Afternoon Highlight (17/04/13/64/762) The Star launches RM20mil fund for digital and tech-based start-ups

The Star launches RM20mil fund for digital and tech-based start-ups

PETALING JAYA: The Star Media Group launched on Wednesday the RM20mil The Star Accelerator Fund to support digital and technology-based businesses.

The fund will serve as a platform to help individuals and companies develop ideas and commercialise products, with the goal of establishing Malaysia as a “game-changer” in development funding for start-ups.

"The Star Accelerator Fund was the brainchild of MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who approached The Star with the idea of creating a seed fund for digital and technology start-ups," Star Publications (M) Bhd executive deputy chairman Datuk Vincent Lee said.

Lauding the Government's call for the private sector to support the Economic Transformation Programme, The Star took up the idea and expanded on it, giving rise to The Star Accelerator Fund.

The fund provides financing for the pre-seed and seed levels. In both instances, the fund seeks to give financial support in exchange for an equity stake in the business.

“We see this opportunity as a long-term commitment to establish and grow the businesses we become involved in. It is our aim to leverage our media expertise, as well as that of our business partners, for the benefit of our successful applicants,” Lee said.

Besides monetary assistance, the fund offers unprecedented benefits to successful applicants such as media support, networking opportunities, financial training and legal guidance.

The pre-seed fund is targeted at applicants who are developing their technology-based ideas into prototypes and transforming them into commercially viable enterprises. Successful applicants have access to a maximum amount of RM300,000.

Applicants who already possess innovative technology-based products or services that are ready for commercialisation can apply for the seed fund, which provides maximum funding of RM1mil.

The launch was attended by Chua, Lee and a host of start-ups and technopreneurs.

Source : The Star

Date : 17 April 2013

Afternoon Highlight (17/04/13/64/762)

Today's Pick (17/04/13/65/989) Yunique bantu latih usahawan Melayu

Yunique bantu latih usahawan Melayu

Yunique Data Communication Sdn Bhd (Yunique) melancarkan perkhidmatan telekomunikasi mudah alih prabayar baru di Malaysia, yang dikenali sebagai Yunique.

Pengarah Korporat Rangkaian Yunique, Mohd Hairiezan Rasli, berkata syarikat itu yang ditubuhkan pada Disember tahun lalu dengan kerjasama Salamfone Sdn Bhd menyasar pemerolehan pendapatan sehingga RM10 juta untuk tahun ini.

“Sasaran pengguna Unique adalah 100,000 orang sehingga hujung tahun ini dan mampu menjana pendapatan syarikat sehingga RM10 juta berdasarkan analisis dan pemerhatian dalam bidang telekomunikasi,” katanya pada majlis pelancaran perkhidmatan prabayar mudah alih Yunique di Marang, baru-baru ini.

Keuntungan yang diberikan kepada usahawan Yunique amat tinggi dan secara tidak langsung menjadi dorongan kepada mereka untuk lebih aktif” Mohd Hairiezan Rasli, Pengarah Korporat Rangkaian Yunique

Bidang telekomunikasi

Beliau berkata, Yunique ditubuhkan untuk memberi peluang kepada usahawan Melayu dan Bumiputera menceburi bidang telekomunikasi dengan lebih mendalam.

Beliau berkata, selain Salamfone, syarikat itu juga bekerjasama dengan beberapa agensi kerajaan seperti Yayasan Pembangunan Usahawan Terengganu (YPU), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Tekun Nasional (TEKUN) dan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi (KPT).

Melalui program itu, katanya Yunique akan melatih usahawan supaya lebih berdaya saing dan berjaya.

“Keuntungan yang diberikan kepada usahawan Yunique amat tinggi dan secara tidak langsung menjadi dorongan kepada mereka untuk lebih aktif.

“Kebanyakan usahawan Melayu Bumiputera kurang pembabitan dalam bidang telekomunikasi kerana kurang mendapat peluang dan ruang.

Sedia pinjaman

“Kerjasama yang diberikan oleh agensi terbabit sangat baik, terutama daripada segi promosi serta penyediaan pinjaman mudah kepada usahawan yang berminat,” katanya.

Mohd Hairiezan berkata, buat permulaan tiga agensi iaitu YPU, MARA dan TEKUN akan mempromosi dan menyediakan pinjaman mudah RM10,000 kepada usahawan Terengganu, yang berminat bagi pembelian kad prabayar dan kad tambah nilai.

