GOE: TEPPEN CROWNS TEPPEN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER AS FIRST WORLD CHAMPION AND ANNOUNCES AKUMA AS NEW HERO

TOKYO, Dec 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The inaugural TEPPEN World Championship 2019 has come to a close, and GungHo Online Entertainment (GOE) (TOKYO:3765)’s first champion has been crowned [Last Guardian].

In the biggest TEPPEN tournament ever, he expertly guided his [MORRIGAN AENSLAND/Temptation] and [DANTE/Devil Trigger] decks through the competition, bringing down everyone in his path to the top.

For his victory, [Last Guardian] took home 30M Yen (~$280K) of the 50M Yen (~$460K) prize pool along with numerous other prizes including a NISSAN Skyline GT [V6 TURBO].

Second place [tarakoman] earned himself 10M Yen (~$95K) in addition to various other prizes as well. GOE congratulates all competitors in the TEPPEN World Championship 2019 for their achievements at the event and in qualification over some of the best TEPPEN players to ever play the game around the world.

Not only was the first trophy handed out, but GOE also announced one of the most popular —and most evil — characters in the Street Fighter series history coming to TEPPEN! Available on Jan. 7, 2020, Akuma will bring his signature aggressive style to the world of TEPPEN, alongside a new set of cards in “The Force Seekers.”

The great demon of the Street Fighter series seems to also have corrupted Ryu, who will get the legendary look of Evil Ryu as a brand-new Hero Skin.

As we near the end of the year, GOE will be giving everyone that logs in between Dec. 24 and Jan. 7 the opportunity to purchase the New Year Selection Pack, featuring all the best cards from previous card packs, as well as a chance at the four Hero Skins available right now! Plus, new login bonuses will be up for the end of the year countdown (Dec. 24 through Jan. 1) and the new year (Jan. 2 through Jan. 7).

Last but certainly not least, 2020 will present a fresh way to play competitive TEPPEN. GOE is announcing the TEPPEN New Year Cup 2020, an online tournament with incredible prizes. Everyone who participates will have a shot at obtaining Secret Cards with new art, based on their placement. Players who finish 5000th and above will receive an Albert Wesker Secret Card, while 1000th and above will receive a Jill Valentine Secret Card on top of the Wesker Secret Card. The top 100 players will also get their hands on a third Secret Card for the kick master herself, Chun-Li.

For more information on TEPPEN, visit the game’s official site.

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Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo holds Sports News Photograph Exhibition 2020

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 -- Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, one of Japan’s most prestigious international hotels located in Shinjuku, Tokyo will hold a ‘Sports News Photograph Exhibition 2020 – The Power of Athletes on the World Stage’ from Jan 15 to March 16, 2020.

According to a statement, the exhibition will display about 40 captivating photographs that pay tribute to athletes competing in the global sports arena.

Japanese athletes and para-athletes, who are gaining societal recognition and anticipated to become the heroes and heroines of various global sporting events in 2020, will be introduced through photographs displayed.

This annually held sports news photograph exhibition is designed to support athletes competing inside and outside of Japan, and focus attention upon key moments in their sporting activities.

The exhibition will be held in cooperation with The Mainichi Newspapers and The Sports Nippon Newspapers in the hotel lobby and sponsored by Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co Ltd and ITO EN Ltd.

-- BERNAMA

LEDDARTECH TO DEMONSTRATE AUTOMOTIVE LIDAR DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION TECHNOLOGY AT CES 2020 IN LAS VEGAS

QUEBEC CITY, Dec 18 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LeddarTech®, an industry leader in LiDAR technology providing the most versatile and scalable auto and mobility LiDAR platform, announces today that it will join the Canadian Automotive Parts and Manufacturers Association (APMA) and Karma Automotive at CES 2020 as an exhibitor on booth 1025 Tech East Westgate from January 7-10 2020. The APMA is Canada’s national association representing OEM producers of parts, equipment, tools, supplies, advanced technology, and services for the worldwide automotive industry. LeddarTech has been a member of this association since 2015. The Association’s fundamental objective is to promote the original equipment automotive supply manufacturing industry both domestically and internationally. APMA in collaboration with Karma Automotive and the LeddarTech Automotive Center of Excellence will be presenting technology that advances the path to autonomous driving. “APMA’s work in managing the Canadian Autonomous Vehicle Demo Zone as part of the Government of Ontario’s $80 million Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN) will benefit greatly from the addition of Karma’s Revero GT to our demo vehicle fleet” stated Mr. Warren Ali, APMA’s Vice President of Innovation.  “Together, we're excited to explore new technologies that can be integrated into future vehicle platforms and solutions. To bring our Autonomous Driving visions to reality, we are pleased that LeddarTech, a leader in LiDAR technology, is partnering with us on the journey to develop Karma’s luxury autonomous vehicle” Mr. Ali concluded. “LeddarTech is pleased to join APMA at CES. We believe that strategic partnerships and industry collaborations deliver significant value and benefits to our customers and end-users,” said Mr. Michael Poulin, LeddarTech’s Vice President of Product Line. He continued, “We look forward to demonstrating our CES 2020 award-winning Leddar™ Pixell cocoon LiDAR technology with Karma Automotive in their luxurious 2020 Revero GT.  We are also excited to unveil LeddarTech’s Pedestrian Classification technology, this live demo powered by the LeddarEngine™ further demonstrates our company’s motivation to lead and advance driver-assistance systems and autonomous driving” concluded Mr. Michael Poulin. Leddar™ Pixell Benefits: ·   Dependable object and Vulnerable Road User (VRU) detection ·   Wide 180° horizontal field of view ·   No dead zone in the illuminated field of view. ·   Exceptional durability ·   3D Flash, solid-state design with no moving parts ·   IP67 enclosure with impact-resistant windows and automotive-grade connectors Since its release in September 2019, the Leddar Pixell has been showcased at several trade events throughout Europe, North America, and Asia. In addition to CES, LeddarTech will be demonstrating the Leddar Pixell at Automotive World 2020 in Tokyo, Japan, with Nagase from January 15th-17th, AV20 San Jose in February and TECH.AD Berlin in March as well as other locations throughout 2020.  About Karma Automotive Karma Automotive is a high-tech incubator offering innovators a perfect platform to prove their emerging technologies. Founded in 2014, Karma is reinventing the traditional retail-based automotive business model to create non-traditional value by opening its engineering, design, customization and manufacturing resources to other companies looking to speed product development, access new technology, or make their products more luxurious. Additional information about Karma Automotive and Revero at www.karmaautomotive.com or visit the password-free Karma Newsroom at www.karmanewsroom.com  About APMA The Association was founded in 1952, and its members account for 90% of independent parts production in Canada. In 2018, automotive parts shipments were over $35 Billion, and the industry employment level was over 100,000 people. The Association’s fundamental objective is to promote the original equipment (O.E.) automotive supply manufacturing industry both domestically and internationally. The Association provides important industry representation to both Federal and Provincial Governments, supports regional government initiatives, and creates and executes global marketing initiatives to develop trade and business opportunities for our membership. In addition to advocacy, the APMA also provides its members with business development solutions and opportunities as well as guidance and assistance on modernizing their operations to suit the needs of Industry 4.0. Additional information at www.apma.com and LinkedIn, Twitter  Contact: Warren Ali, Vice President of Innovation, APMA Tel: 1-416-620-4220 ext. 235 Wali@apma.ca About LeddarTech®  LeddarTech is an industry leader providing the most versatile and scalable auto and mobility LiDAR platform based on the unique LeddarEngineTM which consists of a suite of automotive-grade, functional safety certified SoCs working in tandem with proprietary LeddarSPTM signal processing software. The company is responsible for several innovations in cutting-edge mobility remote-sensing applications, with over 70 patented technologies (granted or pending) enhancing ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities. LeddarTech also serves the mobility market with solid-state high-performance LiDAR module solutions for autonomous shuttles, trucks, buses, delivery vehicles, and robotaxis. These modules are developed to support the mobility market but also to demonstrate the capabilities of LeddarTech’s auto and mobility platform as a basis for other LiDAR suppliers to build upon. Additional information about LeddarTech can be found at www.LeddarTech.com, and  LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.  Contact: Daniel Aitken, Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications, LeddarTech Tel.: +1-418-653-9000 ext. 232 Daniel.Aitken@Leddartech.com  Leddar, LeddarTech, LeddarEngine, LeddarSP, LeddarCore, and LeddarTech logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of LeddarTech Inc. All other brands, product names, and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners.    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a66d2523-094e-4de0-8255-68f356db9cfa   SOURCE: LeddarTech inc. --BERNAMA

