<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><span style="font-style: italics;">This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 26, 2018 - December 2, 2018</span></p></div><div>
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The rise and rise of ASEAN fintech

Consumer financial services provider Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd (KL:AEONCR) issued its eighth sukuk wakalah amounting to RM150 million, under its RM1 billion Islamic Commercial Papers programme.

Aeon Credit issues RM150 mil sukuk wakalah

The fines stipulated under existing laws for any party guilty of misusing the halal logo are already high, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.

Existing legal penalties already severe for misuse of halal logo, says minister

Local learning institutions are encouraged to introduce more fast-paced courses and training such as micro-credential programmes amid a rapidly evolving job market shaped by artificial intelligence (AI).

Fast-track courses are essential to address challenges from technological disruption while fostering a future-ready workforce, said Chow Sang Hoe, managing director of Ernst & Young Consulting.

More fast-paced courses, micro-credential programmes needed in AI age

A summary of how key Bursa Malaysia indices and the ringgit performed on Thursday.

FBM KLCI down 0.42% to 1,555.54 on Jan 16, 2025

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 16): The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) has set two major priorities for this year — reforming the national rice and paddy industry, and increasing productivity in the ruminant sector, particularly in beef and buffalo meat production.

Reforming rice industry, boosting ruminant productivity tops agriculture ministry’s agenda this year

China’s cash squeeze extended with some signs of disruption to trading, as a liquidity infusion from Beijing failed to counteract a spike in demand for funds.

China cash squeeze rolls on even after central bank’s infusions

Israel intensified strikes on Gaza hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced, residents and authorities in the Palestinian enclave said, as mediators sought to quell fighting ahead of the truce's start on Sunday.

Israel strikes Gaza within hours of ceasefire accord with Hamas, residents say

US mortgage rates topped 7% last week, reaching the highest level since early May and extending a months-long advance that risks restraining the housing market.

US mortgage rates top 7%, reach highest since May last year

Sime Darby Property Bhd (KL:SIMEPROP) is joining hands with Singapore-based YCH Group, a supply chain solutions outfit, to develop logistics hubs in Malaysia, Vietnam and other Asean markets.

Sime Darby Property to partner Singapore's YCH Group to develop logistics hubs in SEA

The potential implementation of export limitations by the US government on artificial intelligence (AI) chips is not expected to impact the operations of existing data centres in Malaysia, according to deputy minister of investment, trade and industry (Miti) Liew Chin Tong.

Malaysia's data centres unaffected by US AI chip export restrictions, says deputy Miti minister

<p>The High Court on Thursday approved a pension increase for retirees, based on their final salary according to the 2016 Public Services Department circular, effective January 2022.</p>


High Court rules in favour of pensioners, govt ordered to pay arrears within three months

<p>Malaysian construction stocks fell sharply on Thursday for the sixth straight day amid concerns over data centres being built as the US further tightens restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports.</p>


Construction stocks extend decline sharply as SunCon falls over 10%

<p>Data centre-related stocks and proxies to artificial intelligence (AI) on Bursa Malaysia have fallen sharply of late, but analysts caution against buying the dip too soon.</p>


Data centre-related stocks, AI proxies lower; experts warn against early bottom fishing

<p>WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE (Jan 15): The Biden administration added more than two dozen Chinese entities to a US&nbsp;restricted trade list on Wednesday, including Zhipu&nbsp;AI, a&nbsp;developer&nbsp;of large language models, and Sophgo, a company whose TSMC-made chip was illegally incorporated into a Huawei artificial intelligence (AI) processor.</p>


US blacklists Chinese companies over TSMC chips in Huawei processor

<p>Investment management firm Vertical Theme Sdn Bhd is planning to seek approval in the coming weeks to start talks about selling its stake in Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd (KL:ABMB), according to people familiar with the development.</p>


Alliance Bank’s top shareholder Vertical Theme mulling sale to DBS, Bloomberg reports

<p>CBH Engineering Holding Bhd (KL:CBHB) rose 18% on Thursday in Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market trading debut, following robust demand during the engineering services firm’s initial public offering (IPO).</p>


CBH Engineering rises 18% in ACE Market trading debut

<p>Eastern &amp; Oriental Bhd (KL:E&amp;O), Malaysia’s premier lifestyle developer, has launched Maris, a RM700 million waterfront residence located in the Gurney Green district on Andaman Island, Penang.</p>


E&O unveils RM700m Maris waterfront development in Penang

<p>KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 16): Malaysia’s tourism industry upcycle has started ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026, and could bolster share prices of related companies in the next two years, said Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB).</p>


Malaysia’s tourism upcycle has begun, some related stocks could gain — Maybank IB

<p>Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officially inaugurated YTL Brabazon New Town in Bristol, a development poised to become the most sustainable new town in the UK.</p>


Anwar launches UK’s most sustainable new town in Bristol by YTL

<p>The government has announced enhancements to the Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (CRESS), opening third-party electricity grid access to existing power consumers and maintaining system access charges (SAC) at current rates for three years.</p>


Grid third-party access open to existing power consumers, wheeling charges maintained until 2027 — Energy Ministry

<p>Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will have all of his Jana Wibawa charges tried in one court instead of two separate courts.</p>


Muhyiddin’s seven Jana Wibawa charges to be heard in one court

<p>Despite incoming US President Donald Trump's pledge to impose sweeping 60% tariffs on all Chinese imports, the implementation is likely to be far less drastic, according to Affin Bank’s chief economist Alan Tan Chew Leong. &nbsp;</p>


Impact of Trump's proposed tariffs on Chinese imports likely to be less severe than feared for region — Affin Bank

<p>Nate Anderson, the short seller who made his name with campaigns targeting billionaires Gautam Adani, Jack Dorsey and Carl Icahn, said he’s disbanding his small but renowned firm, Hindenburg Research.&nbsp;</p>


Short seller Nate Anderson says he’s disbanding Hindenburg

<p>Regional airline SKS Airways Sdn Bhd, recently renamed True Air Sdn Bhd, has announced that it will discontinue its operations — the second homegrown airline to have ceased operations post the Covid-19 pandemic. Budget carrier MYAirline Sdn Bhd had suspended its operations in October 2023 due to financial pressures.</p>


SKS Airways ceases operations after two years

<p>Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) appears to have retained the lucrative natural gas exports business, while Sarawak will control the domestic gas aggregation in the state, Kenanga Investment Bank said.</p>


Petronas' spending cuts likely less than feared as S'wak gas exports business intact, says Kenanga as O&G services stocks rally

<p>Stocks rose on Thursday and the dollar softened as easing core US inflation kept potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve on the table, while the yen hit a one-month high on growing expectations the Bank of Japan could raise rates next week.</p>


Stocks up with US rate cuts back in view; yen at one-month high

<p>Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that he wished former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh had seen him in person before his resignation from the strategic development firm.</p>


1MDB-Tanore: Najib regrets Bakke didn't meet him personally before resignation

<p>Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that he was using Low Taek Jho (Jho Low)&nbsp;for his international connections, and denied that the now-fugitive was carrying out his bidding&nbsp;to misappropriate funds from troubled 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).</p>


Najib says he was using Jho Low's international connections, not to misappropriate 1MDB funds

<p>The construction sector is expected to see another decent year in 2025, after domestic contract awards hit a new record last year,&nbsp;according to Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research.</p>
