Malaysia has taken a tangible step toward becoming a recognised hub for cyber intelligence solutions following the signing of a landmark partnership agreement between Velum Labs Sdn Bhd (VLSB) and UK-based TriCIS Ltd recently.

The partnership agreement will see VLSB, a Sapura Holdings Bhd subsidiary, and TriCIS provide cyber security capabilities to governments and private sector clients across the region under a joint UK and Malaysia bilateral agreement.

Sapura Group president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin said the company appreciates the trust and confidence TriCIS has placed in Velum Labs, making full use of its skill set and track record in the cyber security and cyber intelligence space.

“As we are managed and operated by local talent, this partnership reflects our Malaysian workforce’s world-class capabilities and technical know-how.

“By joining forces with TriCIS, we can leap forward in innovation and out-of-the-box solutions that can place Malaysia at the forefront of sovereign telecommunications technology while meeting our country’s need to create high-value jobs for its citizens,” he said in a statement today.

The signing ceremony was held at the VLSB facility and witnessed by Shahril, TriCIS chief executive officer Antony Summerfield, Minister of State for Defence United Kingdom Baroness Annabel MacNicoll Goldie and the British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay.

VLSB is a leading home-grown cyber intelligence and cyber security company that provides enhanced cyber intelligence solutions derived from the market-leading understanding of the cyber-attack methodology.

TriCIS is a UK-based specialist in designing and engineering highly secure integrated solutions that meet the highest government and military security standards.

With over four decades of experience, TriCIS is a trusted supplier to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

According to Mordor Intelligence, the Global Defense Cybersecurity Market was valued at US$16.22 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach US$28.53 billion by 2026, registering a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10.51 per cent between 2021-2026.

The report also highlighted that Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region for this market.

“We are delighted to be working with VLSB as their technical know-how and software expertise in cyber security and cyber intelligence will prove invaluable in creating highly advanced solutions that can meet the defence and security needs of countries and industries in the region and across the world,” Antony Summerfield said.

“We also look forward to leveraging Malaysia’s talent and its close relationship with countries across the region to expand our presence within this fast-growing and dynamic market,” he said.

Source: NST

Malaysia, UK firms to collaborate to create cyber-security regional hub

Going green is important for Malaysia for two key reasons – to manage and mitigate risks associated with the inevitable impact of climate change as well as to enable Malaysia and its people to benefit from the opportunities offered by the green transition.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said achieving net zero for Malaysia will require upwards of RM350 billion in investments and both the government and the private sector, alongside the international community, have a critical role in achieving these goals.

In 2022, the central bank continued to make steady progress in its efforts to address climate-related risks, in line with its mandates to promote monetary and financial stability, as well as in its own operations.

“We continue to focus on strengthening the financial sector’s climate resilience.

“We made further progress in greening our own operations and advancing research to better understand how climate and nature interact with each other and with the financial system and economy,” said BNM in its Annual Report 2022 released today.

It said a large number of financial institutions now consider climate change in their operations, risk management, and business decisions. This affects how they form strategies, manage risks, carry out processes, and offer products and solutions.

“More financial institutions have also started actively engaging their customers on the topic of climate risks and transition plans,” the central bank said, adding that technical expertise in climate risk is still developing within BNM and it continue to invest resources to build the competence of its staff.

The central bank noted that transitioning to a climate-resilient economy entails high costs and risks and the government needs to help absorb some of the risks or reduce the overall cost, especially for the vulnerable segments such as small and medium enterprises.

“This could take the form of grants, guarantees, and tax benefits. Blended finance mechanisms where both public and private sector monies are used to fund highrisk transition and adaptation activities are also important.

“Innovative products need to be developed to distribute risk, encourage investments and better serve the needs of consumers,” it added.

For Malaysia, it is also important that these measures do not lead to financial exclusion and a further widening of income gaps. This ensures that those most vulnerable to climate change and often contributing least to it, are not disproportionately affected, said BNM.

Source: Bernama

Going green to benefit Malaysia, citizens to reap opportunities from green transition: BNM

The private sector’s involvement in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme is crucial in creating a demand-driven TVET system that contributes towards the achievement of national goals, said Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).

MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the national TVET policy that drives quality skills development through a combination of classroom-based training and practical experience in the workplace requires greater involvement of the private sector.

“Collaboration with the private sector helps trainees acquire skills required at the workplace and also reduce mismatch between TVET qualifications and demands of the labour market.

“Practical training offered by the private sector provides working environment experience and creates better attitude of TVET graduates towards private sector workplace requirements,” he said, adding that private sector employers’ involvement in TVET training is an important strategic role to improve the relevance of TVET graduates.

He said private sector participation in TVET policy and decision-making processes is critical to the development of a sustainable and demand-driven TVET.

The private sector involvement in shaping policy frameworks for TVET in skills development facilitates the integration of learning and practices in the workplace, and strengthens TVET governance through participation in national TVET committees.
Syed Husssain said the involvement ensures what is taught in TVET education is relevant to the needs of the private sector, as this will allow TVET graduates to be ready for employment without long and costly retraining at the workplace.

At the same time, it will also reduce the costs on TVET providers while increasing trainees’ opportunities for skills development.

“TVET graduates in a demand-driven TVET education system ensures they are more employable and will be able to command a better employment package,” said Syed Hussain.

“With a sustainable supply of skilled TVET graduates, employers will be more confident of embracing and implementing IR4.0 in their production and services processes.”

He said appropriate TVET system with greater collaboration of the private sector enables TVET to produce ready-to-work graduates.

“In future-proofing skills of TVET graduates, there is a need for industry to be actively engaged in developing curriculum and in its delivery as well as its evaluation,” he said, adding that TVET brings long-term benefits to the development of the country and MEF has several proposals in mind.

He said an increase in funding for TVET is needed to ensure students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and to attract and retain highly qualified teachers, trainers and students.

“The TVET academic staff should be given more sabbatical leave to take up training at industries, to further improve their knowledge and have first-hand information on the latest developments in industries and further understand their needs.

“Only then can education be made more relevant and responsive to the needs of the labour market.”

He said TVET reputation needs to be enhanced by promoting the benefits of TVET and highlighting its success stories. This will help to attract more quality students to TVET and reduce the stigma associated with vocational education.

Syed Hussain said the TVET education system is bogged down by the multiple, overlapping mandates and jurisdictions of ministries and agencies involved in its provisions.

He added this puts a lot of constraints on the smooth functioning of the system, as the accreditation of programmes is placed under two separate entities and seen as confusing by private sector employers.

