IRONNET BAGS 2021 CYBERSECASIA READERS' CHOICE AWARD IN NETWORK MONITORING & OBSERVABILITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) -- IronNet Inc, an innovative leader transforming cybersecurity through Collective Defense, has been named winner of the prestigious 2021 CybersecAsia Readers’ Choice Award in the Network Monitoring & Observability category.

The award recognises cybersecurity leaders in APAC for their critical roles played and advances and innovations made over the last two years.

IronNet defends enterprises, sectors, and nations against sophisticated cyber attacks and highly organised cyber adversaries, according to a statement.

The company’s Collective Defense platform comprises IronDefense and IronDome solutions: IronDefense offers advanced behavioural and pattern-based network detection and response (NDR) capabilities to protect against known and unknown cyber threats, while IronDome provides real-time, collective threat intelligence sharing amongst community members.

The platform provides unparalleled visibility for organisations to see the broad attack surface, and automatically identifies, filters, prioritises, and correlates alerts across participants’ enterprise networks, allowing organisations to rapidly detect and mitigate even the most sophisticated attacks.

“We are honoured to receive this award and that our customers and peers recognise our efforts to increase security and resilience for the region’s enterprises,” said Gaurav Chhiber, IronNet’s Vice President for APAC and Japan.

“Cybercrime is now an organised and sophisticated industry — a threat enterprises can’t counter with traditional practices, tools, and techniques. Defending in isolation no longer works, so IronNet is proud to be acknowledged for our Collective Defense approach and network defence technology that enables a mindshift in the way we think about cybersecurity.”

Meanwhile, CybersecAsia Editor-in-Chief, Victor Ng said: “IronNet’s IronDefense is probably the most advanced network detection and response platform built to stop sophisticated cyber-threats.

“As cyber-attacks are evolving faster than most organisations can manage alone, IronDome – the automated Collective Defense solution from IronNet – allows organisations to collaborate across industries through real-time threat sharing and delivers collective threat intelligence at machine speed for IronDefense to perform even better at ‘Network Monitoring and Observability’.

-- BERNAMA

FIRST-EVER GLOBAL STUDY OF DIVERSITY IN GRADUATE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION SHEDS LIGHT ON GAPS IN RACE AND GENDER

Report finds higher participation of African Americans in U.S. business schools than their white counterparts while women worldwide remain underrepresented, particularly in Europe

RESTON, Va., Oct 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC™), a global association of leading graduate business schools, today released a special report, “The Global Diversity of Talent – Attainment and Representation,” a first reference guide of its kind to better understand representation for graduate management education (GME) degree attainment worldwide. Understanding that education systems across the globe experienced disruption due to the pandemic, GMAC turned to its leading research capability as universities sought to adapt with a renewed attention to issues of student access and equity, as well as diversity and representation in tertiary educational attainment. The report provides a global overview, seven regional outlooks, and separate reports for 69 locations or countries with an estimated 25,000 or more people in the student-aged population of 20 to 34 who have attained a master’s degree in the subject of business, administration, or law. In addition to a separate appendix that reviews data on 111 other countries, it also examines the representation of women globally and underrepresented groups in the United States.

“At GMAC, we recognize that a diverse student body in gender, race and background lifts us all as it creates a richer student experience and increases sensitivity to the issues that affect others,” said Sangeet Chowfla, president and CEO of GMAC. “This report – the first global state of the industry view about diversity in graduate management education – is intended not only to serve as an informative guide, but also as a base to target outreach and advocate for the value of graduate business degrees to underrepresented populations around the globe.”

Key Findings

Women struggle to be represented at the graduate business level, falling behind the most in Europe

Globally, more women than men choose their undergraduate study in the fields of business, administration, and law. 26.4 percent of bachelor’s degrees earned by females are in these fields, slightly higher than for men (24.6%). At the master’s level, however, men (33.7%) are more likely to study in business, administration, and law than women (29.4%). Data suggests that women have shown broader interest when pursuing a master’s degree, with education and health and welfare two other popular disciplines besides business or law schools. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41388

FWD TAKAFUL SUPPORTS THE PERLINDUNGAN TENANG VOUCHER PROGRAMME WITH A FIRST-YEAR SUBSIDY

 

FWD Kasih, an online micro-Takaful plan offered under the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme

FWD Kasih aims to plug the protection gap for lower income segments

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- FWD Takaful Berhad (“FWD Takaful”) is committed to continuously empower the lower-income communities by making takaful accessible, affordable and convenient. Through the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme, an initiative by the government, FWD Takaful will be able to expand social protection for the B40 group.
 
Under this programme, a RM50 voucher is allocated to eligible Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat (BPR) recipients to help them participate in Perlindungan Tenang products from licensed insurers and takaful operators. The Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme started on 30 September 2021 and eligible BPR recipients are allowed to redeem the voucher until 30 September 2022. The government will distribute the vouchers in phases.
 
FWD Kasih is an online micro-Takaful plan offered under the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme, and provides RM20,000 sum coverage for people from the age of 19 until 49 years old. FWD Takaful will also subsidise any remaining first-year contribution so BPR recipients can enjoy FWD Kasih’s first-year coverage with full subsidy.
 
Salim Majid Zain, FWD Takaful’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “The takaful coverage awareness and uptake among the underserved segments is currently disproportionately low in comparison to the country’s population. We’re supporting the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme as it resonates with our vision of changing the way people feel about takaful.”
 
FWD Kasih aims to plug the protection gap for these segments and the plan is easy to understand and offers valuable benefits at an affordable price, along with a simple claim process. In addition, FWD Takaful’s easy-to-use online channel is simple, reliable and direct, allowing customers to manage their takaful certificates at their own convenience.
 
FWD Kasih’s full sum covered is payable upon death and total and permanent disability (TPD) and additional 100% of the sum covered is payable upon death due to accidental causes. To ease the financial burden for customer’s next of kin, the plan provides an immediate funeral expense benefit of RM3,000. The plan also provides Badal Hajj support for Muslim participants and donation of RM2,500 to a charity organisation for non-Muslim participants, upon death.
 
