ALIPAY+ PARTNERS WITH PAYNET TO PROMOTE SEAMLESS PAYMENT FOR INBOUND AND OUTBOUND MALAYSIAN TRAVELLERS

• The partnership will expand cross-border payments acceptance at 1.8 million merchants in Malaysia with five leading Asian e-wallets as the first batch, and more to come in the following months
• The partnership will enable all Malaysian mobile banking apps and e-wallets supported by PayNet to be accepted by Alipay+ merchants network globally
• Both parties will also collaborate on Alipay+ advanced tourism marketing solutions to make it easy and comfortable to travel globally

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Aug 30 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- More Asian travellers to Malaysia will enjoy a seamless digital payment experience at over 1.8 million merchants across the country while Malaysian residents will be able to pay with e-wallets of their home country abroad, thanks to a MOU signed recently between Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) and Ant Group.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
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By the end of this year, users of five leading Asian e-wallets, including AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR), GCash (Philippines), Kakao Pay (South Korea) and TrueMoney (Thailand), will be able to use cashless payments when they travel to Malaysia with Alipay+, the global cross-border digital payments and marketing solutions operated by Ant Group, by scanning DuitNow QR. More e-wallets are expected to join in the coming months.

DuitNow QR is Malaysia's National QR Standard operated by PayNet that allows merchants to accept real-time payments from customers of different participating banks and e-wallet operators using a unified QR code.

The partnership will enable all Malaysian e-wallets supported by PayNet to be accepted by Alipay+ merchants network globally in 2024.

Beyond payments, Ant Group and PayNet will also collaborate on joint digital marketing efforts to enhance visibility of businesses directly within the users’ e-wallets.

Gary Yeoh, Chief Commercial Officer of PayNet, said: "This partnership between PayNet and Alipay+ is forged at a vital time when overseas travel and tourism have fully resumed, and rapidly increasing. Consumers and merchants in both countries who are already accustomed to digital payments expect the same seamless and hassle-free experience when travelling overseas. They also expect this to be conducted at competitive exchange rates. This collaboration will address both these needs. Since Malaysia has long been a favourite and popular destination with Asian tourists, and vice-versa, this collaboration will likely result in higher trade growth between the two nations. We do see the proliferation of seamless international payments at scale sooner than we think. It is just a matter of time."

The collaboration comes amidst travel recovery to Malaysia, with 4.5 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2023, with most coming from ASEAN countries. Malaysia is expected to achieve its target of 16.1 million tourist arrivals in 2023 and generate more than RM49 billion in tourism revenue¹. As travel rebounds, it is vital for businesses to adapt to new digital habits, particularly the acceptance of localised digital payment options like e-wallets, which has become the norm for day-to-day transactions. Southeast Asian users will continue to drive the use of QR code payments, which is expected to grow 590% by 2028². Other Asian countries like South Korea will also see accelerated adoption³.

Dr Cherry Huang, General Manager of Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services, Ant Group, said: “Alipay+’s collaboration with PayNet is a significant development for regional travellers. We are jointly making efforts to bring local businesses and international visitors closer together, offering not just convenience to tourists but greater opportunities and visibility for Malaysian businesses. Travellers today have greater expectations when they travel, particularly the use of digital solutions to enhance their experience. They want it to be simpler, with less complexity and less hassle, and in working with our local partners, this is exactly what we want to achieve – personalised, seamless and borderless experiences.”

Alipay+ is a suite of global cross-border digital payments and marketing solutions designed to enable businesses, especially small and medium-sized businesses, to process a wide range of mobile payment methods and reach more than 1 billion regional and global consumers, through one-time integration and simple technical adaption. In addition to Malaysia, Alipay+ is also widely accepted in destinations including the Chinese mainland, Macao SAR, Singapore, Thailand, Japan and South Korea among others.

As for PayNet, this would be yet another successful cross-border collaboration after Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore. These interlinkages connect a sizeable portion of digital payments customers in ASEAN, which is one of the most active digital payments markets in the world.

About PayNet

Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet) is the national payments network and central financial infrastructure for Malaysia with the vision to empower Malaysia's digital economy. Our extensive retail payments suite, DuitNow (QR and P2P), JomPAY (Bill Payments), FPX (Online), MyDebit (Domestic Debit), MEPS (ATM), and IBG (Interbank GIRO) has near ubiquitous coverage across the nation and is part of the daily fabric of life in Malaysia. In addition, PayNet’s real time retail QR payments network, DuitNow, is also interoperable with domestic schemes in Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia to enable seamless cross-border transactions with those countries.

PayNet is committed to promoting a secure, efficient, and innovative payments ecosystem in Malaysia, and works closely with its stakeholders to develop new products and services that meet the evolving needs of consumers and businesses.

For more information, please visit www.paynet.my.

Learn more at: https://paynet.my/about-paynet.html

About DuitNow

Learn more at: https://www.duitnow.my/index.html

About Ant Group

Ant Group aims to create the infrastructure and platform to support the digital transformation of the service industry. It strives to enable all consumers and small and micro businesses to have equal access to financial and other services that are inclusive, green and sustainable.

Ant Group is the owner and operator of Alipay, the leading digital payment platform in China serving hundreds of millions of users, and connecting them with merchants and partner financial institutions that offer inclusive financial services and digital daily life services such as food delivery, transport, entertainment, and healthcare.

Ant Group has further introduced Alipay+, which provides global cross-border mobile payments and marketing solutions that connect merchant partners, especially small and medium-sized businesses, with mobile payments and other payment methods, for them to better serve their users and customers from all over the world.

About Alipay+

Alipay+ offers unified global mobile payment and marketing solutions that connect merchants with multiple e-wallets and payment methods from different countries and regions by collaborating with global partners. Consumers can conveniently use their preferred local payment methods while transacting seamlessly in a different market and be able to enjoy marketing offers by the merchants through Alipay+. Alipay+ is developed by Ant Group, the owner and operator of Alipay, one of the world’s leading digital open platforms. 

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TRILLIANT COMPLETES CUSTOMER DEPLOYMENTS OF PRIME ENERGY SUITE

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Trilliant, an international provider of solutions for advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), smart grid, smart cities and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), announced it has completed its eighth customer deployment of Prime Energy Suite in 2023.