“Diplomas and degrees conferred on TVET graduates should be fully recognised by the government and industries. TVET will be the most relevant education in the future.

“The future is going to be driven by technology and advanced sciences. It is going to be more robotic and digitalised. It is going to be hands-on experience with modern tools. TVET is the pathway for the future.”

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently called on large and multinational companies to help cover the funding of TVET.

He said by doing so, they would directly help the people through acquisition, maintenance and training.

Source: The Sun Daily

Private sector crucial in creating demand-driven TVET system, says MEF president

Only 16% of Malaysia’s total workforce are skilled workers compared to most developed countries, where skilled workers make up about 54% of their total, says Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon.

The MCA deputy president said this is a worry as investors may find it difficult to carry out their operations here due to the lack of skilled Malaysian workers.

“PW 4 electricians in particular are in high demand as they are key to ensuring the facilities of major industries are running well.

“As such, this new TVET programme will be vital in upskilling electricians in the country to keep up with rising labour demands as our country shifts from an industrial-based economy to a knowledge-based one.

“It will also help to promote the practice of lifelong learning among the people,” he said in his speech at the launch of the new Wireman PW 4 training programme at the VTAR Institute campus here yesterday.

Also present at the launch were Energy Commission (EC) deputy director (electric competency unit) Azalina Hassan, VTAR chief executive officer Tan Cheng Liang and chairman of the VTAR board of directors Soon Mon Huay.

Dr Mah commended the VTAR Institute for introducing its Wireman PW 4 training programme in its efforts to tackle the shortage of skilled workers in Malaysia.

The programme will include new skills such as three-phase wiring installations, which are typically used to power large commercial and industrial facilities.

Tan said students under the programme, which has been approved by the Energy Commission, will undergo 12 months of training, including lessons at the VTAR Institute and two practical tests in a model house for three months.

They will then undergo six months of industrial training under the watch of an electrical contractor certified by the Energy Commission.

Students will return to classes for three months and take their final tests before graduating from the course.

The first batch of students began their classes in January this year.

Tan added that loans, scholarships and sponsorships from industry players will also be available for students to apply for.

Source: The Star

Mah: TVET upskilling needed to draw investors

A proposal for collaboration has been mooted for Bumiputera logistics players to ensure Bumiputera companies involved in the sector remain competitive in the domestic and international markets.

This was one of the suggestions proposed by the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) to improve the performance of Bumiputera players in the logistics sector in a report on the Bumiputera value chain performance study in the logistics sector.

According to the report,  released by Teraju, the collaboration, which can be referred to as the Bumiputera logistics collaboration (KLB), can be in the form of a joint venture or cooperative, taking into account the long-term impact during the implementation phase of the strategy.

“The collaboration needs to be designed with the goal of forming Bumiputera companies of the fourth-party logistics standard or 4PL.

“It aims to strengthen the network and service integration between Bumiputera logistics operators, increase the competitiveness of Bumiputera logistics service providers at a speedy rate, empower existing assets and resources to compete in a dense market, and open up more business opportunities for Bumiputera logistics operators, especially in new markets with a high margin,” according to the report.

The report stated that the collaboration (in the form of a cooperative) can be opened to all Bumiputera logistics companies in the country and abroad, with a stipulated membership fee, and members will receive annual dividends based on the performance of the investment and collaborative business.

To ensure that the main objective is achieved, KLB through its commercial entity needs to act as a corporate entity, where decisions and investments are made for the benefit and business progress of its members, said the report.

However, it said,  the main goal of KLB to form a Bumiputera company with 4PL status is not easy to achieve.

“[The] 4PL companies need to be sophisticated and complete in all aspects of service, especially in value chain management. Therefore, Bumiputera companies must firstly be equipped with all those requirements,” it said.

It also said implementation of the strategy is divided into short- medium- and long-term to provide opportunities for collaboration, and for its members to overcome challenges and weaknesses gradually and progress sustainably.

Besides the collaboration strategy [in the form of a cooperative], Teraju also proposed two other strategies, namely the exploration of new markets and high-margin businesses by Bumiputera companies, in addition to increasing opportunities for Bumiputera companies to build competitiveness and resilience.

The report said that if all the proposed strategies can be implemented, Bumiputera participation in the logistics sector will increase from 14% to 25% in 2030, based on the estimated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation that will be generated by KLB compared to the projection of existing businesses in Malaysia’s logistics sector.

“An initial investment amounting to RM227 million for upgrading infrastructure, standards, digitalisation and operations is required from the private sector.

“With increased involvement in high-margin services and new fields, the total value of GOS (the gross operating surplus contribution) of Bumiputera companies in the sector is expected to reach up to RM9.2 billion in 2030.

“This estimate is in addition to the GOS target of the Bumiputera Development Action Plan 2030 of RM23.5 billion by 2030,” said Teraju in the report.

In the same report, Teraju listed seven challenges faced by Bumiputera logistics companies, including limited business opportunities, less investment, and less skilled human capital.

Bumiputera companies also face the challenge of limited ability to meet high and diverse demand, lack of competitiveness in a crowded market, industry fragmentation and lack of integration, and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Source: Bernama

Collaboration recommended for Bumiputera logistics players to stay competitive, says Teraju

Johor needs a flexible Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution and competent teaching staff in order to produce a knowledgeable and trained labour force to develop the state’s economy, said state Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Human Resources Committee chairman (Exco) Mohd Hairi Mad Shah.

He said key players in TVET and industry in the state should also take advantage of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) to enhance their ability and competitiveness in facing new challenges as well as ensuring that no one is left behind.

“Johor needs a TVET institution … and the institution itself must be fully equipped and strong to face this challenge. We believe the agenda to empower TVET together with the key industry players should be the main strategic direction of TVET,” he said in replying to a supplementary question from Amira Aisya Abd Aziz (MUDA-Puteri Wangsa) at the Johor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in Kota Iskandar here today.

Amira Aiya wanted to know what steps are being taken by the state government to overcome the problem of unemployment and to resolve job mismatch among graduates in Johor.

Mohd Hairi (BN-Larkin) said the state government through the Johor Human Capital Strategic Unit has taken the step to establish a Human Capital Steering Committee as a platform to share and collect information related to job scope, skills and industry opportunities.

“Through this platform, we can bring together agencies related to human capital development and industry players, in fact, new strategies can be developed to help TVET institutions produce a highly skilled workforce according to different expertise thus filling the employment needs as a result of the investments received by the state,” he said.

He said the state government had allocated RM5.2 million for the implementation of the Johor Skills Training Programme (PRO-MAHIR) aimed at empowering TVET graduates last year.