To find out more about FWD Kasih and its benefits, please visit fwd.com.my/direct/kasih/ptv or visit myPTV.my to check if you’re eligible for the Perlindungan Tenang Voucher Programme. Alternatively, call 03 2771 7737 or email kasih.my@fwd.com for more information. 

About FWD Takaful Berhad

FWD Takaful Berhad (“FWD Takaful”) is a Takaful provider in Malaysia that offers family Takaful services. FWD Takaful is licensed under the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 and is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia. FWD Takaful is a takaful business unit of FWD Group (“FWD”).
 
FWD Group is a pan-Asian life insurance business with approximately 10 million customers across 10 markets, including some of the fastest growing insurance markets in the world. Established in 2013, FWD is focused on making the insurance journey simpler, faster and smoother, with innovative propositions and easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD is committed to changing the way people feel about insurance.
 
For more information, please visit fwd.com.my. 

For media enquiries, please email media.my@fwd.com

Source: FWD Takaful Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Jacleen Martin
Brand, PR & Communications, Marketing
Email: Jacleenjacinta.martin@fwd.com   

Name: Aslinda Aminuddin
PR & Communications, Marketing
Email: aslinda.aminuddin@fwd.com

--BERNAMA

CGC RECEIVED TWO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AWARDS FROM ADFIAP

 

KELANA JAYA, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Berhad (CGC) received two Merit awards for its BizMikro-i scheme under the MSME Development category as well as it’s Robotic Process Automation (RPA) under the Technology Development category from the Association of Development Financing Institution in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) on 27 October 2021.

CGC President and Chief Executive Officer Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak received the awards from ADFIAP at its Sustainable Development Awards 2021 ceremony held in conjunction with ADFIAP virtual 44th Annual Meeting.

Datuk Mohd Zamree in his awards acceptance speech said, “CGC is honoured to receive these prestigious awards from ADFIAP. The BizMikro-i scheme is a term financing facility for Working Capital, based on the Shariah concept, Commodity Murabahah. It enables the inclusion of the unserved and underserved Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) into the formal financial ecosystem. This scheme uses a unique credit risk assessment tool to process MSME’s financing application to measure the risk profile of the applicant.  This assessment tool collects psychographics data as predictors in the form of questions.  Multiple scientific disciplines, namely behavioural science, psychometrics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are then applied to the data. BizMikro-i has progressed to be extremely relevant during this challenging period as we assist MSMEs to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, enabling them to bounce back stronger.”

Datuk Mohd Zamree further added, “CGC embarked on Robotic Process Automation (RPA) that leverages IBM Robotic Process Automation with Automation Anywhere as the enterprise automation platform to increase efficiency by providing a seamless end-to-end business process. We integrated various systems which further improved the data accuracy within a shorter turnaround time. The result is an enhanced customer experience for MSMEs.  Our digital journey through RPA is anchored towards improving our back-office processes for an overall improvement in customer experience. CGC remain committed towards its Digital Transformation programme to serve our MSME customers better.”

ADFIAP Awards Program started in 1997. The annual ADFIAP ‘Outstanding Development Project Awards’ recognise and honour member-financial institutions that have undertaken and/or assisted projects that have created a development impact in their respective countries. There are nine award categories; human resource development, environmental development, MSME development, infrastructure development, technology development, trade development, local economic development, development finance-led poverty reduction, and corporate governance.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41411

LINKING PORTS, BULK COMMODITIES AND TRADING WITH INDEXES, PROVIDING A "BELLWETHER" FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRY

QINGDAO, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/

At the 2021 "Belt and Road" Land-sea Linkage Qingdao Summit held on October 22, the Global International Shipping Center Index - Northeast Asia Report (2021), Xinhua-Shandong Port Bulk Commodity Index and trade connectivity index report of RCEP member states (2021) were published. Experts believe that through accurate depiction of the changes of port bulk commodity trade in the form of indexes and establishment of the efficient linkage among ports, bulk commodity and trade, the competitiveness of ports will be enhanced, trade transformation and upgrading will be expedited, and the ability to stabilize the price and supply of bulk commodities will be strengthened, so as to provide a "bellwether" for the development of the industry. The "Global International Shipping Center Index", established by China Economic Information Service with support of the Baltic Exchange, is another world-class port and shipping evaluation index launched globally, on the basis of the "Xinhua-Baltic International Shipping Center Development Index". The first phase of the index focused on Northeast Asia, and 17 ports in China, Japan, South Korea and Russia were selected as the sample ports. According to the comprehensive scores, the sample ports were grouped into four echelons, of which Qingdao Port, Busan Port and Tianjin Port were in the first echelon, due to their leading network connectivity, operation level and basic scale. The three ports are absolute regional international shipping centers in Northeast Asia. Xinhua-Shandong Port Bulk Commodity Index was developed and established by Shandong Port Group Co., Ltd. in collaboration with China Economic Information Service. It is an important move for the Port to probe into the possibility of taking the index as the starting point to enhance the ability of global resource allocation. To establish the index, three varieties (iron ore, coke and crude oil) with large throughput scale and high market attention in Shandong Port, as well as two steel trading varieties (billet and hot rolled SPHC material) with active trading at the bulk commodity trading center were selected based on the advantageous varieties at Shandong Port. The purpose is to truly reflect the fluctuation trend of port bulk commodity market, and provide a value benchmark and effective reference for port trade activities. According to the planning, the varieties involved in the index will be gradually enriched in the future, and the index will also be extended to cover other coastal ports. With constant efforts made to build an index information platform of "seeing Shandong for port bulk commodities", it will provide accurate positioning and comprehensive data reference for the bulk commodity market. In the trade connectivity index report of RCEP member states (2021), a number of bilateral trade network relations were established in terms of trade exchanges, capital flows and key commodities to show the overall trade status and future evolution among RCEP member states, and reflect the development level of trade interoperability of RCEP member states. in 2020, the indexes of China-Japan, China-ASEAN, Japan-ASEAN, China-Australia and China-South Korea ranked among the top five, indicating that these countries maintained close cooperation in trade exchanges, capital flows and key commodities. The report also points out that the major member states of RCEP are highly complementary in terms of industrial structure and have a close trade and investment relation in import and export, with a promising prospect for future cooperation. Source: China Economic Information Service  --BERNAMA

UNIPHORE ANNOUNCES "UNIPHORE UNITE" PARTNER PROGRAM TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL AI AND AUTOMATION INNOVATION

New Program Provides Foundation to Support Large-Scale Enterprise Digital Transformation Efforts with Leading Conversational Automation Solutions

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Uniphore, the leader in Conversational Automation, today announced its Uniphore Unite partner program to support a rapidly expanding market that is seeing the benefits of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation technology to significantly improve customer experience (CX).