The company also recently integrated two new meter drivers into its vendor-agnostic data collection engine which supports over 300 residential, commercial and industrial (C&I) meter models, making it one of the most powerful meter data collectors for C&I devices on the market.

“As the market’s premier device-agnostic communications platform that enables utilities and cities to deploy any application securely and reliably on one powerful network, we are proud to continue integrating more meter and device providers into our portfolio, offering our customers the power of choice,” said Trilliant Vice President of Global Product Strategy & Management, Greg Myers.

A highly scalable and configurable software designed for utilities, the Prime Energy Suite platform encompasses meter data collection, alarms and notifications, energy balances, demand response, data management and power loss detection.

In the first eight months this year, Trilliant in a statement said it has successfully completed eight Prime Energy Suite deployments for utilities, market authorities and energy distribution companies across the Americas.

Of these, four involved upgrading from legacy versions of the platform to the High Data Volumetry version, which provides a wide range of benefits, including increased safety, performance, productivity, scalability and interoperability.

With the use of the power loss detection application in the Prime Energy Suite, Trilliant helped one of its customers detect 15 outage events in the last 12 months, providing advance insights before the incidents happened, in which this reduced response times significantly, minimising disruptions across critical infrastructures.

In addition to power loss detection, Prime Energy Suite monitors energy assets to provide utilities with the knowledge of how much load is at their disposal, and provides direct control of those assets.

Trilliant works closely with electric, gas and water utilities worldwide to collaborate and offer solutions, supporting them with tailored, device-agnostic solutions to address not only their current needs, but also their requirements for the future.

-- BERNAMA

SEAN CHEN NAMED STARR SINGAPORE CEO

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- Starr Insurance (Starr) has named Sean Chen, a 14-year member of Starr’s global team as chief executive officer (CEO) of Starr International Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd (Starr Singapore), effective Aug 28.

“We are fortunate to have an executive of Sean’s calibre, with extensive underwriting experience, to help us grow our presence in Asia. Sean’s advancement underscores Starr’s strength as a place where people can thrive along with the company,” said Starr chairman and CEO, Maurice R. Greenberg in a statement.

Succeeding Phil Finley as CEO of Starr Singapore, Chen most recently served as Starr’s regional manager for Korea, Taiwan and Japan for property, energy and construction.

Previously served as a senior property underwriter in Starr’s Hong Kong office, he has over 25 years of underwriting and client relations experience on both the insurance carrier and broker sides of the business, including his time at Starr.

Meanwhile, Finley recently relocated to Thailand as CEO of Starr International Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, to oversee the expansion of that important new venture for Starr while continuing to lead Starr’s Asia operations as president, Asia Pacific Region.

An insurance and investment organisation with a presence in six continents, Starr provides property, casualty, and accident and health insurance products as well as a range of specialty coverages including aviation, marine, energy and excess casualty insurance.

-- BERNAMA

 

 

DUCK CREEK RANKED AS A LUMINARY IN CELENT'S 2023 2023 PROPERTY CASUALTY BILLING SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA, EMEA AND APAC REPORTS

Boston, Aug 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duck Creek Technologies, the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance, earns Luminary status in Celent's 2023 Property Casualty Billing Systems North American, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) and APAC (Asia-Pacific) reports. By being ranked at the top of the matrix based on the sophistication and breadth of its technology and functionality in each region across the globe, Duck Creek further solidifies its position as a leader in P&C insurance.

Duck Creek Billing is recognized for its configurability, ease of integration, support for pay-as-you-go for workers’ compensation, out-of-the-box forms and invoicing support. The regional reports provide an overview of the billing systems as well as future plans that may be important to P&C insurers across North America, EMEA, and APAC, evaluating their core solutions. Duck Creek Billing plans to reach an estimated 25–30 million bill accounts this year and the insurtech’s next product is slated to move to Active Delivery – which eliminates the need for upgrades forever – thus completing the transition of its core solutions to the modern SaaS model.

"We take immense pride in acknowledging Duck Creek's cloud-native billing solution, deemed a Luminary across North America, EMEA, and APAC by Celent," said Jess Keeney, Chief Product & Technology Officer at Duck Creek Technologies. "Earlier this year, we announced the acquisition of European-based modern payments platform, Imburse, and our unwavering commitment to technological modernization propels us forward, crafting enduring solutions and features that enhance user experiences with automated updates for our valued customers.”

"We’re delighted to recognize Duck Creek’s Billing System with the Luminary designation in Celent’s 2023 Property Casualty Billing Systems report for North America, EMEA and APAC. This accolade not only commemorates cutting-edge technological advancements within the billing realm but also highlights solutions characterized by their extensive and versatile functionality," stated Karlyn Carnahan, who serves as the Head of Insurance for North America at Celent and is a co-author of the aforementioned report. She elaborated, "The role of billing is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving from its conventional position as a primarily 'back office' function to a pivotal element in delivering exceptional customer experiences. Through their billing solutions, Duck Creek is effectively empowering insurers to achieve precisely that objective."
 
About Duck Creek Technologies

Duck Creek Technologies is the intelligent solutions provider defining the future of the property and casualty (P&C) and general insurance industry. We are the platform upon which modern insurance systems are built, enabling the industry to capitalize on the power of the cloud to run agile, intelligent, and evergreen operations. Authenticity, purpose, and transparency are core to Duck Creek, and we believe insurance should be there for individuals and businesses when, where, and how they need it most. Our market-leading solutions are available on a standalone basis or as a full suite, and all are available via Duck Creek OnDemand. Visit www.duckcreek.com to learn more. Follow Duck Creek on our social channels for the latest information – LinkedIn and Twitter. 