He said the PRO-MAHIR is an initiative that offers free skills courses apart from job placements for TVET graduates once they complete the Upskilling and Reskilling Programme courses based on the concept of “train and place”.

According to Mohd Hairi, various initiatives will be taken to produce a competent labour force, among them through the TVET Carnival programme in July this year.

The programme aims to introduce TVET learning to primary and secondary school students and also provide awareness to parents on the advantages and career opportunities in the field of TVET.

Source: Bernama

Johor needs more flexible TVET institution to produce skilled workforce – Exco

Malaysia’s national power grid has the capacity to take on more energy from renewable energy (RE) sources up until 2030 without affecting grid stability, said International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) director-general Francesco La Camera.

However, investment for the grid of the future must be committed now to ensure continuity through the energy transition, La Camera said.

“At the moment, Malaysia is not in the hurry but naturally, the grid has to evolve to make it possible for even more RE sources to come in,” he told The Edge at the sidelines of the Malaysia Energy Transition Outlook launch.

“This will also increase the appetite for investments, once you are sure you can deliver the electricity and be paid in return. It is one of the more relevant push to encourage additional RE capacity,” La Camera said.

Overall, Malaysia is expected to see renewables’ installed generation capacity (excluding battery storage) to increase to up to 33% of total capacity by 2030, according to the Irena Malaysia Energy Transition Outlook Report.

The energy transition outlook report anticipates US$4.8 billion in investments required for the national transmission grid from now until 2030.

At the same time, the country requires significant installation of up to 1.4GW new solar energy capacity to the grid annually in the period, to accelerate Malaysia’s energy transition and to keep the country on a climate-safe pathway, the report found.

To be sure, Malaysia’s grid operator Tenaga Nasional Bhd is investing RM7 billion each year up until 2024 for its Grid of the Future programme, which also entails the Asean power grid interconnectivity ambition.

A 2021 report by the Energy Commission indicated a planned installation of five battery energy storage units with a capacity of 100MW annually into the system from 2030 to 2034, in order to address system stability concerns.

Energy subsidy for fossil fuels biggest short-term headwind to spur RE investments

In the short term, one of the biggest headwinds in RE generation installation is to address energy subsidies skewed towards fossil fuels.

According to La Camera, Irena’s study found that in four-fifths of the planet, RE is a cheaper source of electricity than any other form. He viewed that this largely applies for hydrocarbon-producing countries like Malaysia as well.

As subsidies are applied, it will continue to shield consumers from the real cost of energy. It is crucial that incentives and investments are directed towards long term, productive and sustainable uses, he said.

“It is about giving the chance for RE to compete on equal footing on the technology front.

“Technology already exists — when someone says we need improvements in new technologies to effectively address climate change, we [at Irena] make clear that this [assertion] is to delay the energy transition,” La Camera said.

Source: The Edge Markets

Malaysia’s national grid can take on more RE, says Irena chief

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) said it  has taken steps to enable GDS IDC Services (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd’s data centre campus at the Nusajaya Tech Park in Johor Bahru to start operations in July through an interim supply of 16 megawatts (MW) of high voltage electricity.

“Plans are underway to ensure the increased maximum demand of 85.5MW is delivered within 2023,”  the utility company said in a statement issued jointly with GDS on Sunday (March 26).  

The two companies had signed the power supply agreement in October 2022. A supplemental agreement was signed on March 21 by TNB chief retail officer Kamal Arifin A Rahman and GDS chief operating officer Jamie Khoo. The ceremony was witnessed by TNB president and chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Baharin Din; and GDS founder, chairman and CEO William Wei Huang.

Baharin said that through its provision of power supply, TNB is complementing the government’s foreign investment-friendly policies to nurture a healthy data centre market and help the industry achieve its business objectives.

Noting that TNB and GDS shared common goals and ambitions towards a greener future, Baharin said: “In support of GDS’s aspiration of becoming the first data centre company to achieve carbon neutrality, with 100% use of renewable energy by 2030, TNB will extend its collaboration into the provision of smart energy solutions.”

He added that the collaboration “is one of many initiatives that is accelerating the growth of the nation’s digital economy, which is further driven by the increased usage of cloud-based services, IOT (Internet of Things), big data analytics and the rapid pace of digitalisation in the region”.

Huang said that through the partnership with TNB, GDS hopes to make significant contributions to support Malaysia’s ambition in becoming a data centre hub and driving the regional digital economy.  

“With TNB’s unwavering commitment in providing reliable electricity supply to our data centre campus in Johor, GDS is well-positioned to offer world-class data centre services in the region, further strengthening Malaysia’s digital infrastructure and accelerating its digital transformation and growth.

“In addition, we look forward to the collaboration with TNB in the adoption of renewable energy as part of our sustainable development efforts, such as a smart green solution,” he added.

Source: The Edge Markets

TNB to start supplying high voltage electricity to GDS’s Johor Bahru data centre in July

Cyberview Sdn Bhd is considered a pioneer tech hub developer in Malaysia. Since its humble beginnings as a landowner in Cyberjaya in 1996, the company has had a vision to drive the development of a global tech hub in Malaysia. This has kept the team focused over the years to support the country’s economic prosperity and promote sustainable living through technology and innovation.

For a decade, Cyberview established the basic infrastructure in Cyberjaya to enhance its attractiveness and increase the community’s quality of life. Then, it took on a more active role as a facilitator of selling and leasing of land, construction of buildings and supporting government-certified information and communications technology (ICT) companies via the development of Cyberjaya.

In 2011, it took on greater responsibilities as the smart city manager driving the growth of Cyberjaya as a premier ICT hub in the country. Then in 2015, the company became a technology hub enabler with the commitment to further strengthen the position of Cyberjaya from being the nucleus of a Malaysian digital hub to becoming a global technology hub.

Through this role, Cyberview had the responsibility to ensure that a potent and holistic technology ecosystem, which forms the foundation for the global technology hub, was put in place. Given its outstanding performance and contribution, the company was mandated by the government to spearhead the development of Cyberjaya.

Today, Cyberjaya has flourished as a thriving global tech hub that is fully equipped with infrastructure, resources, knowledge workers and many other key ingredients necessary to create an attractive and viable tech ecosystem for companies of various levels of maturity to build on. Based on the growth of the smart city, Cyberview has made a name for itself as the leading technology hub developer in the country.

Cyberjaya is now a highly sought-after address for established tech names and ambitious start-ups both locally and from abroad, thanks to the smart-city initiatives ticking all the boxes for a conducive tech platform that stimulates ideas and fosters growth.