Uniphore Unite is a robust partner program that includes essential resources to support the partner lifecycle end-to-end and enables partners to leverage Uniphore’s best-of-breed, innovative technology to expand their portfolio and profitability. Uniphore provides a unique value proposition that combines improved CX along with a great return-on-investment, increasing customer satisfaction while driving cost savings. Customers can now view and take advantage of the services expertise, capabilities, and complementary technology of the partners in Uniphore’s Unite program to achieve these returns.

“Uniphore has always been committed to building a robust partner ecosystem to support our customers. With the launch of Uniphore Unite, we enhance the value of our industry-leading AI and automation solutions by partnering with world-class services and complementary technology firms,” said Jafar Syed, SVP, Global Head of Channel Alliances & Partnerships at Uniphore. “Uniphore Unite provides structure and foundation for enhanced partner collaboration and will facilitate the creation of a strong community built around the mission to transform CX across the board.”

Uniphore Unite offers a range of programs to support each partner’s business model, including referral, resell, managed services, co-selling, and services, delivering the resources this global community needs for success. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41397

CHANGZHI, SHANXI, MAGNIFICENT TAIHANG MOUNTAINS

CHANGZHI, China, Oct. 27, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

Located in the southeastern part of Shanxi Province, Changzhi City was once called "Shangdang" in history. It covers an area of 13,900 square kilometers and has a permanent population of 3.18 million.   Changzhi is a city of rich culture and quality, with a long history and profound heritage. In ancient times, Shennong the Yan Emperor who is one of the earliest emperors, used to taste the unknown herbs, grow the grains, and teach the people to cultivate here. Many prehistoric myths and legends such as Jingwei Reclaiming the Sea, Nvwa Replenishing the Sky, Houyi Shooting the suns, and Yugong moving the mountain all originated here, and are known as the "Hometown of Chinese Mythology". Since the establishment of Shangdang County in the Qin Dynasty, Changzhi has a history of more than 2,300 years of city construction and is known as the "Museum of Ancient Culture and Ancient Architecture".   Changzhi is a charming city of with excellent landscape, suitable for living and traveling. The annual average temperature is 9.5 degrees Celsius, with no severe cold in winter and no sweltering heat in summer. The beauty of Taihang mountains and rivers is gathered here, and the Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon is known as one of the "ten most beautiful canyons in China". The city's forest coverage rate is 31.92%, and the green coverage rate of the main urban area is 47.3%. The Laodingshan National Forest Park, the Zhangze Lake National Urban Wetland, and the "three rivers and one canal" water system around the city outline the harmonious coexistence of landscapes and cities.   Changzhi is a vigorous and dynamic city with obvious advantages and huge potential. There are 6 expressways in the territory, national highways 207 and 208 run north-south, national highway 309 runs east-west; Zhengtai high-speed railway runs north-south, Taijiao and Hanchang railways are connected with national arteries, the  Beijing-Guangzhou and Longhai railway lines; Wari railway is directly connected with Rizhao Port; Changzhi Wangcun Airport has 11 navigable cities. Changzhi is known as the "City of Coal and Iron". At present, there are more than 40 kinds of coal, iron, silicon, marble and so on, among them, the proven reserves of coal are 29.6 billion tons, iron ore are about 100 million tons.  http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41378

ZENLY, A NEW APP, IS BLOWING UP IN MALAYSIA THANKS TO A VIRAL TIKTOK TREND!

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- In the past week, Zenly, a free mobile app that shows you a live map of your friends and family, jumped to the number 1 rank on the App Store in Malaysia, following viral success on TikTok.
 
A new trend emerged where Zenly users showed screen recordings of loved ones moving on their map in real time, set to the song ‘Segala’ by Mohd Mentor (a song that recently came back into popularity thanks to TikTok). The trend showed how the app helps you look out for your loved ones and know what they are up to and ensure they are safe.
 
The Zenly team confirmed that couples represent one of the top use cases for the app, alongside best friends, siblings, roommates, colleagues, who all use the app to know what their people are up to and spend more time with them.
 
One of the original videos gained over 500,000 views, with the comments section attracting couples tagging each other to download the app together. The team at Zenly reported a 121% growth in active users in Malaysia following this trend. 
 
This isn’t the first time that they’ve seen the app skyrocket thanks to user-generated trends originating on TikTok. Videos mentioning the Zenly hashtag on TikTok have 128M accumulated views and the team at Zenly report seeing user-generated trends emerging almost every week in countries around the world. 
 
About Zenly
Zenly is a start-up founded in Paris, France and counts 10s of millions of users around the world. Zenly is a top social app in countries such as Japan, Russia, Indonesia and France. Zenly is part of the Snap Inc. family, the same company that built Snapchat.
 
Source: Zenly 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41383

2021 TAIWAN INNOTECH EXPO MARKS MAIDEN VIRTUAL, PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT INTEGRATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The 2021 Taiwan Innotech Expo held its grand opening recently, marking the first year that the Expo integrated both virtual and physical environments to hold three themed expositions online and offline.

Among them was the ‘Innovation Pilot’ Pavilion, which focused on innovative technologies implementable in industries within the next five years, according to a statement. 