EKUINAS PARTNERS MYHARAPAN TO DEVELOP SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS IN SABAH

SABAH, Dec 23 (Bernama) -- ILTIZAM, a Corporate Responsibility initiative by Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (‘Ekuinas’) is collaborating with myHarapan to present the inaugural ILTIZAM Social Business Challenge 2019 (Sabah Chapter) (‘ILTIZAM SBC (Sabah Chapter)’ or the ‘Challenge’), offering youth from Sabah the opportunity to ideate innovative and viable solutions to improve social issues in their home state.

ILTIZAM SBC (Sabah Chapter) seeks to nurture and develop youths in Sabah into future social entrepreneurs through the fostering of their ideas on solutions in the face of increasing social challenges. The Challenge is aimed to encourage youth to formulate ideas designed to address and improve the socio-economic livelihoods of communities in Sabah.

Mr. Hizwani Hasan, Director of Stakeholders’ Interest, Ekuinas said, “We are pleased to be a partner in myHarapan’s ILTIZAM SBC initiative to create a social entrepreneurship culture amongst the youth in Malaysia, especially in Sabah. We see this partnership as a milestone for Ekuinas to create meaningful impact to beneficiaries and the broader community over the long-term. Through our own initiatives and collaboration with partners such as myHarapan, ILTIZAM will continue to be a platform to empower our local communities through various programmes under our three (3) pillars: Entrepreneurship, Education, and Community.”

Nurfarini Daing, Chief Executive Officer of myHarapan also commented, “We are delighted to welcome Ekuinas on board as a co-partner for the ILTIZAM Social Business Challenge, as we continue to grow and create a more improved and sustainable platform for youth to actively participate in addressing social issues or concerns through social entrepreneurship. The dynamic demography, community support and resource availability in Sabah are a great opportunity for us to help develop a strong social entrepreneur community here. We believe that the youth and local community will benefit positively from this initiative, and we hope to train local talents to become resilient and robust individuals that will contribute back to their people or communities.”

Since 2014, myHarapan’s Social Business Challenge (‘SBC’) has positively impacted more than 580 youths and 20 different communities through the implementation of the ideas and programmes. Over the years, myHarapan has received more than 315 social business ideas nationwide and facilitated more than 110 engagements with industry leaders. SBC has also become a springboard for Malaysian youth to build their foundation as well as fostered greater adoption and understanding of social entrepreneurship.

ILTIZAM Social Business Challenge 2019 (Sabah Chapter) is open to all Sabah residents aged 21 to 41 years old, and participants will be required to submit their social business ideas. Selected participants will be given the opportunity to take part in a 3D2N Bootcamp organised by myHarapan, where they are provided training and mentorship sessions by industry experts to further enhance their skills and ideas. Winners will also stand a chance to win a cash prize worth RM8, 000, as well as capacity building programmes offered by myHarapan and other partners.

The winning ideas will be given the opportunity to attend myHarapan’s Social Business Study Trip in Sri Lanka for an experiential learning tour, where winners are given the chance to learn from other social entrepreneurs from around the world. In previous years, winners had the opportunity to participate the Social Business Study Trip in cities with strong, growing social entrepreneurship ecosystems such as Dhaka, Bangladesh, Manila, Philippines and Taipei, Taiwan

Applications for ILTIZAM Social Business Challenge 2019 (Sabah Chapter) is now open for registration. To submit your social business ideas or for more information on the Challenge, please visit: http://bit.ly/IltizamSBCSabahChap
 
About ILTIZAM by Ekuinas
ILTIZAM was inspired by the will and determination to work towards realising one’s potential. As implied by the name, ILTIZAM communicates the spirit of this programme in delivering life-changing and inspiring transformation for those involved. The objective of this programme is to empower the Bumiputera community and help realise their full potential. ILTIZAM focuses on three main pillars which are Entrepreneurship, Education and Community.

For information on ILTIZAM, log on to www.ekuinas.com.my/iltizam

About Youth Trust Foundation – myHarapan
The Youth Trust Foundation (also known as myHarapan) is an independent and not-for-profit organisation dedicated towards empowering young Malaysians by supporting youth projects and initiatives that contribute to current nation-building efforts. We achieve this through providing various platforms and opportunities that help them scale, sustain, expand and multiply their impact. For more information on myHarapan, visit:
www.myHarapan.org 
www.facebook.com/myHarapan 
www.twitter.com/myHarapan http://myharapan.org   

SOURCE:  The Youth Trust Foundation (myHarapan​)

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China's Horse Capital Xilingol League aims for equine industry growth

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 -- Xilingol League in north China boasts rich grassland and Mongolian horse culture, as well as enjoys unique equine industry development resources.

It is also the core birthplace of the world famous horse breed, ‘Mongolian Horse’ and was honoured as ‘Chinese Capital of Horses’ by the China Horse Industry Association in 2010.

Xilingol League has extended its industrial chain around the development of the ‘Chinese Capital of Horses’ cultural industry gathering area in recent years, promoting equine culture, tourism, competition, products and other related fields with remarkable progress.