Besides being the capital of Malaysia’s largest tech community with 140,000 residents, 400 start-ups, 40 government offices and government-linked companies, 400 Malaysia Digital Companies and 900 other business entities, Cyberjaya is also a vibrant and liveable city. It comes with excellent amenities, facilities and transport networks that enable businesses and residents to easily access resources and services. This has led to the growth of many tech-driven companies in the area, making it a hub for innovation and smart living.

Cyberjaya’s new master plan

To further strengthen its position as a global tech hub, Cyberjaya is divided into four zones — North, South, West and Downtown. Each zone has its unique characteristics that complement each other and work in harmony towards the singular aim of turning Cyberjaya into a world-class tech hub.

West Cyberjaya is the centre for industry-academia collaboration to produce skilled talent for South Cyberjaya, which requires high-value and skilled human resources for R&D and innovation projects.

South Cyberjaya is the district for innovation, where the focus is on smart mobility, smart healthcare and digital creative. The solutions are commercialised and deployed in North and Downtown Cyberjaya when they have been fully developed.

North Cyberjaya is dedicated to being a global business district, the centre for smart city solution manifestation in a sustainable and advanced city, while Downtown Cyberjaya will be the centre for the adoption of technology for commercial activities and its integration into community lifestyles.

It is worth highlighting that the three revolutionary clusters of South Cyberjaya — smart mobility, smart healthcare and digital creative — are making significant progress and contributing to the next development phase of Cyberjaya as a global tech hub in Malaysia.

The smart mobility cluster leverages digital technologies as a testbed for the creation of mobility solutions that will be scaled nationally. For example, the implementation of Malaysia Autonomous Vehicle (MyAV) Phase 1 led by Futurise Sdn Bhd kicked off its test route in Cyberjaya in November 2020. The total trial distance of MyAV Phase 1 was 901km as at July 2022. The expansion of MyAV Phase 2 is expected to be operational by 3Q2023.

There is also the first drone testing zone in Malaysia, which was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, in South Cyberjaya. There has been more than 1,500 flight hours for drone testing so far and more than 1,200 remote pilots have been professionally trained in this zone.

The digital creative cluster will be a leading one-stop centre for creating successful products and services in the digital domain, such as Upin & Ipin by Les’ Copaque. It was the first fully produced Malaysian animated series that Disney Channel Asia picked up. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed by Cyberview and Les’ Copaque to allow the former to assess the development of the Upin & Ipin interactive theme park in Cyberjaya.

As for the smart healthcare cluster, it will be a hub for the creation of new and innovative healthcare solutions such as medical robotics, healthcare analytics, tele-health and smart hotel management as well as preventive devices and platforms that address the needs of Malaysians. An example of this cluster’s progress is the completion of Hospital Cyberjaya in November 2022.

Cyberview is actively seeking partners for its smart healthcare development to accelerate innovation along the healthcare supply chain, particularly in diagnosis, healthcare services and emerging trends in preventive and habilitative care.

The new multifaceted master plan of Cyberjaya has been designed to provide dynamic synergies between companies from various industries and entire value chains through five key elements — Facilities, Community, Activities, Experience and Incentives. With the new master plan in place, the smart city is expected to contribute RM250 billion in gross domestic product, create 87,000 jobs for the Malaysian economy and attract 1,200 companies by 2045.

Cyberview is committed to creating a sustainable and high-value comprehensive business launch pad and is strengthening Cyberjaya’s position as a global technology hub. With excellent infrastructure to support growth across all areas, a ready talent pool, attractive incentives and a supportive and involved community, Cyberjaya is the perfect home for global tech powerhouses and promising start-ups.

Source: The Edge Markets

The rise of Cyberjaya as a global tech hub

The potential development of three hydropower plants in Kelantan is expected to increase Malakoff Corp Bhd’s net renewable portfolio to about 100 megawatts (MW), said RHB Research.

To recap, Malakoff signed a heads of agreement (HOAs) with Rising Promenade (RPSB), RP Hydro (Kelantan) (RPHK), and Rising O&M Engineering Services (ROMES) to develop, own, operate, and maintain three renewable hydroelectric energy (RE) plants in Kuala Krai, Kelantan.

These three small hydropower plants or SHPs—Kemubu (29MW), Kuala Geris (25MW), and Serasa SHP (30MW) MW)—have a combined installed capacity of 84MW.

RHB Research is optimistic about the potential development of three hydropower plants in Kelantan with a combined installed capacity of 84MW.

“This would increase Malakoff Corp’s net renewable portfolio to 100MW, in line with its long-term target of 1,400MW by 2031,” the bank-backed research firm said.

Following the series of HoAs, which are expected to be completed within the next three months, RHB Research said Malakoff would have 70 per cent of the ordinary shares in RPHK and operations and maintenance company ROMES.

“It will also progressively inject RM250 million into RPHK for preference shares,” it said.

Pending further details, RHB Research has maintained its earnings estimates on Malakoff.

Based on its preliminary calculation, the firm said these assets could add an average net profit of RM30–35 million per year and potentially be valued at two sen per share.

“These are based on RM1.2 billion in capital expenditure (capex), a 70 per cent equity stake, an 80:20 debt-equity ratio, and a seven per cent weighted average cost of capital (WACC).

“We keep Buy on Malakoff with an 86 sen target price,” it added.

Source: NST

Malakoff to see higher net renewable portfolio coming from three hydropower plants in Kelantan

Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) plans to invest RM3 billion over the next five years to create an additional capacity of 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), chief executive officer Marco Neelsen said.

He said the investment would be segregated into two parts, comprising investment in infrastructure and equipment as well as automation and digitalisation, which includes environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) related development.

Neelsen said the investment is predominantly to grow PTP’s footprint in free-zone and also terminal while making the footprint more green and sustainable.

“For this year, we already have around RM500 million approved by the board. We also do not foresee any project delays as there is no more COVID-19 restrictions as well as the ease of supply chain worldwide,” he told reporters in a briefing here today.

On last year’s performance, Neelsen said there was a slight decrease due to the global downturn caused by higher energy prices, geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine and the change in consumer pattern, which moved away from goods to services-based expenses.

“As for 2023, it’s quite difficult to predict in line with global uncertainties but we are optimistic towards the second quarter and second half of this year, hence, we are keeping this a little flexible at the moment,” he said.

A joint venture between Malaysia’s MMC Corporation Bhd (70 per cent) and The Hague’s APM Terminals (30 per cent), PTP was developed from green field consisting of 809.37 hectares for port terminal and 607.03 hectares for free-zone area.