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ISETAN MITSUKOSHI HOLDINGS AND NOMURA REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT HOLD GRAND OPENING CEREMONY ON JULY 21 FOR "MITSUKOSHI BGC," COMMERCIAL FACILITY IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES

TOKYO, Aug. 29, 2023 /Kyodo JBN-AsiaNet/ --

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. and Nomura Real Estate Development Co., Ltd., both based in Tokyo, held a grand opening ceremony on July 21 for "MITSUKOSHI BGC," a shopping mall constituting part of a large-scale, mixed-use residential and commercial development project being pursued in partnership with leading Philippine developer Federal Land, Inc., in Manila, Philippines.   Images: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202308238345?p=images   The ceremony was held in an atmosphere with a touch of Japan's seasonal festival "matsuri." The event included a performance of Japanese drums as well as a performance of Japanese calligraphy. Based on the concept of "NEXT MANILA LIFESTYLE," MITSUKOSHI BGC will continue striving to make the mall a place that enriches daily lives of visitors and residential tower residents.   Grand opening remarks - Toshiyuki Hosoya, Director, President and CEO, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone for their efforts in this project. This year marks the 350th anniversary of Mitsukoshi. Since its founding in 1673, Mitsukoshi has continued innovation to enrich daily lives of our customers. Our policy is characterized by two features: hospitality (customer-first principle) and partnership (win-win relationship), and in the Philippines, we will maintain this business philosophy for our customers and business partners. I am certain that a new sensation takes hold as you visit MITSUKOSHI BGC after enjoying a shopping experience at Mitsukoshi and Isetan department stores in Japan. I hope you will share our belief that we are proposing a culture, not products."   - Eiji Kutsukake, Chair and Director of Nomura Real Estate Holdings, Inc. "We participated in this project as I was fascinated by the encounter in 2015 with Mr. Alfred V. Ty and his passion for the project as well as the growing power of the Philippines, and we have worked on the project with a belief that our knowledge and know-how cultivated in Japan can be applied overseas. I am pleased with this project in the Philippines; for example, we finally held a grand opening ceremony after eight years of effort; we won multiple awards for our residential project in the last few years; sales of the last residential tower started and are progressing steadily. We will endeavor to enable MITSUKOSHI BGC to establish a unique position as a Japanese entity, to gain familiarity among locals, and to contribute extensively to the development of BGC and other areas across the Philippines."   For more details about grand opening activities, visit: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202308238345-O1-36DZHKvB.pdf   About the facility: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202308238345-O2-aD3QY6Li.pdf   Official websites Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings: https://www.imhds.co.jp/en/index.html   Nomura Real Estate Development: https://www.nomura-re.co.jp/english/     Source: Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., Nomura Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.   http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=46854

PULLMAN KUCHING AND PULLMAN MIRI WATERFRONT UNVEIL XĪNCERITY MOONCAKE COLLECTION - A GIFT FROM THE HEART FOR MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

 

Pullman Kuching & Pullman Miri Watefront's XĪNcerity Mooncake Collection in collaboration with Tiffany Choong  - Tiffin of Warmth on the (left) and Carrier of Joy on the (right).

SARAWAK, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Pullman Kuching and Pullman Miri Waterfront are proud to announce the exclusive launch of Nu Er Hong’s XĪNcerity Mooncake Collection this MidAutumn Festival. This exquisite collection embodies the essence of sincerity and tradition, making it the perfect choice for a meaningful and heartwarming gift. 

A COLLABORATION WITH TIFFANY CHOONG

This year, Pullman collaborated with Tiffany Choong of BulanLifestyle, a Penang-based artist known for her vivid and free-spirited art pieces that often brings awareness to environmental and wildlife conservation efforts in Malaysia.  

Our 诚心诚意" (chéng xīn chéng yì) gift sets illustrated by Tiffany, come in two stunning and thoughtful packaging designs. The Carrier of Joy 诚意盒 (chéng xīn hé), is adorned with the magnificent hornbill and celebrative symbols of the Mid-Autumn Festival, while the Tiffin of Warmth 诚心盒 (chéng yì hé) is inspired by a tiffin, featuring a charming illustration of the Jade Rabbit. These exclusive designs truly capture the essence of joy and exemplify our deep appreciation for local art and culture. 

As one of Tiffany’s 12 Chinese zodiac series, her drawing of the jade rabbit featured in Tiffin of Warmth is a beautiful work of art. The rabbit is depicted sitting on a full moon, with its ears perked up and its eyes wide open, surrounded by a field of luscious pink peonies and lively dragonflies. The jade rabbit is a symbol of prosperity and Tiffany’s drawing is sure to bring a touch of luck and happiness.

The Carrier of Joy is presented in a sleek and striking cylinder-shaped, packaging this gift set features symbolic elements such as a hornbill, rabbit, clouds, and moon, that truly represents the essence of Sarawak and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Nu Er Hong’s exquisite mooncake collection features four curated mooncakes that skilfully blend traditional ingredients with modern new flavours. Each gift set comes with four mooncake flavours: Tiramisu, Pearl of Prosperity with Single Yolk, White Lotus with Single Yolk (Low Sugar), and Green Ruby.

SPEND AND SEND SMILES – A COMMITMENT TO OUR FURRY FRIENDS

This year at Pullman, we are extending our support to the well-being of animals. A donation of RM10 from each purchase of the XĪNcerity Mooncake Collection will be contributed to both the SSPCA (Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) & Zero Strays Miri.

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NATURAL GAS IS SET TO DRIVE MALAYSIA'S ENERGY TRANSITION

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) lauds the positioning of natural as a pivotal fuel in the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) launched by YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, on 29 August 2023.

Today, natural gas is the single largest fuel in the total primary energy mix constituting 43% and is set to remain the single largest primary energy at 56% in 2050 as indicated in the NETR. Supplying 57 Mtoe in 2050, natural gas is followed by renewables that include solar, hydro and bioenergy, which collectively contribute 23% of TPES in 2050 from a mere 4% in 2023.

“MGA is delighted that in NETR, natural gas will remain significant in Malaysia’s energy mix and will be pivotal in driving the energy transition.  We believe that natural gas has the right characteristics to facilitate development in all the transition levers.” Abdul Aziz Othman, President of Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) commented.

Natural gas is an important cross-cutting enabler necessary to drive all six energy transition levers in NETR. For example, for the Energy Efficiency lever, cogeneration with natural gas as fuel is a practical solution to increase thermal efficiency. For the Renewable Energy (RE) lever, power generation plants fueled by natural gas compensate for the intermittency of RE by stabilising the electricity grid. In the Hydrogen lever, blue hydrogen produced from natural gas complements green hydrogen in ensuring a sufficient supply of hydrogen. For the Bioenergy lever, biogas can utilise the existing natural gas pipelines for efficient delivery. For the Green Mobility lever, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a much cleaner and less polluting solution for long-haul heavy transport when compared to diesel. The Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) lever will make natural gas even cleaner with the removal of CO2 at both the production end and the combustion or consumer end.

