Kioxia Unveils NX1 Data Centre SSDs With Direct Liquid-Cooling Support

 

KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- Kioxia Corporation, a global leader in memory solutions, has announced the KIOXIA NX1 Series of solid-state drives (SSDs), a new generation of E1.S PCIe 5.0 NVMe data centre SSDs and the company’s first SSD with direct liquid-cooling support.

The KIOXIA NX1 Series features Kioxia’s next-generation, in-house developed controller architecture, which is designed to provide advanced capabilities while supporting future feature expansion.

Kioxia in a statement said the new drives are engineered to deliver high-performance, power-efficient storage for graphics processing unit (GPU)-enabled servers and hyperscale data centre environments.

The KIOXIA NX1 Series succeeds the KIOXIA XD Series and leverages PCIe 5.0 performance to help cloud service providers and hyperscale operators optimise infrastructure while maintaining operational efficiency.

Compared with the previous generation, the company said the KIOXIA NX1 SSDs deliver up to approximately 38 per cent higher sequential write performance and nearly 20 per cent higher random write performance.

As artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure continues to expand, storage systems must support increasingly dense, accelerator-rich server designs. The E1.S form factor helps maximise storage density while supporting advanced thermal management, including direct liquid-cooling configurations for efficient heat dissipation in high-performance AI server environments.

The KIOXIA NX1 Series is currently sampling with select hyperscale customers and will be showcased at FMS: The Future of Memory and Storage, which will be held from Aug 4 to 6 in Santa Clara, California.

-- BERNAMA

Air Selangor Pioneers Sustainable Water Financing with the issuance of the World’s First Blue Sukuk and Malaysia’s First Blue Bond/Sukuk Issuance

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (“Air Selangor”) has successfully priced the world’s first Blue Sukuk and Malaysia’s first Blue Bond/Sukuk issuance (“Blue SRI Sukuk Kelestarian” or “Blue Sukuk”) of RM200.0 million in nominal value to be issued pursuant to its RM20.0 billion Islamic Medium Term Notes Programme.

The landmark issuance, which has a 15-year tenor, represents a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable water financing in the Malaysian capital market and reflects Air Selangor’s commitment to mobilising sustainable financing to support projects that deliver measurable environmental impact. CIMB Investment Bank Berhad (“CIMB”) acted as Sole Sustainability Structuring Adviser and Sole Lead Manager for the transaction, supporting Air Selangor in enhancing its Framework and facilitating the successful execution of the issuance.

Accordingly, the issuance supports blue finance — an emerging segment of sustainable finance that channels investment towards sustainable management, protection, restoration and efficient utilisation of water resources and water-related ecosystems, while supporting long-term water security, climate resilience, pollution prevention and environmental sustainability outcomes. This is also aligned with Air Selangor's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, through initiatives that promote sustainable water resource management and strengthen water security for the communities it serves.

Adam Saffian Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of Air Selangor said “We recognise that building resilient water infrastructure requires long-term investment supported by sustainable financing. This world’s first Blue Sukuk reflects our commitment to advancing innovative financing solutions that strengthen water security, protect natural resources and create long-term value for the communities we serve.”

As both the world’s first Blue Sukuk issuance and Malaysia’s first Blue Bond/Sukuk issuance, it establishes an important precedent for blue labelled financing instruments in Malaysia’s debt capital market and demonstrates how sustainable financing can strengthen essential water infrastructure.

Nor Masliza Sulaiman, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Investment Bank said, “CIMB is pleased to have played a key role in the successful issuance and to have advised Air Selangor on the enhancement of its Sustainable Development Sukuk Kelestarian Framework. This milestone demonstrates CIMB’s strength not only as a capital markets arranger, but as a trusted sustainability partner capable of delivering end-to-end advisory in innovative sustainable finance solutions. We hope this landmark issuance will accelerate the adoption of blue finance across Malaysia and the region, supporting greater mobilisation of capital towards water security, environmental resilience and sustainable development.”

The Blue Sukuk is structured under Air Selangor’s revised Sustainable Development Sukuk Kelestarian Framework Version 2.0 (“Framework”), reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to integrating sustainability into its financing strategy. The Framework aligns with the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA) Green Bond Principles 2025, Social Bond Principles 2025 and Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, and integrates IFC’s Guidelines for Blue Finance Version 2.0. The Framework also includes expanded eligibility to support blue, green, social and sustainability Sukuk issuances under a single platform.