As the core area of ‘Chinese Capital of Horses’, Xilinhot City has implemented a number of key projects such as the cultural ecotourism area, set up the Zhongyun Horse Industry Group and hosted top equestrian events at home and abroad.

The projects promote the transformation and development of the traditional equine industry into a modern one and boost the horse capital’s reputation and influence.

Xilingol League has also cultivated a number of well-known equine cultural tourism festival brands such as the ‘White Horse Culture Festival’ and ‘Dark Horse Culture Festival’.

Local governments have leveraged traditional Mongolian festivals to develop various tourism products and roll out projects like leisure riding and equestrian performances.

-- BERNAMA

CROSSING FITNESS WITH STREET STYLE, CELEBRITY FITNESS FAHRENHEIT88 IS NOW OPEN!

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s largest fitness chain, Celebrity Fitness announced the opening of its 24th club located at Fahrenheit88 in an exclusive preview party today. With an aim to bring fun in fitness to the heart of Kuala Lumpur, city dwellers can soak in the breath-taking vista of Kuala Lumpur and stay in the zone with the club’s fresh and inspiring environment. Andrew Phillips, Managing Director of Celebrity Fitness, CHi Fitness and Fitness First Malaysia, said “After a successful 2018 with new clubs opening in MyTOWN Cheras and Paradigm Mall, Johor Bahru, we knew it was time we rejuvenate our brand of fitness in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.” “The unique synergy between our club and this city is truly special since having a presence in the heart of the capital. While our previous location has been monumental for our members, our new home at Fahrenheit88 promises to energize our new members.” “Fahrenheit88 presents us the opportunity to realise our vision. It has been our goal to bring newness to our brand and diversify our influence beyond just fitness but also in street fashion and arts, which resonates very well with our audience. In conjunction with this launch, Celebrity Fitness introduced a new campaign message; Dare To Be Bold. Anusha Segaren, Head of Marketing for Malaysia explains “Dare to Be is a rallying cry to all fitness enthusiasts to build up confidence to take up any challenge, and to embrace the freedom to be bold and fearless.” “To further celebrate the unity between fitness and street culture, we embarked on a unique collaboration with homegrown creative talents from Raffles College of Higher Education and local street art hero, Mr. Kenji Chai. We wanted to explore their interpretation of the brand to appeal to a young and urban demographic.” Sneak preview: Celebrity Fitness’s Athleisure Collection “Fearless Together” is a collection in collaboration with students of Raffles College of Higher Education. This three-month project saw six teams pitching their ideas and proposals, with the winning team showcasing their fashion line at the club preview party. Inspired by Celebrity Fitness’ fun, edgy and sensational brand characteristics, the Fearless Together collection caters for men and women who dare to be bold and fearless with their style. The collection will be launched in 2020 and will be retailing at selected Celebrity Fitness’ clubs and website. Kenji Chai x Celebrity Fitness celebrates the art of street style Recognising the diverse and rich heritage of Kuala Lumpur, Celebrity Fitness collaborated with renowned home-grown graffiti artist, Kenji Chai to create a feature wall, featuring “Chaigo” a bright turquoise dog, symbolising persistence. The presence of the mural is set to energise the club’s look and feel and inspire members to realize, they are capable of anything they put their mind to, whether in fitness or in life. The Fahrenheit88 club will officially open their doors on 6 December 2019. Members can get a taste of fun in fitness by experiencing a  variety of Celebrity Fitness’ signature programmes such as Dance N’ Attitude, Fast Fit, Floating Yoga or Playground, all available at the club. They can also choose to take up personal training with their favourite Starmaker of choice. The Celebrity Fitness Fahrenheit88 Exclusive Preview Party was made possible with the support of valued partners, Beaute Library, Lab Series, Miko Galere, Sante, Wild Kombucha and Wolo Hotel. For more information on Celebrity Fitness, please visit www.celebrityfitness.com.my About Celebrity Fitness We believe that fitness should be fun! So while staying fit can be hard work, it doesn’t need to feel like it. When you walk through our doors, whether you’re new to the family or one of the original crew, our team of StarMakers will get you moving, support you every step of the way, and treat you like a superstar while you work on sculpting that body. We’re Celebrity Fitness, and we’re here to make fitness fun, and to help you look and feel sensational. So come on over to any of our 60 clubs across Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines, and let us help you unleash your star within. Find out more by visiting www.celebrityfitness.com.my SOURCE : Celebrity Fitness

5th 'Jalan Jalan Japan' Superstore opens in Bandar Baru Bangi, Dec 28

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 -- BOK MARKETING Sdn Bhd, a branch company of BOOKOFF CORPORATION Ltd, will open the fifth preloved superstore, ‘Jalan Jalan Japan’ (‘JJJ Superstore’) on Dec 28 at Bandar Baru Bangi.

All goods are ‘preloved’ and imported from Japan. Parent company, ‘BOOKOFF’ is the most famous preloved store operating over 800 stores throughout Japan. It purchases over 400 million pieces in goods from customers annually.

‘JJJ Superstore’ has three concepts, namely, Preloved in Japan (Good Quality); ‘Hargagiler’ (Crazy Low Price); and Large Stock (Treasure Hunting).

Each ‘JJJ Superstore’ has about 200,000 pieces stock with wide categories, including apparel, bags, shoes, households, baby goods, toys, sporting goods, musical instruments, ornaments, furniture and accessories.

The superstore provides customers ‘Entertainment’ and ‘Rich life’ as they can enjoy shopping surrounded by Big Mountain of preloved goods, experience Japanese culture and hearing J-POP music.

The company plans to open over 10 stores in the next few years, according to a statement. More information, visit https://www.jalanjalanjapan.com.my.

-- BERNAMA

B2BROKER EXPANDS LIQUIDITY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF 61 NEW CRYPTO CFD PAIRS

LIMASSOL, Cyprus, Dec 5 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- B2Broker, a liquidity and technology provider of solutions for the crypto and foreign exchange (FX) industry, today announced that it is expanding its Crypto CFD liquidity offering with the introduction of 61 new pairs. B2Broker was the first liquidity provider to launch 39 Crypto CFD pairs with a leverage of 1:5 and is now in the enviable position of offering a total of 100 pairs.

The 61 new Crypto CFDs will add a whole new range of pairs including all major cryptocurrency to top most tradable national currencies; US Dollar (USD), Euro (EUR), Japanese Yen (JPY), Pound Sterling (GBP), Australian Dollar (AUD), Canadian Dollar (CAD), New Zealand Dollar (NZD), Russian Ruble (RUB). B2Broker also provides the most tradable crypto cross pairs including BTC/XRP, and BTC/ETH. The new pairs will be an enhancement to B2Broker’s existing solution and reaffirms the company’s leading position in the market.

