This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 28, 2023 - September 3, 2023

The global Islamic economy is estimated to reach US$7.7 trillion (RM35.7 trillion) by 2025, up from US$2 trillion in 2021. This exponential growth provides Malaysia with an opportunity to strengthen its position and stake a substantial claim in the sector, all through strategic use of the Islamic Digital Economy (IDE).

For nine consecutive years, Malaysia ranked first among 81 countries in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, owing to its success in sectors such as Islamic finance and a range of halal products and services, said Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil at the IDE Industry Conference 2023 held on Aug 22.

Fahmi said IDE is one of the key sectors supporting a fair distribution of wealth and resources, aligned with the Malaysia Madani vision and one of the nine sectors under the Malaysia Digital initiative.

To continue reaping the benefits of the country’s distinctive positioning, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp and Halal Development Corp inked a memorandum of understanding to encourage the expansion of halal digital technology such as the Halal Assurance System and Halal Traceability. This includes increasing digital adoption among entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“In 2022, SMEs alone contributed 38.4% of GDP, representing 48.2% of the workforce in Malaysia. Encouraging the sizeable agnostic technology companies in this segment to leverage the opportunities in the IDE would undoubtedly enable further growth,” said Fahmi.

According to the 12th Malaysia Plan, the halal industry is to contribute 8.1% of GDP and generate export revenue totalling RM56 billion by 2025.

The digital economy, on the other hand, contributed 23.2% (RM348 billion) to GDP in 2021. This is expected to reach 25.5% by 2025, or more than RM382 billion. — By Ravinyaa Ravimalar and Grace Yap Ern Hui

Shell Malaysia has rolled out a fuel payment app that serves as a comprehensive in-car, contactless service tool. The app, which can be used at 650 stations, is expected to be rolled out fully nationwide at all of Shell’s 1,000 stations by year’s end.

Seow Lee Ming, general manager of Mobility Malaysia, says the app is vital to enhancing experiences for its customers.

The app features a milestone tracker that allows users to track their spending and loyalty points under the BonusLink rewards programme. Users can also email a digitalised receipt to themselves and the app will retain a six-month record of the receipts. It also offers a Shell station locator, equipped with amenities needed and silent alarms in case of an emergency.

The new app is the first fuel payment app in the country protected by a 3-D Secure verification, which adds an extra layer of security to ensure a safer user experience against possible fraud and scam threats.

Currently, users can pay for fuel with their debit or credit card via the app, but Shell is working on integrating e-wallets.

On the topic of integrating Shell Recharge (electric vehicle [EV] charging stands) and RFID fuelling, Seow says the features will be rolled out in phases. Users can still locate Shell Recharge stations using the locator but will still have to rely on the ParkEasy app to activate charging for their EV. — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

IBM Security found that the average cost of a data breach in Asean countries, including Malaysia, amounted to US$3.05 million in 2023.

In its annual Cost of a Data Breach report — based on an in-depth analysis of real-world data breaches on 553 organisations globally, including companies in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam between March 2022 and March 2023 — IBM says financial services and energy companies saw the highest breach costs.

Across Asean, the financial sector is paying nearly US$4.81 million on average per breach, while the energy sector is paying US$3.6 million on average.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation had the next biggest impact on the speed of breach identification and containment. Organisations in the region that extensively use both AI and automation saw a data breach lifecycle that was 99 days shorter, with nearly US$1.25 million lower breach costs compared to organisations that have not deployed these technologies.

Catherine Lian, managing director and technology leader at IBM Malaysia, suggests it is crucial to deploy AI and automation in building a robust threat management capability for organisations for early detection of and to quickly respond to anomalies. This can significantly reduce the impact and losses of businesses and unlock tangible benefits for speed and efficiency.

Netskope has introduced SkopeAI in its portfolio, using AI and machine learning (ML) to ensure data protection and cyber threat defence in their products.

According to IDC projections, legacy protection tools will not be able to protect and identify 80% of an estimated 175 zettabytes of data by 2025. Netskope Threat Labs’ latest Cloud & Threat report shows that generative AI app usage in enterprises is rising by up to 22.5%, with source code being posted to ChatGPT at a rate of 158 incidents per month.

