edotco Group, an integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company, has partnered with Aerodyne Group (“Aerodyne”), a leading Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) solutions provider, to implement innovative drone technology in its business operations. With Malaysia pioneering this best-in-industry practice in the region, edotco plans to roll-out the innovation throughout its presence in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Coupled with cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning processes, edotco is harnessing Aerodyne’s aerial capabilities to boost efficiencies in daily operations comprising infrastructure site audits, routine preventive maintenance surveys, network assessments, as well as monitoring for revenue assurance. This is in line with the company’s aim to future proof its business by implementing next-generation technologies, enabling a leaner, more agile, and cost-effective operations.

Suresh Sidhu, Chief Executive Office of edotco Group said, “At edotco, we understand the need to constantly innovate to stay ahead of the curve. This partnership allows us to do just that by unlocking new value drivers for both our business and customers. More than improving our capabilities to deliver continued service excellence, this also sets the stage for the future use of drones in our industry.”

Well into its pilot stage, this collaboration has garnered tremendous benefits for edotco across multiple areas including a 50% improvement in reporting time and a 35% reduction in inspection turnaround time resulting from faster data collation and report generation. In addition, the application of drones in this field has mitigated safety risks by removing the need for technicians to climb to the top of towers to conduct manual equipment inspection.

Kamarul A Muhamed, Group CEO & Founder of Aerodyne group said, “These encouraging results are testaments of the immense disruptive potential of drone-powered solutions in reshaping industries including the telecommunications sector. We are excited with this partnership and look forward to working together with edotco to drive innovation that will not only impact the business but the entire ecosystem as well.”

edotco and Aerodyne have just completed the tower preventive maintenance work for the 100 telecommunication towers in Malaysia and are planning to conduct similar for the rest of the towers in their footprint next year. Through the adoption of leading technologies as a competitive advantage, edotco is progressing towards achieving its ambition of being one of the world’s top five tower companies.

Aerodyne is a world-leading provider of drone-based enterprise solutions, and a pioneer in the use of AI as an enabling technology for large-scale data capture and analytics. Aerodyne operates on an unprecedented level in the UAS services sector. In the eighteen months to September 2018 they have completed over 48,000 flight operations, inspected more than 201,000 assets and surveyed in excess of 38,000km of power infrastructure.

Boost, the homegrown e-wallet, is paving the way towards digitizing and converging the way people book and buy public transport rides in Malaysia. By partnering with KLIA Ekspres, KTM, CatchThatBus, EzCab and
citycarpark, Boost makes public transport a lot more convenient, cashless, secure and easily managed from a single e-wallet.

These collaborations aim to evolve, transform and digitalise the public transport industry as well as on-street city parking to further expand the cashless ecosystem in Malaysia. The integration between these partners allow Boost to be a single point for customers to plan all their domestic travel and on-street parking conveniently, easily
and securely through their e-wallet.

“Together with our partners, we hope to foster the next evolution in Malaysian public transport. Travel in Malaysia has largely been a disconnected, cash-based transaction in the past. With these partnerships, we hope to connect customers to a complete experience from parking their cars and e-hailing a car ride, to taking intercity KTM trains or even riding the KLIA Ekspres to the airport, all from one app on their smartphones,” said Christopher Tiffin, Chief Executive Officer of Boost.

“With Boost, everyone in Malaysia is now able to travel cashless in just a few easy steps. This comes at a great time as we are approaching the holiday season when we get peak volumes in travellers and the longest queues at ticketing counters,” Tiffin added.

Chief Executive Officer of Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL), Noormah Mohd Noor said, “Our customers today expect more product options and innovative
payment solutions. Our partnership with Boost is in line with our mission to provide a
more seamless and secure payment system, and further improve the customer
experience. With Boost onboard, customers can now buy KLIA Ekspres tickets using
Boost at the Ticket Counter, online and even through Boost app.”

Through these partnerships, Boost users can now expect to easily:

– Pay for on-street car parks within Kuala Lumpur which are managed by citycarpark and extend parking duration

from within the Boost app

– Buy bus tickets from CatchThatBus from within the Boost app

– Buy KLIA Ekspres tickets from within the Boost app

– Pay for KTM intercity train tickets from the KTM website using their Boost e- wallet

– Purchase F&B from Brahims on KTM trains (ETS)

– Pay for e-hailing rides on EzCab with their Boost app

As Boost continues to expand its merchants and partners, the step into the public transportation industry will provide a more holistic digital customer experience for millions of people on their commutes.

With over 3.2 million users to date and nearly 50,000 online and offline merchants located nationwide, Boost has revolutionized the way people transact in today’s digital world, making cashless e-wallet payment trendy.