Apart from technology displays, the exposition also branched out to international fora, technology presentations, and more. This Expo invited everyone to a technological symposium populated with over 300 inventions.

As the pandemic experienced a slowdown, the event host and organisers decided to bring back the familiar physical displays, and the Industrial Development Bureau put 45 innovative technologies on display, as well as many creative highlights online.

In the Innovation Pilot Pavilion, the Industrial Development Bureau hosted three exciting technology presentations and matchmaking conferences, with the first theme on the day of its grand opening being ‘Smart Innovation’.

Virtual exhibits and fora continued online after the physical exhibits, and the 8th Innovative Technology Strategic Partnership conference, led by the Department of Industrial Technology, featured the heads of scientific development from five countries: the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Experts in government, business, academia, and research institutes from Taiwan and abroad came together to discuss the post-pandemic development of technology, aiming to open up a new round of technological exchanges between Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries on the topic of emerging technologies in the post-pandemic era.

The Industrial Development Bureau, the Department of Industrial Technology, the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, the National Development Council, and the Ministry of National Defense used their whole bag of tricks in presenting the innovative masterpieces of Taiwan’s industrial sector, displaying technological innovations across six areas.

The areas, namely Smart Manufacturing, Digital Transformation, Smart Living, Advanced Medicine, Defense & Aerospace, and Tech Treasures, demonstrate Taiwan’s incredible potential for research and development and its worldwide reach.

This 2021 Taiwan Innotech Expo featured 3D exhibits of cutting-edge technologies, technology fora, technology presentations, and other exciting activities every single day until its closing.

More details at https://tie.twtm.com.tw/

-- BERNAMA

TAIWAN IS SOUTHEAST ASIAN SUPPLY CHAIN TRUSTED PARTNER FOR SMART METERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Supported by The Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan’s four leading smart meter manufacturers – Acbel Polytech, Arch Meter, Tatung Company, and DAS Technology – all have a comprehensive set of technical capabilities in system development and have secured international certifications for their products. 

 According to a statement, a smart meter system consists of a smart electricity meter, a communication system, and a meter information management system.

By enabling two-way interactions between end-users and utilities through a cloud-based platform, it is the most important infrastructure component of a modern smart grid system.

 Southeast Asia has emerged as a major regional market for smart grid solutions in recent years. To realise its smart grid vision, Malaysia is aiming for the total adoption of smart meters by 2026.

Together, Taiwanese and Malaysian companies can develop total smart grid solutions and related services. At the same time, the supply chains of the two countries can synergise and thereby form a trusting partnership within the smart grid sector.

Taiwan possesses the capabilities to develop the core technologies of a smart meter system. These include IC design, network hardware, inspection equipment, and other key components. 

Among Taiwanese smart meter manufacturers, Arch Meter is a major developer for the key components deployed in a smart grid. The company focuses on power monitoring, advanced power management and integration of networking technologies.

Meanwhile, Tatung Company collaborates with world-class companies such as Trilliant, Cyan, and Schneider with respect to smart grid solutions. Following acquisitions of several important certifications (such as JIS, TIS, and SIRIM), Tatung is now successfully marketing its products in Southeast Asia and Japan.

Besides Tatung, DAS Technology is another Taiwanese smart meter manufacturer that maintains a solid reputation among international clients. For a long time, DAS has been a technological partner of ITRON, an American company and a global leader in automated meter reading systems.

Taiwanese smart manufacturers are also recognised for enhancing products with value-added applications. In the case of Acbel Polytech, it has been a specialist in power management technologies. 

Since Taiwan plays a crucial role in the supply chains for semiconductor chips and communication equipment, it can provide solutions that fully integrate smart meters with the necessary information security technologies. To sum it up, Taiwan can become a trusted partner in the global smart grid supply chain.

-- BERNAMA

JUMIO KYX PLATFORM ORCHESTRATION UNIFIES RISK, FRAUD DETECTION CAPABILITIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Jumio has announced the launch of an intuitive no-code orchestration layer for its KYX Platform that unifies an entire set of risk and fraud detection capabilities to address identity proofing, compliance verifications and AML use cases. 

The leading provider of AI-powered end-to-end identity verification, eKYC and AML solutions, Jumio pioneered the ID + selfie approach to identity verification and is now significantly expanding its platform capabilities for business customers.

“Jumio’s next-generation KYX orchestration platform reimagines the process from one-off authentication to holistic user recognition and verification,” said Jumio Chief Executive Officer Robert Prigge in a statement.

The KYX Platform will now provide multi-layered, end-to-end risk detection with flexible workflows, increasing visibility by showing a holistic view of the consumer identity and any underlying risk.

As fraudsters become increasingly sophisticated, businesses are having to layer in countless risk signals from multiple vendors in an attempt to protect their ecosystems.

The Jumio KYX Platform addresses these pain points by enabling its customers to orchestrate the controls and assurances needed to know and trust their end users — all via single API layer powered by AI and automation, achieving record high catch rates and low false positives.

With the addition of an orchestration layer, Jumio’s platform leverages its best-in-class identity verification technology to address today’s market challenges caused by the rampant theft of personally identifiable information (PII) via large-scale data breaches.

Jumio’s ability to quickly verify and validate consumers, via government-issued IDs and other data sources and risk signals, completely differentiates the next-generation KYX Platform from other providers who rely on data that have been compromised in breaches.

The engine behind the platform allows enterprises to create custom risk and fraud workflows using a no-code interface and presents a unified risk score to provide a single outcome across multiple risk checks.

Latam fintech pioneer, Rappi, is one of the first Jumio customers to sign up for early access to the next-generation Jumio KYX Platform.

More details at www.jumio.com.

-- BERNAMA

Hong Kong Tourism Board, CJ ENM to rock Island tourism with K-pop culture

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 -- The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has inked a three-year deal with CJ ENM, one of Asia’s leading entertainment groups, to promote Hong Kong as a travel destination through Korean drama and variety TV shows.

