News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs. Below are snippets of all the media releases that we received from Jan 3 till Jan 8. Please check back throughout the week for more updates.

AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 3: Asia’s futsal stars will discover their path to the Continent’s biggest futsal prize when the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022 Qualifiers virtual draw ceremony is held in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday (Jan 6) at 3pm (GMT+8).
The road to the Finals will become clear for the qualifiers, who will compete to be among the 16 teams, including hosts Kuwait, at the Continent’s flagship futsal event.
Thursday’s draw marks the return of elite level Asian futsal, which follows outstanding performances at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Lithuania 2021, where history was made as all five Asian teams – the Islamic Republic of Iran, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Japan – reached the Knockout Stage.
With the host nation Kuwait already assured of a place in the tournament, the participating 31 Member Associations (MAs) will be divided into East and West Zones while the Central and South Zones will be combined.
The Qualifiers will be played in centralised venues between April 1 to 15 with the United Arab Emirates hosting the West Zones where teams will contend for five tickets to the Finals while four teams will qualify from the Central and South Zones staged in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The host from the East Zone will be announced soon as teams contend for three tickets to the Finals.

F&N Spreads Festive Cheer

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 3: In the spirit of giving this Christmas, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&NHB) spread some Christmas cheer to the SHELTER Home for Children, a registered welfare organisation to help abused, abandoned, neglected or at risk-children, by providing much-needed supplies in response to their request for assistance.
As part of this year’s initiative, F&NB provided necessities such as groceries and personal care items to SHELTER, as well as RM2,500 worth of vouchers for them to purchase other essentials.
Carol Dayamani, Manager of SHELTER Home who received the items, expressed appreciation to F&NHB for supporting the needs of the home for November and December 2021, and providing the shopping vouchers to tide through the coming months.
On the East Malaysia front, F&NHB supported the Society of Hope Sabah in bringing festive cheer to various parts of the state in conjunction with the Christmas season for the second year running by contributing soy milk beverage and pencil cases to the needy children, especially those from B40 income families.
“With the ongoing economic uncertainties, many are scaling down and reprioritising their spending and this has impacted non-profit and charitable organisations that are dependent on public donations,”Karen Tan, Director, Communications, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability of F&NHB said.

Verofax Secures $1.5M In Pre-Series A

Abu Dhabi, Jan 3: Verofax Limited, an Asset Digitisation and Traceability solutions provider, today announced closing a $1.5M pre-Series A round by international investors led by Benson Oak Ventures, with 500 Startups, Wami Capital and Vernalis Capital completing the group.
Verofax utilises patented technology incorporating Blockchain, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence to provide ‘Traceability as a Service’, enabling brands to turn their offline products interactive, and manage their entire supply chain to trace goods, fend off counterfeit activities, and improve manufacturers’ productivity.
Brands can extend their reach directly to end-consumers, thereby increasing consumer intimacy with direct engagement, and leveraging the boom in NFTs and metaverse experiences.
The funds will be used to expand the Company’s sales and marketing activities on a global level, ahead of a planned Series A round later in 2022.
Verofax solutions are applicable to a wide range of industries (Retail and CPG) and are already used by leading brands such as Anheuser Busch Inc.

Wealth Stack Selected For ThinkTECH Accelerator

Texas, Jan 3: Wealth Stack today announced its participation in the Independent Community Bankers of America’s (ICBA) fourth annual ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator, in partnership with The Venture Center.
The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program fosters fintech-community bank collaboration through a rigorous 16-week program featuring a four-week incubator and a 12-week accelerator.
This year’s program will provide a hybrid of on-site and virtual collaboration opportunities.
”Creating a pathway to generational wealth for diverse communities has been a lifelong passion for me as a young immigrant in search of the American dream,” Wealth Stack Founder and CEO Andrew Glaze said.
“Today, only 30 per cent of adults in Diverse Communities invest in stocks, but we aim to change that by making investing easier and more accessible—and in doing so, closing the wealth gap in a significant way for historically underserved communities.”
WealthStack partners with community banks to offer consumers access to a financial wellness platform designed to teach money management principles and investment fundamentals through curated financial courses.
Once consumers are comfortable, they can perform stock transactions directly using the company’s mobile app, which also offers stock updates and investment tips.

