On Aug 31, Malaysia celebrates its 64th year of independence. This nation of ours has come a long way. In the last 63 years, it has had its fair share of upheavals and crises, yet, each time, we managed to ride out the storm and battled on.

Now, Malaysia is facing a period of turbulence...

Foreword

Technology is levelling the playing field for women-led start-ups. But although women are acknowledged as a formidable economic force and are crucial to nation-building, there is still more work to be done in improving access to financing and capacity building.

Tech, women and nation-building

Lim Meng Hui, the founder of AI start-up SmartPeep, is seeing his hard work and persistence pay off

Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to take the world by storm and form an essential part of the future economy. And young Malaysian entrepr...

Making inroads into healthcare with AI

Four Form Five schoolgirls from SMK St Joseph in Miri who call themselves the Boolean Babes talk about their recent win in a global mobile app coding competition, and their journey and aspirations in tech

Fedelia Chan Wan Shin’s interest in coding st...

Girls Who Code

Nadhir Ashafiq and Goh Chee Hau are using their digital logistics platform, TheLorry, to uplift the status and income of lorry drivers

A common misconception surrounding technology start-ups is that their service replaces physical labour and in doing...

Agents of change

Jerome Kay and Lau Yoke Wee left their jobs a couple of years ago to set up Virtual X in a bold move to take virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) beyond gaming to drive change across industries

Remember the mobile phone game Pokémon Go? It was d...

Transforming industries and adding value

A young start-up competing against established names in the logistics field can sometimes be likened to the story of David versus Goliath, but ZeptoExpress founder Mohd Izzairi Yamin reckons that it may well be playing with the big boys in three years...

Making that last mile count

Sustainability is picking up speed as a major consideration in economic development initiatives and we see a growing number of green advocates in Malaysia championing urban sustainability. A focus is on the role of green technology and the green economy in creating sus...

The future economy is green

Financial technology (fintech) is fast becoming a central part of the financial services industry and future economy. The fintech space has attracted a huge crowd of local start-ups and young entrepreneurs, and many of them have begun to establish a strong foothold in ...

Fintech to help drive economic revival

From Grow the Goose to Borneo Cocoa, Ida Faranina Othman’s ventures are focused on helping communities help themselves — by creating awareness on financial literacy, especially among children, and guiding cocoa farmers in Sabah to earn sustainable incomes
...

Empowerment is key

US services activity expanded in November at the slowest pace in three months as demand and employment growth settled back, indicating the largest part of the economy is losing momentum.

US services activity expands at slowest pace in three months 

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

Capital A, Superlon, Focus Dynamics, Uzma, UEM Sunrise, Mulpha, Central Global, Apollo Food, TMC Life Sciences, Sentoria, Binasat

Wall Street's main indexes climbed on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq touching record highs propelled by gains in technology stocks, while investors awaited comments from Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell later in the day.

Tech rally drives S&P 500, Nasdaq to record highs; Powell comments in focus

Binasat Communications Bhd (KL:BINACOM) has proposed to undertake a private placement to finance the acquisition of several properties.

Binasat plans private placement to finance property acquisitions

AstraZeneca plc has appointed Iskra Reic as executive vice-president of its international business, replacing Leon Wang who is under investigation by Chinese authorities.

AstraZeneca veteran replaces detained China executive Leon Wang

A consortium seeking to buy out Hong Kong-listed ESR Group Ltd has submitted a binding offer for the logistics real estate firm, a move that would bring the months-long takeover pursuit one step closer to an end.

ESR gets US$7 bil binding takeover offer from buyout group

The two-day Asean Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) Retreat 2025, which ends on Thursday, is a vital preparatory meeting aimed at updating outstanding issues from the previous Asean chairmanship.

Asean SEOM Retreat to understand outstanding issues from previous Asean chairmanship

US private payrolls increased at a moderate pace in November, while annual wages for workers staying in their jobs edged up for the first time in 25 months.

US private payrolls gain slightly below expectations in November

Canary Wharf Group’s bondholders have agreed to let the London docklands developer raise new debt, according to a regulatory filing, paving the way for it to refinance around £600 million (RM3.38 billion) of maturing notes.

Canary Wharf gets green light from bondholders for new debt

The Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday approved the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (Amendment) 2024 Bill, which, among others, introduces the legal basis to address the issue of illegal or unauthorised bus ticket sales in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

Dewan Rakyat passes Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (Amendment) 2024 Bill

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has emerged as a substantial shareholder in Mega First Corporation Bhd (KL:MFCB), after raising its direct stake in the utility conglomerate company to 5.99%, comprising 56.54 million shares.

EPF now owns 5.99% stake in Mega First

TMC Life Sciences Bhd (KL:TMCLIFE) said its suspended CEO, Wan Nadiah Wan Mohd Abdullah Yaakob, has been found guilty of misconduct following a domestic inquiry.