“The International Gas Union (IGU) is encouraged that Malaysia is taking a pragmatic and realistic approach towards energy transition. Its National Energy Transition Roadmap recognised the importance of natural gas, a fuel necessary for an orderly energy transition that ensures energy security and reliability, whilst at the same time being an affordable and cleanest hydrocarbon that is vital to drive economic growth of developing nations.” said Li Yalan, President of the International Gas Union (IGU).

“Being indigenous to Malaysia, natural gas plays an important role in driving our country’s socio-economic development as proven in the past and present.  NETR has identified the Natural Gas Roadmap (NGR) as a cross-cutting policy enabler to expedite Malaysia’s energy transition journey. We look forward to the release of the NGR which is expected to ensure the sustainability of natural gas and the Malaysian gas industry as a whole. The industry is expected to contribute nearly RM400 billion to public finances over the next decade.  This will definitely contribute positively towards achieving the aspirations of the Ekonomi Madani blueprint.” Abdul Aziz added.

About MGA:
Founded in 1986, the Malaysian Gas Association (MGA) is the nation’s lead advocate for the natural gas industry, playing a prominent role in promoting engagement, discourse and dialogue with key stakeholders to develop a vibrant and sustainable gas industry, to fuel Malaysia's socio-economic growth. With more than 130 corporate members, MGA champions natural gas as a clean and efficient source of energy, to drive demand and increase industry participation.  

A charter member of IGU, MGA is also its Regional Coordinator and hosted the 25th World Gas Conference (WGC) in 2012 which was attended by more than 5,000 delegates from 90 countries. 

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Hitachi Energy, Google Cloud To Drive Energy Transition, Sustainable Initiatives

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all, and Google Cloud have signed a strategic agreement to collaborate and co-create on multiple cloud software products and services designed to support the global energy transition.

According to a statement, the first demonstration of the joint value of the relationship, Hitachi Energy’s Velocity Suite Power Prices, is now available on the Google Cloud Marketplace.

The launch of Velocity Suite Power Prices marks the first milestone in the Google Cloud and Hitachi Energy collaboration and signals how the organisations together will address growing market and customer needs for cloud-based solutions that drive the energy transition.

“Delivering Velocity Suite Power Prices through our partnership with Google Cloud helps global customers accelerate decision making, optimise investments and digitally transform their own businesses,” said Hitachi Energy Grid Automation Managing Director, Massimo Danieli.

Meanwhile, Google Cloud Managing Director, Roi Tavor said by delivering Velocity Suite Power Prices on Google Cloud, Hitachi Energy is enabling customers to deploy its platform on trusted, sustainable infrastructure and helping them better utilise massive amounts of data to become more profitable and sustainable businesses.

The collaboration will draw on Hitachi Energy’s Energy Portfolio Management (EPM) solutions combined with Google Cloud’s data analytics capabilities, artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) services, and scalable and secure infrastructure, to develop and deploy new, innovative solutions for electric utilities and renewable energy producers.

Velocity Suite Power Prices, derived from Hitachi Energy’s industry-leading Velocity Suite application, is a new application programming interface (API)-based application that gives global customers easy access to North American energy market intelligence.

It informs, guides and accelerates planning and revenue analyses for transformative grid and renewable energy projects, while the computing power of Google Cloud technology is instrumental in automating and consolidating the extensive dataset of Velocity Suite Power Prices.

Google Cloud and Hitachi Energy will continue to work together to address growing market and customer needs for cloud-based solutions for the energy transition, driven by a common goal in the energy industry to drive outcomes that increase revenue, capitalise on market opportunities, and reduce costs and risk.

-- BERNAMA

INVNT.ATOM™ LAUNCHES BZAR™ A PATENT PENDING, INTERACTIVE PLATFORM REDEFINING VIRTUAL COMMERCE, IMMERSIVE ENGAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR BRANDS AND FANS

Singapore, Aug 22 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- INVNT.ATOM™, the digital and Web3 innovation division of [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™ introduces BZAR™, the GROUP’s patent-pending, self-funded, content-led digital platform, built exclusively for brands and fans. The now available-to-demo platform enables next-gen collaboration, connection, and co-creation with communities in the virtual world. With BZAR, brands can create custom and immersive experiences tailored precisely to their needs utilizing curated photorealistic environments, proactive immersive commerce, and Web3 integrated features to engage with their consumers, build communities, and drive new commercial opportunities.

“Built upon WebGL and WebGPU, our scalable platform features a comprehensive suite of tools that bring brand narratives to life in virtual worlds with features such as multiplayer interaction, real-time communication, and synchronized video streaming. With 29 unique patent claims, BZAR revolutionizes new and existing revenue streams for brands based on their specific strategic needs; while engaging their communities with always-on, custom-curated interactive experiences that amplify storytelling, deepen connections, boost loyalty, drive revenue and capture unparalleled engagement intelligence and data”, said Scott Cullather, President & CEO, [INVNT GROUP] and CEO, INVNT.ATOM.  “[INVNT GROUP] has always been at the forefront of creating compelling and impactful brandstories around the world and we see Web3 and our proprietary virtual platform, BZAR, as a critical component of any successful marketing strategy and the next great frontier of brandstory.”

Key features and Web3 integrations of the BZAR platform include:

1. Expansive Environments: Real-time rendering (generated by AI) of interactive environments to minimize loading time without sacrificing graphics quality.
2. Multiplayer Interactions: Communicate seamlessly in real-time with thousands of users to create a vibrant and continuous social atmosphere.
3. NFT Ticketing: Issuers can offer consumers a secure and transparent way of issuing and managing data collection for their events, whilst recipients can take advantage of unique experiences.
4. Cross-Platform: Accessible across desktop, tablet, mobile, VR, and mixed reality technologies for a seamless shopping experience across devices and platforms.
5. Synchronized Video Streaming: Real-time, synchronized video streams on any 3D surface for a fully immersive multimedia experience.
6. Avatar Creation and Customization: Users can personalize avatars to discover, play, and explore, as well as try on and shop digital products.
7. Social Integration: Integrating social feeds and community invitations to foster community engagement. Text and voice chat, social media feeds, video calls, and private rooms for friends.
8. Interactive Actions: Action buttons for users to trigger dynamic events within the 3D environment, enhancing exploration and discovery.
9. Audio Triggers: Incorporating audio triggers, BZAR elevates sensory immersion, creating a dynamic and engaging sonic landscape.
10. Marketplace: Connect your virtual commerce experience to your IRL footprint with a digital marketplace that also empowers your community to buy-and-sell.
11. Mini-games and Private Rooms for Friends: Fostering new communities to amplify engagement, brands can integrate mini-games and private rooms for their fans to collaborate amongst each other through custom interactions, leaderboard integration, and emotes.

