The group, through its subsidiary Associate Partners Laboratories Sdn Bhd (APLSB) — which provides medical laboratory testing and analytical services, as well as biotechnology research and experimental development — has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with PAPA.

Nexgram to provide Covid-19 screening, quarantine management services for foreign workers 

There needs to be better engagement between the creative economy and those who fund it if the arts in Malaysia are to grow in an effective and meaningful way, says Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin, the founder of the Cultural Economy Development Agency (Cendana).

Facilitating conversations between the arts and business

Failure is part and parcel of the entrepreneurial game, but not many entrepreneurs are able to bounce back after they have experienced their first defeat, a case of “once bitten, twice shy”.

Jimmy Lee, co-founder and CEO of Foodie Box Group and an angel investor, is not one of those peo...

Entrepreneurship: The price of integrity, the value of kindness

Here’s a funny farming fable: An officer from the income tax department pays a visit to an old farmer in a rural community. “Show me the list of all your employees and how much you pay them,” he demands.

“There are four employees,” the farmer says. “One is a plant picker and cleaner; he...

Econ 4.0: Why focus on farming?

Vaults. These expansive metal chambers are arguably the most recognisable trope of any self-respecting crime caper. And yet, for all the intrigue their imagery stirs, big screen bank vaults do not exactly inspire a sense of security as they seem to be constantly broken into with unerring ease.

Family Businesses: Safekeeping keepsakes

The future of agriculture will not only involve farmers but technology players as well. This will be essential especially in urban areas, where space is scarce but demand for fresh food is high.

To accelerate this revolution, Sunway Innovation Labs (iLabs) is launching Sunway FutureX Fa...

Agritech: Creating an innovative ecosystem for urban farming

In March, Aemulus Holdings Bhd was at its lowest ebb. The company, which specialises in semiconductor testing equipment, had a problem collecting payments from its customers in China and it was running out of money.

“Back in November 2019, the first thing I told my chief financial offic...

Cover Story: Coming out of the dark

The Musang King durian had its genome sequenced for the first time in 2017. The findings, which also identified the genes responsible for the fruit’s pungent odour, were published in a leading international journal and covered by news portals globally.

The research was done out of Singa...

Cutting Edge: Genome sequencing for all

The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is endless. Inference Tech Sdn Bhd CEO Izad Che Muda discovered this during his time as chief technology officer of Aerodyne Group, a provider of drone-based enterprise solutions.

This is because at Aerodyne, he was...

AI: Using AI to address worker safety, potholes and prescriptions

The movement control order (MCO) saw a lot of people losing their jobs. The publishing industry was not spared. But what Sean Teoh, the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Monster Alliance Bhd (MOPress), realised was that while a lot of companies were moving to digital, publishing platforms were looking for content other than articles.

MOPress to diversify into voice and video content to suit present demand

Fintech firm Juris Technologies (JurisTech) has acquired personal finance company Intelligent Money Sdn Bhd (iMoney) in an effort to develop end-to-end solutions for its enterprise clients.

JurisTech acquires financial comparison site iMoney

Here is an atypical Covid-19 story. After finishing online classes for a bunch of business management students, the professor announced on the day of the exam: “Although I did not see you in person, I believe you attended my online classes regularly, took notes diligently and worked on projects h...

Econ 4.0: What hath Covid-19 wrought?

The once controversial Goods and Services Tax (GST) could be making a return. Multiple sources have informed Enterprise that the tax regime could be announced during the tabling of Budget 2021, slated for November.

“In fact, the reason the announcement was moved from its traditional Oct...

Taxation: GST on the horizon?

Like most companies linked to the tourism industry, Flexiroam Sdn Bhd — a company founded in Malaysia and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange that provides mobile roaming packages for travellers in 150 countries — saw its business decimated in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, when trav...

Entrepreneurship: Love and connection

Singapore's central bank on Friday loosened its monetary policy, the first such move since 2020, saying it expects inflation and growth to be slower than it initially forecast this year.