Key enhancements made to the Framework include the introduction of Blue Sukuk to finance sustainable water and wastewater management, resource protection and long-term water security. The Framework also expands the number of eligible project categories from four to eight, covering climate adaptation, energy efficiency, clean transportation and social initiatives.

To reinforce the credibility of the Framework, Air Selangor has secured a Preliminary Assessment letter from RAM Sustainability Sdn Bhd (“RAM Sustainability”), which outlines RAM Sustainability’s view that the Framework’s Eligible Blue Projects are eligible blue projects under IFC’s Guidelines for Blue Finance Version 2.0.

About CIMB

CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM81.6 billion as at 31 March 2026. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present across ASEAN in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong and UK. CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 545 branches and over 33,000 employees as at 31 March 2026. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 91.45% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.83% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand.

About Air Selangor

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) is the largest water services provider in Malaysia, providing clean and safe treated water to 9.62 million consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. To date, Air Selangor operates 34 water treatment plants located in 10 regions and has over 5,000 employees with a breadth of experience in various fields in the industry. Staying true to its mission and vision, Air Selangor aspires to deliver the best experience to customers as well as become the leading water services provider in Asia by 2030. Air Selangor is the first water services provider in Malaysia to be inducted into the Leading Utilities of the World (LUOW) global network.

SOURCE: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Anis Azharuddin / Kelvin Jude Muthu
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: anis.azharuddin@cimb.com / kelvinjude.muthu@cimb.com

--BERNAMA

HYDROGEN SCALE-UP IN MALAYSIA REQUIRES FISCAL ALIGNMENT TO ACCELERATE EARLY MARKET ADOPTION

KUCHING, July 27 (Bernama) -- Across the world, emerging hydrogen markets are facing the challenge of moving from pilot projects to commercial scale. Malaysia is no exception. As the country develops its hydrogen ecosystem, the focus is increasingly shifting towards creating the regulatory certainty and market conditions needed to support investment, adoption and long-term competitiveness. While the hydrogen industry remains strategically important for long-term decarbonisation, it is important to recognise that the sector has developed against a backdrop of unprecedented global challenges over the past several years.

Geopolitical uncertainties prompted governments worldwide to prioritise energy security, affordability, and cost-of-living concerns. In many markets, policy attention shifted from long-term decarbonisation objectives towards ensuring reliable and affordable energy supply, resulting in slower implementation of certain clean energy initiatives.
 
The energy transition landscape has also evolved as major oil and gas companies reassessed their portfolios and redirected capital towards their core businesses amid volatile market conditions. While many remain committed to net-zero ambitions, investment decisions have become increasingly selective, with greater focus on projects demonstrating clear commercial viability and near-term returns.
 
These developments have contributed to a more measured pace of hydrogen deployment globally. However, they also reinforce the importance of targeted policy support, fiscal alignment, and market-enabling mechanisms to bridge the gap between early-stage technologies and commercial-scale adoption. As economic conditions stabilise and countries continue pursuing long-term decarbonisation commitments, hydrogen is expected to remain an important component of the future energy mix.
 
Recent remarks by Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg calling for targeted tax adjustments on hydrogen vehicles reinforce the importance of fiscal mechanisms in enabling early hydrogen mobility adoption.
 
Rather than signalling a decline in hydrogen's relevance, these challenges highlight why governments must play an active role in creating favourable market conditions during the industry's formative years. Almost every successful energy transition has required policy intervention, fiscal support, and infrastructure investments before achieving commercial maturity. Hydrogen is no different. Fiscal measures such as those proposed by the Premier can help mitigate early market risks, attract private investment, and accelerate the development of a self-sustaining hydrogen ecosystem in Malaysia
 
The Premier's call is consistent with Hydrogen Malaysia's (H2Malaysia) ongoing engagements with the Federal Government, where the industry alliance has been advocating for coordinated fiscal and policy measures to accelerate the commercial deployment of hydrogen technologies across the value chain.
 
Through its policy engagements, H₂Malaysia has proposed a comprehensive framework focused on developing the essential building blocks of a hydrogen mobility ecosystem.
 
These include strengthening hydrogen supply and fuel quality assurance, accelerating the rollout of hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, supporting the adoption of hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles to achieve the critical mass needed for market viability, and enhancing ecosystem readiness through robust safety standards, operational protocols and regulatory preparedness.
 