“BZAR was built for brands to seize on the possibilities enabled by this wave of emerging technologies. BZAR is a canvas for creativity and consumer connection, integrating new technologies such as AI-adapted mechanisms that can generate unimagined virtual worlds and environments,” said Laura Roberts, Managing Director, [INVNT GROUP] APAC.

Brands and organizations interested in discovering the possibilities of virtual commerce can request a demo here.

About BZAR™
BZAR is a patent pending, comprehensive virtual experience platform that integrates immersive storytelling into virtual worlds. BZAR provides the tools brands need to create unique, “always on '' immersive experiences that captivate and engage consumers beyond traditional digital channels. A beacon for brands to enter the metaverse through cutting edge technology, BZAR’s extensive suite of strategic partners include Livewire, AWS, BlockTrust, Polygon, Trident3, and more.  For more information on BZAR’s always-on immersive virtual world, visit: www.bzar.com.

About INVNT.ATOM™
INVNT.ATOM, part of [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™, is an innovation and brand experience agency devoted to helping global brands chart a course, navigate, activate, and create new opportunities at the digital frontier of Web3. Headquartered in Singapore, the collective of strategists, marketers, creators, programmers, matchmakers, and thought leaders, turn strategies into stories and stories into experiences that engage communities on the global stage. For more information about INVNT.ATOM, visit: www.invntatom.com  

About [INVNT GROUP]™
[INVNT GROUP] was established as an evolution of the founding global live brand storytelling agency INVNT. Led by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT™ represents a portfolio of disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations innovate and impact audiences everywhere. The GROUP consists of modern brand strategy firm, Folk Hero; creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVĒ; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original live brand storytelling agency, INVNT. For more information visit www.invntgroup.com. 

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DUCK CREEK TIES PARTNERSHIP WITH RISK CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 (Bernama) -- Duck Creek Technologies has announced its partnership with Risk Control Technologies (RCT), a frontrunner in risk data management software for underwriting and loss control teams.

In a statement, Duck Creek said it will be a silver sponsor of RCT’s Loss Control Summit conference for loss control professionals from Aug 21-23, to kick off their partnership in Toronto, Canada.

“RCT’s data-driven risk management solution is paramount, especially for insurers engaged in underwriting property, casualty and workers comp lines of business.

“We look forward to continuing to cultivate our partnership and engaging with RCT’s customers at the upcoming Loss Control Summit in Toronto,” said Duck Creek Technologies Senior Partner Manager, Robert Fletcher.

Meanwhile, RCT Chief Executive Officer, David Da Costa said: “We are excited to work with Duck Creek, one of the most transformative leaders in the insurance solutions market today.

“In addition to efficiencies gained by integrating, combining loss control data with data already in Duck Creek, such as claim data, creates significant value from being able to better predict claims or optimise pricing within your book,” he added.

At the heart of Duck Creek's core solutions is Duck Creek Policy, a cutting-edge platform that offers low-code tools via a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, in which it facilitates the entire lifecycle of insurance operations and seamlessly integrates with esteemed industry collaborators.

RCT enables carriers to optimise and significantly increase their risk data coverage across their entire book of business. In addition to mitigating more claims, it positively impacts their renewal rates while also creating efficiencies for underwriters within Duck Creek.

All of this helps carriers improve their loss ratios, strengthen their customer engagements, and drive impactful operational efficiencies.

-- BERNAMA 

PETRONAS COLLABORATES WITH MICROSOFT AND CEGAL TO DRIVE UPSTREAM ENERGY INNOVATION LEVERAGING MICROSOFT AZURE HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING, AI INFRASTRUCTURE

Photo caption: (From left) K Raman, Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director; Phuah Aik Chong, PETRONAS Digital Sdn Bhd Chief Executive Officer; and Dagfinn Ringås, Cegal Chief Executive Officer posing for photos after exchanging documents on the sidelines of Energy Asia 2023. 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- PETRONAS Digital Sdn Bhd (PETRONAS Digital), the digital arm of PETRONAS, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Microsoft and Cegal to accelerate digital innovation for the upstream value chain. 

The collaboration will see the construction of Microsoft Azure High-Performance Computing (HPC), AI Infrastructure platform to support and scale a wide array of applications that would optimise PETRONAS Upstream’s operational efficiency, including advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, energy transition and decarbonisation use cases.
 
It was formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by PETRONAS Digital Chief Executive Officer Phuah Aik Chong, Microsoft Malaysia Managing Director K Raman, and Cegal Chief Executive Officer Dagfinn Ringås. Also present was PETRONAS Vice President of Group Technology and Commercialisation, Aadrin Azly. 
 
“This collaboration has the potential to unlock new possibilities and drive innovation in the upstream value chain, leveraging on the domain expertise of PETRONAS, advanced capabilities of Azure’s HPC, AI Infrastructure solution and the expertise of Cegal. HPC and AI capabilities can further optimise the delivery of our energy offerings and innovate operations within the wider energy industry,” said Aadrin.
 
The effort is built upon PETRONAS' existing collaboration with Microsoft and Cegal which advances exploration activities with better cloud agility, automation, and data lifecycle management.
 
The proposed construction of this Azure HPC platform is also poised to support other partners in Malaysia’s energy sector, including production agreement contractors (PACs), to achieve their business objectives.
 
"As a technology partner to PETRONAS, we are committed to help accelerate their innovation journey with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence and Microsoft Azure High Performance Computing solutions,” said K Raman. 

