes of website defacement, misuse, or illegal activities connected to cryptocurrency, blockchain, tokenisation, or bitcoin. This material should not be considered as guidance or an opinion, as it does not constitute financial or investment advice. Use this information at your own risk; we are not liable for any losses or damages caused by the republication of this article.

--BERNAMA

The Growth Story is Coming Together. Engineering Was Never the Destination.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s energy transition is underway, but the harder question has never been whether to transition. It is how to fund it without weakening the economics that make it viable.

As the country works towards its 2050 net-zero target, the energy sector must deploy substantial upfront capital while preserving return thresholds required by investors, lenders and project owners. At the same time, decarbonisation, energy security and infrastructure modernisation remain national priorities.

For Kinergy Advancement Berhad (“Kinergy”), the issue is not cost versus sustainability. The real test is whether both can be integrated in a way that is technically executable and commercially defensible.

This is where engineering discipline matters.

While shaped by financing structures and offtake agreements, capital discipline is equally embedded in technology choices. Run-of-river mini hydropower, where site conditions permit, can reduce capital intensity by avoiding large-scale civil works while delivering reliable renewable generation. Waste Heat Recovery (“WHR”) using Organic Rankine Cycle (“ORC”) technology, as deployed at Safran Landing Systems Malaysia, takes a different route — unlocking value from energy already available in industrial processes.

For clients, this improves cost efficiency and operational performance. For Kinergy, it creates recurring income through long-term contractual arrangements.

Malaysia’s energy transition also faces a trilemma: grid reliability, cost efficiency and decarbonisation. Solar capacity remains important, but it cannot solve every part of the equation on its own. Kinergy has built a diversified platform across mini hydro, biogas, waste heat recovery and solar, while strengthening its role in gas-fired transition assets.

Dato’ Lai Keng Onn, Kinergy’s founder, Executive Deputy Chairman and Group Managing Director, said:

“The energy transition is not about sacrificing cost efficiency for sustainability, or the other way around. It is about engineering solutions that deliver both.”

That approach is increasingly visible in Kinergy’s numbers. Its Sustainable Energy Solutions (“SES”) segment grew from MYR107.8 million, or 49% of Group revenue in FY2024, to MYR328.2 million, or 69% of Group revenue in FY2025. The increase of more than MYR200 million shows that the shift is now being reflected commercially.

Kinergy’s credibility is also supported by its relationship with PETRONAS-related entities, including three awarded projects and two gas-fired power plants that serve as transition-enabling infrastructure. These projects bridge Malaysia’s current energy mix and long-term decarbonisation ambitions.

For industrial businesses, energy strategy is no longer a utility decision. It shapes cost structures, competitiveness and compliance outcomes. Companies need solutions that reduce emissions without compromising reliability or financial discipline.

Kinergy’s evolution from an engineering-led business into a diversified energy platform is therefore not a reinvention. It is the natural extension of its engineering foundation.

“Our entry into the Independent Power Producer space and our technical alliance with B.Grimm mark the next deliberate step in that journey. They are the natural progression of a strategy that was never only about engineering.”

Malaysia’s transition will require companies that can balance capital intensity, technical execution and long-term returns. For Kinergy, engineering was never the destination. It was the beginning.

SOURCE : Aegis Communication

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Jason Fong
Tel: +6012-8631134
Email: jason@aegiscomm.com.my 

--BERNAMA

BAISE HOSTS CROSS-BORDER CULTURAL PROGRAMME TO STRENGTHEN CHINA-VIETNAM TIES

China-Vietnam ethnic costume display and interactive singing performance by singers.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Baise City in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has held a series of cross-border cultural and people-to-people exchange activities with Vietnam under the 2026 Guangxi March 3rd · Bagui Carnival, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and regional cultural integration.

Leveraging its border location, Baise organised programmes spanning sports, intangible cultural heritage, literature, music and folk traditions, including football and basketball friendly matches, cultural performances, reading exchanges and community-based folk activities involving participants from both sides of the China-Vietnam border.

The initiatives featured participation from Chinese and Vietnamese athletes, artists, writers and youth representatives, with events designed to promote cultural understanding and grassroots connectivity, according to a statement.

Key highlights included the China-Vietnam Border Staff Football Invitational Tournament in Napo County and a basketball friendly match in Jingxi, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exchange gala showcasing Zhuang opera, traditional crafts and joint performances by Chinese and Vietnamese troupes.

Youth engagement was further strengthened through a joint reading event and a cross-border new folk song concert blending traditional and modern musical styles.

The programme also included community-based folk activities at Jingxi Equan Scenic Area, where residents from both countries participated in cultural demonstrations, handicraft-making and traditional food experiences such as five-colour glutinous rice.

Baise authorities said the series of events reflects ongoing efforts to deepen cross-border cultural exchange, enhance mutual understanding and consolidate long-standing friendship between China and Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA

KIOXIA, DELL TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER HIGH-DENSITY AI STORAGE SERVER CONFIGURATION

KIOXIA LC9 Series 245.76 TB High-density Enterprise SSD

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation, a world leader in memory solutions, has collaborated with Dell Technologies to deliver a 2U server configuration capable of scaling to an unprecedented 9.8 petabytes (PB) of flash storage.

According to Kioxia in a statement, the companies are enabling a new class of storage-optimised platforms built to meet the demands of artificial intelligence (AI), large-scale data lakes, and data-intensive enterprise workloads.

The collaboration combines the Dell PowerEdge R7725xd server with KIOXIA LC9 Series enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs), delivering high-capacity and power-efficient storage solutions aimed at reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and data centre footprint.

“Customers will be able to deploy massive ingestion streams, scale data lakes effortlessly, and handle large backups in a fraction of the footprint, improving TCO to new levels,” said Kioxia Corporation technology executive of the SSD Division, Akihiro Kimura.

With a long history of enabling scalable infrastructure for data-driven applications, this latest milestone reflects both companies’ commitment to advancing high-density architectures that improve performance, reduce energy consumption, and maximise data centre efficiency.

Built for modern AI and data-centric workloads, Dell PowerEdge R7725xd servers combine dense storage with powerful compute capabilities, supporting AI data management and model training across the AI lifecycle.

Meanwhile, KIOXIA LC9 Series SSDs deliver up to 245.76 terabytes (TB) of flash-based storage with PCIe 5.0 performance across multiple form factors. Designed for generative AI environments, the drives offer a higher-capacity alternative to conventional 30.72 TB SSDs.

Kioxia said a comparable 9.8 PB configuration using lower-capacity drives would require seven additional servers and 280 more drives, resulting in significantly higher power consumption and greater rack space usage.

-- BERNAMA