Former Dyson Supplier Takes Heed 

Johor, Jan 3: Former Dyson supplier, ATA IMS Berhad, is looking forward to working with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia to improve its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices following allegations of forced labour.
The Commission had visited the Company’s facilities on Sept 27 to verify allegations of modern-day slavery made public in an article by a British newspaper last June.
The paper had since issued a public apology on these allegations in July but the damage had been done as Dyson had already decided to pull out as a client.
In a statement, the company said it was happy to receive representatives from the commission following the allegations.
Following the visit, the commission also provided feedback for improvement for ATA’s consideration.
In  the interest of improving its ESG practices for the benefit of its workforce, the company  put in place the following immediate remedial and improvement actions following that visit.

G8 Subsea Expand To Korea

Singapore, Jan 4: The management of G8 and Holim Tech have entered into an agreement to develop 1.5GW of offshore wind in South Korea to power 500,000 homes and businesses with renewable energy.
The overall power plant will be paired with the next generation ultra long life Lithium Ion energy storage system to provide stable and high quality power management to the grid.
G8 management and key members of Holim Tech inspected the construction site and coastal facilities for the deployment of wind turbines last November, followed by the official signing ceremony of the 1.5GW project on Christmas Eve.
The wind power plant will feature an advanced energy storage system (ESS) with next generation ultra stable lithium ion batteries from G8’s technology partner 3DOM to ensure optimum stabilisation and energy management to the grid.
The facilities and offshore turbine structures specified shall utilise global leading standards while supporting the local construction and marine industries.

Malaysia Entices Middle Eastern Healthcare Travellers 

Dubai, Jan 3: The Malaysian Healthcare Excellence week from Jan 3 till 8, on the grounds of the Malaysia  Pavilion in Expo 2020 Dubai continues with the participation of many leading industry players in the country  such as Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, TMC Fertility and Women’s Specialist Centre, DoctorOnCall as well as Pharmaniaga, Malaysia’s largest pharmaceutical company.
The Malaysia Healthcare Excellence week was embarked with the launching of Malaysia as Asia’s Hub for the treatment of Hepatitis C.
“This initiative is part of our recovery plans for the healthcare travel industry in Malaysia,” Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council chief executive, Mohd Daud Mohd Arif said.
“We aim to become the global focal point for Hepatitis C treatment.”
Malaysia is positioning itself as a treatment hub for Hepatitis C and is in line with the World Health  Organisation’s (WHO) mission to reduce new viral Hepatitis infections by 90 per cent and reduce deaths  by viral Hepatitis by 65 percent by 2030.

Leaderonomics Launches New Programme

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 3: Leaderonomics Community’s Youth Leadership Program (YLP) has announced a new initiative that strives to grow youths into leaders that will help transform and shape our nation.  
There are more than 14.6 million Malaysians aged between 15-39 years old; a staggering 45 per cent of our population, according to the National Statistics Department. 
Offered to youths between the ages of 13-18 years old from the B40 and refugee community in Malaysia, YLP enables these future leaders to gain access to inspiring, high quality, and relevant online leadership development modules, insights and mentorship that will equip them to lead and serve in the future.  
YLP’s first cohort is a partnership with Yayasan Chow Kit (YCK), a non-profit organisation that was incorporated in 2010 and caters to the needs of children and teenagers in and around Chow Kit. The strategic partnership sees 20 youths from diverse backgrounds under YCK coming on board to participate in the programme and being provided with monthly mobile data in order to support their online leadership journey.  

HKTDC appoints new Deputy Executive Director

Hong Kong, Jan 4: The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) has appointed Sophia Chong as Deputy Executive Director overseeing international trade fairs and digital business for the Council.
She succeeds Benjamin Chau, who is retiring after 37 years at the HKTDC.
“Sophia is an industry veteran whose drive, commitment and talent have contributed to Hong Kong’s role as a global leader in international trade fairs and conferences,” Margaret Fong, Executive Director, HKTDC said.
“Her experience in all aspects of the Council’s work has given her a broad perspective and insights that will be crucial in helping Hong Kong’s SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) ride through this period of unprecedented challenge and capture new opportunities.”
Chong has been promoted from the position of Assistant Executive Director, in which she was responsible for supervising some 30 annual HKTDC exhibitions, a number of which are the largest marketplaces of their kind in Asia or the world.

G3 Global Appoints New Chairman

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 4: G3 Global Bhd has appointed Malaysian civil service veteran Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad as Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman with effect from January 4.
A filing with Bursa Malaysia showed that he succeeds Datuk Wan Khalik Wan Muhammad as Director of the Company and Executive Chairman of the Board, who has resigned today.
Alias, who served as the secretary-general of the Ministry of Education (MOE) before retiring on May 22, 2018, looks forward to working closely with fellow board members and the management of G3 Global.
He seeks to provide the experience and insights that he has gathered after serving the Malaysian government in various capacities and departments.
He served 34 years in the Malaysian civil service and has held many posts of importance in the government.