These recommendations are intended to address the practical challenges of scaling hydrogen beyond pilot projects by creating the conditions necessary for investment, infrastructure deployment and sustained market demand.
 
Early-stage fiscal incentives are widely recognised as a key mechanism for emerging energy technologies. They improve investment visibility, reduce entry barriers and accelerate infrastructure deployment required for initial market formation.
 
National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) have established the strategic direction for hydrogen development. The next phase requires coordinated implementation of market-enabling instruments that translate national policy into commercially investable opportunities.
 
SEDC Energy (SEDCE), in its capacity as President of H₂Malaysia, said the Premier's remarks reaffirm the industry's long-standing position that fiscal alignment is essential to unlocking the next phase of Malaysia's hydrogen economy. Malaysia has established a clear strategic direction for hydrogen. The next step is to ensure that policy implementation creates the conditions for investment, adoption and long-term industry growth.
 
H₂Malaysia has consistently engaged with relevant ministries and agencies on the need for an integrated approach that supports the entire hydrogen ecosystem—from reliable fuel supply and refuelling infrastructure to vehicle deployment and regulatory readiness. These elements must progress together to create the critical mass necessary for a commercially sustainable hydrogen market.
 
“We welcome the Premier's call, as it reinforces the policy direction that H₂Malaysia has been advocating. Targeted fiscal measures will not only accelerate market adoption but also strengthen investor confidence and reinforce Malaysia's position as a competitive destination for hydrogen innovation, manufacturing and industrial development, said SEDCE.”
 
About Hydrogen Malaysia (H₂Malaysia)
H₂Malaysia is the national industry platform representing stakeholders across the hydrogen value chain, facilitating collaboration between industry and government to support coordinated ecosystem development, policy implementation and investment readiness for Malaysia's hydrogen economy.

SOURCE: NanoMalaysia Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: 
Name: Abdul Hamid Hakan Akcali
Assistant Vice President 
Tel:  +603 2770 2380 / +6018-3957928
Email: abdulhamid@nanomalaysia.com.my 

--BERNAMA 

INTERSYSTEMS LAUNCHES AI ASSISTANT FOR ENTERPRISE DATA ACCESS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- InterSystems, a creative data technology provider, has announced the general availability of InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant, a new generative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered extension for InterSystems Data Studio.

InterSystems Senior Vice President, Data Platforms, Scott Gnau in a statement said organisations are increasingly looking for ways to turn their data into actionable intelligence without adding complexity.

“InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant brings generative AI directly to a trusted data foundation, enabling users to interact with information more naturally while maintaining the governance, security, and controls enterprises require,” he added.

As organisations move from AI experimentation to production deployments, many are discovering that the greatest challenge is not the AI model itself, but providing AI systems with access to trusted, current, and business-ready information.

Enterprise data is often fragmented across applications, databases, cloud services, files, data warehouses, and departmental silos, making it difficult for users and AI systems to generate reliable insights.

InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant is embedded within the broader InterSystems Data Studio platform, enabling organisations to combine AI capabilities with a common, integrated data layer that supports consistent access to trusted information across users, applications, analytics platforms, and AI systems.

Built as an optional extension for InterSystems Data Studio and available as a fully managed service, the AI Assistant provides interactive assistants and agents that help users explore both structured and unstructured data, discover available information assets, generate visualisations, and accelerate data analysis.

InterSystems added that the solution includes out-of-the-box agents as well as a flexible multi-agent framework that enables organisations to create custom assistants tailored to specific business requirements.

-- BERNAMA

The Indian Legends of '83 Touring Singapore to Set Stage for Historic First-Ever 1983 World-Cup Reunion in Asia

^{The Indian Legends of '83 Touring Singapore to Set Stage for Historic First-Ever 1983 World-Cup Reunion in Asia}



Mariners Cricket Club Singapore organizes the landmark three-day event, bringing together legendary cricket icons and global maritime executives from 7 to 9 August 2026.


