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 we received from July 15 till the end of the week. This article updates throughout the week.

Box Office Hits $18.05M

Sydney, July 15: The National Australian Box Office raked in $18.05M over the weekend, with the top 10 films accounting for 93.65 per cent of the total.
Leading the pack was Despicable Me 4, which added $4.84M to its earnings, bringing its total to $33.36M.
Inside Out 2 followed closely with $4.61M, increasing its cumulative box office to $46.12M.
New release Twisters debuted at third place, earning $3.65M, with a strong performance in HOYTS Xtremescreen and D-Box formats.
Other notable performances included A Quiet Place: Day One in fourth place with $1.2M, raising its total to $10.05M, and the romantic comedy Fly Me to the Moon, which earned $936K in its debut weekend, particularly popular in HOYTS LUX.
Indian 2 grossed $456K, while MaXXXine brought in $357.8K, making it the top-grossing film in its horror/thriller series. The Bikeriders added $352K, reaching a total of $1.66M, followed by Bad Boys: Ride Or Die with $287K, totaling $13.31M.
Rounding out the top ten, The Garfield Movie earned $271K, bringing its cumulative earnings to $9.68M.
This week’s new releases include Longlegs, which has a preview screening on July 17th before its nationwide release on the 18th.
Sting, another horror film, will also debut, featuring a giant flesh-eating spider.
How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, a new Thai film, will be screened at select HOYTS cinemas. Additionally, the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine will have preview screenings from July 24, with tickets selling fast.
Looking ahead, Trap, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, will be released on 1st August. It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, will feature in HOYTS’ Girls Night Out event on Aug 7.
Borderlands, based on the popular video game, will hit cinemas on Aug 8, followed by Alien: Romulus on Aug 15, which returns the Alien franchise to its roots.
Coraline will celebrate its 15th anniversary with a remastered 3D release on Aug 15.

Alibaba Cloud Powers Olympics

Paris, July 15: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will deploy Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert to optimize power consumption at all 35 competition venues for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The AI-powered solution will consolidate energy-related data, enabling accurate analysis and better-informed power consumption planning.
“With Energy Expert, we can now forecast our energy-related impacts well into the future and accurately measure our progress,” said llario Corna, Chief Information and Technology Officer at the IOC.
This initiative aligns with the IOC’s sustainability goals under Olympic Agenda 2020+5.
The solution will gather real-time electricity consumption data using 100 smart electric meters across various operational spaces, aiding in comprehensive energy consumption analysis.
Historical data from previous Olympic Games will also be available for comparative analysis.
“Energy Expert will further prove its value in the most high-profile and challenging arena of all—the fast-paced and highly competitive world of international sports,” said William Xiong, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. This technology has previously been applied at events like the 2023 Olympic Esports Week in Singapore and continues to support over 3,000 customers globally in their sustainability efforts.

Siab Holdings Welcomes Directors

Kuala Lumpur, July 15: Siab Holdings Berhad (“Siab”) has appointed Wong Yih Ming and Vincent Chu Yee Hong as new Executive Directors, effective 2 July 2024 and 15 July 2024 respectively.
Wong, founder and Managing Director of Taghill Projects Sdn. Bhd. (“Taghill”), and Vincent, Deputy Managing Director of Taghill, bring extensive experience to the company.
They, along with Yap Kek Siung, Executive Director of Taghill, will manage Taghill and its 60 per cent-owned subsidiary, Bimtech Solutions Sdn. Bhd. (“Bimtech”).
Ng Wai Hoe, Group Managing Director of Siab, expressed excitement about the new appointments, emphasizing the value their experience and leadership will bring to Siab.
Siab’s growth prospects are bolstered by the recent Malaysian Budget 2024, which allocated RM90 billion for development expenditure. The property market has shown a 34.3 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2024. Siab’s subsidiary, Taghill, recently secured a RM176.2 million contract, increasing Siab’s total order book to RM2.06 billion. With a positive market outlook and a strong leadership team, Siab is well-positioned for long-term growth.

HX Appoints Chief Expedition Officer

Sydney, July 16: HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) names Alex McNeil as its first Chief Expedition Officer (CXO).
This new role highlights HX’s dedication to adventure travel and its legacy of nearly 130 years in expeditions.
McNeil will manage HX’s global itineraries, ensuring each voyage offers unparalleled exploration and education.
CEO Gebhard Rainer praises McNeil’s transformative leadership and commitment to sustainable practices.
With over 15 years of experience and nearly 200 expeditions, McNeil brings a visionary approach to HX, aiming to create next-generation expedition experiences that prioritize sustainability, cultural engagement, and scientific discovery.

Kucingko IPO Oversubscribed

Kuala Lumpur, July 16: Kucingko Berhad, a 2D animation production services provider, announced its IPO on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia was oversubscribed by 99.02 times.
The IPO involves 100 million new shares and 100 million existing shares, representing 40 per cent of the company’s enlarged shares.
The Malaysian public portion of 25 million shares was heavily oversubscribed, with 21,929 applications for 2.5 billion shares.
The Bumiputera category saw 7,242 applications for 822.4 million shares, oversubscribed by 64.79 times, and the Public category received 14,687 applications for 1.68 billion shares, oversubscribed by 133.25 times.
All 10 million shares allocated for eligible directors, key management, employees, and associates were fully subscribed. The private placement of 165 million shares was also fully covered.
Executive Directors See Chin Joo and Ooi Kok Hong expressed their gratitude, highlighting the market’s confidence and the company’s future plans, including expansion in East Malaysia and a new office in the USA. Datuk Roslan Hj Tik of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, the principal adviser and underwriter, also praised the positive response.
Kucingko Berhad will debut on the ACE Market on 26 July 2024.

KLIMS 2024: Beyond Mobility

Kuala Lumpur, July 16: The Kuala Lumpur International Mobility Show (KLIMS) returns for its 10th edition with the theme “Beyond Mobility” from December 5-11, 2024, at MITEC.
Organized by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) and partnered with the Malaysia Automotive Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii), KLIMS 2024 will focus on advancements in EVs and sustainable mobility.
“KLIMS 2024 continues to showcase the latest innovations and technological advancements in the automotive industry,” said Mohd Shamsor bin Mohd Zain, President of MAA. “With significant growth in the Malaysian automotive industry and a shift towards EVs and sustainable solutions, the market outlook is promising.”
The event will feature exhibits on sustainability, electrification, and autonomous driving. Key industry associations and event partners, including Carsome and Motonation, support KLIMS 2024. Confirmed participants include Perodua, Proton, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, KIA, Mazda, Kawasaki, and more, with additional brands to be announced.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone to KLIMS 2024 and witnessing the future of mobility together,” said Mohd Shamsor bin Mohd Zain.

Gogoro Expands to Singapore

Singapore, July 17: Gogoro Inc. announced an exclusive partnership with Cycle & Carriage (C&C) to launch its battery-swapping technology and Smartscooters in Singapore by Q4 2024, following a successful pilot.
C&C will also collaborate with Shell Recharge to introduce battery-swapping GoStations at Shell service stations.
Gogoro’s founder and CEO, Horace Luke, highlighted the certification from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority as a testament to the safety and reliability of their technology.
Wilfrid Foo, Managing Director of C&C, expressed confidence in the commercial viability of Gogoro in Singapore.
The partnership will offer three Smartscooter models: Gogoro SuperSport, Gogoro Premium, and Gogoro Viva Mix, catering to various user needs from sporty performance to cost-efficient high mileage.