The HKTB is the first tourism organisation to enter into a strategic partnership of this kind with CJ ENM, according to a statement.

The partnership will encourage audiences to recall some of their favourite scenes from K-dramas and shows at authentic locations in Hong Kong and boost tourism when international travel resumes.

The HKTB and Seoul-based CJ ENM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will see Hong Kong featured in a variety of shows made by CJ ENM from 2022 until 2024, beaming the city’s unique lifestyle and culture into the living rooms of global audiences.

HKTB Chairman Dr YK Pang witnessed the virtual signing of the MOU between HKTB Executive Director Dane Cheng and CJ ENM Entertainment Division Executive Vice President for Ad Sales and Partnerships, Lee Sang Moo.

Dr Pang said: “Our aim is to feature Hong Kong in popular K-drama and variety shows. This will help reinforce Hong Kong’s status as one of the world’s most exciting and interesting destinations when international travel resumes.

“We anticipate competition for tourists will be intense once the pandemic is over, and the HKTB is therefore, getting a head start to secure influential media partners for maintaining Hong Kong’s visibility.”

Meanwhile, Lee said: “We are very excited to go into partnership with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and showcase the glamour and excitement of Hong Kong to viewers of our critically-acclaimed drama and variety programmes.”

CJ ENM, whose highly popular original content is available in more than 200 countries, and viewed worldwide through some of the world’s most popular streaming platforms.

When travel restrictions are eased, Hong Kong scenes will be filmed as backdrops for a range of drama and variety programmes made by CJ ENM, which creates some of the region’s most popular and critically-acclaimed content, including Crash Landing On You, Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, Hospital Playlist, and Vincenzo.

-- BERNAMA

TOURISM MALAYSIA JOINS VIRTUAL PATA WELLNESS AND LUXURY TRAVEL CONFERENCE AND MART 2021

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) through its agency Tourism Malaysia is participating in the virtual PATA Wellness and Luxury Travel Conference and Mart 2021 from 21^st to 22^nd October 2021.

It builds upon the format of PATA Travel Mart, one of the longest-running trade shows in the Asia Pacific. This targeted version offers a deeper look at specialised product offerings and forum topics to help the global community prepare for recovery after bearing the brunt of the impacts from Covid-19. 

The travel industry is now shaped by new consumer priorities, hence boosting the wellness and luxury segment. The priority on health and wellbeing show that luxury travellers now demand unique experiences during their getaways and require tourism industry players to continuously pivot and innovate to grab the lucrative market share.

Tourism Malaysia aims to showcase Malaysia as the preferred destination for the wellness and luxury tourism market through this event by offering the discerning travellers Malaysia’s brands of premium and lifestyle experiences complemented by the rich multi-cultural society of diverse heritage and culture, unique cuisine, shopping, and world-class accommodation.

In line with the National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 and the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, Tourism Malaysia is also working towards promoting the Malaysia Truly Asia campaign by highlighting the country’s wellness and luxury segments through not only ecotourism, but also experiential tourism, as well as niche and luxurious tourism products.
              
About Tourism Malaysia
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2019, Malaysia registered 26.1 million tourist arrivals and RM86.14 billion tourist receipts, placing it among the major tourism destinations of the world. 

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41331

MALAYSIAN FINANCIAL PLANNING COUNCIL ORGANISES E-ASPIRATION DAY ON FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR OPPORTUNITIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- As part of its strategic thrust to create a bigger pool of financial planners and financial advisers in Malaysia as well as facilitating awareness among the participants of the financial career opportunities available, MFPC Financial Planning e-Aspiration Day was hosted today virtually. This is an annual programme that has been held by the Council since 2017 with a slightly different focus to previous years. This year, the programme’s theme is ‘CSR Connecting Industry Experts’ and it was aimed for over 350 students from 22 universities and colleges in Malaysia and focused wholly on financial career choices. Through an interactive session, participants were given the opportunity to think about and appreciate the diverse range of financial careers that interest them.
 
The event was also graced by three industry leading speakers from such as Felicia Lee, Associate Director of AIA Elite Academy, John Chan Ninyii, CEO & Founder of YES Financial Sdn Bhd and Shahrul Nizam Zainol, Head of Professional Development Department of Federation of Investment Managers Malaysia as a catalyst to boost interest in the financial planning profession among these university participants. The event also featured eight industry engagement sessions for undergraduates to have direct engagement and conversation with licensed financial planners.
 
“It is very important to highlight that undergraduate will be the nation’s future leaders; thus they must be equipped with essential life skills which is not only focused in theory but also through practical learning” according to the President of MFPC, Vincent Kwo Shih Kang. “Today, we live in a very challenging world, thus it is very essential to know that having better financial planning could drive you to have a sustainable life in future and makes life easy when making day to day financial decisions” he added.
 
In line with MFPC’s strategic initiative to become a premier financial education provider and to promote financial literacy to all Malaysians, the MFPC Financial Planning e-Aspiration Day is set out to best match the underlying capabilities and inclinations of young Malaysians with rewarding and fulfilling opportunities arising from the existing financial industry. The event enabled undergraduates the opportunity to meet corporate leaders and financial experts of participating firms, while providing employers a platform to scout for potential talents. Malaysia certainly has a strong pipeline of young talent, and the success of our ambitious transformation agenda depends on having the right quantity and quality of talent to sustain the country’s financial sectors. MFPC is proud to be contributing to ensuring a strong and sustainable talent pool capable of meeting the needs of the economy.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41337

SILVER LAKE ANNOUNCES GRUPO BC ACQUISITION FROM L-GAM

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Grupo BC announced that Silver Lake, a leading global technology investment firm, together with Grupo BC’s founding shareholders and management team, will acquire 100 per cent of the company from majority holders L-GAM in order to foster the next phase of Grupo BC’s growth and value creation.

Co-Head of Silver Lake EMEA, Christian Lucas said: “Grupo BC is an outstanding company with a unique value proposition as a scaled and tech-enabled provider of mission-critical services and software to financial institutions across Iberia and Latin America.”