The introduction of SkopeAI provides structured and unstructured data protection through advanced data loss prevention and deep contextual awareness. Automated ML data classification and train-your-own-classifiers technology identify and categorise new data based on a “train-and-forget approach” to data identification.

SkopeAI will provide AI-based threat protection and AI-driven software-defined wide area network operations that improve network performance and user experiences through network monitoring. Generative AI apps such as ChatGPT will also be provided with safe enterprise enablement through the expansion of Netskope Intelligence SSE.

Cyberview’s Living Lab Accelerator (CLLA) Programme has accepted eight local start-ups in the areas of smart living, industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and digital solutions.

The innovators are Ever AI Technologies, ProSales, Mesolitica, Favoriot, LekirTech, Beebag, HappyPreggie and Smartoptz Technology.

These companies will undergo a five-month programme that offers them support to research, develop, pilot and commercialise products and solutions. The goal is to accelerate the pathway for companies to achieve product-market fit.

The 2023 cohort is focused on developing digital solutions that are largely powered by AI, including the AI-powered language model, ChatGPT, and IoT. Their products and solutions are designed to serve various sectors, including property, retail and healthcare, targeting businesses and consumers.

The resources provided by Cyberview are valued at more than RM100,000 for each company. This includes a rent-free workspace at Colnnov8 (Cyberview’s collaborative co-working space), resources, business advisory and hands-on mentoring to help equip the start-ups with viable business models and market-access opportunities.

At the end of the programme, the start-ups will have the chance to showcase their final products for investment and partnership opportunities during a demonstration to government agencies, corporate partners, venture capitalists and the media.

Kamarul Ariffin Abdul Samad is the new CEO of Cyberview Bhd, the landowner and pioneer tech hub developer. The seasoned corporate leader brings with him 30 years’ experience in business development, strategic planning and corporate investment to leading business units.

Prior to joining Cyberview, Kamarul spent several years at Sime Darby Property Bhd, where he was in charge of the Malaysian Vision Valley project, a development project that covers 379,000 acres from Seremban to Port Dickson as the country’s new economic corridor.

The World Education Placement Services Bhd and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have partnered to provide free cloud computing skills and job training in Malaysia through a 12-week workforce development programme called AWS re/Start.

The programme is designed to give unemployed and underemployed individuals, who could otherwise not afford digital skills training, access to entry-level cloud computing skills and connect them with job interview opportunities at local employers.

Through the initiative, participants will develop skills in programming, networking, security and relational databases through scenario-based learning as well as hands-on laboratory experience and coursework. These exercises will prepare trainees for entry-level cloud roles such as cloud operations, site reliability, infrastructure support and technical adjacent business support functions.

Those who finish the programme will receive an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner Certification, an industry-recognised credential.

For more information visit https://aws.amazon.com/training/restart/ or https://weps.com.my/portfolio

The United Nations Children’s Fund has unveiled the Picture My Rights #aShotatLife contest to raise awareness about children’s rights and the challenges that affect them. Those aged between 13 and 24 and living in Malaysia can submit photos across five themes: dignity and a fair chance; survival and development; education; protection from violence; and participation.

Participants are encouraged to post photos on Instagram with a caption that includes the hashtags #PictureMyRights and #AShotatLife. Those without an Instagram account or who have private accounts can submit their photos via email to [email protected].

The best photographs and accompanying captions will have the chance to win one of four iPhone 14s. A pair of winners will be selected from each age group category: 13 to 17 years; and 18 to 24 years. Winning entries will also be featured in a special World Children’s Day virtual exhibition in November. The campaign ends on Sept 20.

For more information visit https://children4change.unicef.my

Canon Marketing Malaysia is calling out to aspiring national filmmakers and content creators to showcase their creativity in their “Canon Short Film Contest 2023”, which is supported by Tourism Malaysia.

The contest, based on the theme “Harmony in Diversity”, will run from Sept 1 to Oct 15. Canon is partnering with Nanlite, SanDisk, Sennheiser and Zhiyun to offer prizes such as videography equipment worth more than RM200,000 in total and the grand prize of RM50,000 cash.

The Canon Short Film Contest 2023 is open to all Malaysian residents aged 18 and above. The contest welcomes short video entries between three and ten minutes long, filmed on any brand of camera or smartphone. The entry categories will be divided into camera, smartphone and entries from university and college students.