B2Broker is recognised as having been one of the first liquidity providers to provide CFD liquidity for institutional clients, offering the highest level of support available, with 24/7 trading for all 100 crypto pairs with 24/7 support in English, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Spanish.

In addition to Crypto CFDs liquidity brokers receive forex, metals and many other CFD liquidity on the one single margin account. Deepest pool, tight spreads, ultra low latency connection, super fast execution and a wide range of trading products are all readily available for Forex Brokers, Crypto Brokers and Crypto Exchanges.

Brokers can connect to the liquidity service quickly and easily, with bridges offered as part of the package to clients operating MT5 and MT4 trading platforms. Clients even with large trade sizes can trade easily with filling of execution taking place in just milliseconds.

B2Broker CEO, Arthur Azizov commented, “We constantly seek to improve our liquidity service and are now in the admirable position of being able to offer an additional 61 Crypto CFD pairs. B2Broker can provide liquidity through all major bridge providers including OneZero Liquidity Hub, PrimeXM xCore and AMTS Solutions, MT4/MT5 White Labels as well as different types of API including FIX API.”

Please contact B2Broker to enhance your brokerage services with the industry’s best liquidity.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191204005422/en/

Contact

Rosemary Barnes
Head of PR & Marketing
email: pr@b2broker.net
Tel: 00357 25582192

Source : B2Broker

--BERNAMA

FWD TAKAFUL APPOINTS JAMES LOH AS NEW CHAIRMAN

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- FWD Takaful Berhad (formerly known as HSBC Amanah Takaful (Malaysia) Berhad) (“FWD Takaful”) has appointed James Loh Sinn Yuk as its new Chairman effective 27 November 2019.

The Hon. Ronald Arculli, GBM, CVO, GBS, OBE, JP, Chairman of the Board of FWD Group, described James's ascent to chairmanship as a game changer for shaping the landscape of the Malaysian Takaful industry. "His global experience is an invaluable asset to FWD Takaful and I have no doubt his appointment will be a catalyst for bigger and brighter days ahead for the overall industry in Malaysia," he said.

"We’re delighted to welcome James into this new capacity. His extensive experience in the financial services industry at global, regional, and local levels will continue to be vital to the development of FWD Takaful as we press forward on our journey to become a leading Takaful provider in the country,” said Salim Majid Zain, Chief Executive Officer of FWD Takaful.

James has been FWD Takaful’s Independent Director since 22 March 2019, and an Audit Committee member of FWD Singapore Pte. Ltd. He is a proven leader, having provided guidance and counsel since being appointed to the board to help successfully launch FWD Group’s new Takaful brand in the Malaysian market.

James has more than 40 years of investment experience. Since beginning his career with Salomon Brothers in New York, he has served in various capacities at a number of investment banks across the globe including Union Bank of Switzerland (now UBS AG) and Barclays Capital. He is also the founder and former CEO of JL Capital Ltd., where he oversaw the launch of eight funds, managing more than US$1 billion in assets.

His appointment as Chairman of FWD Takaful follows the passing of the company’s former Chairman, Tuan Haji Kasim bin Zakaria, on 23 July 2019.

About FWD Takaful Berhad

FWD Takaful Berhad (FWD Takaful) is a leading Takaful provider in Malaysia that offers family Takaful services.

It is the first Takaful business unit of FWD Group – the insurance business of investment group, Pacific Century Group – which spans Hong Kong & Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan and Malaysia; offering life and medical insurance, general insurance, family Takaful and employee benefits across a number of its markets.

Since 2013, FWD has focused on creating fresh customer experiences, with easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD will achieve its vision to become a leading pan-Asian insurer that changes the way people feel about insurance.

For more information, please visit www.fwd.com.my.
 

 

Issued on behalf of FWD Takaful Berhad by GO Communications Sdn Bhd.

SOURCE: FWD Takaful Berhad

KPMG URGES INSTITUTIONS TO ASSESS RISKS IN ANTICIPATION OF REVISED AML/CFT GUIDELINES

PETALING JAYA, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- KPMG in Malaysia is urging institutions to ensure they are well equipped to meet all requirements stipulated in Bank Negara Malaysia’s revised Anti Money Laundering / Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/ CFT) guidelines. Announced as an exposure draft earlier in September, the revised guideline is targeted to take effect on 1 January 2020.

Institutions will have a grace period of six months to comply with the new regulations. In accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, individuals or institutions who are deemed non-compliant are liable to either: a fine not exceeding one million ringgit, imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.[1]
“The clock has already started ticking as institutions have an incredibly short time frame in which to construct a solid AML/CFT framework,” said Khurram Pirzada, Executive Director of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Sanctions practice at KPMG in Malaysia. “This includes time needed for a retrospective implementation, lest institutions risk compromising their operations or effectiveness in mitigating risks and exposure to money laundering and terrorism financing (ML/TF).”

Regulators have expressed an increased readiness to pursue and impose tougher penalties on financial institutions for regulatory breaches. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has recently stated that beyond using enforcement levers to deal with instances of non-compliance, they have also taken to publishing actions taken against financial institutions for non-compliance of rules under their purview[2].

The new guideline aims to push institutions into taking greater ownership of their AML/CFT controls by moving towards a principle-based application in assessing and setting their own criteria to combat any risks. Though this provides more flexibility for reporting institutions when implementing controls, it can also pose as a challenge for smaller institutions, or small-sized Reporting Institutions (SRIs)[3], who may have little to no AML/CFT controls in place.

“Institutions should not underestimate how extensive the remediation of their AML/CFT framework can be. Even bigger, more established, institutions may need at least three months just to revamp their policies. But beyond this, institutions must acknowledge that non-compliance increases the risk of which they could unintentionally facilitate ML/TF activities. This itself could result in substantial financial loss and damage to their reputation,” cautioned Khurram.

Khurram further recommends all institutions, regardless of size, to begin with an initial risk assessment to determine any risks they may have as the first step towards building a robust AML/CFT framework.

“Institutions can formulate a list of priorities by first identifying any underlying risk issues in their business practices. This will then enable them to implement appropriate, and sustainable, controls to manage these risks and ensure regulatory compliance. They can also consider approaching professionals who can best guide them and assist in optimizing their compliance costs.” he advised.

This amendment represents strong strides in a positive direction by BNM to curb money laundering and is in line with international standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Besides Malaysia, countries worldwide have intensified efforts to develop sustainable and robust AML/CFT regimes that can effectively respond to new and emerging risks and vulnerabilities.

The exposure draft is expected to replace the current AML/CFT regulations for Sectors 1 to 5 with two regulatory documents, capturing institutions into two different categories: Financial Institutions (FI), and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions and Non-Bank Financial Institutions (DNFBPs & NBFIs).


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North China's Xilingol League celebrates colourful, passionate winter

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 -- The Mongolian Nadam Fair took place in Xilingol League in north China, extending the burning passion of summer to winter, which spreads in the ice and snow.