In 2021, the port created a new milestone by becoming the first container terminal in Malaysia to surpass 11 million TEUs throughput and it was also ranked among the 15 top ports in the world with a growth of 10.5 million TEUs last year.

In October 2021, PTP becomes the first port in Southeast Asia to welcome Evergreen Marine Corporation world’s largest container ship, Ever Ace, with 24,000 TEUs class container ships as part of the vessel maiden voyage in the region.

Source: Bernama

PTP to invest RM3bil in next five years for additional 3.5 mil TEUs capacity

Malaysia has the potential to become the leading digital hub of choice in Southeast Asia for foreign technology-based companies in the future.

Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil said Malaysia has previously been a preferred destination for data processing providers because it has a strong communication and cyber security infrastructure as well as digitally literate citizens.

“…and when I found out that the consumer technology company based in Shenzhen, China, FreeYond chose Malaysia as the first country in Southeast Asia to market its product, it was a positive sign for us.

“It will not only have an impact in terms of investment, but this will make Malaysia a hub for many other technology-based products to come to Malaysia,” he said at a press conference here on Tuesday after the official launch of FreeYond’s phones and smartwatches. 

In the event, FreeYond launched two new smartphones — M5 and F9, two smart watches — Watch S1 and F1, and a set of True Wireless Stereo (TWS) headphones — Pods 1.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said the economic relationship between Malaysia and China in particular has a positive impact when more job opportunities can be created, especially in the fields of innovation, technology and skills.

He also said that the relationship between the two countries is expected to be further strengthened through Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to the country soon.

In other developments, Fahmi reiterated his previous statement that the problem of internet access in Malaysia will be resolved by June and the ministry through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) together with telecommunication companies are working to overcome the matter.

Source: Bernama

Malaysia has potential to become digital hub leader in Southeast Asia

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on giant and multinational companies to help cover the funding of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the country.

By doing so, he said, they would directly help the people through acquisition, maintenance and training.

“We call on these companies to help TVET because TVET trains our young people, Malays and Bumiputeras, to improve their skills to enable them to get better jobs with higher wages or salaries, ” he said during Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) who wanted to know if there were other large companies that contribute their profits to the people.

According to the Prime Minister, the companies include Sunway Berhad, Berjaya Corporation Berhad, companies registered with the Associated Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), Telekom Malaysia (TM) and the Albukhary Group of Companies which specifically offered to take over TVET in Pekan. Pahang and Tanjung Malim, Perak.

To a supplementary question from Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) regarding taxes should be used to help the poor, Anwar said the current government was adopting a different approach by getting large companies to channel financial aid directly to the target group, instead of donating to political parties or individuals.

“As for (corporate figure) Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, I asked him to donate directly to the padi farmers…involving RM60 million, which is 30 percent of profit recorded over 20 years,” he added.

In response to Cha’s original question on an allegation that Bagan Member of Parliament Lim Guan Eng, during his tenure as Minister of Finance from May 2018 until February 2020,  cancelled the tax exemption for Albukhary Foundation,  Anwar said the allegation was untrue.

“The fact is that the approval for the tax exemption to Albukhary Foundation and the Albukhary Group was only made on February 25, 2021,” he said.

Anwar said according to Section 44(6) of the Income Tax Act 1967 (Act 53), giving tax relief is not the power of the minister or the prime minister, rather it is the absolute power of the Director General of the Inland Revenue Board.

Source: Bernama

Giant, multinational companies urged to help with TVET funding

Malaysia’s current renewable energy (RE) capacity level is at 25%, inching closer to the country’s target of 31% RE share in the national installed capacity mix by 2025, said Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

He said the ministry is intensifying efforts to prepare a net energy metering (NEM) programme for the government sector to join in the RE initiative as there are many public buildings such as hospitals, schools, and universities.

He added that the ministry is exploring following Australia’s example in solar energy usage.

“All this time, when we talk about solar [energy], we think about large-scale solar and taking a large land or pond to put solar panels. But Australia, for example, is the most successful country in the use of the solar sector, rooftop solar has already surpassed large-scale solar as an energy source.

“This is one of the easiest things for us to pay attention to, to speed up our energy transition,” Nik Nazmi said during the question-and-answer session in Parliament on Monday (March 20).

On the government’s plan to review the RE export ban, he said that if the policy is changed, it must be done on Malaysia’s terms and to protect the interests of the country.

He added that the electricity tariff in the industrial and commercial sectors that uses high- and medium-voltage supply is still subsidised.

That is one of the constraints on the growth of the country’s RE sector as it cannot sell generated energy at a commercial price, in comparison with Singapore which sells power at market price.

“There are many who want to use the latest technology to overcome constraints. For example, solar energy which only takes four hours, (and at) the peak time can generate effective energy.

“Now, there are storage batteries but the cost is expensive. If it is made using the domestic tariff, it is still not attractive. So this matter needs to be studied,” Nik Nazmi said.

He said the government is reviewing the RE export ban, currently in place, after receiving several requests including from Sarawak.

Source: The Edge Markets

Malaysia’s current renewable energy capacity level is at 25%, says Nik Nazmi

The new Penang Technology [email protected], which will be completed in two years, will be the next exciting satellite city for Penang, according to Ideal Property Group executive chairman Tan Sri Datuk Alex Ooi.

Ooi further said that the technology park, with a gross development value of RM4.2 billion, represented a new milestone for the Group.

Penang Technology Park is situated on 356 hectares of freehold property in the municipality of Bertam. It will be the first cutting-edge technology park built in the North Seberang Perai district.

Ooi said that the group began this project to create a vibrant hub for talent, creativity, and technology.

“This technology park is not only attracting foreign investments but also from the local technology companies as well,” he said.

According to Ooi, it is intended to offer new areas for investors in the research and technology sector, as well as to allow potential synergies and innovation (through) new and emerging technologies.

“The technology park which is designed to attract high technology industries as a catalyst to diversify the economy in the region will be constructed in three phases,” he said after the recent groundbreaking ceremony officiated by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

Ooi said that the park’s vital role in incubating local technology enterprises would greatly contribute to the region’s technology industry’s growth and development, supporting innovation and promoting sustainable development.

He said that Ideal Property Group will work with the Malaysian Investment Development Authority and the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority to jointly market the park both locally and internationally, as well as to attract and facilitate investments and provide incentives and subsidies.

Meanwhile, Chow said the project was a timely boost for the state as it will spur the development of other related projects, especially in the north Seberang Perai district.

He said the technology park will uphold the state’s competitive edge, optimising the state’s resources to harness its full potential for strategic investors.