For more information visit https://ylwc.canon.com.my.

To commemorate the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5, Samsung is hosting a multi-week event dubbed “the Flip Town’’ and invites Malaysians to explore key locations around the country to experience local murals by homegrown artists and try out the new phones.

Since Aug 18, Flip Town has converted several spaces into Galaxy Space Hubs, allowing participants to admire local murals and enjoy Gen Z trends.

Participants may enjoy photos in these spots, join the Flex360 Bus to take advantage of the 360 Photo Booth or take in the scenes from the Chill Lounge on the top deck of the bus.

Samsung’s Flip Town events will take place in several set locations: Kwai Chai Hong, Kuala Lumpur (Aug 18 to 20 and Aug 25 to 27, from 10am to 5pm); Tapak, Kuala Lumpur (Aug 18 to 31, from 6am to 12am); Hin Bus Depot, Penang (Sept 15 to 17, from 10am to 10pm); Jalan Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka (Sept 22 to 24, from 10am to 6pm); and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Johor Baru (Sept 29 to Oct 1, from 10am to 6pm).

A new digital art installation in the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur is set to show Malaysians the “beautiful soul” of the Rukun Negara. Atma Kirana is an installation by digital artist Abdul Shakir that uses 100 reused LED panels to display five unique flower motifs based on the five principles of Rukun Negara. They are Faith (Percaya), Loyalty (Setia), Good Governance (Luhur), Rules of Law (Adil) and Kindness (Baik). This immersive showcase is now open to the public until Oct 30.

Imagine a world in which your brain can be interrogated to learn your political beliefs, your thoughts can be used as evidence of a crime and your own feelings can be held against you. A world in which people who suffer from epilepsy receive alerts moments before a seizure and the average person can peer into their own mind to eliminate painful memories or cure addictions.

Neuroscience has already made all of this possible and neurotechnology will soon become the “universal controller” for all of our interactions with technology. This can benefit humanity immensely, but without safeguards, it can seriously threaten our fundamental human rights to privacy, freedom of thought and self-determination.

From one of the world’s foremost experts on the ethics of neuroscience, The Battle for Your Brain offers a path forward to navigate the complex legal and ethical dilemmas that will fundamentally impact our freedom to understand, shape and define ourselves. — Amazon

Meen Tech Network Bhd, a local fintech company with a past in mobile-phone manufacturing, has entered the smartphone market with the launch of its M60 and i18 smartphones.

With dreams of global expansion, Meen Tech focuses on high specs and full Web 3.0 integration to set its devices apart from the competition.

The specs of the flagship phone, the M60, are comparable to high-end phones on the market, says Meen Tech. The dual-sim device measures 163mm in height, 76mm in width and 9mm in depth and weighs 215g. The phone houses a 6.53-inch AMOLED 120Hz screen that curves at the edges and features a 1440x2560 resolution.

The M60 also boasts a 64MP camera, a Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while sporting a high-capacity battery with Type-C fast charging and light and proximity sensors. Meen Tech’s M60 challenges high-end phones at RM3,499.

“For our flagship device, we wanted to put our best foot forward — something that caters for every modern requirement at a competitive price point and all packaged in an elegant design,” says Yuen Mun Kwun, CEO of Meen Tech.

Meen’s cheaper option, the i18, features much of the same specs as the M60 but with a larger, 6.82-inch AMOLED display, a larger build measuring 175mm in height and 97mm in width and a weight of 380g. It has a lower-resolution front camera, a lower battery charge and fewer sensors. The i18 retails for RM2,999.

What sets Meen Tech’s phones apart is the integration of Web 3.0 and blockchain. The phones come with Metaverse capabilities, which are useful for trading and managing digital assets.

The company is partnering with UME Token Wallet Strategic — a crypto wallet working on the Meta-M platform — for its expertise in managing and trading digital assets.

Meen phones are available for sale at the brand’s shops, with its first brick-and-mortar store opening at VivaHome in Cheras. The company hopes to open 200 stores by 2024, offer other products such as VR glasses and tablets by the third and fourth quarters of 4Q2024 respectively, and is already looking ahead to its new flagship phone, the M70. — By Aris Riza Noor Baharin

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