According to a statement by The Publicity Department of Xilingol League, the snow-white grassland seems to be the background board, making the flower-like festival costumes even more impressive.

Moreover, during the winter ice and snow Nadam Fair, which begins every December, local men will perform the exciting three skills, namely horse racing, archery and wrestling.

In addition, the Mongolian morning tea and milk, sour mare milk, hand-held meat, mutton hotpot, stone barbecue, air-dried meat and butter roll also capture palate and warms the whole winter.

The Xilingol Mongolian set meal definitely makes up the most delicious part of the harsh winter life, as it contains local delicacy and warmth for a cozy winter.

-- BERNAMA

WENCOR ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP WITH KORRY ELECTRONICS

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., Dec 4 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Korry Electronics Co. has selected Wencor as their exclusive aftermarket distribution partner within Europe, Middle East, and the Americas effective immediately. Under the new agreement, Wencor will support the commercial and general aviation markets with Korry human-machine interface (HMI) solutions which includes switches, cockpit controls, displays and panels. 

“We are excited to build this new relationship,” said Chris Curtis, Wencor Chief Executive Officer. “As the aviation industry moves forward, Wencor remains committed to providing innovative solutions that enable aerospace reliability, availability and cost efficiency. Adding the Korry product line to our portfolio supports that objective. ”

Rob Gibbs, President of Korry, commented, “We are delighted to be partnering with Wencor for distribution of the Korry portfolio of parts.  With a worldwide network of stocking locations and strong partnerships with airlines and MRO shops, Wencor can add great value and improved service to our customers.“ Korry has been a trusted name in HMI solutions for more than 80 years.

Wencor will provide increased availability and customer intimacy as both companies work together on innovative solutions that deliver value and quality to customers in the ever changing aerospace market. 

About Wencor

Wencor has been a trusted partner in aerospace for over 60 years, offering CMM and DER repairs, PMA and an extensive network of distribution solutions to help make flights safer and more cost effective. We support most of the commercial airlines, repair stations and OEMs worldwide through our corporate affiliates Wencor, Soundair Aviation Services, PHS/MWA Aviation Services, Aerospace Coatings International, Flight Line Products, Accessory Technologies Corporation, Fortner Engineering & Manufacturing, Silver Wings, and Kitco Defense. Wencor Group is headquartered in the Atlanta, Georgia area with additional offices in Utah, Miami, Seattle, California, Alabama, New York, Amsterdam, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, and Istanbul. For more information, please visit www.wencorgroup.com.

About Korry

Korry has been a trusted name in human-machine interface (HMI) solutions for the Aerospace and Defense industry since 1937.  Korry provides leading edge Utility Control Systems, Touchscreen Controllers, Integrated Control Panels, Displays and Backlights, Data Concentrators, Pushbutton Switches and Indicators, Knobs and Night Vision Optical Filters.  Korry products are internationally known for their quality in design, manufacturing and service.  For more information about Korry, please visit www.korry.com.

Contact

416 Dividend Drive
Peachtree City, Georgia 30269 USA

Phone: 678.490.0140
Fax: 678.490.0142
www.wencorgroup.com

SOURCE: Wencor Group

--BERNAMA

PETRONAS ENGINEER WINS PRESTIGIOUS ADIPEC AWARD

Abu Dhabi, UAE, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- A PETRONAS process engineer has gained world recognition with her win at the prestigious Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) Awards 2019 held here recently,  witnessed by about 800 leaders from the oil and gas industry.

Irene Lock Sow Mei, a 29-year-old from Ipoh, Perak, was named the Young ADIPEC Technical Professional of the Year at the awards ceremony, which attracted over 600 submissions from more than 50 countries.

Lock, a leukaemia survivor, was recognised for her outstanding achievements not only in engineering and innovations but also for displaying exemplary leadership qualities both at work and in her capacity as a voluntary motivational speaker and writer.  

“I am excited, and it is unexpected. As ADIPEC is a prestigious international award, winning this is a major accomplishment in life for me. The award is a golden opportunity for organisations and individuals from around the world to gain recognition as being among the best in class across the oil and gas industry,” Lock said. 

Meanwhile, PETRONAS’ innovative project in monetising CO² to high-value carbonates via the Supercritical CO² Mineral Carbonation Technology was the finalist in the Breakthrough Technological Project of the Year Award.
 
PETRONAS Project Delivery and Technology Head of Group Technical Solutions Khairol Anuar Shukri said winning the ADIPEC Awards fortifies PETRONAS’ tenacious pursuit to be the best in class amid the fast-evolving and challenging energy landscape.
 
“We are proud that our employees, given a conducive learning environment, continue to shine in the global energy sector and display resilience in braving future challenges.

“I hope these recognitions for Irene and our technological project team will inspire other young talents to excel in what they are passionate about, and to also contribute through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives,” he added.
 
The winners of the ninth edition of the ADIPEC Awards were announced at a ceremony hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). Six awards were given for success in research, technology projects, digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, social and local contribution, and achievements by young technical professionals. A special award, the ADIPEC Honorary Award, was given to BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley for his leadership and contribution to the energy sector.
 
The jury consists of 29 leading energy experts and analysts from across the industry, and the judging panel includes representatives from national and international oil companies, as well as market intelligence firms and oilfield service providers.

ADNOC LNG Chief Executive Officer and ADIPEC Awards Chairperson Fatema Al Nuaimi said: “Our theme this year is ‘Excellence in Energy’, and the winners have lived up to that maxim. The realisation of the ‘Oil & Gas 4.0’ strategy rests on the key pillars of people, partnerships, technology and environmental leadership. Looking at the expertise celebrated at the Awards and the calibre of all the finalists, they fill me with confidence that we have the foundations for success.”
 
The number of entrants for the ADIPEC Awards 2019 edition has increased by 92 per cent compared to 2018, demonstrating the depth of professional talent and range of opportunities available in today’s oil and gas industry.