“The park is also designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating features such as green spaces, energy efficient facilities, recycling and waste management systems. This shows that Ideal Property Group is not only focusing on economic success, but also on the environment and social well-being,” he said in his speech.

Source: NST

Penang Technology Park will be the state’s next exciting ‘satellite city’, says Ideal Property Group head

A local group, Kina Ventures Sdn Bhd and an investor group from Taiwan plan to work together to build a proposed RM10 billion 20,000-acre Sabah International Industrial Park and new port in a joint venture with the Sabah State Government in Kimanis.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor was briefed on this during a courtesy call by a joint delegation from Kina Ventures and the Taiwan investor led by Kina Ventures Chairman Datuk Maijol Mahap at his office in Menara Kinabalu here on March 13.

The entire development when completed shall have a projected end gross development value of approximately RM200 billion or more with tens of thousands of job and business opportunities to be created for the local people and with long-term handsome tax revenue to the State Government.

This proposed industrial park is meant for both local and international investors to set up their manufacturing and processing factories, stores, industrial shopoffices and others along with a commercial square and residential development.

Also present were Kina Ventures Managing Director Ir Herman S K Lee, Melvin Lee, Rachel Lee, Taiwan Hakka General Chamber of Commerce President Yeh Chun-Hui, its Honorary President Yeh Chun-Rong as well as several other Taiwanese investors and project consultants.

The Chief Minister said the State Government always welcomed investors to come and invest in Sabah, in line with its investor-friendly policy.

Source: The Borneo Post

RM10 bln Sabah International Industrial Park proposed in Kimanis

Legoland Malaysia Resort has allocated RM40 million for maintenance and routine cleaning this year to ensure the safest and most enjoyable visitors’ experience, its divisional director CS Lim said.

The initiatives include upgrading existing attractions to give them a fresh look and to launch new attractions to attract visitors.

Lim said in an interview that they are also planning some of the most spectacular celebrations their guests have ever seen to make their every visit to the resort worthwhile, he said in an interview.

Lim and his team were in Jakarta recently for promotional activities in partnership with Tourism Malaysia Jakarta’s office.

Legoland Malaysia Resort has stepped up efforts to woo Indonesians who make up the highest number of foreign visitors. Lim said the number of Indonesian visitors is expected to return to the pre-pandemic level this year. He did not elaborate.

He said the last three years were very challenging for the tourism industry, but the resort is now well prepared to welcome back international guests.

“We not only braved through it but we have emerged from it better than ever,” he added.

Tourism Malaysia Jakarta’s director Junus Suhid said Indonesians prefer Kuala Lumpur as their top travel destination of choice, followed by Johor and Melaka.

He said a family vacation destination that Indonesian families are interested in is Legoland Malaysia Resort, the most iconic theme park in Malaysia,” he said.

Source: Bernama

Legoland Malaysia invests RM40 mil in maintenance and new attractions

The Malaysia Robotics market is projected to reach RM103.1 billion by 2030, surpassing the targeted amount in the National Robotics Roadmap 2021-2030, says the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) deputy secretary-general (Technology Development) Datuk Dr Mohd Nor Azman Hassan.

He said the market value of the robotics industry especially Service Robots among others in 2022 was about RM 92.29 billion, despite the detrimental effect of COVID-19 towards the economy.

However, he said the disparity of contribution by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) compared to multinational corporations (MNCs) needed to be addressed beforehand.

“MSMEs’ contribution is far less than MNCs with a market share of three to five per cent over the forecast period,” he said in a statement today following the release of the first series of the Malaysia National Robotics Industry Country Report (NRICR) on Value Creation by the Malaysia Robotics and Automation Society (MyRAS).

The release of the NRICR during the Intelligent Manufacturing Conference 2023 was witnessed by Mohd Nor Azman, MyRAS president Prof. Dr Ishkandar Baharin, Malaysian Research Accelerator of Technology and Innovation (MRANTI) chief ecosystem development officer Mohd Safuan Mohd Zairi, and Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) senior general manager Zaim Azyze.

Meanwhile, Ishkandar said NRICR aims to shift the Malaysian robotics ecosystem from value add to value creation that is sustainable through high-impact innovative solutions in realising the vision of the National Robotics Roadmap 2021-2030 for Malaysia to become a regional robotics hub in services, agriculture and manufacturing by 2030.

In the same statement, MRANTI chief executive officer Dzuleira Abu Bakar said it will set up a National Robotics Hub at MRANTI Park in Bukit Jalil in collaboration with MyRAS, MARii and other robotics industry players to support the expansion of the robotics ecosystem players in Malaysia.

She said the NRCR will be a baseline to further improve the adoption of robotics applications in the various industry sectors in Malaysia by providing an overview of the state of robotics technology in the country including its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

“MRANTI will utilise advanced technologies from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), including artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, and the Internet of Things (IoT), to develop their focused clusters on dronetech, healthtech, agritech and 4IR enabling technologies with an emphasis on tech commercialisation,” she said.

Zaim on the other hand said MARii will support the National Blueprint on Automotive Robotics (NBAR) by enhancing automotive and mobility sectors in manufacturing and services to support Next Generation Vehicle (NxGV) development in Malaysia.

Source: Bernama

Malaysia robotics market to reach RM103.1 bln by 2030 – MOSTI

EG Industries Bhd (EIB) is extending its presence further to build smart warehouses and an international procurement centre (IPC) featuring Kedah’s first vendor management inventory (VMI) system.

The IPC aims to serve the company’s increasing requirements and the surrounding industrial cluster in Sg Petani, Kedah and Batu Kawan, Penang.

Group chief executive officer and executive director Datuk Alex Kang said the RM40 million facilities, slated for completion in 2024, come at a good time, in line with its expansion journey.

“Even before Covid, EIB had put strategies in place to improve our standing by building our team’s mindset to emphasise excellence, safety and innovation, serving more international customers to become their electronic management services (EMS) partners, and improving the efficiency of resource planning and sourcing, especially from local vendors.

“While we are proud of our track record, we believe in enabling our fellow industries in Sg Petani to move forward as a collective unit.

“This is why we chose to build the smart warehouses and international procurement centre (IPC) so that every industry player can utilise system-based technologies and have the opportunity to scale up their operations,” he said in a virtual briefing today.

EIB’s services range from providing printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) and full-product box-build assembly to producing upstream 5G routers and soon 5G optical modules.

Kang also said the company would like to cooperate more closely with government authorities and agencies like the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) to bring up the economic value of the state.

“Our current plant in Sg. Petani has benefitted from grants to encourage exports and innovation, and we are hopeful for continued support for future expansion plans.