Source: Berita Harian

Date: 16 April 2013

Today's Pick (17/04/13/65/989)

Afternoon Highlight (16/04/13/63/761) Jenama mewah Asia kian cipta nama

Jenama mewah Asia kian cipta nama

Paris: Sejak beberapa dekad lalu, barangan mewah buatan Asia disifatkan 'kurang berjaya.'

Kini, syarikat pengeluar beg dari Korea, Couronne dan pereka pakaian, Farah Khan muncul sebagai jenama Asia yang semakin mencipta nama. 

Couronne, Khan dan jenama seperti Woo, pengeluar skaf sutera berpangkalan di Shanghai, berjaya memenangi hati pelanggan menerusi produk keluaran mereka yang boleh menandingi barangan di Eropah.

Bagi pengguna yang mementingkan kerja tangan asal, apa yang penting ialah produk guna bahan terbaik” Uche Okonkwo, Pengarah Eksekutif Luxe Corp.

Populariti mereka yang semakin meningkat, di tengah jualan perlahan Louis Vuitton dan beberapa jenama lain Eropah, menunjukkan bagaimana perubahan permintaan di Asia dengan pengguna yang mahukan rekaan baru sekadar berbanding logo.

Aliran ini boleh membawa lebih banyak perolehan di rantau ini kerana syarikat seperti LVMH, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA dan PPR SA berusaha untuk merangsang pertumbuhannya.

“Jenama mewah abad ke-21 boleh muncul di mana saja. Bagi pengguna yang mementingkan dan menghargai kerja tangan asal, apa yang penting ialah produk menggunakan bahan terbaik,” kata Pengarah Eksekutif Luxe Corp, Uche Okonkwo.

Walaupun produk seperti iPhone oleh Apple Inc dan model Prius oleh Toyota Motor Corp meningkatkan pengeluaran produk terkenal berkualiti tinggi, pengeluaran besar-besaran itu menjejaskan kelayakannya sebagai jenama mewah.

China saja menyumbang lebih separuh daripada perdagangan antarabangsa bagi barangan palsu, mengikut jangkaan dikeluarkan Pertubuhan Bagi Kerjasama Ekonomi dan Pembangunan.

Syarikat Itali dan Perancis pula membantu mengukuhkan tanggapan pengeluaran jenama mewah masih memelihara Eropah walaupun mereka membeli bahan dan membuat beberapa barangan di luar negara.

Sumbangan Asia

Hermes International SCA, pengeluar beg Birkin berharga AS$7,000 (RM21,287) yang berpangkalan di Perancis, membuat demonstrasi bagi mengetengahkan gabungan rekaannya yang mendapatkan kain bulu halus (kashmir) dari Mongolia dan skaf dari Nepal.

Sementara Asia menyumbang separuh daripada pembelian barangan mewah di seluruh dunia pada 2012, menurut syarikat perunding Bain & Co, ‘hanya sebahagian kecil’ daripada jualan AS$272 bilion tahun lalu adalah dari jenama Asia, menurut anggaran dikeluarkan Luxe Corp.

Jenama Couronne dari Korea Selatan juga membantu menukar persepsi mengenai barangan mewah Asia menerusi rekaan berwarna warni dan logonya. - BLOOMBERG

Source : Berita Harian

Date : 16 April 2013

Afternoon Highlight (16/04/13/63/761)

Today's Pick (16/04/13/64/988) 10,000 PKS dijangka hadir TM SME BizFest 2013

10,000 PKS dijangka hadir TM SME BizFest 2013

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) menyasar 10,000 peserta daripada komuniti pengusaha perniagaan bersaiz kecil dan sederhana (PKS) akan menghadiri TM SME BizFest 2013 berbanding hanya 3,000 tahun lalu.

Naib Presiden Eksekutif PKSnya, Azizi A Hadi, berkata sasaran itu disandarkan kepada maklum balas menggalakkan dikalangan komuniti PKS di negara ini sejak diperkenalkan tahun lalu.

Selain itu, ia diadakan di tiga lokasi berbeza di seluruh negara bagi memberi peluang lebih ramai komuniti PKS tempatan meraih manfaat daripada acara tahunan yang ditawarkan secara percuma itu.