ADIPEC 2019 Winners
 
ADIPEC Honourary Award: Bob Dudley - Group Chief Executive, BP
 
Young ADIPEC Technical Professional of the Year: Irene Lock Sow Mei of PETRONAS – Malaysia
 
Oil and Gas Inclusion and Diversity Company of the Year: ADNOC – United Arab Emirates for Driving Diversity and Inclusion
 
Breakthrough Research of the Year: Saudi Aramco and Wireless Instrumentation systems – Saudi Arabia for its Thru-tubing Retrievable Intelligent Completion System (TRICS™)
 
Breakthrough Technological Project of the Year: Saudi Aramco – Saudi Arabia for its Innovative Approach to Recover Flared Gas from Gas Oil Separation Plants GOSPs
 
Digital Transformation Project of the Year: Petroleum Development Oman, iNNOVATEQ – Oman for its Digital Transformation of PDO’s Wells, Reservoirs, & Facilities Management Through Nibras
 
Social Contribution and Local Content Project of the Year: Borealis, Borouge and NOVA Chemicals – Indonesia for Project STOP

Issued by
Media Engagement
PETRONAS Group Strategic Communications

SOURCE: PETRONAS

SOLUTIONS FOR TRACEABILITY ARE KEY FOR ASSURING SUSTAINABILITY - MIMOS

MIMOS and P&G collaborate to develop technology for sustainability assurance KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) --  Malaysian industries need to invest more in sustainable solutions if they want to compete in the international market, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Dr Ong Kian Ming said. He mentioned this at a dinner hosted by national applied research and development centre, MIMOS, marking the successful completion of a pilot project on traceability of sustainable palm oil in collaboration with P&G, a global brand leader in fast-moving consumer goods (FCMG). The dinner was also attended by project partners Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Malaysia Institute of Supply Chain Innovation (MISI). “I see a fruitful partnership between P&G and MIMOS involving Industry 4.0 technologies such as Big Data, Blockchain and Internet of Things, in developing the Oil Palm Data Warehouse for sustainability. “This is something which MITI wants to see much more of. Such a project would benefit our smallholders by increasing trust in their sustainability practices,” Dr Ong said. These efforts are in line with the fact that the Government has made it mandatory for oil palm growers in Malaysia to obtain Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification, with the aim of enabling growers to eventually attain RSPO certification for assuring international markets of their sustainability. In 2017, P&G started a collaboration with MIMOS to create an Oil Palm Data Warehouse and analytics system using locally-developed Big Data Analytics and Blockchain technology to optimise the efficiency of data collection process by industry. The system facilitates the tracking of private smallholders’ interactions with dealers as well as the movement of fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) produced from the farms. To date, over a thousand smallholders in Johor have been engaged and enabled to apply this traceability solution through the collaboration. The traceability platform establishes relationships between P&G palm suppliers to palm oil mills and refineries. Through this system, P&G is able to identify areas of social and environmental risks along their supply chain; they subsequently can plan and monitor follow-up actions for improvement and progress. P&G director of global sustainability Jack McAneny said the project would be one of the key enablers for the entire smallholder effort in Malaysia, with the goal to improve yields by 30-50 percent, improve the livelihood of the smallholders, and ensure sustainable practices in the P&G palm oil supply chain. “The project will bring significant benefits, consistent with P&G’s theme of collaborating to drive impact at scale,” McAneny said at the same event. P&G is committed to the responsible sourcing of palm oil and has declared livelihood improvement for the palm oil smallholders as one of its Ambition 2030 environmental sustainability goals. Recognising the value of the project, Dr Ong urged for it to be expanded nationwide and to other supply chains. “I look forward to this project continuing to the next phase and expanding nationwide. I also hope this data warehouse and supply chain analytics system can be adopted by industry players and applied in other supply chains beyond oil palm,” Dr Ong said. MIMOS is Malaysia’s national applied research development centre and is open to collaboration for commercialisation of solutions developed in partnership with the private sector. About MIMOS MIMOS is Malaysia’s national Applied Research and Development Centre.  As a strategic agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), MIMOS contributes to transforming Malaysia’s industry through patentable technology platforms, products and solutions. Over the past 12 years, MIMOS has filed more than 2,000 Intellectual Properties in various technology domains and across key socio-economic areas. Serving a central role in Malaysia’s transformation journey and ICT Vision, MIMOS endeavours to create a culture of innovation by nurturing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, in the spirit of smart partnerships and inclusive growth models and strategies. SOURCE: MIMOS Berhad

GROUND LABS DELIVERS POWERFUL UPDATES TO FLAGSHIP SOLUTION FOR SENSITIVE DATA DISCOVERY

Company’s Enterprise Recon Now Bolstered with Faster, Broader Scanning Capabilities

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 13 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Ground Labs, the global expert in sensitive data discovery, today announced a series of key updates to the latest version of its flagship solution, Enterprise Recon. This latest version empowers users to more quickly discover sensitive data on their networks with more comprehensive capabilities to scan for a broader range of information types.

Among new features include Distributed Scanning, which enables customers to significantly lower the time necessary to scan networks for sensitive data. While most solutions rely upon a single agent to scan an entire location, Enterprise Recon dispatches multiple Proxy Agents that collectively complete scans in a fraction of the time, in some cases 400% faster.

In addition, the latest update includes enhanced scanning capabilities for more than a dozen additional data types. With its new English Profanity Scanning feature, HR leaders can proactively check their networks for the most common English-language profanities, racial and gender slurs and other offensive content within their networks, to remediate potential workplace violations while ensuring a safe, inclusive environment for all employees.

“Ground Labs is dedicated to empowering its customers to keep pace with the ever-increasing volume and types of sensitive data on their networks,” said Stephen Cavey, Co-Founder and Director of Corporate Development at Ground Labs. “Whether a company needs to ensure compliance or to simply take control of all PII data for security reasons, Ground Labs’ solutions allow them to do so quickly and accurately, and our latest Enterprise Recon 2.0.31 is a testament to our commitment in providing a leading global solution.”

Additional new features include:

·   More Comprehensive Data Types — Businesses can now search for new data types such as New Zealand Passport Number, Medicare Beneficiary Identifier, Credentials username and password, Hong Kong identity number, United States Mailing Address, United States Telephone Number, Canadian Telephone Number, French Driving License Number and Email addresses.
·  Enhanced User Interface — The solution now includes an updated, collapsible navigation menu, giving users a wider view with easy access throughout the entire platform.
·  Fine-Tuned Remediation Permissions — New permissions capabilities allow for broad delegation of remediation responsibilities across an organization while exposing sensitive information only to authorized users.

Enterprise Recon 2.0.31 is available now.

For more information on Ground Labs and its suite of sensitive data security products, visit: https://www.groundlabs.com

About Ground Labs
Ground Labs, the leading provider of sensitive data discovery solutions, enables organizations to find, secure and remediate all of their sensitive data across multiple types and locations — whether it’s stored on-premise or in the cloud. Ground Labs serves as the most comprehensive and trusted solution in the enterprise to confidently mitigate risk and find sensitive data.

For more information, visit www.groundlabs.com.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191212005072/en/ 

Contact 

Susan Arnold
InkHouse for Ground Labs
groundlabs@inkhouse.com
781-918-3903

Source : Ground Labs

--BERNAMA

Lookout App Defense expands in APAC with new partnership, customers

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 -- Lookout Inc, the leader in post-perimeter security recently announced two new marquee customers and a strategic distributor for its App Defense business in Asia.

The customers are BBPOS Merchant Services Ltd, a payment and card solution provider which has embedded Lookout App Defense in its Merchant Services App and Blibli.com, one of Indonesia’s largest online retailers which chose Lookout App Defense to protect their customers’ data.