Boost CEO Tiffin said, “As a homegrown brand, we are continuously looking to partner with like-minded homegrown organisations and businesses to reach a common goal of turning Malaysia into a digital society. That makes these
partnerships significant – with our partners, we are taking traditionally cash-based services that millions of people in Malaysia use frequently and digitizing them so more people can benefit from the ease-of-use, convenience and security we offer.”

As a lifestyle application, Boost users can perform various services, from buying prepaid top ups and digital vouchers as well as gifting them, to free cash transfers and even “Go Dutch” with its unique split bills feature. Boost users can enjoy paying utility bills and street parking within Kuala Lumpur and also be rewarded with instant cash back via the “Shake” feature which is an overall gratifying and addictive experience.

All Scania vehicles sold by Scania (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. can run on B10 diesel without further adaptation. 

Normal warranty still applies when running on B10 diesel,  comprises 10% biodiesel and 90% regular diesel; existing customers will not be affected.

There are no changes to the operational procedures or to the vehicle servicing schedule. And,  no additional costs incurred as no extra equipment is required for vehicles sold by Scania (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. running on B10.

“Scania continues to be in the forefront of sustainable transport solutions. Our wide range of alternative fuels have been in operation around the world for some time already and including in Southeast Asia. Our customers continue to enjoy profitability while being environmentally-friendly in their operations through reduced CO2 emissions.” says Managing Director of Scania Southeast Asia, Marie Sjödin Enström.

Established in 1891, Scania is a world-leading provider of transport solutions, including trucks and buses for heavy
transport applications combined with an extensive product-related service offering. It is also a leading provider of
industrial and marine engines. The company’s strategic focus is on customer profitability by being in the forefront
of sustainable transport solutions. It has the broadest range of alternative fuel and technology solutions: from natural gas, hydro-treated vegetable oil, bioethanol, biogas, biodiesel to hybrid drivetrains, platooning and autonomous vehicle technology.

Scania commenced operations in Malaysia in the early 1970’s, supporting the logistics, construction and public service sectors, commuting people and goods every day throughout the country. With about 300 employees, Scania
(Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. today offers capabilities in sales, repair and maintenance, roadside assistance, parts, connected services, driver services and contracted services. It operates ten dedicated workshops, with technicians based at some customers’ premises, to meet the country’s public and cargo transport needs.

Globally, Scania employs some 50,000 people and operates in about 100 countries. Research and development
activities are mainly concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe, Asia and South America, with
facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. The company is headquartered in Södertälje, Sweden.

Triton Digital®, the leading technology provider for the global audio industry, is pleased to announce that Singapore’s leading media company, Mediacorp, has selected Triton Digital to power its digital audio and podcast strategy.

Through this partnership, Mediacorp will use Triton’s audio streaming network to deliver high quality audio content to its online listening audience, and the Tap Ad Server to dynamically insert targeted ads into its online streams. To support its monetization goals, Mediacorp will leverage Triton’s programmatic audio marketplace (a2x®) and audio SSP (Yield-Op) to make its online audio inventory available to programmatic buyers.

In addition, Mediacorp will utilize Triton’s integration with the Omny Studio platform to capture, edit and distribute engaging podcast content to its online listeners, and Triton’s Webcast Metrics^® service to measure its audience.

“At Mediacorp, our partners play a significant role in our mission to create and deliver high quality content experiences to our audiences,” said Indranil Sarkar, Lead, Partnerships & New Business at Mediacorp. “Our live stream digital radio and on-demand podcast content is a meaningful driver of this mission, and we look forward to using Triton’s sophisticated audio streaming, advertising, and measurement technology to support our evolving digital audio strategy.”

“According to eMarketer, digital ad spend in APAC is expected to grow from $97B in 2018 to $136B in 2021,” said Benjamin Masse, Managing Director, Market Development and Strategy at Triton Digital. “We are proud to be providing Mediacorp with an advanced, reliable, and easy-to-use solution that will simplify the management and monetization of their streaming audio and podcast content.”

About Triton Digital
Triton Digital® is the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry. Operating in more than 40 countries, Triton Digital provides innovative technology that enables broadcasters, podcasters, and online music services to build their audience, maximize their revenue, and streamline their day-to-day operations.

About Mediacorp
Mediacorp is Singapore’s largest content creator and transmedia platform, operating seven TV channels, 11 radio stations and multiple digital platforms including Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Singapore’s most used news app, and Toggle, its digital video platform. Its mission is to engage, entertain and enrich audiences by harnessing the power of creativity.

Mediacorp was named Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year for the 14th time at the Asian Television Awards in 2017.

Boosting Malaysian Economy by Fuelling SMEs’ Growth

Singapore-based private investment platform Fundnel has formally expanded to Malaysia. Its launch was officiated by Mr Norhizam Abdul Kadir, Vice President, Growth Ecosystem Development of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) at a private event in the city centre. The announcement follows Fundnel’s appointment as a Recognised Market Operator by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) – the first approval SC has granted in almost two years.