SINGAPORE, July 27 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Mariners Cricket Club (MCC) Singapore will host The ’83 Legends Tour of Singapore, marking the first time the heroes of India's historic 1983 World-Cup-winning squad reunite for an epoch-making tour in South-East-Asia since their triumph. Running from 7th - 9th August 2026, the three-day event offers a platform for sports enthusiasts, corporate leaders, and industry executives to engage with iconic sporting figures while promoting leadership, resilience, and teamwork.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260724603007/en/

As a premier sports and professional networking club in Singapore, MCC brings together executives from the global maritime sector through a shared passion for cricket. The ’83 Legends Tour will feature a gracious lineup of cricket royalty, including inspirational captain Kapil Dev, batting maestro Sunil Gavaskar, and crucial all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath. The event is structured to blend high-value corporate networking with sports nostalgia, driving strong regional visibility and serving as a game-changer to popularize cricket across the region.

The tour opens with the Grand Gala Dinner on Friday, 7th August, welcoming over 600 premium guests from sectors involved in promoting the sport. The evening features an interactive live talk session hosted by a celebrity sports anchor, allowing attendees to gather firsthand reflections from the players who transformed cricket across the Indian subcontinent. Alongside the gala, the tour introduces corporate leadership sessions on 7th & 8th August. These specialized 90-minute interactive techno-commercial workshops are designed to translate insights from the elite sports fraternity into actionable business strategies for goal-setting, handling challenges, and team motivation—fabricating a structured model to build cricket as a sustainable commodity in this part of the globe.

The sporting centerpiece takes place on Saturday, 8 August, with the highly anticipated Legends vs Mariners Match. This showpiece match will integrate with the annual Mariners Premier League (MPL) cricket tournament, which features 61 participating teams competing across corporate, open, women’s, and junior divisions. Highlighting Singapore's digital connectivity and pivotal role as a global maritime capital, the match will be live-streamed directly to more than 2,000 commercial ships at sea, instantly instilling a stream of cricket euphoria across the global hemisphere.

"The 1983 World Cup victory remains a definitive masterclass in overcoming impossible odds through collective unity and visionary leadership," said Avijit Dutta, President of Mariners’ Cricket Club Singapore. "This landmark tour brings that historic legacy directly into Singapore's vibrant corporate and sports ecosystem. By combining elite sports psychology with premium networking, we aim to inspire our local business community and the next generation of athletes. Furthermore, broadcasting our showcase match live to thousands of mariners working out at sea reinforces Singapore’s unmatched global connectivity, celebrates the deep camaraderie that defines our maritime industry, and allows us to serve as a tireless torch-bearer to promote cricket in South-East Asia."

About The ’83 Legends Tour: The ’83 Legends Tour of Singapore is organized by the Mariners Cricket Club Singapore. The tour serves as a premier international platform bringing together legendary sporting figures, corporate executives, and fans for insightful discussions on leadership, legacy, team building, and premium networking opportunities.

About Mariners Cricket Club Singapore: Established in 2005, the Mariners Cricket Club is a premier cricket organization in Singapore that brings together professionals from the maritime and related corporate industries. Guided by the motto "Bringing the Maritime Industry Together Through Sport, Camaraderie & Community," MCC is committed to fostering long-term professional relationships, teamwork, and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

View source version on businesswire.com:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260724603007/en/

Contact

maithili@bloomingdalepr.com 

Source : Mariners Cricket Club (MCC) Singapore

Chengdu's Magnetic Appeal Through the Lens of APEC Digital Week

 

The 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, alongside other events of the Digital Week, was held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. 

CHENGDU, China, July 24, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--

From July 16 to 29, the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, alongside other events of the Digital Week, is held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The event serves not only as an important platform for advancing exchanges and cooperation in the digital and AI fields across the Asia-Pacific region, but also as a window into Chengdu's innovative vitality.

According to the Chengdu Municipal People's Government, the organizer of the event, the Digital Week features a range of activities centered around four pillars: AI innovation, the showcase of industrial achievements, the promotion of Tianfu culture, and economic and trade cooperation. These efforts aim to leverage the meeting's momentum to boost high-quality growth in Chengdu's manufacturing and digital economy, and to further polish its calling card as a digital, intelligent, and international city.

Why Chengdu? The answer lies in the strategic imperative of extending the Asia-Pacific digital economy's footprint westward.

For years, digital cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region has been heavily skewed toward developed coastal areas. The fact that the meeting is being held in China's inland heartland for the first time marks a major step forward in the regional cooperation landscape. Leveraging the national "Eastern Data, Western Computing" project, Chengdu has developed secure, resilient digital infrastructure, equipping the city with the capacity for high-level multilateral dialogue. This geographical shift from a "coastal frontier" to an "inland hub" offers new coordinates and greater room for cooperation, fostering balanced development and shared digital benefits across the Asia-Pacific.