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TEMENOS CHOSEN BY CEBUANA LHUILLIER BANK TO SCALE THE PHILIPPINES' RURAL BANKING SERVICES

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Temenos announced Cebuana Lhuillier Bank has selected the company to modernise its core banking platform, helping the bank, which serves seven million Filipinos, to quickly launch new banking products and scale efficiently.

According to a statement, with Temenos, Cebuana Lhuillier Bank aims to expand its product offerings and grow to more than 11 million customers over five years.

Temenos Managing Director – APAC, Ramki Ramakrishnan said: “We are delighted to welcome Cebuana Lhuillier Bank as the newest member of our Temenos family in the Philippines.

“With a robust presence in the country, our partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier Bank reinforces Temenos' position as a compelling choice for banks across various sizes and segments, including rural and thrift banks.”

Cebuana Lhuillier Bank provides credit and savings accounts to individuals, micro, small and medium enterprises to grow their personal or business finances.

With more than half of the Philippines’ 113 million population living in rural areas, banks such as Cebuana Lhuillier Bank play a crucial role in serving the financial needs of those residing in remote and underserved areas of the country.

Temenos’ core banking platform gives Cebuana Lhuillier Bank flexibility and agility to manage customer accounts and transactions with greatly improved performance and efficiency, and offer personalised products, faster and at lower cost.

It means Cebuana Lhuillier Bank can introduce affordable new lending products, such as motorcycle loans, to attract new customers while also growing sustainably, and the solution will be implemented by Temenos’ delivery partner, Orion Innovation.

As a regulated financial institution, supervised by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Temenos solution also assists the bank to adapt more easily to changing market conditions and local regulatory requirements.

While Cebuana Lhuillier Bank will initially deploy the Temenos solution in its on-premise datacentre, the cloud-native solution gives the bank the flexibility to easily migrate to the cloud in future.

-- BERNAMA

TENCATE PROTECTIVE FABRICS TO UNVEIL NEXT-GEN FIRE SERVICE OUTER SHELL AT 2023 AFAC

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- TenCate Protective Fabrics, a global leader in protective textile technology, has announced the Asia Pacific (APAC) launch of its groundbreaking fire service outer shell, PBI Peak5, at the AFAC emergency response conference in Brisbane, Australia on Aug 22.

Its Vice President of Global Strategy and Innovation, Michael Laton said PBI Peak5 represented a significant leap in protective fabric technology for the fire service industry.

“We are thrilled to launch this groundbreaking outer shell in the APAC region, where the demand for high-performance firefighting gear is ever present,” he said in a statement.

Recognised as a must-see event for the Australian / New Zealand fire and emergency services industry, the 2023 AFAC conference serves as the ideal platform for the flame-resistant textile maker to introduce PBI Peak5 to key stakeholders, experts and industry professionals in the APAC region.

The primary highlight of PBI Peak5 is its lightweight 180 grams per square metre (gsm) construction which delivers increased levels of comfort and manoeuvrability for firefighters.

Moreover, the integration of patented Enforce technology enhances its strength, making PBI Peak5 extremely durable.

Engineered to meet the specific needs of emergency response professionals, PBI Peak5 sets new benchmarks for lightweight comfort, flexibility and unparallelled durability.

TenCate Protective Fabrics representatives will be present at the Brisbane conference to showcase the new outer shell and provide insights into the advanced technology behind its development.

-- BERNAMA

Winners Recognised In 20th Annual International Business Awards - Stevie Awards

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- The Stevie Awards has announced winners in the 20th Annual International Business Awards (IBAs), the world's only international, all-encompassing business awards programme.

According to a statement, high-achieving organisations and executives worldwide have been recognised as Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners, which were selected from more than 3,700 nominations submitted by organisations in 61 nations.

More than 230 executives worldwide participated on 11 juries to determine the Stevie winners with IBM of the United States emerged as the top winner of Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Awards with 21 in total.

Other winners of multiple Stevie Awards include Halkbank, Turkey (20); Viettel Group, Vietnam (17); Telkom Indonesia, Indonesia (17); Ayala Land Inc, the Philippines (16); DHL Express, worldwide (14); and A.S. Watson Group, Hong Kong (12).

Halkbank, pioneering the development of the Turkish banking sector for 83 years, has won eight Gold Stevie Awards, more than any other organisation.

Also won multiple Stevie Awards include Tata Consultancy Services, worldwide (11); LLYC, Spain (10); OPET, Turkey (10); Uniomedia Communications, Hungary (9); AD Ports Group, United Arab Emirates (8); FPT Software, Vietnam (8); and Maersk, Canada (7).

All organisations worldwide are eligible to compete in the IBAs, and may submit nominations in a wide range of categories for achievement in management, marketing, public relations, customer service and human resources, among others.

The awards will be presented during a gala event in Rome, Italy on Oct 13, 2023.

-- BERNAMA

EXP REALTY EXCEEDS 1,000-AGENT MILESTONE IN SOUTH AFRICA

BELLINGHAM, Wash., Aug 14 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eXp Realty^®, “the most agent-centric real estate brokerage on the planet™” and the core subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI), today announced it has exceeded 1,000 agents across South Africa, representing an over 74% increase from the 574 total agent count in July 2022.

“This is a proud moment for eXp Realty South Africa as we reach such a huge milestone,” said Michael Valdes, Chief Growth Officer, eXp Realty. “Our attractive and continuously evolving agent-centric value proposition continues to resonate with agents from around the world and we are so thrilled to be home to over 1,000 real estate professionals in South Africa!” 

According to Andrew Thompson, Director and Country Leader of eXp Realty South Africa, eXp South Africa has had more transactions in the first six months of this year compared to last year. “eXp South Africa has realized a cash-flow positive, debt-free and profitable operation in its first 15 months since receiving its license via the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority back in December 2020,” said Thompson.

“Since its inception, eXp has remained committed to putting agents first to equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to reach their full potential. I am so proud to be able to lead such an incredible group of agents through this expansion and beyond,” he added.

eXp South Africa is proudly committed to serving the community, having recently donated R350,000 to Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman of Gift of the Givers to support local and international communities.