Fundnel Malaysia will provide a comprehensive suite of capital raising services, targeted at local unlisted growth companies that form the backbone of the economy. This will include SMEs from local cafés and retail stores to larger companies in the fields of education and wellness.

This is in line with two of the new pillars championed by the government in the mid-term review of the 11^th Malaysia Plan, namely ‘Enhancing Inclusive Development and Wellbeing’ and ‘Strengthening Economic Growth’. The fintech company adopts a technology and data driven approach to connect quality businesses with growth capital, in tandem with the Malaysian government’s effort in promoting the use of technology to drive financial inclusion and equitable opportunity for the rakyat.

“The global economy is increasingly being shaped by SMEs, who often face challenges obtaining growth capital,” said Kelvin Lee, CEO and co-founder of Fundnel. “Crossing the borders is a big stride towards our goal of creating access to capital for everyday companies. We believe that funding good-quality private businesses will create more jobs in Malaysia and in turn spur economic growth. Our team is excited to commence work and make a difference to the local market.”

Fundnel offers a modern capital raising solution that is cost and time efficient. Applications on Fundnel has the potential to reach a global network of over 10,000 investors and partners whereupon multiple investment offers will be made. By virtue of being an online platform, price discovery is granted to the fundraiser who then has the flexibility to compare these offers that may best suit their stage of growth or other strategic requirements. This unique element is a key differentiator that sets Fundnel apart from traditional financing options.

Fundnel’s launch in Malaysia comes at timely moment as the government advocates a shift towards high value-added activities, particularly in knowledge-intensive industries. This covers digital transformation of the economy by tapping on the potential of big data and fintech.

“Fundnel’s entry into Malaysia is a testament to the country’s attractiveness as an investment destination and we are excited to welcome the region’s largest private investment platform into our market,” said Norhizam Abdul Kadir, Vice President of Growth Ecosystem Development of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). “As a government agency, MDEC works closely with industry players, regulators, start-ups, and accelerators in nurturing the nation’s Fintech ecosystem. We look forward to partner up with Fundnel and other investment platforms to create a more vibrant environment and benefit businesses in Malaysia.”

MisterTyre, a homegrown pioneer in on-demand mobile car care services, will be one of the first companies to be launched on Fundnel Malaysia.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are fast becoming a cornerstone of the Malaysian economy, contributing 37.1% to the country’s GDP  and 66% of nation’s workforce in 2017. Despite the vibrant SME landscape, insufficient access to capital has inhibited their ability to grow.

In anticipation of its launch, Fundnel has forged a strategic partnership with homegrown investment firm, Midana Capital. Both Fundnel and Midana Capital will assist each other in deal origination with the common ambition of supporting Malaysian companies.

“In a short span of three years, Fundnel has proven its capabilities in developing the private investment landscape. Our partnership will connect local companies to their network of investors from across the globe, helping them grow and scale up. We are excited to embark on this journey together!” said Chris Tan, General Partner of Midana Capital.

Local demand will result in greater investment in Asian storytelling and production

According to a report released by strategy and economics consulting firm AlphaBeta, titled “Asia-On-Demand: The Growth of Video-on-demand Investment in Local Entertainment Industries,” video-on-demand (“VOD”) services are expected to invest up to US$10.1 billion (RM42.4 billion)  in Asia by 2022, growing 3.7x from the amount spent in 2017. The study also found that Asian consumers of VOD services continue to show a strong appetite for local content; prompting industry players to focus on becoming more locally relevant.

Around US$4 billion of this expected investment will be in the form of foreign direct investment by global players. Additionally, the economic impact VOD players will have is expected to be more than 3x the amount spent on investment. This is especially when considering direct spending within the industry on core operations (e.g. equipment, transport, catering, marketing, hospitality, etc.), which in turn drives indirect spending by suppliers (e.g. camera lenses, catering, transport fuel, etc.), and induced spending from workers employed spending their wages in the economy. Up to 736,000 jobs could also be created by this spending in 2022; and there may be spillover benefits to other industries, such as tourism, music, or merchandised products.

At the same time, the study found that the number of paying subscribers in Asia is expected to double in five years, and that viewers in Asian countries have a strong appetite for high quality local content. To meet this growing demand, VOD services will have to become more locally relevant; driving investment to develop more high quality local content to attract and retain subscribers.

Commenting on the report, Konstantin Matthies, AlphaBeta Engagement Manager said, “Given its nascency, the economic impact of VOD services in Asia – particularly in the entertainment industry – has received limited attention to date. This research aims to fill this gap by providing a fact base on the industry’s potential value. The report further identifies best practices, alongside key policy actions to ensure Asian countries can capture this opportunity.”

He added, “As the VOD industry grows in Asia, demand for locally relevant content will drive players to spend a meaningful part of this investment in stories from the region. This is contrary to perceptions that VOD’s easy access to foreign (i.e. Hollywood) content would reduce local demand and dilute cultural values. With strong consumer demand for local content, VOD players will have to increasingly provide high-quality local content to align with these preferences.”