“Investing in impactful, leading and technology-enabled business models is at the core of Silver Lake’s DNA, and we feel privileged to partner with management as Grupo BC enters a new phase of organic and inorganic growth.”

The transaction is anticipated to close in November. Further terms of the investment are not being disclosed, according to a statement.

Silver Lake’s investment is intended to further product development in order to strengthen and expand Grupo BC’s solution range as well as to continue its track-record of pioneering digital innovation.

This is consistent with management’s clear focus on building out Grupo BC’s software and data analytics capabilities to enhance its client-centric solutions and drive continued organic and inorganic growth.

Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Madrid, Grupo BC is the leading tech-enabled processing platform, software and services provider for mortgage management, online mortgage brokerage, legal solutions (claims processing and loan management), and digital solutions to the financial sector.

Socios Financieros and Canson Capital Partners served as financial advisers to Grupo BC and its shareholders, while dwf-RCD served as legal adviser to Grupo BC and its shareholders. 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Uría Menéndez served as legal adviser to Silver Lake.

More details at http://www.silverlake.com.

-- BERNAMA

UNIVERSAL THERAPEUTICS PARTNERS DOCTORONCALL FOR STRATEGIC DISTRIBUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF COVID-19 SELF-TEST KITS IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Universal Therapeutics, a multinational pharmaceutical and biotech company based in Malaysia, today announced its partnership with DoctorOnCall, Malaysia’s first and largest digital health platform. Consumers can now visit DoctorOnCall’s website and purchase COVID-19 self-test kits at a transparent, fixed price, and have the kits delivered to their homes.

The partnership addresses the prevalent issue of errant distribution and inconsistent price points of COVID-19 self-test kits in Malaysia. 
 
“Our focus has always been on providing safe and high-quality pharmaceutical and medical products to enhance people’s health and quality of life,” said Sidney Soares, Chief Executive Officer of Universal Therapeutics. “Being able to do so through responsible partners, such as DoctorOnCall, is extremely important to us, so as to ensure that our consumers and patients continue to receive the best care that they need.” 
 
“We resonate with Universal Therapeutics’ mission of providing safe and excellent medical products,” said Hazwan Najib, Co-Founder of DoctorOnCall Malaysia. “In fact, DoctorOnCall was founded to provide quality and affordable healthcare to Malaysians. We reduce waiting time at clinics and hospitals by shifting health consultations online. It is especially critical to provide this service now via a telehealth platform, considering the current pandemic. We are proud to be working with Universal Therapeutics to bring COVID-19 self-test kits to more consumers via our online platform, and look forward to continuing this strong partnership.”
 
Universal Therapeutics and DoctorOnCall are both committed to aiding the healthcare sector in Malaysia continue their battle against the COVID-19 virus.
 

For more information, please visit https://www.universal-therapeutics.com

 
About Universal Therapeutics:
Universal Therapeutics is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotech company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The company’s businesses include manufacturing, distribution and white label production of pharmaceutical products, medical supplies, and PPEs in Asia and throughout the world.
 
Universal Therapeutics distributes nitrile gloves; three-ply face masks; KN95 and N95 masks; Covid 19 Rapid Antigen tests to wholesalers, medical institutions, and government organisations. All our products comply with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines and are accredited and approved by various health ministries as safe for human use. 

About DoctorOnCall

DoctorOnCall is Malaysia’s first and leading digital health platform with 2 million Malaysians visiting our website for telehealth consultation, online pharmacy, medication delivery, health content, doctors and specialist booking services. Since its establishment in 2016, DoctorOnCall has established partnerships with top insurers, third-party agencies, hospitals, pharmacies and corporations. These include Prudential, Zurich, Allianz, Great Eastern, Caring Pharmacy, TMC Life Sciences and Columbia Asia Hospitals amongst others.
 

For more information, visit us at https://www.doctoroncall.com.my/

Source: Universal Therapeutics

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Universal Therapeutics
Name: Samuel David CHAI
Chief Commercial Officer
Tel: +60 3 9213 0318
Email: GroupPR@Universal-Therapeutics.com
Website: www.Universal-Therapeutics.com 

DoctorOnCall
Name: Hazel Hassan
Tel: 019 217 8191
Email: hazel@hazel-ventures.com
 
--BERNAMA

DONATION PRESENTATION TO FIRE VICTIMS OF KAMPUNG BARU KARAK, BENTONG, PAHANG

KARAK, Bentong, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Bina Puri Holdings Bhd through its subsidiary, Karak Land Sdn Bhd, the developer of The Valley @ Karak presented a donation to victims of Fire tragedy of the Kampung Baru Karak recently. 

Y.Bhg Dato’ Gan Yeew Tian, Director of Karak Land Sdn Bhd presented a cheque of RM1,000 to each victim and Y.Bhg Datuk Matthew Tee, Group Executive Director, Bina Puri Holdings Bhd witnessed the presentation. A total of 50 families received the donation.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41285

CLIMATE ACTION AND TECH SHIFTS TO BE MAIN FOCUS OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

LONDON, Oct 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Global market research company Euromonitor International will launch a new travel report on 3 Nov. at WTM London 2021.

The report, “Travel Rewired: Innovation Strategies for a Resilient Recovery,” details four core pillars of innovation in the travel industry – digital, sustainable, safe and people-centric – then pinpoints contradictions between consumer and business priorities.

With the climate emergency, rise in social inequality and technological shifts, as well as the ongoing pandemic, the travel industry faces immense challenges where business actions and consumer demands are mismatched.

In Europe, 57% of travel businesses stated their engagement with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals but only 46% are taking climate action. In Asia, 65% of consumers want to have a positive impact on the environment; however, only 29% of businesses are investing in developing sustainable products to support this goal, according to Euromonitor’s survey data.

In the Americas, 67% of businesses rate mobile check-in as an important feature for their customers but only 31% actually offer a mobile app service.

“As the world learns to live with COVID-19, pent-up travel demand will be fully unleashed,” said Caroline Bremner, head of travel research at Euromonitor International. “Businesses must align their actions with consumer demand in an effort to achieve a sustainable travel recovery.”