Largest Cast Of Match Officials Set For Women’s Cup

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 5: The biggest-ever cast of talented and experienced women match officials have been assigned to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 that will take place from Jan 20 to Feb 6. 
With the expansion of the showpiece to 12 teams, a total of 32 match officials, comprising 16 referees and assistant referees from 15 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Associations, will take charge in potentially a maximum of 29 matches including the play-offs.
History will also be made when the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) makes its debut in the tournament from the Quarter-finals as well as potential play-off matches.  
The AFC has organised various workshops and training including VAR courses to ensure the highest standards of refereeing are maintained at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022.
Please click here to see the full list of appointed match officials.

New Trials Now Available On The TrialWire Platform

Adelaide, Jan 5: TrialWire(TM) is pleased to announce two new trials and they are Autism (ASD) clinical studies and new B-cell lymphoma clinical studies  are now available on the TrialWire Platform.
More than six million people have used TrialWire over the past few years to find clinical trials that are right for them at clinics and specialist centers near them.
The ASD studies on TrialWire are available in Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S.
They include studies for children, teenagers and adults around ASD possible causes, and managing symptoms that can impact people’s lives.
You can search for a study near you and find your local specialist team here and then see if you are eligible and apply instantly.

Asian Financial Forum Held Entirely Online

Hong Kong, Jan 5: As a highlight event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the 15th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), organised by the Government of the HKSAR and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held entirely online through the AFF virtual platform on January 10 and 11.
This decision has been made with public safety as the primary concern, and in line with the tightening of the government’s public health measures in response to the latest pandemic developments.
The two-day forum will help participants from both Hong Kong and overseas build business connections, exchange market intelligence and seize global opportunities.

VividThree Deepens Push into NFT Gaming Industry

Singapore, Jan 5: Vividthree Holdings Ltd, a diversified entertainment company specialising in the production of immersive experiences with mixed technologies, announced today that it will deepen its push into the NFT (Non-Fungible Token) gaming sector by investing in GammaR Pte. Ltd (“GammaR”), a company incorporated in Singapore.
The Group has entered into an agreement to subscribe for convertible loan notes of up to S$4.08 million in GammaR, at an interest rate of 3.5 per cent per annum for a period of three years from the date of disbursement.
GammaR intends to provide small game developers with the platform and resources to develop and monetise their ideas and innovations in the market, while riding the recent surge in popularity of digital assets, NFTs and the metaverse.
The gaming and gamification company was established by Jonathan Zhang, and supported by a team who hails from various backgrounds, including digital business, blockchain technology and mobile gaming.

Australia Post To Offer New Tiger Stamps

Sydney, Jan 6: Australia Post has issued a new set of stamps to celebrate the new Lunar New Year of the Tiger, which will begin on February 1.
Lunar New Year, also called the Spring Festival in China, is the most important of the traditional festivals celebrated by Asian cultures throughout the world bringing families together to feast, exchange gifts of money wrapped in red paper, and burn incense to honour their ancestors.
Australia Post Group Manager Philatelic Michael Zsolt said the stamps provide an opportunity to send wishes of good fortune to family and friends, both here and overseas.
The designs show the Tiger in three separate scenarios for stamps of $1.10, $2.20 and $3.30, and a zodiac sheetlet represents all the animals of the zodiac in the same style with additional stamp denominations and a total of 15 separate designs.
The stamps and associated products, including a minisheet and stamp pack, are on sale now at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794, and online while stocks last.

Go Shop RM8 Million Giveaway

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 6: With Chinese New Year in less than a month, Go Shop is giving out RM8 million Angpow to their customers as part of their #UHUU2022 CNY Sale till 31 January 2022!
Customers can enjoy instant discounts of up to RM88 off, double cashback and free shipping nationwide, including Sabah and Sarawak.
During this sale period, Go Shop will be offering a wide range of products such as festive food, CNY bundles, cookware and kitchen appliances, home cleaning and appliances, beauty and fashion products, and many more.
Download the Go Shop app to join the ÜHuu! Tap & Win game from Jan 11 to win more prosperous prizes worth up to RM188,888 and check out Go Shop’s Facebook page for more vouchers to be won.
For more information, go to www.goshop.com.my or download the Go Shop app on Google Play and App Store.