Direka khas

Beliau berkata, TM SME BizFest yang direka khas untuk menghimpunkan PKS seluruh negara, menyaksikan penyertaan Syarikat Kumpulan NAZA, Lelong.my, Microsoft, RSH Malaysia dan KTM Bikes Malaysia sebagai rakan usaha sama strategik tahun ini, selain sokongan padu SME Corp.

“PKS dapat memperkasakan produktiviti, sekali gus meningkatkan produktiviti dan pendapatan perniagaan.

“Kami mahukan syarikat PKS tahu, baik daripada perkhidmatan telefoni asas hinggalah kepada inovasi teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi (ICT) canggih, dan boleh mengharapkan TM sebagai rakan usaha perniagaan diyakini,” katanya pada majlis pelancaran TM SME BizFest 2013 di Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

Hadir sama Ketua Eksekutif SME Corp, Datuk Hafsah Hashim.

Pameran lebih bersinergi

Azizi berkata, TM SME BizFest 2013 yang memasuki tahun keduanya menyediakan pameran lebih bersinergi bagi meningkatkan pengetahuan syarikat PKS berhubung kemampuan ICT dalam memperkasa dan memberi faedah kepada perniagaan mereka.

Antara aktiviti utama program itu, katanya, adalah pertemuan perniagaan, seminar berkumpulan disampaikan pakar perniagaan dan pameran pelbagai penyelesaian ICT daripada TM dan rakan usaha sama.

Beliau berkata, sejajar pendekatan menjadikan berniaga lebih mudah, tumpuan tahun ini diberikan kepada penyelesaian di dalam dan di luar pejabat.

Penyelesaian di dalam pejabat termasuklah Office-in-a-Box, UniFi Biz, HyppTV, SmartMap dan TM Voice, manakala penyelesaian di luar pejabat pula merangkumi TM WiFi, BizApps Store dan peralatan pemasaran.

Azizi berkata, dengan lebih 40 produk dan perkhidmatan komprehensif yang direka khusus untuk 

mempertingkatkan produktiviti dan kecekapan PKS.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, beliau berkata sebagai pemangkin ekonomi negara yang mewakili 90 peratus perniagaan di Malaysia, pihak TM mahu melihat pengusaha PKS tempatan melebarkan lagi pembabitan dalam transaksi merentas sempadan.

"Saya harap dalam tempoh dua tahun akan datang, sumbangan PKS kepada eksport negara akan meningkat kepada 25-30 peratus berbanding 19 peratus ketika ini," katanya.

Butiran lokasi TM SME BizFest 2013 ialah seperti berikut:

Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Persada Johor pada 15 Mei; Pusat Konvensyen Sunway, Petaling Jaya pada 11 Jun; dan Pusat Konvensyen Borneo, Kuching, Sarawak pada 18 Jun depan.

Hadirin dan peserta program berpeluang mengambil bahagian dalam acara menarik yang menawarkan pelbagai hadiah dan ganjaran menarik dengan hadiah utama sebuah kereta.

Untuk maklumat lanjut berhubung TM SME BizFest 2013, sila layari www.tm.com.my/sme atau hubungi hotline TM di 1800-2-BizFest (24933).

Source: Berita Harian 

Date: 16 April 2013

Today's Pick (16/04/13/64/988)

Afternoon Highlight (15/04/13/62/760) Pizzalicious eyes slice of foreign market for its vending machines

Pizzalicious eyes slice of foreign market for its vending machines

KUALA LUMPUR: Pizzalicious Sdn Bhd, which develops pizza vending machines, plans to export the devices to Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and the Middle East.

The company is also targeting to sell 100 units of the machines locally by year-end.

"The pizza vending machine is made entirely in Malaysia and it costs RM150,000 per unit and we have already pre-sold 20 units," said Pizzalicious director Harlinda Abdul Halim on the sidelines of 10th Malaysian International Halal Showcase (Mihas), here, recently.

The pizza vending machines can churn out a pizza within three minutes after the money is paid.

Harlinda said Ku Addy Fazly Ku Radin, who is Pizzalicious's chief executive and also her husband, came up with the idea after researching on it for some years.

"This is a pretty new idea and we know it exists in other countries.

"However, we have been to several countries in Asia and haven't found such machines there, such as in Japan," she said.

Harlinda added that its vending machines offer four types of pizzas, which are chicken, beef, tuna and cheese pizzas.

"The ingredients are fresh and have a long shelf life. The pizza vending machines operate 24 hours a day until the ingredients are finished," she said.