The report outlines seven key findings:

1. Video-on-demand (VOD) services are expected to invest up to US$10.1b in Asia by 2022.
2. Demand for local content will drive investment, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
3. VOD makes it easier for Asian entertainment to reach over 450 million people globally.
4. The economic impact is expected to be 3x the amount VOD players spend on content.
5. Further benefits to local industry could be realized in the form of financing production hubs, skills upleveling, low-cost distribution, and global partnerships.
6. Different Asian countries have the opportunity to specialize and capture value at different points of the content production value chain e.g. VFX or physical production hubs.
7. Over 80% of VOD executives cite a welcoming investment environment, supportive regulations, and high-quality content production infrastructure as key to driving content investment.

The report also outlines several recommendations for Asian policymakers to take full advantage of the VOD industry as a runway for innovation and investment:

• Adopting a collaborative approach with VOD players.
• Creating flexible regulation.
• Investing in the local ecosystem.

The Tech Hub Enabler also won MCIEA 2018’s Best Project Award for Development

Cyberview Sdn Bhd was honoured with the Movers & Shakers Award from the 2018 Asia HRD Awards for championing efforts in transforming the workplace culture at Cyberview. The award recognises its managing director, Mohd Najib Ibrahim for his outstanding work towards transforming Cyberview as a high-performance organisation. He received the award at the prestigious annual event held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The Movers and Shakers Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated accomplishments by actively influencing changes and breakthroughs in people development. They are responsible in making a difference in their communities, leading high-performing teams to spur business growth, and drive employee engagement in their organisations. These individuals are evaluated based on the following criteria: impact and influence; innovation; credibility; pioneering and championing transformational activities.

“We are honoured to receive this prestigious award as it acknowledges our continuous efforts in building a collaborative innovation ecosystem for the benefit of start-ups and citizens. Our achievements at Cyberview are attributed to the people, workforce and our working culture, which is why our Culture Transformation initiative is important to us. The initiative was designed to achieve greater internal and external improvements to the organisation towards our goal of becoming a High-Performance Organisation,” said Mohd Najib Ibrahim, the Managing Director of Cyberview Sdn Bhd.

Inspired by leading tech giants, Cyberview provides its employees with a working space option that presents an informal atmosphere to allow them to unwind and relax during and at the end of the work day. The space serves to cultivate a friendly, engaging atmosphere where employees can gather to brainstorm innovative ideas. The company also has an on-site Childcare Centre that promotes a family-friendly environment. Other amenities include a nursing room for new mothers, games/gym area as well as a mini library that that serves as a source of knowledge for employees.

“At Cyberview, we strive to meet the criteria of a high-performance organisation – one that achieves a sustained growth, contributes to continuous improvements on our core capabilities, allows adaptability and long-term orientation of the company. We aim to continuously cultivate an open, high-performance workplace culture guided by three core values – honesty, integrity and passion that sees active employee engagements, the development of a compelling employer brand and effective leadership,” he added.

In September this year, the Tech Hub Enabler was also the recipient of the Best Project Award for Development from the prestigious 2018 Malaysian Construction Industry Excellence Awards (MCIEA), organised by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB). The award serves to recognise individuals and organisation that have contributed to the performance and improvements in the construction industry.

Cyberview was recognised for its outstanding efforts in the construction of Masjid Raja Haji Fisabilillah in Cyberjaya, the first mosque in Malaysia with a Platinum Rating – the highest classification for Green Buildings under the Green Building Index. Built using environmentally-friendly materials, the mosque is equipped with light sensors, a water harvesting system and over 800 solar panels that can generate enough electricity to power up the 41 hectares site.

This is the third consecutive award won by Cyberview from the Asia HRD Awards, an independent initiative that welcomes nominations throughout the year from Asia and around the globe.

Kaspersky Lab research shows it’s vulnerability

In the future, cyberattackers may be able to exploit memory implants to steal, spy on, alter or control human memories. And while the most radical threats are several decades away, the essential technology already exists in the form of deep brain stimulation devices. Scientists are learning how memories are created in the brain and can be targeted, restored and enhanced using such implantable devices. However, vulnerabilities exist in the connected software and hardware and these need to be addressed if we are to be ready for the threats that lie ahead, according to a new report by researchers from Kaspersky Lab and the University of Oxford Functional Neurosurgery Group.

The researchers combined practical and theoretical analysis to explore the current vulnerabilities in implanted devices used for deep brain stimulation. Known as implantable pulse generators (IPGs) or neurostimulators, these devices send electrical impulses to specific targets in the brain for the treatment of disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, major depression, and obsessive–compulsive disorder. The latest generation of these implants comes with management software for both clinicians and patients, installed on commercial-grade tablets and smartphones. The connection between them is based on the standard Bluetooth protocol.

