For most retirees, a secure and sufficient income stream during retirement is the ultimate goal. Traditionally, this is achieved through either a defined benefit (DB) or defined contribution (DC) plan, where contributions made during working years help build a retirement income. While DB plans pl...

My Say: Worry-free retirement savings bonds for the nation and region

Growing up in a kampung with his grandparents, architect Adrianta Aziz enjoyed constructing things from recycled materials. “I made models such as buildings and excavators from the materials,” Adrianta tells City & Country in an interview at the PAM Centre in Bangsar. “After moving i...

Building and shaping communities through architecture

THE general perception is that PLUS Malaysia Bhd is sitting on a lucrative toll concession. But Datuk Amran Hafiz Affifudin, managing director of UEM Group Bhd, tells The Edge that such a perception is different from reality.

“Sometimes people on the outside think that it [PLUS highway ...

Cover Story: PLUS’ concession not as lucrative as perceived, says UEM Group MD

THERE has been speculation for the past few weeks that healthcare support services and property and facility solutions provider UEM Edgenta Bhd (KL:EDGENTA) will be taken private by its 69.14% parent company UEM Group Bhd, the infrastructure arm of Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

“I cannot comme...

Cover Story: Depressed valuation sparks speculation about UEM Edgenta

UEM Group Bhd, the wholly-owned infrastructure arm of Khazanah Nasional Bhd, has been silent for a long time.

Some in the diversified group say the last time it gave an interview to the media was when Datuk Mohd Izzaddin Idris was at the helm. He left in October 2018, after holding the ...

Cover Story: Sleeping Giant UEM Group Stirs

A friendly comic book character once said, “With great power comes great responsibility”. As Malaysia assumes the Asean chairmanship in 2025, the weight of expectation will rest heavily on its shoulders. Asean faces a year of reckoning, shaped by intensifying external pressures and long-standing ...

ECONtemplation: Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship: Leading through challenges in 2025

Capital markets are crucial for driving innovation as they provide both the high-risk, long-term funding and an exit mechanism for early-stage financing sources such as bank borrowings or venture capital. As companies compete against their rivals through innovation and investing in technology, kn...

Condivergence: Why the capital markets are critical to the tech sector

WITH hurried footsteps, a group of middle-aged professionals pour out of their office after another later-than-usual meeting in the bustling Central District, the business and retail heart of Hong Kong crammed with skyscrapers, swanky malls and luxury hotels. They are making for the nearest mass ...

Hong Kong rolls up sleeves to bolster FDI

AS competition in the artificial intelligence (AI) chip market heats up among semiconductor giants such as Nvidia Corp, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) and Intel Corp, one company stands to gain regardless of who the winner of the chip battle is — Micron Technology Inc.

Positioned as a...

Tech: Micron stands to gain amid AI chip battle

MALAYSIA Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) (KL:AIRPORT) can do much more to draw a higher volume of business to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), according to the founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group (PPG), which operates the world’s largest network of international airport lounges.

...

MAHB can do more to attract business, says world’s largest airport lounge operator

Growing up in the small fishing village of Pontian Kechil in Johor, Rien Tan led a simple life with no high-rises, shopping malls or cinemas. He did, however, see them on programmes screened by the TV channels of neighbouring Singapore and dreamt of one day designing such tall buildings. From the...

Designworks: Turning a dream into reality

SINGAPORE-listed Silverlake Axis Ltd’s privatisation exercise has generated much interest because of its unique dual-pricing structure that is believed to be rare in such deals.

Typically, privatisation bids fail or are prolonged because investors hold out for a higher offer, especially...

Innovative structure used in taking Silverlake Axis private may spark a trend

JOHOR Bahru-based property developer Paragon Globe Bhd (KL:PGLOBE) has maintained a relatively low profile since Datuk Seri Edwin Tan Pei Seng’s family acquired its predecessor, Goh Ban Huat Bhd (GBH) — a ceramic sanitaryware and tableware company — from “Casio King” Tan Sri Robert Tan Hua Choon ...

Paragon Globe gains traction as beneficiary of data centre boom

The number of hungry people worldwide has been rising over the last decade. Although there is little monitoring of its many adverse consequences, especially in developing countries, malnutrition is a much greater threat than is acknowledged.

Malaysian malnutrition

Malaysians...

My Say: Universal school feeding can do wonders

Pahang Islamic Affairs, Rural Development, and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad has confirmed that a video alleging the allocation of durian plantation land in Pahang to retired soldiers is fake.

Video alleging durian land allocation is actually Skim Tanah Rakyat land rights handover, says Pahang MP's rep

The launch of a new direct route from Chennai to Penang, via IndiGo, commencing on Saturday, marks a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity, generating economic opportunities, and solidifying Penang’s position as a regional air travel hub.

Direct route from Chennai elevates Penang as key regional air travel hub, says exco

The world’s biggest stablecoin issuer, Tether Holdings Ltd, is on track to close the year with more than US$10 billion (RM45.07 billion) in net profits, chief executive officer Paolo Ardoino said in an interview.

World’s largest stablecoin issuer Tether sees US$10b in net profits for 2024

BNP Paribas SA finalised the €5.1 billion (US$5.3 billion or RM24.0 billion) purchase of Axa SA’s asset management unit, in the biggest acquisition under chief executive officer Jean-Laurent Bonnafe.

BNP Paribas signs €5.1b deal to buy Axa’s asset manager

At least five people were killed in a car-ramming attack at a German Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg that also left more than 200 injured, officials said, and a Saudi man was arrested on suspicion of driving a car into the crowd.