Harlinda said the company has utilised an initial capital of RM250,000 to build a prototype of the pizza vending machine at a factory in Balakong, Selangor.

"Right now, we are talking to several banking institutions to come up with some financial schemes for those interested to buy our pizza vending machines."

Harlinda said the introductory price for each pizza is RM10, with RM3 being the cost price and RM7 going to the vendor.

"We are planning to revise the price in due course," she added.

Harlinda also said having a pizza vending machine is a great way to increase one's passive income. 

Source : New Straits Times

Date : 15 April 2013

Afternoon Highlight (15/04/13/62/760)

Today's Pick (15/04/13/63/987) Survey : Most Malaysians embrace online shopping

Survey : Most Malaysians embrace online shopping

Today's Pick (15/04/13/63/987) 

Afternoon Highlight (12/04/13/61/759) Training makes Florence a successful entrepreneur

Training makes Florence a successful entrepreneur

KUALA LUMPUR: Florence Skim Sujang is one of Sirim Bhd's most successful entrepreneurs. Her determination to succeed drove her not to waste the knowledge she had gained from the training provided by Sirim and in the end, she was smiling all the way to the bank.

Sirim chief technology officer Ir Dr Mohamad Jamil Sulaiman said Florence, who was one of Sirim Sarawak Ceramic Incubator's participants, now owns a company called Sykt Tradelinks Management System. Her ceramic store, located along the Kuching Waterfront, is one of the few successful ones.

In 2007, she won the Ceramic Entrepreneur Excellence Award at the Malaysian National Craft Day and also in the same year, her products were promoted and marketed at Harrods, in Britain, as a "Orang Ulu Sarawak" ethnic vase product.

In 2008, Sirim helped Florence to promote her products in Singapore and the following year, she was again assisted to market her beaded ceramic products in Melbourne, Australia.

Later, her lustre effect ceramic products made their presence felt in Tokyo.

"Florence is one example of an entrepreneur who hails from a village but was determined to harness her talent by riding on our training and assistance," said Mohamad Jamil, adding that the government, through the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, must be commended for its grant contribution.

Source: New Straits Times

Date 12 April 2013

Afternoon Highlight (12/04/13/61/759)

Today's Pick (12/04/13/62/986) Petronas LubeXperts going with the flow

Petronas LubeXperts going with the flow

Today's Pick (12/04/13/62/986) 

Afternoon Highlight (11/04/13/60/758) Malaysian Exhibitors Make Strong Pitch At Hannover Industrial Fair

Malaysian Exhibitors Make Strong Pitch At Hannover Industrial Fair

Hannover, April 11 (Bernama) -- A group of 13 Malaysian companies are making a strong pitch at the ongoing Hannover Industrial Fair in Germany.

The companies are showcasing their products in two separate groups.

Ten of the companies are exhibiting products and services under the aegis of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corp (Matrade) and the rest are with the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

The industrial show from April 8-12 here is a global attraction with Russia being presented this time as a "partner country".

The event is also described as a "one-stop-sourcing-point" by many Asian suppliers.

Nah Ren Howe, managing director of Penang-based Rehon Industries Sdn Bhd, which offers precision metal stamping services, is trying to get a firm foothold in the global export market.

"About 10 per cent of our exports are destined for Germany, the United States and Japan. We are keen now to expand our market," he told Bernama at the Fair.

Mahesh Sambamoorthy, the business director of Controller Area Network Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd from Puchong (Selangor), said his company is a first time exhibitor in Hannover.

The company provides services in the field of industrial controls and automation to a range of industrial plants.

"Hannover offers us a good platform to present our products to a discerning international clientele. We have received some good business enquiries from Sweden and India," he added.

Jecmetal Industries Sdn Bhd of Muar is another exhibitor at the Hannover Industrial Fair.The company supplies a broad range of machinery parts to a variety of industries, including oil and gas and aerospace.

Its general manager Dr Sam Lee said the number of contacts at the Hannover show may be smaller but the company had received qualitatively good business enquiries.

"In fact, quite a few European business people visited our stand," he added.

He was also unperturbed by Chinese competitors who may sell at lower prices but had quality issues.

Pang Boon Tag, the sales and marketing director of Penang-based UIS Technologies Sdn Bhd said he was "highly impressed" by the level of knowledge buyers had gathered before arriving at the stand of an exhibitor.

UIS Technologies started out as a trading company about 11 years ago but now manufactures semi-conductors and machine components, among others.