App Defense provides enterprises with continuous visibility into the threat landscape of their consumer devices and protection against cyber threats and malware that can potentially lead to data compromise from their mobile apps.

Through a new distribution partnership with Connect APAC, a leading cyber security consultancy, Lookout will create new inroads to market App Defense in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.

To further grow Lookout market leadership in the APAC region, the Hong Kong-based cyber security consultancy Connect APAC will now resell and distribute the Lookout App Defense solution in multiple South East Asian countries, providing customers with a complete end-to-end mobile app security solution.

According to Connect APAC chief executive officer Catherine Wong, Lookout brings the most differentiated solution which ensures mobile apps are protected against any financial losses, for both consumers and enterprises, in an ever expanding digital world.

Lookout SVP of Embedded Software Sales, Satendar Bhatia said: “Together, we will expedite the expansion of Lookout App Defense footprint in Asia and help protect enterprises from data compromise.”

-- BERNAMA

ASIA-PACIFIC IT INDUSTRY CALLS FOR REGIONAL DATA PRIVACY LAW HARMONIZATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- The Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO), a grouping of national  IT industry associations representing 24 economies in the Asia Pacific region, has called for national governments to work on the harmonization of data privacy laws as a matter of priority, to promote regional trade and economic development while ensuring personal data is protected. 

 

ASOCIO’s call-to-action is contained in a policy guidance paper released at the 2019 ASOCIO-PIKOM Digital Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Titled "ASOCIO’s Policy Guidance on Data Privacy: Preserving Privacy while Enhancing Access to Personal Data with Greater Trust in Asian-Oceanian Region”  https://www.asocio.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ASOCIO-Privacy-Policy-FINAL-1.pdf

Member economies namely from Australia, Bangladesh, India, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand participated in developing this policy paper.

ASOCIO recognizes that the Asian and Oceanian region is potentially the centre of global digitalization, and its members are playing key roles to shape the future Digital Economy with increased cross-border trades of which trust is a key element.

ASOCIO Chairman, David Wong noted that ASOCIO, as a responsible stakeholder in the region, is seeking to underscore the importance of improving trust by protecting personal data across jurisdictions and at the same time promote increasing cross-border trades and collaborations.

“For this growth to be enabled and expand effectively, and for consumers and citizens to have trust and confidence, the data privacy protection agenda must be more common among Asian countries, more practically implementable and — concurrently — effective in ensuring reasonable protection of personal data.”

ASOCIO recommendation is based on three key approaches:

●   Risk-based,  reflecting the scale, data type/sensitivity, and transfer frequency;
●   Accountable, with mutual recognition of, and interoperability with, existing/planned data governance certification; and
●   Inclusive, where frequent, open consultations with data protection specialists, businesses, lawmakers and consumer groups occur transparently. 

“Collectively, these raise consumer trust, reduce compliance costs and minimize legal complexity,” Mr Wong said, “noting that adoption of these recommendations by business partners, consumers, policymakers and ASOCIO member businesses will promote freer, safeguarded data flows that enable regional economic growth and closer cooperations across the region.”

Mr Wong further added, “these principles are also the key elements of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and also APEC’s Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR).” 

ASOCIO is advocating and supporting these principles be adopted by all governments in the region to enhance trade, collaboration and most importantly cultivate the necessary trusts. The current situation of unwieldy fragmentation of laws and regulations, and country-centric focus are deemed not effectively protecting data privacy and especially when data cross the borders”.

Mr Wong also affirmed that ASOCIO and its national member associations stood ready to work with governments and industries, as well as regional inter-governmental organizations (ASEAN, APEC, EAF) to enable the development of coordinated and harmonized national laws.

SOURCE: Asian-Oceanian Computing Industry Organization (ASOCIO)

ASEAN, Timor-Leste youth to visit Japan for movie, art exchange

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 -- A total of 105 youth from 11 countries comprising ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste, are scheduled to visit Japan from Dec 2 to Dec 9, as part of Japan’s Friendship Ties Programs, JENESYS 2019.

According to a statement, JENESYS 2019 is promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The participants are scheduled to participate in ‘13th Asian International Children’s Film Festival’, to be held on Dec 7 in Minamiawaji, Hyogo prefecture.

As part of theme related observation, they will visit Kobe Kitano Ijinkan-gai and Awaji Ningyo Joruri in Hyogo, and Otsuka international museum in Tokushima, to see various styles of Art in Japan.

In addition, they will visit Japan International Cooperation Agency and have a lecture on Japanese Diplomacy in Asia, as well as observe historic places and attractive natures of Japan.

In Minamiawaji, they will participate in School Exchange and interact with Japanese students to have a better understanding of Japan and deepen their interests in Japan.

This programme is aimed to strengthen friendly relationships among those countries, and for participants to proactively share the appeals of Japan and other information upon returning to home country.

-- BERNAMA

SARAWAK YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

KUCHING, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Sarawak youngsters are changing the social sector, by competing in social entrepreneurship competition organised by Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) and Youth Trust Foundation to facilitate the process of becoming a digital economy driven state. The Youth Sarawak Social Challenge 2019 was a competition open to all secondary school students and young adults around Sarawak. There were 2 categories – The ‘Youth Sarawak Social Project Challenge’ - for secondary public and private school students. The other – ‘Youth Sarawak Social Business Challenge’ - for students, young working adults, youth between 18 and 35 years old. The 2019 challenge required the teams to develop social business ideas to improve the socio-economic livelihoods of communities in Sarawak.  9 schools and 9 teams consisting of youths from a different background from around Sarawak participated in the challenge which began in August this year. “Social Entrepreneurship is an area that the Sarawak Government, through SMA and its partners, aims to bolster and enhance further. It is in line with the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy, where digitally-enabled entrepreneurship is focused on uplifting the community and creating positive change in Sarawak. We are inspired that so many youths and students had taken up the call to participate with their ideas on helping the state,” – Hazwan Razak, Head of Digital Village, SMA. The students and youths attended a 3-day ‘boot camp’ held at the M Hotels, Kuching learnt problem-solving skills, pitching skills, financial management and more. All 9 teams from each category pitched their fine-tuned ideas to a panel of judges on the third day of the boot camp. Out of 9 teams from each category, 5 teams were selected to go to the next phase, the market validation phase. The 5 teams from each category were given 7 weeks of market validation with a budget of RM 1, 000 for the secondary school category and RM1,500 for the young adults category to kick start their projects. Drawing on what they had learnt, they had to go through a market validation phase where their ideas – in the form of a product or service - were implemented and tested with the community of choice, impacting the beneficiaries. “The market validation is an important phase, not only to test the market and see the traction or validity of the product or services but also to gauge the potential for the success of its’ sustainability. And on top of that, it is a learning phase for teams from both categories where they will learn more about themselves, teamwork and decision makings as they will face challenges and will have to somehow overcome it.” – Syarina Hisham, Assistant Manager Integrated Marketing Communications, myHarapan. The challenge reached its culmination last week when the shortlisted 5 teams of each category made their final presentation and pitched their ideas to a panel of judges comprising representatives from SMA and Youth Trust Foundation. After reviewing each presentation carefully, the best 3 ideas for each category were announced by the panel judges as well as other prizes. The closing ceremony was attended by the Deputy State Secretary of Sarawak Dr Sabariah Putit, and she handed over the prizes to the winners as well as officially closed the event for the year. For their impressive efforts, they received prizes ranging from RM5, 000 for the first prize through to RM1, 000 for third prize. There was also a consolation prize of RM500 for each category.  The winner for the secondary category is students from SMK Semerah Padi while the young adult category is team ‘Gula Apong’. About Youth Trust Foundation – myHarapan The Youth Trust Foundation (also known as myHarapan) is an independent and not-for-profit organisation dedicated towards empowering young Malaysians by supporting youth projects and initiatives that contribute to current nation-building efforts. We achieve this through providing various platforms and opportunities that help them scale, sustain, expand and multiply their impact. For more information on myHarapan, visit: www.myHarapan.org www.facebook.com/myHarapan www.twitter.com/myHarapan http://myharapan.org. SOURCE:  The Youth Trust Foundation (myHarapan​) FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT: Name: Shaarane Jaykumar Tel: +6016-680 7528 Email: shaarane@myharapan.org --BERNAMA