The researchers found a number of existing and potential risk scenarios, each of which could be exploited by attackers. These include:

• Exposed connected infrastructure – the researchers found one serious vulnerability and several worrying misconfigurations in an online management platform popular with surgical teams that could lead an attacker to sensitive data and treatment procedures.
• Insecure or unencrypted data transfer between the implant, the programming software, and any associated networks could enable malicious tampering of a patient’s or even of whole groups of implants (and patients) connected to the same infrastructure. Manipulation could result in changed settings causing pain, paralysis or the theft of private and confidential personal data.
• Design constraints as patient safety takes precedence over security. For example a medical implant needs to be controlled by physicians in emergency situations, including when a patient is rushed into a hospital far from their home. This precludes use of any password that isn’t widely known among clinicians. Further, it means that by default such implants need to be fitted with a software ‘backdoor’.
• Insecure behavior by medical staff – programmers with patient-critical software were found being left with default passwords, used to browse the internet or with additional apps downloaded onto them.

Addressing these vulnerable areas is key, because the researchers estimate that over the coming decades, more advanced neurostimulators and a deeper understanding of how the human brain forms and stores memories, will accelerate the development and use of such technology and create in new opportunities for cyberattackers.

Within five years, scientists expect to be able to electronically record the brain signals that build memories and then enhance or even rewrite them before putting them back into the brain. A decade from now, the first commercial memory boosting implants could appear on the market – and, within 20 years or so, the technology could be advanced enough to allow for extensive control over memories.

New threats resulting from this could include the mass manipulation of groups through implanted or erased memories of political events or conflicts; while ‘repurposed’ cyberthreats could target new opportunities for cyberespionage or the theft, deletion or ‘locking’ of memories (for example, in return for a ransom).

Commenting on the results of the investigation, Dmitry Galov, junior security researcher, Global Research and Analysis Team, Kaspersky Lab said, “Current vulnerabilities matter because the technology that exists today is the foundation for what will exist in the future.  Although no attacks targeting neurostimulators have been observed in the wild, points of weakness exist that will not be hard to exploit. We need to bring together healthcare professionals, the cybersecurity industry and manufacturers to investigate and mitigate all potential vulnerabilities, both the ones we see today and the ones that will emerge in the coming years.”

Laurie Pycroft, doctoral researcher in the University of Oxford Functional Neurosurgery Group added: “Memory implants are a real and exciting prospect, offering significant healthcare benefits. The prospect of being able to alter and enhance our memories with electrodes may sound like fiction, but it is based on solid science the foundations of which already exist today.  Memory prostheses are only a question of time. Collaborating to understand and address emerging risks and vulnerabilities, and doing so while this technology is still relatively new, will pay off in the future.”

Y.B. Tuan Lim Guan Eng addresses AMCHAM members

Minister of Finance Y.B. Tuan Lim Guan Eng joined a closed-door luncheon with members of the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) on Thursday to convey his Ministry’s rationale behind decisions taken in the Budget 2019. Titled “Sustainable Growth in New Malaysia”, the Minister’s keynote address emphasized that maintaining Malaysia’s competitiveness for foreign investors will be a key enabler in achieving the Budget’s goals of reinvigorating the economy and laying the secure foundations necessary for sustainable long term economic growth.

Addressing senior executives from the American business community, the Minister explained how the new Pakatan Harapan seeks to attract foreign investors by reforming Malaysia’s institutional framework, providing “not only
certainty, clarity and consistency, but also continuity”. Reforms announced during the Budget speech, such as the intention to introduce a Fiscal Responsibility Act and a new Government Procurement Act, the adoption of open competitive tenders, and positioning Malaysia as an entrepreneurial economy which is private-sector driven, will provide the necessary assurances to attract high quality long-term investments.

Responding to questions from AMCHAM members, the Minister elaborated upon the changing ways in which Malaysia is perceived overseas:

“We have transitioned from a kleptocracy to a ‘boring’ democracy… but boring is good when it comes to investors, who now know that Malaysia will act in compliance with the highest standards of public governance”

Siobhan Das, Executive Director of AMCHAM commented after the event: “American companies have been an integral part of Malaysia’s impressive economic trajectory thus far, and we are encouraged by Y.B. Tuan Lim Guan Eng’s willingness to meet with our members within a week of the Budget announcement to provide greater visibility of how new announcements will be implemented. Corporate headquarters of multinational companies have been looking at this Budget for early ‘signals’ from the new Pakatan Harapan government about the direction in which they will lead the country. Part of our role at AMCHAM is to help our CEOs and Finance Directors based here to convey messages back to the U.S. and explain the context around decisions made by the Malaysian government.”