Singapore central bank eases monetary policy, first time since March 2020 

Mitsubishi Motors Corp won’t be a part of Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co’s plans to combine their companies under a holding company, the Yomiuri reported.

Mitsubishi Motors won’t join Honda, Nissan tie-up — report

MORNING CALL: 24/1/25

TALKING EDGE: Oriental Kopi on brewing up success

Britain said on Friday it had awarded Rolls-Royce a £9 billion (US$11 billion or RM48.8 billion) contract to design, make and provide support services to nuclear reactors that power its fleet of submarines.

Rolls-Royce wins US$11b UK nuclear submarine contract

TOKYO (Jan 24): The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday to their highest levels since the 2008 global financial crisis, as a broad stocks rally worldwide calms policymakers' fears US President Donald Trump's tariff threats could upend markets.

With traders almost...

BOJ likely to raise rates to highest in 17 years, signal more hikes

Japan’s key inflation gauge hit 3% for the first time in 16 months, underscoring the nation’s sustained price momentum just hours before the central bank is expected to hike rates for a third time under governor Kazuo Ueda.

Japan inflation jumps to 3%, giving support to rate-hike case 

US businessman Frank McCourt is open to teaming up with other buyers on a bid to take over the US operations of TikTok as long as he can maintain control of the asset, he told Reuters at the Davos event on Thursday.

Billionaire McCourt says open to teaming up on a TikTok bid 

The US Treasury Department said on Thursday that it activated another of its extraordinary cash management measures to avoid breaching the federal debt limit, suspending daily reinvesments of the Government Securities Investment Fund, or G Fund.

Acting US Treasury chief deploys another debt ceiling cash management move

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group tasked with proposing new digital asset regulations and exploring the creation of a national cryptocurrency stockpile, making good on his promise to quickly overhaul US crypto policy.

Trump orders crypto working group to draft new regulations, explore national stockpile

Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Thursday

YTL Corp, YTL Power, MRCB, Westports, IGB REIT, IGB Commercial REIT, Axis REIT, KIP REIT, Destini, Citaglobal, T7 Global, Oriental Kopi, Econframe, Unitrade 

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EVENING 5: Five things you need to know today

US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the creation of a cryptocurrency working group tasked with proposing new digital asset regulations and exploring the creation of a national cryptocurrency stockpile, making good on his promise to quickly overhaul US crypto policy.

Unitrade Industries Bhd (KL:UNITRAD), a building material wholesaler and distributor, says its 51%-owned subsidiary Intergreen Metal Sdn Bhd is acquiring a controlling stake in metal recycling specialist Kien San Metal Sdn Bhd (KMSB) for RM42 million to expand its business to Sabah and Sarawak.

Unitrade Industries' unit buys controlling stake in metal recycler Kien San for RM42 mil

Econframe Bhd (KL:EFRAME) is buying Ipoh-based manufacturer and seller of wooden doors Ivory Pearl Sdn Bhd (IPSB) for RM56 million, in a move to expand its footprint in the UK and Australian markets.&nbsp;

Econframe is paying RM46.67 million in cash — to be funded via a combination of internally generated funds and bank borrowings — to buy IPSB from the major shareholders, which include Yeong Chew Tet and Lee Kok Choy, who owned 31.5% stake and 17.1% stake in the company, respectively.

Econframe buys Ipoh-based wooden doors maker for RM56 mil

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he wants the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at a time the central bank has hit pause for an uncertain duration, arguing he understands monetary policy better than those charged with setting it.

Trump demands US Fed cut rates, claims better monetary policy understanding

TOKYO (Jan 24): The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates on Friday to their highest levels since the 2008 global financial crisis, as a broad stocks rally worldwide calms policymakers' fears US President Donald Trump's tariff threats could upend markets.

With traders almost...

The authorities’ strict action in shutting down illegal crossings at the Malaysia-Thailand border in Rantau Panjang here forced the operators of the illegal jetties to move their operations to the neighbouring country two days ago.