Bremner will also virtually present these insights at WTM London 2021 on 3 Nov. Register to receive the full report. 

About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is the world’s leading provider for global business intelligence and strategic market analysis. We have more than 40 years of experience publishing international market reports, business reference books and online databases on consumer markets.

 

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211020005048/en/ 

Contact

Carol Li
Senior Communications Executive - Euromonitor International
Tel: +44 20 8175 7847
Carol.li@euromonitor.com 

Source : Euromonitor International
 

--BERNAMA

DEEL RAISES $425M IN SERIES D FUNDING TO CONTINUE TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF WORK

 

Deel Interface (Graphic: Business Wire) 

With a $5.5B valuation, Deel cements its position as the highest valued company in the global hiring, payments, and compliance space

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 20 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- Deel, the remote hiring company shattering job barriers worldwide, announced today that it has raised $425 million in Series D funding, taking the total amount raised by the company to over $630 million. The latest funding round values the company at $5.5 billion. Deel has become the highest valued company in the global hiring, payments, and compliance space with this investment.
 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005567/en/ 

This new funding round was led by US-based Coatue, with partners Rahul Kishore and Lucas Swisher leading the deal. Several new and existing investors also participated in this round, including Altimeter Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, the YC Continuity Fund, Spark Capital, Greenbay Ventures, Neo, and over 40 of the world’s leading operators.

Since Deel’s inception in 2019, the team - growing from four to 400 employees - has been on a mission to make remote work more accessible for teams and businesses everywhere in the world and build the best employee onboarding experience on the market. Today, Companies are reimagining what new flexible work arrangements look like to acquire and retain top talent. Deel eliminates remote hiring obstacles and creates an opportunity for all with a platform, tools, and flexibility built for teams to thrive whenever and wherever they want to work.

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41307

ASIA PACIFIC BUSINESSES IDENTIFY ZERO TRUST TO ADDRESS CYBER ATTACK, FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE SPIKE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Cloudflare Inc, the security, performance, and reliability company helping to build a better Internet, has released new findings on security practices across Asia Pacific, revealing how organisations are coping with increased cyberattacks and flexible workforces.

The survey solidified that across the region attacks are up, and organisations are looking for new ways to secure their workforce—turning to Zero Trust security models, according to a statement.

According to the study, which was conducted across 1,000 IT and cybersecurity decision-makers and influencers across Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore, more than half (54 per cent) of organisations in Asia Pacific have experienced more security incidents in 2021 than in the previous year. 

In addition, with attacks on the rise, 83 per cent of respondents said they had to make changes to their IT security procedures.

The study also found that the pandemic left organisations unprepared to cope with the challenges of remote working and added security risks.

The study further reveals that a majority—86 per cent of organisations—are aware of Zero Trust, and 66 per cent of respondents indicated they have implemented a Zero Trust strategy.

However, businesses face a number of challenges when it comes to incorporating Zero Trust in their IT security strategy, with 67 per cent of respondents stating that the biggest risk to their ability to execute is the lack of internal IT security experts.

Today’s new landscape requires a Zero Trust approach, where organisations do not automatically trust any requests to corporate data or resources, and instead, verify every attempt to connect to corporate systems before allowing them access. 

In October 2020, Cloudflare launched Cloudflare One, a Zero Trust, network-as-a-service (NaaS) solution for enterprises that securely connects remote users, offices, and data centres to each other and the resources they need.

More details at www.cloudflare.com.

-- BERNAMA

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY SPECIALTY INSURANCE ANNOUNCES GLOBAL NETWORK EXPANSION

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it has expanded its global network to encompass owned offices and network partners that can provide BHSI customers with locally admitted insurance policies in 170 countries worldwide.

“We are very pleased to welcome so many outstanding partners around the globe to the BHSI family,” said BHSI Head of Multinational, David Valzania in a statement.

 “Each of these carriers share BHSI’s values, and align with our product offerings, focus on excellent customer service, and commitment to the CLAIMS IS OUR PRODUCT® philosophy.”

Meanwhile, Vice President, Multinational, BHSI, Amy Bowman said: “Our multinational capabilities have been growing rapidly. With our expanded network, we look forward to providing consistently world-class products and services to our multinational customers around the globe.”

BHSI undertook a rigorous search, evaluation and due diligence process to select the carrier partners best suited to represent the Berkshire Hathaway brand and its customers. Policies issued by network partners receive the backing of BHSI’s financial strength.

BHSI provides multinational programmes across all lines of business, including commercial property, casualty, executive & professional lines, surety, and accident & health programmes.

More details at www.bhspecialty.com.

-- BERNAMA

CSOP GOLD FUTURES DAILY (-1X) INVERSE PRODUCT LIST ON HKEX, OCT 20

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- CSOP Gold Futures Daily (-1X) Inverse Product (stock code:7374.HK) will be listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Oct 20.

As the first inverse commodity product issued in Hong Kong, 7374.HK provides investment results closely corresponding to inverse (-1x) the daily performance of Solactive Gold 1-Day Rolling Futures Index (the Index) by using a combination of a future-based replication strategy and a Swap-based synthetic replication strategy. 

According to a statement, 7374.HK attracted US$12 million initial investment. (US$1 = RM4.154)

The inception price per unit is around HKD 7.8 with trading lot of 100, and the entry investment is approximately HKD 780. Before 7374.HK, CSOP Gold Futures Daily (2x) Leveraged Product (stock code: 7299.HK) was launched on June 5, 2020.

Having accumulated US$248.3 million in size and recorded HKD 30.37 million average daily trading volume as end of August 2021, 7299.HK is extensively invested by Hong Kong investors to express their positive view to gold price in the long run.

Meanwhile, the listing of 7374.HK will help investors handle the volatility and downtrend of gold price in the short run.

“We are happy to see the warm market responses towards the commodity leveraged & inverse products. The success of 7299.HK gives us the confidence in launching the 7374.HK,” said CSOP Chief Executive Officer, Ding Chen.