Mi 8 Pro is one of the first to feature pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor and Mi 8
Lite is a selfie machine that sports a stunning gradient glass back finish

Global technology leader Xiaomi announced the Mi 8 Lite and Mi 8 Pro in Malaysia, giving users more ways to enjoy the best features from the Mi 8 series.

Xiaomi has shipped more than 100 million smartphones in this year with a total shipment over 6 million and the Mi 8 series has been a major contributor to this success. Both Mi 8 Pro and Mi 8 Lite are welcomed additions to this flagship smartphone series.

Steven Shi, Xiaomi Regional President of Southeast Asia and Oceania,said: “We are delighted to introduce the newest members of the Mi 8 family to Malaysia. We offer more choices for users to enjoy the popular Mi 8 series simply because we want smartphone users to be able to find their ideal smartphone that cater to their needs and interests. For tech connoisseurs, the Mi 8 Pro keeps them excited with its futuristic features and design. For those who wants to take selfies in style, we have designed the Mi 8 Lite specifically for them.”

Mi 8 Pro: Flagship Performance With Innovative and Futuristic Design

On top of the flagship Mi 8 features, Mi 8 Pro takes it one step further with a pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor. The all new pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor give the Mi 8 Pro a star for enabling a faster and more power-efficient unlocking process. Unlike other technologies, the unlocking process only respond to the dedicated pressure and is activated when a finger is placed on the screen.

Mi 8 Lite: Amazing Selfies With Eye Catching Gradient Finish

With over 24 million pixels, the front-facing Sony IMX576 sensor on Mi 8 Lite is able to capture images in great detail. The Super Pixel technology, a combination of four pixels into one large pixel, allows for vivid low light photography. This means no more worries of pictures looking dull and blurry at night. Meanwhile, the Mi 8 Lite display can light up in different colors to suit different scenarios when taking selfies, intelligently illuminating the face with the right color temperature for great-looking selfies.

Inspired by the works of famous French Impressionist painter Claude Monet, whose paintings are renowned for bringing out the effect of light on natural colors, the glass back of Mi 8 Lite employs an advanced NCVM color process, resulting in a mesmerizing mirror-like gradient finish.

New findings from Kaspersky Lab

While many of us have heard of, or even fallen victim to, cybercrimes such as data and identity theft, it seems that relatively few know the value of the information stolen from us. A new study from Kaspersky Lab has revealed that while our identity may not be worth a lot in terms of dollars, it is a significant asset to criminals in other ways. The research uncovered an appetite among cybercriminals for data stolen from popular services – including via social media accounts and remote access to gaming websites. User confusion about what their data is worth could result in a haphazard approach to security, making it all too easy for thieves to steal data and commit crime.

Data stolen due to people’s lax security may have limited resale value, but can be put to many uses. This can cause huge problems for an individual victim, who may lose money and their reputation, find themselves being chased for debt that somebody else has incurred in their name, or even suspected of a crime that somebody else has committed using their identity as a cover.

Kaspersky Lab investigated Dark Web markets to find out how much personal data is worth, and how it is used by criminals. The company’s researchers found that criminals can sell someone’s complete digital life for less than $50; including data from stolen social media accounts, banking details, remote access to servers or desktops, and even data from popular services like Uber, Netflix, and Spotify, as well as gaming websites, dating apps, and porn websites which might store credit card information. Meanwhile, researchers found that the price paid for a single hacked account is lower, with most selling for about $1 per account, and with criminals offering up discounts for bulk-buying.

The most common way criminals steal this sort of data in the first place is via spear phishing campaigns or by exploiting a web related security vulnerability in an application’s software. After a successful attack, the criminal gets password dumps which contain a combination of emails and passwords for the hacked services. And, with many people using the same password for several accounts, attackers might be able to use this information to access accounts on other platforms too.

Interestingly, some criminals selling data even provide their buyers with a lifetime warranty, so if one account stops working, the buyer will receive a new account for free.

As David Jacoby, Senior Security Researcher at Kaspersky Lab, puts it, ‘It is clear that data hacking is a major threat to us all, and this applies at both an individual and societal level, because stolen data funds many social evils. Fortunately, there are steps we can take to prevent it, including by using cybersecurity software, and being aware of how much data we are giving away for free – particularly on publicly available social media profiles, or to organizations.’

People can avoid such risks by taking several easy security steps, which should become an integral part of any Internet user’s digital life:

• To stay safe from phishing, always check that the link address and the sender’s email are genuine before clicking anything. A robust security solution will also warn you if you attempt to visit a phishing web page.
• To avoid one data leak harming all your digital identities, never use the same password for several websites or services. To create strong, hack-proof passwords and remove the struggle of remembering them, use a specific password manager application, such as Kaspersky Password Manager.

To find out who has your personal data, use services such as PrivacyAudit.me that automatically search for a user’s data across a large number of sources (The Beta version is available in the UK, with a wider roll out planned for 2019).