“Apart from grants, we always appreciate open sessions for dialogue and feedback on current policies so that government agencies are kept abreast of the latest developments and challenges of industry players and formulate a mutually-beneficial solution,” he added.

Having achieved more than RM1 billion in annual revenue in the financial year ended June 30, 2022 (FY22), the EMS player currently contributes approximately two per cent of Kedah’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Kang spoke at the announcement of EIB’s expansion plan, which includes its Smart ‘Lights-Out’ Factory 4.0 in Batu Kawan, a game-changer for the northern Peninsular, worth RM180 million.

The factory will produce a new 5G advanced high-speed optical signal transmitter and receiver for a 5G wireless network. In addition, it will use photonics and semiconductor technologies through technology transfer from its US-based customer Cambridge Industries Group (CIG).

The Batu Kawan plant commenced construction in January 2023 and will initiate the first pioneer technology transfer in South East Asia.

This is expected to raise the skillset and competitiveness of the local workforce, and is set to hire approximately 1,000 high-skilled talents upon completion in the first half of 2024.

EIB currently employs 3,000 staff representing about 1 per cent of the Sg. Petani population intends to actively collaborate with local universities and colleges to train fresh graduates to become industry-savvy.

With its ‘hire local first’ policy, EIB prioritises employing Malaysians from the surrounding vicinity, enabling it to reduce dependency on foreign labour.

The new plant will deploy the Lights-Out methodology, creating a fully networked environment that digitises material flow for autonomous manufacturing.

This will be managed by a remote team of highly-specialised experts responsible for data management, production planning and quality control.

Source: NST

EG Industries further extending northern presence with smart warehouses, international procurement centre

Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Sulaiman Md Ali intends to turn the state into a Green State Economy hub that can produce better human wellbeing and social equity guarantee as well as reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcity.

He said that as such the state government needs to get this moving with a clear plan and vision towards a Green Economy in line with the measures taken by the Federal government, which always gives additional allocations in Ecological Fiscal Transfer (EFT).

He added that at the recent tabling of Budget 2023, the development of a Green Economy was given an allocation of almost RM600 million covering, among others, the gazetting of new habitat protection areas, animal and wildlife protection programmes, the separation and recycling of wastes as well as precise technology management and agricultural sustainability.

“Apart from that, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) provides financing facilities for this Green Economy, allocating RM1 billion under the High Tech and Green Facility Financing and RM1 billion for Low Carbon Transition Facility Financing besides Khazanah Nasional allocating RM150 million for Environmentally Friendly Development projects.

“In addition, the Green Technology Financing Scheme (GTFS) increased the financing guarantee to RM3 billion up to 2025 while Bank Pembangunan Malaysia also allocated RM1 billion for the Sustainable Development Scheme,” he told the Melaka State Legislative Assembly here today.

On public transportation, Sulaiman said Melaka was lucky to have been picked as a test location to produce a strategic state public transportation plan in line with the Melakaku Maju Jaya 2035 Strategic Plan (PSMJ 2035), which is the Green Transport Implementation Masterplan (GTIMP) of Melaka with the cooperation of the United Kingdom (UK) government.

“Through the GTIMP document, two intervention programmes have been set aside to be implemented in Melaka, namely the Green Bus Network and Heritage Area Integrated Mobility Plan.

“This integrated strategic plan can help overcome traffic congestions in Melaka through effective road planning, increased public bus services and tackling the issue of first- and last-mile connectivity through efforts to integrate and further diversify interconnected travel modes,” he said.

He said that through these efforts, the environment will be better protected and, thus, encourage the arrival of tourists and open up economic opportunities, especially for traders and hawkers.

He said the state government would form a committee to study the recommendations in the GTIMP document to protect the interests of Melaka in terms of public transport since it was under the jurisdiction of the Federal government.

Source: Bernama

Sulaiman aims to turn Melaka into green economy hub

Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research said Malaysia is emerging as one of the key digital infrastructure hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

In a report on Wednesday (March 15), the firm said developments are being encouraged by the government’s digitalisation plans, easing regulatory landscape and technology-friendly policies.

Fitch Solutions said its operational risks team ranks Malaysia as one of the top markets for infrastructure-led utility businesses regionally and globally, providing the appropriate platform for data centre operations.

“We do, however, highlight the fact that it has some of the least competitive labour costs in the region.

“The market has attracted major global players and the investment is growing considering the market’s strategic location and proximity to Singapore,” it said.

Fitch Solutions highlighted that Amazon Web Services (AWS) had unveiled plans to invest US$6 billion (RM27.05 billion) by 2037 to boost cloud services in Malaysia. AWS is planning to add three availability zones in the country to its 99-zone global portfolio across 31 geographic regions.

It said the move follows the signing of a central cloud computing contract by AWS, Google Cloud Malaysia, Microsoft (Malaysia) and Telekom Malaysia Bhd to upgrade Malaysia’s Public Sector Data Centre to a hybrid computing platform known as MyGovCloud.

“Meanwhile, Malaysia’s national postal and parcel service provider, Pos Malaysia Bhd, is planning on migrating its information technology (IT) infrastructure to AWS by 2023, with the aim of reducing IT costs by 50%.

“Both the public and private sectors are experiencing robust digital transformation with the adoption of smart devices, demand for Internet of Things technologies and big data analytics,” it said.

Fitch Solutions said data centres cater for this growing demand.

It said major global players including Microsoft and Google had announced plans to build data centres without specific location plans as of March 2023.

According to Fitch Solutions, other players including Australia’s AirTrunk have pledged to build data centres in Malaysia. Equinix is spending US$40 million on a data centre in Johor, NTT Communications pledged US$50 million investment in its sixth data centre, and Bridge Data Centres already opened its facility in October 2022.

Source: The Edge Markets

Fitch Solutions: Malaysia emerging as one of Asia-Pacific’s key digital infrastructure hubs

The state government has completed phase one of the Data Integration and Interchange Platform (DIIP) as well as three digital hubs, namely People Hub, Business Hub and Geo Hub.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor explained that People Hub enables smooth cross-agency data integration through a single, authentic source for a more holistic and people-centered approach for government agency services.

As for Business Hub, he said the state government has introduced four online services to develop its potential use.

They are the BizSabah Portal for providing entrepreneurial information for each district, Environmental Social Assessment Governance (ESC) Sustainability Assessment for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Virtual Engagement Platform (VEP) for business matching (B2B Matching) and Sabah TAMU to promote and stimulate the growth of the digital market in Sabah.