Meanwhile, Managing Director and Head of Business Development, Melody He said: “We hope CSOP Gold Futures Daily (2x) Leveraged Product (7299.HK) and CSOP Gold Futures Daily (-1X) Inverse Product (7374.HK) will help investors weather the storm of increasing uncertainties.”

CSOP Asset Management Limited (CSOP) was founded in 2008 as the first offshore asset manager set up by a regulated asset management company in China. 

-- BERNAMA

NEUROPHARMACOLOGIST GRAHAM BIRRELL JOINS GEORGE CLINICAL TO LEAD APAC OPERATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- George Clinical, a global scientifically-backed clinical research organisation, has announced the designation of Graham Birrell, PhD, MBA, a researcher and neuropharmacologist with significant clinical research experience in the EU and Asia-Pacific region, as Head, Project Operations, APAC.

He will also join the scientific leadership of George Clinical with a neurology focus, according to a statement.

In his new role with George Clinical, Birrell will be based in the Asia Pacific region overseeing the extensive project teams the firm has throughout Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and South Korea.

“Graham is a natural lead for our diverse APAC operations given his multifaceted background in operations, management and developing business with strategic clients,” said Chief Medical Officer Maria Ali. 

“With the burgeoning interest running trials across APAC, Graham will be critical in helping sponsors leverage our best-in-class CRO networks and expertise.”

Meanwhile, Birrell said: “I’m excited to serve George Clinical clients and teams across this diverse region and partner with our business teams around the globe as we continue setting the standard in APAC clinical research.”

Birrell’s more than 30 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience includes drug discovery and development including positions with GSK, Pfizer and Servier, clinical operations, project management, regulatory consulting, and business development.

Formerly serving as VP, Clinical Development, Travecta Therapeutics, he has also held senior management roles in the UK and Singapore with CROs such as Parexel, ICON, IQVIA and most recently Syneos Health.

Over the last two decades, he has worked on more than 50 clinical development programmes, including the management of 14 Phase II-III global programmes for central nervous system (CNS), oncology, rheumatology, diabetes, respiratory, ophthalmology and vaccine therapies which were successfully launched into the market.  

More details at https://www.georgeclinical.com.

-- BERNAMA

33RD LI BAI POETRY FESTIVAL TAKES OFF IN MA'ANSHAN CITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The 33rd Li Bai Poetry Festival was recently opened at the Jiangtun Bay Square of Riverside Park in Ma'anshan City, which has become a shining city culture card, according to the Publicity Department of Ma'anshan City.

Li Bai Poetry Festival firstly attached great importance to a principle line of ‘culture of Yangtze River’, and focused on the indissoluble relationship between the poet Li Bai and Ma'anshan City, according to a statement.

This festival included a variety of recreational activities including artistic performances, Yangtze River Culture Forum, and national poetry collection, which fully demonstrated the unique status and special charm of Ma'anshan City in the ‘Yangtze River culture’.

-- BERNAMA

MANULIFE MALAYSIA PROVIDES IN-KIND GRANTS WORTH RM100,000 TO ASSIST COMMUNITIES IN NEED

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- Manulife Malaysia has launched its inaugural MY Community Grant, an initiative that provides in-kind grants worth up to RM100,000 to organisations who strive to make every day better for communities in Malaysia. The MY Community Grant applications were received throughout the months of April to May 2021 that saw over 100 applicants.
 
Organisations providing social services and their beneficiaries, especially vulnerable communities, have been impacted by a reduction in funding due to the evolving nature of the pandemic. This, in turn, has impacted the level of support these organisations can give to assist and empower communities in need.
 
Manulife Malaysia has since given grants of up to RM100,000 to the following ten shortlisted organisations:
 
• Pertubuhan Alam Sekitar EcoKnights Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (EcoKnights); 
• Association of Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI); 
• PanJam Food Rescue; 
• KRT Petaling Street; 
• Hopes Malaysia; 
• Fly Technology Agriculture Sdn. Bhd.; 
• Green Growth Asia Foundation; 
• The MareCet Research Organisation; 
• Persatuan Restu Amal Jasa Malaysia; and, 
• Kelab Kebajikan Pendidikan Explore. 
 
These organisations were chosen based on their strategic alignment with Manulife’s sustainability strategy focus areas: health and wellbeing, inclusive economic opportunities, and environmental sustainability.
 
Aaron Bosuang, Public Relations Executive, Hopes Malaysia, a Sabah-based welfare association, noted that the pandemic resurgence this past year has made lives challenging for rural families and care homes that experienced a lack of food aid. 
 
“This grant has not only supported our local rural farming families, but also provided essential fresh food aid to over five care centres that were in need, touching countless lives of all ages. Before receiving this assistance, our local care centres lived in constant worry about their next meal due to decreased donations. Thank you Manulife Malaysia for believing in our team and supporting us in serving the underprivileged," said Bosuang.
 
Dr. Louisa Ponnampalam, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The MareCet Research Organisation, an NGO dedicated to research and conservation of marine mammals in the country, noted the grant will enable MareCet to build a solar-powered Nature Gazebo to inculcate and foster eco-learning activities for children.
 
“We are grateful this grant will support the Nature Gazebo project that helps boost MareCet’s commitment to local community development for environmental conservation,” said Dr. Ponnampalam.
 
“Providing a helping hand to our communities, especially in challenging times like this, is part of Manulife Malaysia’s commitment as an active and caring corporate citizen in Malaysia. The MY Community Grant came about to enable a targeted yet wide reach to the communities in which we operate, enabling the organisations that support them to fulfil their objectives of helping and empowering those in need throughout the country,” said Vibha Coburn, Group Chief Executive Officer, Manulife Malaysia. “It has been heartening to witness the impact and reach that this project has translated into as we give back to our community by supporting them to live every day better.”
 
About Manulife Malaysia https://www.manulife.com.my/en/individual/about-us/about-manulifemalaysia.html   

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