NTT Com named 2019 Japan IoT Service Provider of the Year in Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 -- NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) was recently recognised as 2019 Japan IoT Service Provider of the Year at the Frost & Sullivan 2019 Asia Pacific ICT Awards in Singapore.

Being named for the first time, NTT Com has been contributing to customers’ digital transformation by providing the IoT Platform, Things Cloud®.

The platform enables customers to easily and quickly implement IoT services and a partner programme, Things Partner™ Program.

According to Nishchal Khorana, Director, ICT, Frost & Sullivan, NTT Com successfully developed a solution-centric approach to address customer pain points on their IoT journey.

“NTT Com’s vertical-centric strategy and wide range of use cases create significant strategic differentiation from competitors in the IoT market in Japan.”

Founded in 2004, Frost & Sullivan 2019 Asia Pacific ICT Awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development.

Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through indepth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

-- BERNAMA

WOMEN TAKE CENTRESTAGE AT SINGAPORE'S EXCITING NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL, THE ALEX BLAKE CHARLIE SESSIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- Singapore’s best-kept music secret, The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions will make its debut on Saturday, 7 December at the Pasir Panjang Power Station. Organized by 24OWLS, a new business collective comprising the people behind the last five editions of Laneway Festival Singapore, the day-long music festival features a forward-looking, female-fronted line-up studded with international and Singaporean acts, many of whom are making their Asian debuts in Singapore.

It is driven by a mission: To create a unique experience for music lovers who appreciate music in its splendiferous majesty, ranging from pop rock and R&B to indie-folk and electronica, on a more personal scale, set within an unusual heritage locale.

The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions will be held at the Pasir Panjang Power Station which is located at 27 Pasir Panjang Road, just a few minutes’ walk from the Labrador Park MRT Station (Circle Line). The event will be the first large-scale music event to be held at the sprawling venue.

Audiences can expect the raw, industrial space to be transformed into a stunning setting with varied performance areas, dedicated relaxation corners, as well as shopping and food-and-beverage stalls. As part of its integrated approach to involve the physicality of the space, an Artist-in-Residence programme is also being launched: A group of artists and illustrators from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand will bedeck blank walls and seating pods, turning them into works of art.

The Pasir Panjang area is an under-the-radar gem. It is enchantingly serene, accompanied by glorious nature (Labrador Nature Reserve, HortPark and Mount Faber) and culinary bonafides (Uncle Ho Tuckshop for Hanoi cuisine, PeraMakan for Peranakan food and the Pasir Panjang Food Centre).

EVENT DETAILS:

What:   The Alex Blake Charlie Sessions
When:  Saturday, 7 December 2019
10am to late
Where: Pasir Panjang Power Station
27 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 117537
Where: www.alexblakecharlie.sg

Source: Mad Hat PR PLT

AIAC STANDARD FORM OF BUILDING CONTRACTS 2019 ROADSHOW

SARAWAK,  Dec 4 (Bernama) -- The Asian International Arbitration Centre (the “AIAC”) is embarking on its third series of Roadshows for its Standard Form of Building Contracts (the “SFCs”) to familiarise key industry players with the AIAC SFCs, which include the AIAC 2019 SFC Main and Sub-Contracts (the “AIAC 2019 SFCs”), Design and Build Contracts, as well as Minor Works Contracts.

The AIAC previously held its SFC Roadshows in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Sabah. The AIAC will continue the SFC Roadshow in Johor on 5^th December 2019. The AIAC strives to cover as many regions as possible in order to share and spread knowledge on the best practices within the construction industry.

This year, the SFCs Roadshows focus not only on the key features of the SFCs, but also how Arbitration, Adjudication, and Mediation play a role in the AIAC SFCs. Participants learned from the AIAC SFC Expert Advisory Committee, which comprises of construction industry experts, about how the SFCs cater to the construction industry’s best practices and the amendments made to best suit its users. Additionally, the experts explained the relationship between the SFCs and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in fostering an environment of dispute avoidance. Furthermore, we were honoured to have YB Datuk Hajah Sharifah Hasidah Bt Sayeed Aman Ghazali, Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring of Sarawak, as our Keynote Speaker at our SFC Roadshow in Sarawak.

The topics covered in the Roadshow by AIAC’s Expert Advisory Committee are:

• Introduction to the AIAC 2019 SFCs (Main and Sub Contracts)
• AIAC Design and Build Contracts and Minor Works Contracts
• ADR as Contained in the AIAC SFCs
• Bird’s Eye View: CIPAA from Various Stakeholders’ Viewpoints, Roadmap, and Updates
• CIPAA: How to Improve your Chances of Success

The Roadshow pointed out the key features of the AIAC 2019 SFCs. One of them is the introduction of the role of the Contract Administrator to enable Architects, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers, and other construction stakeholders to go onboard building projects and broaden the scope of their roles. Additionally, the AIAC 2019 SFCs are a unified single contract, without the distinction between with or without quantities, which allows for more efficiency and for the parties to customize the contract to their specific needs.

The Sarawak Roadshow was attended by more than 200 construction professionals, lawyers, quantity surveyors, academicians, and other interested stakeholders.

To download a free copy of AIAC's SFC, please visit http://sfc.aiac.world. If you have any questions, please reach the AIAC SFC team at sfc@aiac.world.

Please click here for FLYER

 

SOURCE: Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)