The General Operations Force (GOF) Southeast Brigade commander, Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid, said this move, enforced on Dec 1, reflects the growing compliance of the communities in border areas with the ban on illegal border crossings.&nbsp;

Border crossing ban cripples illegal jetties in Rantau Panjang

Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, a few months out of prison and worth US$70 billion thanks to the relentless crypto rally, is turning the former venture capital arm of his Binance Holdings Ltd into a family office.

Binance Labs, which oversees about US$10 billion of crypto-related assets, will be renamed YZi Labs, according to a statement on Thursday. Zhao brought back Ella Zhang, who helped set up Binance Labs in 2018 and left two years later, to run the outfit. YZi Labs will also manage the wealth of Binance co-founder Yi He, with whom Zhao has three children.

Crypto’s richest man CZ turns VC firm into giant family office

Furniture maker Rhong Khen International Bhd (KL:RKI) is selling its Vietnamese indirect subsidiary RT Industries Company Ltd (RTI) to Singapore-based Maideli Pte Ltd for US$7.12 million (RM31.66 million) in cash.

The sale is expected to yield a gain of up to RM15.5 million for Rhong Khen. This move is part of the group’s strategy to streamline operations, reduce costs amid challenging market conditions, and strengthen its liquidity position.

Furniture maker Rhong Khen to rake in RM16 mil gain from Vietnam indirect unit sale 

Singapore's central bank on Friday loosened its monetary policy, the first such move since 2020, saying it expects inflation and growth to be slower than it initially forecast this year.

Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup&nbsp;is facing renewed scrutiny on its strategy of backing&nbsp;loss-making&nbsp;electric vehicle maker VinFast, with its shares near multi-year lows as foreign investors sell and its borrowing costs rise.

EV maker VinFast's losses heap pressure on parent Vingroup as foreign investors sell

ByteDance is exploring a deal to keep TikTok running in the US without selling its operations there, according to board member Bill Ford.

The Chinese company is looking at options for the social media app that could involve a change of control locally to ensure it complies with US legislation, General Atlantic Chief Executive Officer Ford said Thursday in an interview with Bloomberg Television. The private equity firm holds a stake in ByteDance, TikTok’s parent firm.

TikTok deal could stop short of full US sale, shareholder says

A late-day rebound in technology companies helped drive stocks to all-time highs, extending an advance fuelled by President Donald Trump’s call for lower oil prices and interest rates.

US stocks get Trump boost to close at all-time highs

HSBC's&nbsp;decision to shutter international payments app Zing is likely to trigger around 400 job losses, a source familiar with the matter said, as CEO Georges Elhedery steps up cost-cutting efforts at Europe's largest bank.

HSBC's payments app closure puts around 400 jobs at risk — Reuters

The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has declared its opposition to any policy or practice of basing wages on gender, asserting that employers should reward employees based on their contributions and performance.

In a statement on Thursday, MEF president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman called on all employers to immediately address and rectify any existing gender-based pay disparities as he highlighted the crucial role women have played in Malaysia’s progress and development.

Employers federation calls for immediate end to gender-based pay disparities

US businessman Frank McCourt is open to teaming up with other buyers on a bid to take over the US operations of TikTok as long as he can maintain control of the asset, he told Reuters at the Davos event on Thursday.

Friedrich Merz, the conservative front-runner in the race to be Germany’s next chancellor, warned domestic companies against making bigger investments in China.

“The decision to invest in China is a decision with great risk,” Merz said at a foreign policy event in Berlin on Thursday. “If you take this risk, do it in such a way that it doesn’t endanger the entire company group if you have to write off this investment from one year to the next.”

German frontrunner Merz warns companies against China investment

Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden plans to cut up to 500 jobs at the German sport retailer's headquarters in Herzogenaurach, a source who took part in a meeting where the figure was announced told Reuters on Thursday.

Adidas to axe up to 500 jobs at headquarters — Reuters

When Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared on a Jan 10, 2025, episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” he lamented that corporate culture had become too “feminine,” suppressing its “masculine energy” and abandoning supposedly valuable traits such as aggression.

The workplace, he concluded, has been “neutered.”

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