Western Union, a leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement, is strengthening its network presence across Malaysia with Merchantrade Asia, a leading national money services business provider, by providing customers with increased access to money transfer services.

Merchantrade Asia’s more than 450 locations nationwide will boost Western Union’s network reach, enabling customers to send and receive domestic and international money transfer services in minutes across more locations in Malaysia. Western Union currently has more than 2,400 total Agent locations in the country.

“Many customers rely on remittances for their daily needs. Western Union’s brand strength, size and reach of our global network is what drives consumers to use our services. We are very pleased to collaborate with Merchantrade Asia and welcome them into our global family of Agents,” said Steven Wong Weng Leong, Regional Director, Malaysia & Brunei, Western Union.

Western Union has been providing money transfer services in Malaysia and enabling economic opportunities in the country through the timely, reliable and convenient flow of remittances to and from Malaysia.

“Western Union is a highly recognized, global brand used by consumers wanting to send money to support their loved ones. Our goal is to revolutionize convenience and enrich customers lives with easy access to services,” said Ramasamy K. Veeran, Founder and Managing Director, Merchantrade Asia. “With Western Union, our emphasis on customer centricity enables us to have a deep understanding of customer needs and provide solutions they need.”

According to the Migration and Remittances Brief by World Bank, Malaysia was one of the top 10 remittance-receiving countries in the East Asia and Pacific region in 2017. Additionally, according to the report, Malaysia is an important destination country for migrants too, highlighting the importance of efficient money transfer services for both outbound and inbound remittances.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement. Our omnichannel platform connects the digital and physical worlds and makes it possible for consumers and businesses to send and receive money and make payments with speed, ease, and reliability.

About Merchantrade Asia Sdn Bhd

 Merchantrade is a leading home-grown Money Services Business (MSB) operator, conducting remittance, money exchanging and wholesale currency services. Through its established branch network and online platform, Merchantrade provides consumers with easy access to a secure, reliable and fast channel for currency exchange, money transfers and payments across borders.

Google announced that “Smart Campaigns”, the new default experience of Google Ads, is now available to small businesses across Malaysia. Smart campaigns is designed for small businesses looking to get started with online advertising. The experience is simple, saves businesses time as they can set up a campaign in a matter of minutes, and drives clear results like calls, actions on their website and visits to their stores.

According to the Asian Development Bank, 98% of businesses in Asia are SMBs, and, according to APEC, SMBs contribute up to 50% of GDP in APEC economies and the Internet already plays a vital role in connecting businesses and customers, and delivering a great customer experience. Many businesses realise the potential of digital, but are not sure what to do to get started. Smart campaigns take the innovation and technology of Google Ads and tailors the experience for simplicity to help small businesses succeed without needing to be an advertising expert.

How Smart Campaigns can help small businesses grow

Google’s Smart Campaigns keep it simple for businesses. Businesses just choose their goals—like making the phone ring, driving sales to their website or visits to a store—and machine learning goes to work to deliver results. With Smart Campaigns, small and medium sized businesses can:

• Get the results they care about: Smart campaigns are designed to get businesses the results they care about most, like phone calls, actions on their website, and store visits. Businesses can connect with new customers who are looking for information related to the business on Google Search, Google Maps and also get discovered through Google Partner Sites (Search and Google Display Network).

• Get fast setup: Small businesses can set up a campaign in a matter of minutes. Simply select the goal (calls, store visits, actions on their website), pick a business category, set the location advertisers want to promote their business in, edit the ad text, and set the budget. Google will automatically select the right keywords and optimise the bidding strategy to bring the best results within the designated budget.

• Benefit from minimal ongoing management: Once set up, Google works behind the scenes with machine learning technology to automatically optimise the campaign and drive results small businesses want. Advertisers can easily track their performance, write more ad variations, and make necessary adjustments to their campaign settings.

• Test variations of display ads with Image Picker: If a small business owner wants to launch a campaign, but doesn’t know what images and text to use in their ads, all they need to do is enter their existing assets, including images, logos, headlines and descriptions. Image Picker then helps test combinations of images and text to get the best results from your Display ads. This feature will start rolling out in the coming weeks.

Smart Campaigns is a great example of how we’re using machine learning to help small businesses grow. It takes the innovation and technology of Google Ads and tailors the experience to make it easy, efficient and successful. We have been working on Smart campaigns for many years, listening to our advertisers and adding performance improvements they’ve asked for—and it’s already proving to be about 3x better at getting ads in front of the right audience. This is just the beginning, we are committed to adding new features to Google Ads that help drive results with ease and simplicity.

South-Korean carmaker, Hyundai Motor will be investing up to $250 million into the e-hailing ride service, Grab. This comes as Hyundai’s second investment after its initial pouring earlier this year.

According to Financial Times, investment by Hyundai takes Grab’s funding this year to $2.7bn, with the company aiming to raise  $3bn by the end of the year.