Death toll in German Christmas market car-ramming rises to five, more than 200 injured

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pursuit of closer ties with China has raised private questions from Donald Trump’s incoming administration, European diplomats and even some senior British officials.

UK's Starmer is deepening China ties while allies turn away

The US Congress passed spending legislation early on Saturday in a down-to-the wire burst of activity that will avert a destabilising government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

US Senate passes govt funding bill, averts shutdown

Honda and Nissan are considering producing vehicles in one another's factories as part of their plan to deepen ties and potentially merge, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Saturday.

Honda and Nissan mulling mutual production of vehicles, Kyodo reports

The Cabinet draft paper on the separation of powers between the attorney general (AG) and the public prosecutor (PP) is expected to be ready by the middle of next year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Draft paper on separation of AG powers expected to be ready by mid-2025 — PM

The government will continue its Special Appreciation for Pensioners (PKKP) initiative, aimed at supporting affected pensioners and derivative pension recipients, to ensure the welfare of this group is well taken care of.

Govt to continue special appreciation for pensioners — PM

In a&nbsp;Vanity Fair&nbsp;video&nbsp;last month, Lisa, a member of mega&nbsp;K-pop&nbsp;band Blackpink, shared her obsession with toys from Chinese company Pop Mart International Group Ltd.&nbsp;

China's hottest stock Pop Mart rockets 370% on craze for collectibles

Highway users nationwide will enjoy toll-free travel&nbsp;on Dec 23 and 24, in conjunction with&nbsp;Christmas celebration.

Christmas: Toll-free travel for Class 1 vehicles on all highways on Dec 23 and 24

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has assured that an amicable solution will be taken to address the ongoing dispute between&nbsp;Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) and Sarawak's state-owned oil and gas (O&amp;G) company Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) over the distribution of natural gas in Sarawak.

PM: Amicable solution in the works for Petronas-Petros dispute over natural gas distribution

The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has warned that it will take a firm stance against associations that openly announce price hikes, minimum pricing or new trading conditions, particularly through the media.

MyCC warns stern action against cartel activities by associations

The US&nbsp;Congress passed spending legislation early on Saturday in a down-to-the wire burst of activity that will avert a destabilising government shutdown ahead of the busy holiday travel season.

Singapore’s main stock index is on track to have its best annual performance since 2017, but any celebrations over the Straits Times Index’s 15% gain so far this year are likely to be overshadowed by doubts about what lies ahead.&nbsp;

Singapore stocks’ best year since 2017 masks downbeat outlook

Alphabet Inc’s Google called a US Justice Department (DOJ) plan to force it to sell its web browser “extreme” and at odds with the law, urging a Federal Court judge to take caution lest he stifle innovation and future investment.

Google blasts Chrome sale as ‘extreme’ remedy at odds with law

At first glance,&nbsp;Sony Group Corp’s US$1.2 billion (RM5.4&nbsp;billion) acquisition of the anime streaming site Crunchyroll in 2021 looks like a success. Subscribers to the US$8-a-month service have tripled to 15 million since then, and the number of new shows has doubled to more than 50 every quarter.

Sony's Crunchyroll finds its early lead in anime under attack

Volkswagen AG (VW) reached an agreement with labour leaders to cut capacity at its namesake brand while avoiding factory closures, capping three months of tense negotiations and preventing further union walkouts.

VW, union agree to cut capacity and keep German plants open

At least five people were killed in a car-ramming attack at a German Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg that also left more than 200 injured, officials said, and a Saudi man was arrested on suspicion of driving a car into the crowd.

The government will continue its Special Appreciation for Pensioners (PKKP) initiative, aimed at supporting affected pensioners and derivative pension recipients, to ensure the welfare of this group is well taken care of.

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are expected in&nbsp;Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor and&nbsp;Johor until 4pm on Saturday.

Thunderstorms in six states until 4pm on Saturday — MetMalaysia

The launch of a new direct route from Chennai to Penang, via IndiGo, commencing on Saturday, marks a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity, generating economic opportunities, and solidifying Penang’s position as a regional air travel hub.

Qualcomm Inc prevailed at trial against Arm Holdings plc’s claim that it breached a licence for chip technology that the world’s largest maker of mobile-phone processors acquired when it bought a startup in 2021.&nbsp;

Qualcomm defeats Arm’s claim over chip design licence breach

Honda and&nbsp;Nissan are considering producing vehicles in one another's factories as part of their plan to&nbsp;deepen ties&nbsp;and potentially merge, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Saturday.

The election of Donald Trump will usher in a wave of private-company purchases that had previously been slowed by red tape, investor Cathie Wood said in an interview, in which she also reiterated her ultra-bullish view on bitcoin.

Cathie Wood predicts wave of startup M&A after Trump election, ultra-bullish on bitcoin

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s pursuit of closer ties with China has raised private questions from Donald Trump’s incoming administration, European diplomats and even some senior British officials.

With Donald Trump set to return to the White House in January, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has expressed confidence in Malaysia’s ability to safeguard its foreign policy and economic priorities amid&nbsp;evolving global dynamics.

Malaysia to adapt to Trump era, says Anwar

Nippon&nbsp;Steel alleges the White House had "impermissible undue influence" over a national security review of its US$14.9 billion (RM67.2&nbsp;billion) bid for US&nbsp;Steel and threatened legal action if the deal is blocked.

Nippon Steel alleges undue White House influence on doomed US Steel deal review, letter says

Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) expects inflation to rise in 2025, driven by domestic policy reforms such as RON95 fuel subsidy rationalisation and an expanded sales and service&nbsp;tax (SST) scope. &nbsp;

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