Source: Bernama

Date : 11 April 2013

 Afternoon Highlight (11/04/13/60/758)

Today's Pick (11/04/13/61/985) Register business, SMEs told

Register business, SMEs told

SME Corp Malaysia has urged small traders and entrepreneurs to register their businesses with the agency to receive proper government assistance to expand their businesses.

SME Corp chief executive Datuk Hafsah Hashim said many entrepreneurs fail to understand the importance of having their businesses registered, hence they will lose out in the small and medium enterprise industry.

"We want to help them expand their businesses with the assistance. But if they don't register their businesses, we can't help them much," Hafsah said after launching the Women Entrepreneurs Synergy Network programme here yesterday.

She said currently the informal sector accounts for up to 31 per cent of the total businesses in the country and the government aims to reduce it to 14 per cent by 2020. This comprises licensed and non-licensed businesses.

"Some businesses have the licence to run their businesses, but they are not registered, let alone those that don't have any licence at all," she said.

To address this problem, she said, SME Corp is proposing that businesses that apply for a licence will have their businesses automatically registered. This will be implemented soon.

"We are also proposing that a special incentive be given to registered businesses in order to encourage more entrepreneurs to register their businesses," she said.

Besides that, Hafsah said SME Crop is also collaborating with the Companies Commission of Malaysia to provide dedicated programmes to encourage business registration.

She said registration can be done at any SME Corp office and applicants need only to fill in a form and pay a RM50 fee for five years.

This initiative will in return contribute to the database on companies under the Malaysia Corporate Identity Number, which will benefit many parties, particularly the SME industry.

Meanwhile, some 120 participants took part in the two-day programme which is dedicated to women entrepreneurs.

She said up until 2011, women entrepreneurs in the country account for 19.7 per cent of the total businesses, compared with 16 per cent in 2005. "We will continue to hold more programmes for women entrepreneurs in order to encourage more women to participate in entrepreneurship," she said.

Source: New Straits Times

Date: 11 April 2013

Today's Pick (11/04/13/61/985)

Afternoon Highlight (10/04/13/59/757) Miti starts anti-dumping probe on steel products from China

Miti starts anti-dumping probe on steel products from China

PETALING JAYA: The Government will likely impose an anti-dumping duty on imported steel-related stranded wire, ropes and cables from China if the final investigation proves that the products were being dumped into Malaysia at low prices, causing material injury to local producers, said industry sources.

In a statement yesterday, the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) said it would initiate a preliminary anti-dumping investigation on stranded wire, ropes and cables from China, following a petition from “a domestic producer”.

Without identifying the petitioner, Miti added that the latter had alleged that the imported goods from China into Malaysia were sold at a price much lower than the price in the domestic market of the alleged country.

The petitioner further claimed that the imports from China had increased in terms of absolute quantity, resulting in the domestic producer suffering from material injuries, including profitability, price suppression, a reduction in domestic sales volume, a loss of market share, negative returns on investment, a decrease in the number of employees and an inability to raise capital.

Miti pointed out that it had determined that there was sufficient evidence of dumping, injury and causal link, culminating in the decision to initiate a preliminary investigation on the imported goods.

In accordance with the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act 1993 and its related regulations, a preliminary determination would be made within 120 days from the date of initiation.
If the final determination is affirmative, then the Government might impose an anti-dumping duty based on the margin of dumping.

Meanwhile, an industry source told StarBiz that domestic pre-stress concrete steel producers such as Southern PC Steel Sdn Bhd, a 100% unit of Southern Steel Bhd (SSB), Kiswire Sdn Bhd and specified steel wire rope maker Bekeart Malaysia, a joint venture between Belgium-based Bakeart and SSB, could stand to be major beneficiaries if the Government decides to impose an anti-dumping duty on the stranded wire, ropes and cables from China.

“The stranded wire, ropes and cables are mainly used in construction-related projects such as flyovers, bridges and in the oil and gas operations.

“It is highly likely the petitioner to Miti is one of the SBB-linked companies because they are major producers of these products,” added the source.
Currently, China's steel industry has an installed capacity of about 900 million to one billion tonnes per year. China's steel production annually is estimated at 780 million tonnes, out of which 700 million tonnes are used for domestic consumption, said the source.

Source : The Star

Date : 10 April 2013

Afternoon Highlight (10/04/13/59/757)