Spritzer Launches Care Packages for Flood Victims

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 6: Spritzer has launched the #KitaJagaKita Care Package for customers who wish to donate mineral water to victims of the ongoing and recent floods that have affected the country.
The Company is offering 25 per cent off #KitaJagaKita Care Packages to customers who are donating to temporary relief centres across the nation that are in urgent need of potable water.
Customers can visit here to purchase these care packages.
Package 1 comprises 5 cartons of 600-ml and 5 cartons of 1.5-litre Spritzer Natural Mineral Water and is priced at RM235 while Package 2 comprises 10 cartons of 6-litre Spritzer Natural Mineral Water together with water pump dispensers priced at RM161.
Spritzer will assist in the logistics of sending the care packages to those evacuation centres and temporary relief centres that are in need directly

Asian Cup Kuwait 2022 Qualifiers Draw Results

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 6: See above for the draw results of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022 Qualifiers
following the official draw ceremony held virtually here, today.

FedEx Express Offers Businesses More Options

Hong Kong, Jan 6: FedEx Express has launched FedEx International Priority Express offering customers who ship internationally the flexibility to schedule delivery by 10:30 am or noon to select destinations worldwide. 
With the addition of this new service, FedEx now provides a wider range of time-definite international priority shipping options to its customers.
Businesses across the Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region can now select the right delivery option that suits their needs with expanded choices, giving them enhanced convenience and flexibility. 
The newly launched FedEx International Priority Express (IPE) service provides AMEA customers with delivery by 10:30 or noon to select markets in Asia (Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Australia), United States, Canada and Europe. 
At USD $3.9 trillion the Asia Pacific logistics market is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of six per cent between 2020-2025.

AIBP Innovation Award Winners Announced

Singapore, Jan 6: Ten enterprises have emerged as the winners of the 2021 AIBP ASEAN Enterprise Innovation Award.
The 5th annual edition of the Award saw over 130 nominations from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam, narrowed down to 27 finalists and 10 final winners.
“We’ve seen ASEAN grow as a region in the past decade, and over the past two years, businesses have had to grapple with uncertainties around the pandemic,” the CEO of the Industry Platform Irza Suprapto said.
“Amidst these challenges, attitudes towards digitalisation and innovation have shifted as they take centre stage in driving growth and development for enterprises in ASEAN, one of the fastest evolving digital economies in the world.”
Winners of the Award are Ayala Land Inc, Bangchak Corporation, Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, Bank Mandiri, Carsem M Sdn Bhd, Mavin Group, Manila Electric Company (Meralco), PT Transportasi Jakarta, Sarawak Energy and Tien Phong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TPBank).

Show Must Go On

Sydney, Jan 7: More than 120 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organisation Creative Community For Peace in support of the Sydney Festival and participating artists. 
After suffering through two years of border closures, extended COVID lockdowns, the most catastrophic bushfires on record and devastating floods, this iconic Festival, celebrating its 45th year, is supposed to celebrate Sydney’s diverse history and rich culture, reuniting Sydney as a community.The open letter comes in response to attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott the Sydney Festival because the Israeli Embassy in Australia is sponsoring the performance of a world-renowned Israeli dance ensemble.
The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes.
Read the letter in full here. 

Revving Up the Art World Like Never Before

Miami, Jan 7: The nationally acclaimed artist Hubert Phipps and the Italian luxury coach builder ARES Modena  which specialises in  re-designing and customising supercars for select clients have launched a new exhibition to debut the first ARES  Modena showroom in North America, in the Miami Design District.
The exhibition Hubert Phipps: Ascending is on view through January 31, and ushered in the arrival of the ARES S1 supercar model for its North American premiere  during the run of the exhibition.
The paintings and sculptures by Phipps majestically surround the supercar model in the  showroom, creating a striking effect.
A sculptor and painter, Phipps was also a national race car champion, and he is  also a pilot, coming up on his 50th  anniversary as an aviator in the tradition of the Phipps family.
The exhibition features several works born out of the artist’s love for acceleration and for aerodynamic forms. 