“Pursuant to the said domestic inquiry and upon deliberation by the independent domestic inquiry panel, Puan Nadiah has been found guilty of all five charges of misconduct levelled against her,” TMC told Bursa Malaysia on Wednesday.

TMC Life Sciences CEO Wan Nadiah found guilty of misconduct after domestic inquiry

Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) said on Wednesday it has completed the acquisition of 175.9 million shares, representing a 44.15% stake, in insurer LPI Capital Bhd (KL:LPI).

Public Bank completes 44.15% stake buy in LPI Capital

UEM Sunrise Bhd (KL:UEMS) has announced the resignation of its chief executive officer, Sufian Abdullah, which will take effect from Feb 28, 2025.

The property developer said in a statement on Wednesday that Sufian, who was appointed to the post on Feb 2, 2021, had tendered his resignation on Nov 29 to pursue other opportunities. &nbsp;

UEM Sunrise puts Hafizuddin Sulaiman in charge as Sufian Abdullah steps down as CEO

Public Bank Bhd (KL:PBBANK) will redeem its RM500 million subordinated sukuk murabahah on Dec 18, five years earlier than its maturity date of Dec 18 in 2029.

The third-largest bank in the country by assets on Wednesday said that the subordinated notes had a coupon rate of 3.72% per annum.

Public Bank makes early redemption of RM500 mil sukuk

Terengganu-based mechanical and engineering services provider Enproserve Group Bhd has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market to raise funds for its business expansion.

Engineering services provider Enproserve Group seeking to float shares on ACE Market; to offer 315 mil shares 

Cash-rich Apollo Food Holdings Bhd’s (KL:APOLLO) net profit grew 6.7% year-on-year for the second quarter, supported by higher domestic and export sales.

Apollo Food declares 30 sen dividend; net profit up 6.7% in 2QFY2025 

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has once again alluded to the fabrication of his signature in 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-related documents implicating him in the multibillion-dollar scandal.

1MDB-Tanore: Najib denies signature in documents, says there's no BOA meeting with Shahrol

Cryptocurrency speculators kept Bitcoin in sight of the landmark US$100,000 (RM444,292) level in anticipation of further steps to support the sector by US President-elect Donald Trump.

Bitcoin churns near US$97,000 as crypto awaits Trump’s next step

After nearly two decades on the run, a Singaporean tycoon involved in a US$51 million (RM227 million) misappropriation case was finally arrested with his wife in Johor on Tuesday.

MACC helped nab Singapore tycoon after 19-year manhunt, says Azam Baki

One of the partners at Zaid Ibrahim, Suflan TH Liew and Partners (ZIST) has related how difficult it was for the firm to work with Messrs Shafee &amp; Co when dealing with Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s final appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case at the Federal Court two years ago, including problems with obtaining the full documentation needed to prepare for Najib's appeal.

Lawyer relates how difficult it was to get documents from Shafee & Co to mount Najib's final appeal  

The Penang High Court on Wednesday ordered Kepala Batas Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad to pay RM750,000 in total to three DAP stalwarts — Tan Sri Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng and Teresa Kok — over her claims that they were related to Communist Party of Malaya leader Chin Peng.

Penang High Court orders Siti Mastura to pay RM750,000 to DAP trio for defamation

The government has assured that the integrity of data, especially the people’s information of this country, will always be safeguarded, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Home minister dismisses rumours of MyKad data leak 

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

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has disputed the claim that 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), a company which fell under Ministry of Finance (MOF), had practised a "top-down approach".

1MDB-Tanore: Najib disputes witnesses’ claim of 'top-down' approach in 1MDB

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 4): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday received a courtesy call from Australian&nbsp;Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is currently in Malaysia to attend the 6th Malaysia-Australia Annual Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Anwar receives courtesy call from AU Foreign Minister Penny Wong

Sentoria Group Bhd (KL:SNTORIA) said it has triggered Bursa Malaysia's Practice Note 17 (PN17) criteria after its shareholders’ equity fell to 33% of its issued and paid-up capital, based on its just released financial statement for the year ended Sept 30, 2024 (FY2024).

Sentoria triggers PN17 critera

Below is a summary of how key Bursa Malaysia indices and the ringgit performed on Wednesday.

FBM KLCI up 0.44% to 1,614.09 on Dec 4, 2024

ACE Market-listed Focus Dynamics Group Bhd (KL:FOCUS) has proposed a share capital reduction to wipe out up to RM126.8 million of the company’s accumulated losses.

Focus Dynamics proposes RM127m share capital reduction

The unemployed are having a harder time finding jobs in the US, a trend that’s casting a shadow over other statistics showing a resilient labor market with few outward signs of trouble.

Nation-Building And The Future Economy

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Nation-Building And The Future Economy

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