About eXp World Holdings, Inc.

eXp World Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPI) is the holding company for eXp Realty®, Virbela and SUCCESS® Enterprises.

eXp Realty is the largest independent real estate company in the world with more than 88,000 agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, India, Mexico, Portugal, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Italy, Hong Kong, Colombia, Spain, Panama, Germany, Dominican Republic, Greece, New Zealand, Chile, Poland and Dubai and continues to scale internationally. As a publicly traded company, eXp World Holdings provides real estate professionals the unique opportunity to earn equity awards for production goals and contributions to overall company growth. eXp World Holdings and its businesses offer a full suite of brokerage and real estate tech solutions, including its innovative residential and commercial brokerage model, professional services, collaborative tools and personal development. The cloud-based brokerage is powered by Virbela, an immersive 3D platform that is deeply social and collaborative, enabling agents to be more connected and productive. SUCCESS® Enterprises, anchored by SUCCESS® magazine and its related media properties, was established in 1897 and is a leading personal and professional development brand and publication.

For more information, visit https://expworldholdings.com.    

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The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update them. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in forward-looking statements include changes in business or other market conditions; the difficulty of keeping expense growth at modest levels while increasing revenues; and other risks detailed from time to time in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. 

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AIRASIA SUPERAPP OFFERS EXCLUSIVE 'BUY 1 FREE 1' HOTEL PROMOTION!

 

Buy 1, Free 1 Hotels campaign by airasia Superapp​

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- ‘Buy 1 Free 1’ hotel deals from airasia Superapp is back! This time, three unique and amazing hotels from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are featured to encourage exploration of the wonders of our diverse culture across Southeast Asia! 

For a limited-time only from 9 - 13 August 2023, airasia Superapp users can experience an island-escapade in Langkawi, enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life and amazing cuisine in Bangkok and immerse in Balinese cultural experience with participating hotels from these three destinations, from RM200/night. The ‘Buy 1 Free 1’ hotel deals are only applicable for the selected hotels with a minimum of 2 nights stay.

Aside from the ‘Buy 1 Free 1’ hotel deals, users can also enjoy an extra RM20 discount with promo code [B1F1] by clicking on the ‘Hotels’ icon in the airasia Superapp.

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Yili Group Advocates For High-quality Development Across The Value Chain

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- Yili Group, together with the industrial stakeholders worldwide convene to exchange views on green and sustainable development of the global dairy industry at the first World Dairy Industry Conference (WDIC) held recently on Aug 5, in Hohhot, China.

According to a statement, the conference was jointly organised by the Hohhot municipal government and Yili Group, together with other parties.

At the opening ceremony, the city of Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China, was awarded the titles of "The Dairy Breeding Capital of China" and "The Dairy Science and Technology Capital of the World".

At the same time, Yili Group Chairman and President, Pan Gang said the global dairy industry is entering a new chapter of growth.

Emphasising the role of "cooperation, innovation, digitalisation and green development" as the four pillars of high-quality development, he highlighted the need for the industry to accelerate the establishment of a resilient industrial chain.

To help do so, the Asian dairy giant has developed its Yili Ecosystem Mechanism, which targets technical and financial issues faced by the industry by providing its partners with multi-dimensional support that covers technical services, financial support and other areas.

By July-end this year, Yili had assisted about 12,000 pasture partners in raising over 130 billion Chinese yuan (approximately US$18.13 billion) of funds to strengthen the value chain extending from pastures to end products. (US$1=RM4.57)

At the WDIC, the industry's cutting-edge innovations and achievements took centre stage. Yili has built a global innovation network and led the industry in promoting the digital transformation of the whole industry chain via key technology research and development (R&D) across the upstream, midstream and downstream segments.

Featured at the conference, the Yili Global Dairy Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park has set a high benchmark for the industry in terms of smart manufacturing and digital transformation.

As a trailblazer of green development, Yili also boasts the industry's most complete carbon inventory database, in which the group has pledged to reach carbon neutrality throughout its entire industry chain by 2050.

In the future, Yili will continue its efforts aimed at bringing together global resources, intensifying technological innovation, accelerating digital transformation and building a sustainable ecosystem, in a bid to realise its dream of "World Integrally Sharing Health".

-- BERNAMA

HYCU Named A Visionary In 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- HYCU Inc, the fastest-growing multi-cloud data protection as a service company, has been named a Visionary in this year’s Gartner Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Backup and Recovery Software Solutions, for the second consecutive year.

According to HYCU in a statement, the past year was highlighted by several key innovations from the company including the introduction of R-Cloud; R-Graph; and multi-cloud support.

“We are excited and proud to be named a Visionary in this report for the second year in a row. It is a significant milestone that we feel recognises the critical importance and growing challenges of SaaS backup, and validates the need for R-Cloud.

“Moreover, it once again validates HYCU’s role as an innovator singularly focused on helping our customers and partners overcome the challenges that the rise of ransomware has elicited as well as the growing use of multi-clouds throughout the digital estate,” said its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Simon Taylor.

HYCU is also recognised for other new capabilities including the availability of a free tier of HYCU for Amazon Web Services (AWS) users; support for Azure Government users; impact-free, agentless file share backup; and support for Edge and ROBO workloads.

HYCU simplifies on-premises and multi-cloud data protection for thousands of customers worldwide including several among the FORTUNE 500.

Companies continue to face challenges to better protect, manage and recover mission critical data, and this has been compounded by the rise in ransomware attacks, with new attacks noted by Cybersecurity Ventures occurring at a rate of every 11 seconds.

To address these challenges, HYCU continues to evolve its award-winning platform to ease and administer the protection and recovery of workloads across the most widely deployed applications, databases and Software as a Service (SaaS) services.

-- BERNAMA

Abu Dhabi's AI University To Meet Global Demand With Robotics, Computer Science Departments

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) has established two new departments and four associated graduate programmes dedicated to robotics and computer science, catering to the surging global demand for these disciplines.

MBZUAI President and University Professor, Eric Xing said the addition of these two new departments represents the university’s lasting effort in developing a solid foundation for research excellence and innovation in artificial intelligence.

“The university will continue to bring into Abu Dhabi world leading faculty and researchers in the fields and to empower students to become pioneers with highly sought-after skills in developing advanced AI tools and applications across industries,” said Xing.

In a statement, MBZUAI said the new departments complement the university’s existing computer vision (CV), machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) departments, which are ranked among the top 20 globally by CSRankings.

Aligned with the formation of the new departments, the university has launched master’s and PhD programmes in robotics and computer science.