Oxpay’s Charity Auction 

Singapore, Jan 7: The Global Fintech Institute, NULS, iPreciation and NFTCircle will partner and jointly raise funds for the SUSS Node for Inclusive Fintech (NiFT) through a nonfungible token (NFT) fundraising initiative.
The proceeds will be used by NiFT towards financial inclusion for the underserved, the unbanked, and the financially disadvantaged in the region.
This pioneering endeavour aims to raise SGD$50,000 annually and supports NiFT in providing financial assistance to disadvantaged Singaporean students through awards and grants.
The items on auction range from digital art, music, digitally-autographed e-books, augmented reality experiences, and physical art pieces as NFT.
iPreciation, as the exclusive arts representative, will liaise with the gallery’s established artists for this event.
The auction will be held on NFTCircle and Opensea, the largest NFT Marketplace globally.
OxPay will serve as the exclusive payment portal (non-crypto), while NULS will support the global crypto market.
Crypto payment will be handled within NFTCircle.
Donors can purchase NFT SGD tokens through veri$HOP using fiat currencies.
The NFT SGD tokens can be used to bid for a NFT on NFTCircle.
All transactions are tracked and traced on blockchain for transparency.

Latest Decision By AFC Entry Control Body

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 7: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s independent Entry Control Body (ECB) has decided to withdraw the licences of Persepolis FC, Esteghlal FC and Gol Gohar Sirjan FC (all clubs from the Islamic Republic of Iran) to participate in the AFC Champions League 2022 pursuant to Articles 14.4 and 14.5 of the AFC Club Licensing Regulations (read together with Article 4.1.4 of the Procedural Rules Governing the AFC Entry Control Body). 
The ECB determined that the three clubs had not satisfied all of the mandatory criteria (as required under Articles 3.1 and 3.2(a) of the AFC Club Licensing Regulations) and, accordingly, should not have been granted licences to participate in the AFC Champions League 2022. 
Persepolis FC, Esteghlal FC and Gol Gohar Sirjan FC have now been declared ineligible to participate in the AFC Champions League 2022. 
Additionally, the ECB also rejected the extraordinary application submitted by Gol Gohar Sirjan FC.  
For the full list of decisions taken at the meeting on January 6, see here.

BIGO Awards Gala 2022 Goes Virtual 

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 7: BIGO Technology, one of the world’s fastest growing technology companies will host its third annual BIGO Awards Gala to celebrate its most  exceptional broadcasters from around the world.
The global gala is set to take place at 8:00 pm on Friday, Jan 14 on Bigo Live’s Music Livehouse Channel (Bigo ID:  music).
In the lead-up to the 2022 BIGO Awards Gala, musical icons from across the world hosted their  own livestreams to support BIGO’s rising stars.
French Popstar Kendji Girac and Dutch DJ  Quintino hosted pre-event Gala celebrations in Europe for European users.
To know more about the event, watch the BIGO Awards Gala 2022 trailer here. 

Micron Invests With Local Universities

Penang, Jan 7: Micron Technology, Inc. has announced an investment of RM1 million to strengthen collaboration, research and development (R&D) projects with local universities over the next five years. Funding will go towards grants supporting research in the areas of semiconductor materials, smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence which are key to the advancement of tech manufacturing in the country.
“The RM1 million grant funding to local universities by Micron today further reinforces the company’s commitment to using its leadership, influence and resources to create positive change, on top of its relentless efforts in employee wellbeing, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility, ” Yang Amat Berhormat Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, chief minister of Penang said.
USM is the first university partner to receive funding from Micron.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Micron and USM was signed during an official (virtual) ceremony by Amarjit Singh Sandhu, corporate vice president and country manager of Micron Malaysia and Professor Datuk Dr Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, vice chancellor of USM.

MR DIY Commits To “Price Lock – Harga Kami Tetap Sama”

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 7: Malaysia’s largest home improvement retailer, MR D.I.Y. Group (M) Berhad (MR D.I.Y.) is stepping up to help the rakyat in a significant way – by helping to stretch their ringgit further. 
In addition to keeping to their promise of “Always Low Prices”, the retailer has also committed to a nationwide “Price Lock: Harga Kami Tetap Sama” initiative.  Under this initiative, the retailer has committed to not raising prices of all products across its three brands – MR. D.I.Y., MR. TOY and MR. DOLLAR – until 31 March 2022. 
“The pandemic has placed a lot of pressure on the global marketing value chain.  The cost of manufacturing, transporting, and retailing goods has risen significantly, driving many retailers to pass on the additional costs to customers in the form of price increases,” MR. D.I.Y.’s Head of Marketing, Alex Goh said.
Information on ‘Price Lock: Harga Kami Tetap Sama is available here. 
For more information about MR D.I.Y., visit www.mrdiy.com, e-commerce platform, www.mrdiy.com.my, Facebook, and Instagram.