The upcoming investment will be coupled with  200 Hyundai electric vehicles in Grab’s Singapore in 2019, with the intention to expand further in the region. Both services are planning to further launch potential pilot programs aimed at making their mark in electric vehicle-friendly markets across South East Asia.

The electric vehicle-friendly pilot programs will also involve an affiliate of Hyundai, Kia Motors to help boost growth as well as aid Grab to minimise their cost while expanding across the SEA markets. Reports also show that the expansion might penetrate into the Malaysian and Vietnamese markets as well in time to come.

While this is one of the biggest investment by Hyundai, it is still relatively small compared to other investors such as Toyota Motor Corp. While the carmaker’s stock prices has seen a downfall, this investment might be able to create a shift.

Furthermore, the move by Hyundai to partner with Grab is seen as a solution for the decline of individual ownership of vehicles as ride-sharing platforms are an increasing traction among users.

“Not only Hyundai, but all global auto manufacturers have realized that generating revenue solely from selling vehicles is not a sustainable, viable option,” Hyundai’s chief innovation officer, Chi Young-cho, told reporters in Seoul

Hyundai is also expecting to release its very own ride-hailing service in selected markets sometime next year. The carmaker giant is also looking at acquisition markets.

Snapshot of New & Extended Incentives for the Manufacturing & Services Sectors

“The new and extended incentives announced under Budget 2019 reflect Malaysia’s commitment in ensuring a conducive business environment for domestic and foreign investors against the backdrop of global challenges. As the principal investment promotion agency for the country, MIDA looks forward to the holistic study to review the 130 existing investment incentives under the purview of 32 Investment Promotion Agencies. This is in line with our continuous advocacy for incentives that are targeted, time-based and relevant to advances in technology and innovation. The review is timely to ensure the optimal use of the country’s resources,” said Dato’ Azman Mahmud, Chief Executive Officer of MIDA.

“MIDA has established an i-Incentives Portal under its Incentives Coordination and Collaboration Office (ICCO). This platform would be beneficial in assisting the review initiative as the portal is a one-stop centre that features information about all incentives currently available in the country. We would be pleased to share the information from ICCO and work with all relevant Government agencies and stakeholders for the review,” added Dato’ Azman.

For the manufacturing sector, companies should take advantage of the revisions of tax mechanisms and incentives, initiatives to promote the adoption of Industry 4.0, facilities for the production of environmentally-friendly plastics based on bio-resins and bio-polymers, incentives for SMEs as well as facilitation for logistics and transportation activities. MIDA has been encouraging the adoption of Industry 4.0 among industry players as it will provide the breakthrough necessary for Malaysia to increase its competitiveness on the world stage.

“One of the facilities provided by MIDA is the Automation Capital Allowance (ACA) which aims to encourage the quick adoption of automation, particularly in labour intensive industries. We also promote industry-academia collaborations and higher R&D activities to boost efficiency and productivity. With the large focus on Industry 4.0 in Budget 2019 and the launched of the Industry 4.0 blueprint known as Industry4WRD, we expect to see more high technology investments being realised in Malaysia. Under MIDA’s High Impact Fund, a Domestic Investment Strategic Fund (DISF) in the form of a matching grant is available to promote more R&D activities, international certification and standards as well as modernisation of facilities and equipment. MIDA has so far approved 308 projects with investments of RM14.7 billion, with an approved grant value of RM1.51 billion.We also trust that the double taxation deduction for expenses related to the National Dual Training Scheme for Industry 4.0 and other related programmes approved by MIDA will spur more companies to train or upscale their workforce in Industry 4.0 activities,” said the CEO of MIDA.

For the services sector, there were new introductions and revisions of incentives for principal hubs, green technology, tourism and healthcare tourism, technical education and vocational training (TVET), institutions of higher learning and utilisation of local service providers.

“While Principal Hub companies seeking an extension are now subjected to a tax rate, this review allows a broader scope of companies to benefit from the PH scheme such as companies with lower value-added income. In the long term, we believe that this revised scheme will increase the investment performance of the services sector as PH investments are the largest contributor to the overall foreign direct investments in the services sector under MIDA’s purview,” highlighted Dato’ Azman.

On the bold measures in supporting new technology developments, Dato’ Azman said, “Under the 9^th Strategy of Budget 2019, MIDA is excited about the prospects of alternative financing sources including streamlining the many venture capital funds managed by Government agencies and allocation of RM50 million to set up a Co-Investment Fund to invest alongside private investors via equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer financing. MIDA looks forward to work hand-in-hand with these entities towards bringing Malaysian companies that are financially limited but possess high potential in new technology areas.”

Given the more realistic and attainable fiscal positions under Budget 2019 and added clarity in policy directions for investors, the years ahead are expected to be positive particularly with the many initiatives in place to create a more dynamic economy for Malaysia.