These programmes will help further develop the United Arab Emirates’ wider AI ecosystem and strengthen its position as an international hub for AI research and innovation.

The Robotics Department will focus on rigorous, high-impact, original research, emphasising robot learning and robot algorithms rather than the development of new robot hardware.

Meanwhile, the Computer Science Department will provide unparallelled technical depth in the foundational technologies that have given rise to the phenomenal growth and impact of information technology in the past four decades.

Applications for the 2024 admissions year will open on Sept 1.

-- BERNAMA

4TH CHINA XIZANG INTERNET PHOTOGRAPHY&VIDEO FESTIVAL CALLS FOR ENTRIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Themed "Tashi Delek", the 4th China Xizang Internet Photography&Video Festival invites photographers, creators, art lovers and netizens worldwide to show the world the beauty of Xizang with original works including photos, short videos, animation, online songs and micro films.

There are four awards for each of the five submission units, including first, second and third prize as well as Best Popularity Award. A separate Best Organisation Award is also set up for organisational recommendations.

According to a statement, the total combined prize money for the event will amount to 709,000 Chinese yuan. (100 Chinese yuan = RM 63.32)

The works can be independently submitted by individuals or organisations, and submission will be accepted through the end of this year. The submitted works must be original ones, and have not been reviewed or received an award on any platform.

The Organising Committee will invite professional photo editors to preview all the submitted works, and internet users can cast their votes online for the Best Popularity Award, while the reviews will be conducted by the Expert Review Committee.

In the pictures category, it must be high-resolution with no limitations on black-and-white or coloured photos; and a set of pictures or animated gifs are also permitted for submission and the number of pictures per group should be between four and 12.

For short videos, the duration must be no more than five minutes, with Chinese and English subtitles required for any dialogues or dubbings; and cartoons, vlogs, melodramas and other types of short videos are also permitted for submission.

As for animations, it must be designed around the themes of festival and in the forms of portrait cartoons, poster illustrations, cartoons, and animation short videos, among others. Portrait cartoons can be both paper hand-painted and computer-drawn.

In the online songs category, songs must be created via Xizang's voice heard through lyrics and singing.

Last, for micro films, video must be less than 15 minutes; with requirements of a complete story with a beginning and an end; and Chinese and English subtitles for any dialogues or dubbings.

-- BERNAMA

NANOMALAYSIA LEADS BATTERY SWAPPING STATION STAKEHOLDERS' MEETING TO BOOST ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION IN MALAYSIA

 

Key stakeholders from Ministries, Agencies, and Industry Players discussing the standardisation and harmonisation of the Battery Swapping Station (BSS) system at the BSS Standardisation - Stakeholder Engagement Meeting organised by NanoMalaysia Berhad in Kuala Lumpur today. 

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Key electric 2-wheeler stakeholders were informed and briefed of a voted decision to create a Battery Swapping Station (BSS) consortium, jointly led by NanoMalaysia Berhad and the Motorcycle and Scooter Assemblers and Distributors Association of Malaysia (MASAAM), during a BSS stakeholder engagement meeting held in Kuala Lumpur today. The mandate to lead was secured both from the National Electric Vehicles Task Force and National Electric Vehicles Steering Committee earlier this year.
 
The meeting gathered key stakeholders from Ministries, Agencies, and Industry Players to discuss the standardisation and harmonisation of the BSS system, focusing on accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in Malaysia. The meeting was productive, gathering insights and recommendations from key stakeholders to shape the future of EV 2-wheelers locally, and the stakeholders’ meeting members unanimously reiterated their support for the BSS Consortium as the national way forward.
 
NanoMalaysia Berhad Chief Executive Officer Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad said: “By bringing together relevant entities, particularly MASAAM, MARii, MGTC and other industry players, the consortium aims to create a platform for technology and information sharing, foster collaborative discussions, and determine the best way forward for EV 2-wheelers with swappable batteries in Malaysia. The primary objectives of the BSS Standardisation Consortium include the standardisation and harmonisation of the BSS system to enable cross-brand battery swapping, establishing a platform for stakeholder involvement, reducing the price of EV 2-wheelers, and proposing strategic policies for the deployment of BSS in user-convenient areas as a quicker alternative to direct charging thus expediting electric motorbike ownership increase in Malaysia aiding the country to further reduce national carbon emission.”
 
With nearly 50% of registered vehicles in Malaysia being motorcycles, the BSS Standardisation initiative holds great potential to drive the shift towards EV usage in the country. According to road safety expert, Professor Dr Kulanthayan K.C. Mani of Universiti Putra Malaysia, there were 33.3 million registered vehicles nationwide in 2021, surpassing the human population of 32.6 million.

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COLLABORATION EXTENDED FOR A GREATER SCOPE OF SOLUTIONS IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- Black & Veatch announced it will expand collaboration with Beca to deliver a greater breadth of sustainability and decarbonisation solutions in Australia and New Zealand.

According to Black & Veatch in a statement, the expanded agreement responds to a growing demand for infrastructure solutions that adapt to and mitigate against the impacts of climate change.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covers collaboration on engineering and construction projects across areas including water and wastewater; renewable energy; hydrogen and ammonia production and export; as well as mining and metal processing.

“Australia and New Zealand enjoy abundant energy transformation opportunities, and well-planned investments in sustainable infrastructure can have significant environmental and economic impacts.

“Combining our global experience with Beca's strong local presence and experience in the Australasia region, we look forward to accelerating this journey and taking on technically challenging engineering projects to realise the region's decarbonisation ambitions and modernise its infrastructure,” said Black & Veatch President, Asia Pacific and India, Narsingh Chaudhary.

Meanwhile, Beca Group Director - Utilities, Clive Rundle said: “The expansion of our partnership with Black & Veatch beyond the water sector is a natural progression that provides clients across Australia and New Zealand with unique globally informed experiences needed to solve the challenges they are facing now and in the future.”

The extended MoU aligns with the commitments of Australia and New Zealand to hasten their energy transformation by navigating the opportunities and difficulties that the transition to net zero will provide for both countries' economies and identifying potential areas of cooperation.

A strong shared culture is behind the success of the Beca and Black & Veatch collaboration as both companies are employee-owned, a business model that has been delivering success for more than a century for each organisation.

-- BERNAMA