Chengdu also offers an ideal window into China's innovative vitality in the digital sector.

For a long time, global perceptions of western China have been largely confined to its natural resources, while its rapidly rising innovation capabilities received little attention. In 2025, Chengdu's industrial enterprises above designated size racked up 1.79 trillion yuan in operating revenue. The city has fostered two trillion-yuan industrial clusters in electronic information and equipment manufacturing, along with 11 key industrial chains, each with an output value exceeding 100 billion yuan, including artificial intelligence and aerospace. It has built more than 80,000 5G base stations and established a multi-tier computing infrastructure system that integrates "supercomputing, intelligent computing, general-purpose computing, and edge computing", bringing its total computing capacity to over 20,000P. Meanwhile, the core AI industry in Chengdu has surpassed 150 billion yuan in scale, growing by approximately 39% year on year. The city has also been ranked among the top-tier "leading cities" in the China City AI Index Report.

Driven by electronic information, AI, and digital cultural and creative industries, the added value of Chengdu's core digital economy sectors now accounts for more than 15% of the city's GDP. The Chengdu-produced animated feature Ne Zha 2  has set a new box office record in Chinese film history, topping 10 billion yuan in ticket sales and emerging as a benchmark for science-industry integration in Chengdu's digital cultural and creative industries.

The capacity to turn digital and intelligent technologies into tangible productivity gains represents precisely the kind of "certainty" that the global economy urgently needs amid its ongoing recovery. For Asia-Pacific economies, Chengdu offers more than market opportunities, but rather a systematic solution for applying technologies and validating scenarios.

On top of that, Chengdu's distinctive cultural charm and open, inclusive urban character bring a human touch to what might otherwise be a cold technical exchange. With its dual-airport hub connecting the city to the world and its innovation ecosystem embracing the globe, Chengdu is putting the principle of opening-up and cooperation into practice. Through concrete actions, the city is presenting a Chengdu approach to connecting the world in the digital age.

Located in southwest China, Chengdu is a major economic, cultural, and transportation hub for the western region. With a history spanning more than 2,300 years, the city is renowned worldwide for its Dujiangyan Irrigation System, giant pandas, and cuisine. Home to a permanent population of over 21 million, Chengdu is served by two 4F-class international airports that connect it with destinations across the globe. Here, ancient temples stand alongside financial sci-tech districts, where tradition and modernity coexist in harmony. It is a city that captivates visitors so deeply that they simply never want to leave. 

Source: The Chengdu Municipal People's Government 

--BERNAMA 

APO Hands Over Cambodia Institutional Capability Development Plan

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) handed over the Institutional Capability Development Plan for the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia to the Royal Government of Cambodia in an official ceremony in Phnom Penh on July 22.

APO in a statement said the report was formally handed over by its Secretary-General, Dr Indra Pradana Singawinata, to the Cambodian Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Hem Vanndy.

Developed with APO support, the Institutional Capability Development Plan (ICDP) provides a structured pathway for strengthening the institutional capability of the National Productivity Centre of Cambodia (NPCC), Cambodia's national productivity institution, building on the APO-supported National Productivity Master Plan introduced in 2018.

The handover comes at an important moment for Cambodia as the country prepares to graduate from least developed country status in 2029 and seeks to sustain competitiveness via productivity, innovation, digital transformation, green growth, industrial upgrading, and economic resilience.

In this context, a stronger NPCC will be essential to translate national productivity priorities into practical services, measurable results, and sustained improvements for enterprises, public institutions, and other stakeholders.

The development plan sets out three mutually reinforcing reform categories–strengthening institutional and governance foundations; strengthening organisational systems and human capabilities; and enhancing service effectiveness, stakeholder engagement and results-based management.

These categories are supported by 10 reform actions and a three-year capability pathway designed to support the NPCC’s evolution into a more capable, trusted, evidence-driven, and future-ready national productivity institution.

The report said productivity improvement cannot be achieved through activity expansion alone, calling for clearer institutional purpose, stronger governance and management systems, a more demand-responsive service model, deeper technical capabilities, stronger strategic partnerships and a shift from measuring activities to demonstrating productivity results.

Through the ICDP, the NPCC is expected to strengthen its ability to support firms and public institutions in identifying productivity constraints, adopting practical solutions, improving service quality, and using evidence to guide continuous improvement. 

-- BERNAMA