“While Geo Hub will enable geospatial mapping and analysis for various purposes and activity monitoring with geospatial reference and satellite maps. With this, phase one of DIIIP and the three hubs have been completed,” he said.

Hajiji, in a text speech read by State Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, said
this when launching the CelcomDigi Business Tech Week at the Sabah International Convention Center (SICC), here, Thursday.

Meanwhile, he said the state government is always committed to strengthening the delivery of its services by strengthening the administration and equipment of digital equipment service members.

He said they will ensure that the government machinery always applies the 5A atmosphere, which is Available At Anytime, Anywhere with Any Mobile Device, as well as making sure the installation of wifi facilities in all government premises are secure from possible intrusions.

Hajiji said through this effort, the State Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (KSTI) through the Computer Services Department (JPKN) and Sabah Net will ensure digitization in Sabah is consistently implemented through various digitization plans and programs.

He said JPKN will continue to develop application systems for state government agencies and as many as 30 application systems with End-to-End characteristics will be developed.

In addition, he said the internet network infrastructure in all government premises will continue to be strengthened through installation of broadband lines, in line with the expansion of fiber optic networks throughout the country, and they will accelerate the use of cloud computing solutions in line with the MyDigital Economy Blueprint.

“Meanwhile, Sabah Net will continue to upgrade all 749 state government offices to achieve a fiber network with a minimum speed of 100Mbps by 2025. The Sabah Net Data Centre which has high power capacity is the main host for state government service application.

“As for improvements on cyber security, Sabah Net will carry on with its efforts to upgrade cyber security systems using the latest technology. This will strengthen cyber security protection so that the government can operate effectively and flexibly anywhere,” he said.

Hajiji said Sabah Net will collaborate with the authorities and suppliers of cyber security services to make Sabah as a human capital development center in the field, and Sabah Net has also upgraded its self-service portal to allow government users to manage logs by themselves, in addition to it being a one-stop-centre for cloud computing services..

According to him, in improving the level of connectivity and service quality broadband in Sabah, the state government through the Malaysian Communications And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will construct new towers, upgrade existing transmitting stations to 4G, and upgrade Rural Internet Centres (PID) to Pusat Digital Ekonomi Keluarga Malaysia (PedI).

Hajiji added that KSTI will also be installing internet satellite technology (VSAT) facilities at 300 identified locations in 2023, while another 300 VSATs have been approved to be installed at various locations in Sabah, which is not under the National Digital Network Plan (Jendela) program.

“All planning and digitization programs implemented by the government are to not only ensure the improvement of Sabah’s public service system but also act as a catalyst to accelerate the digital transformation in the state,” he said.

Source: The Borneo Post

State govt completes three digital hubs

An 8,100ha Sabah International Industrial Park and a new port at Kimanis in south-western Beaufort district have been proposed to the state government.

Local group Kina Ventures Sdn Bhd and a Taiwan investor group plan to work together on the RM10bil project under a joint venture with Sabah.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor was briefed on the proposal during a recent courtesy call by Kina Ventures chairman Datuk Maijol Mahap, who met with Taiwanese investors at his office in Menara Kinabalu here.

The proposed industrial park was meant for both local and international investors to set up manufacturing and processing plants, stores, industrial shop-offices and others while also putting up a commercial square as well as residential units.

The entire development is estimated to have a gross development value of RM200bil, not including the value it is expected to generate from jobs and state revenue.

Hajiji told the delegation that Sabah always welcomed investors, in line with its investor-friendly policy.

Similarly, Megaworld Vest Sdn Bhd and Gezhouba Group from China have offered to set up a joint venture for a RM4bil, 1000MW hydropower generation plant in Liwagu, Ranau.

The group briefed Hajiji on the proposal, which it said was in line with the state government’s plan to have more renewable energy facilities as replacements for its current gas- and diesel-fired plants.

Gezhouba is the main contractor that built the 22,500MW Three Gorges Dam in China, the biggest hydropower dam in the world.

Megaworld Vest chairman Datuk Seri Arsit Sedi led the delegation in their meeting with Hajiji.

Source: The Star

Investors pitch mega industrial park, hydro dam projects to Hajiji

The Selangor government is identifying suitable locations to build large-scale solar farms, especially in abandoned ponds, to generate renewable energy in a bid to address climate change.

State Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Hee Loy Sian said apart from the project, the Selangor government also plans to instal solar panels on buildings.

“The state government is also planning to implement a waste-to-energy project in Jeram, Kuala Selangor and Tanjung Dua Belas, Kuala Langat, so that the incinerated garbage can generate renewable energy,” he said.

Hee said this in reply to Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s (Bersatu-Bukit Antarabangsa) supplementary question on the state government’s plan to address the issue of climate change and investment in renewable energy at the Selangor state assembly sitting on Tuesday (March 14).

In another development, he said the state government provides small grants of RM20,000 each to communities, with a total allocation of RM2 million each year, as an encouragement to carry out greening projects.

Hee said this involves resident associations, joint management bodies, neighbourhood watch areas, mosques and surau communities, and non-governmental organisations.

“Since its launch, the grant has received a good response from the communities, and we are hoping that they can join hands with the state government to tackle climate change,” he said.

Source: Bernama

Selangor identifying locations for large-scale solar farm projects, state assembly told

Worldwide Holdings Bhd signed four memoranda of understanding (MoUs) today to establish cooperation in the development of solar energy projects to promote smart and renewable energy use in Selangor.

Worldwide said the first two MoUs relate to the development of an independent power plant project to generate energy from a floating solar farm in Cyberjaya lake.

“The energy produced will be distributed to off-takers comprising private companies committed to clean energy and sustainability,” the company said in a statement today.

According to the company, the project to be developed with an expected cost of RM100 million will be led by a consortium comprising Worldwide, Dynac Sdn Bhd and Majulia Sdn Bhd and is expected to be operational in mid-2025.

Worldwide group chief executive officer Datin Paduka Norazlina Zakaria signed the MoU on behalf of the consortium signatories from Cyberview Sdn Bhd, Cyberjaya’s main technology hub developer.

Another MoU was with the signatories from the project’s off-taker, namely Cyberview Sdn Bhd, Wistron Technology (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd , Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd, Global Energy Storage Malaysia, and PKNS Real Estate Sdn Bhd.

The other two MoUs relate to installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in government buildings and residences in Selangor and the

One MOU was signed with PKNS Real Estate Sdn Bhd to develop solar energy investment for private use and the other was signed with Laman Seri Business Park Management Body involving net energy metering (NEM) involving solar energy and roof leasing agreement.

Source: Bernama

Worldwide signs four MoUs to develop Selangor’s solar energy