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

The world Islamic financial system is estimated to succeed in US$7.7 trillion (RM35.7 trillion) by 2025, up from US$2 trillion in 2021. This exponential progress supplies Malaysia with a chance to strengthen its place and stake a considerable declare within the sector, all via strategic use of the Islamic Digital Economy (IDE).

For 9 consecutive years, Malaysia ranked first amongst 81 international locations within the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, owing to its success in sectors comparable to Islamic finance and a spread of halal services and products, stated Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil on the IDE Industry Conference 2023 held on Aug 22.

Fahmi stated IDE is among the key sectors supporting a good distribution of wealth and sources, aligned with the Malaysia Madani imaginative and prescient and one of many 9 sectors below the Malaysia Digital initiative.

To proceed reaping the advantages of the nation’s distinctive positioning, Malaysia Digital Economy Corp and Halal Development Corp inked a memorandum of understanding to encourage the growth of halal digital know-how such because the Halal Assurance System and Halal Traceability. This consists of rising digital adoption amongst 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,” stated Fahmi.

According to the twelfth Malaysia Plan, the halal {industry} is to contribute 8.1% of GDP and generate export income totalling RM56 billion by 2025.

The digital financial system, however, contributed 23.2% (RM348 billion) to GDP in 2021. This is anticipated to succeed in 25.5% by 2025, or greater than RM382 billion. — By Ravinyaa Ravimalar and Grace Yap Ern Hui

Shell Malaysia has rolled out a gas fee app that serves as a complete in-car, contactless service device. The app, which can be utilized at 650 stations, is anticipated to be rolled out absolutely nationwide in any respect of Shell’s 1,000 stations by yr’s finish.

Seow Lee Ming, common supervisor of Mobility Malaysia, says the app is important to enhancing experiences for its prospects.

The app encompasses a milestone tracker that permits customers to trace their spending and loyalty factors below the BonusLink rewards programme. Users may also electronic mail a digitalised receipt to themselves and the app will retain a six-month report of the receipts. It additionally presents a Shell station locator, geared up with facilities wanted and silent alarms in case of an emergency.

The new app is the primary gas fee app within the nation protected by a 3-D Secure verification, which provides an additional layer of safety to make sure a safer consumer expertise in opposition to doable fraud and rip-off threats.

Currently, customers pays for gas with their debit or bank card through the app, however Shell is engaged on integrating e-wallets.

On the subject of integrating Shell Recharge (electrical automobile [EV] charging stands) and RFID fuelling, Seow says the options shall be rolled out in phases. Users can nonetheless find Shell Recharge stations utilizing the locator however will nonetheless must depend on the ParkEasy app to activate charging for his or her EV. — By Grace Yap Ern Hui

IBM Security discovered that the typical price of a knowledge breach in Asean international locations, together with Malaysia, amounted to US$3.05 million in 2023.

In its annual Cost of a Data Breach report — primarily based on an in-depth evaluation of real-world knowledge breaches on 553 organisations globally, together with firms in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam between March 2022 and March 2023 — IBM says monetary providers and power firms noticed the best breach prices.

Across Asean, the monetary sector is paying almost US$4.81 million on common per breach, whereas the power sector is paying US$3.6 million on common.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation had the following greatest influence on the velocity of breach identification and containment. Organisations within the area that extensively use each AI and automation noticed a knowledge breach lifecycle that was 99 days shorter, with almost US$1.25 million decrease breach prices in comparison with organisations that haven’t deployed these applied sciences.

Catherine Lian, managing director and know-how chief at IBM Malaysia, suggests it’s essential to deploy AI and automation in constructing a sturdy menace administration functionality for organisations for early detection of and to shortly reply to anomalies. This can considerably scale back the influence and losses of companies and unlock tangible advantages for velocity and effectivity.

Netskope has launched SkopeAI in its portfolio, utilizing AI and machine studying (ML) to make sure knowledge safety and cyber menace defence of their merchandise.

According to IDC projections, legacy safety instruments won’t be able to guard and determine 80% of an estimated 175 zettabytes of information by 2025. Netskope Threat Labs’ newest Cloud & Threat report exhibits that generative AI app utilization in enterprises is rising by as much as 22.5%, with supply code being posted to ChatGPT at a fee of 158 incidents per thirty days.

The introduction of SkopeAI supplies structured and unstructured knowledge safety via superior knowledge loss prevention and deep contextual consciousness. Automated ML knowledge classification and train-your-own-classifiers know-how determine and categorise new knowledge primarily based on a “train-and-forget approach” to knowledge identification.

SkopeAI will present AI-based menace safety and AI-driven software-defined broad space community operations that enhance community efficiency and consumer experiences via community monitoring. Generative AI apps comparable to ChatGPT can even be supplied with secure enterprise enablement via the growth of Netskope Intelligence SSE.

Cyberview’s Living Lab Accelerator (CLLA) Programme has accepted eight native start-ups within the areas of sensible residing, industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and digital options.

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

These firms will bear a five-month programme that gives them help to analysis, develop, pilot and commercialise merchandise and options. The objective is to speed up the pathway for firms to attain product-market match.

The 2023 cohort is targeted on creating digital options which are largely powered by AI, together with the AI-powered language mannequin, ChatGPT, and IoT. Their merchandise and options are designed to serve numerous sectors, together with property, retail and healthcare, concentrating on companies and shoppers.

The sources supplied by Cyberview are valued at greater than RM100,000 for every firm. This features a rent-free workspace at Colnnov8 (Cyberview’s collaborative co-working area), sources, enterprise advisory and hands-on mentoring to assist equip the start-ups with viable enterprise fashions and market-access alternatives.

At the top of the programme, the start-ups could have the possibility to showcase their ultimate merchandise for funding and partnership alternatives throughout an illustration to authorities companies, company companions, enterprise capitalists and the media.

Kamarul Ariffin Abdul Samad is the brand new CEO of Cyberview Bhd, the landowner and pioneer tech hub developer. The seasoned company chief brings with him 30 years’ expertise in enterprise growth, strategic planning and company funding to main enterprise models.

Prior to becoming a member of Cyberview, Kamarul spent a number of years at Sime Darby Property Bhd, the place he was in command of the Malaysian Vision Valley venture, a growth venture that covers 379,000 acres from Seremban to Port Dickson because the nation’s new financial hall.

The World Education Placement Services Bhd and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have partnered to offer free cloud computing abilities and job coaching in Malaysia via a 12-week workforce growth programme referred to as AWS re/Start.

The programme is designed to offer unemployed and underemployed people, who may in any other case not afford digital abilities coaching, entry to entry-level cloud computing abilities and join them with job interview alternatives at native employers.

Through the initiative, individuals will develop abilities in programming, networking, safety and relational databases via scenario-based studying in addition to hands-on laboratory expertise and coursework. These workouts will put together trainees for entry-level cloud roles comparable to cloud operations, web site reliability, infrastructure help and technical adjoining enterprise help capabilities.

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

For extra data go to 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 boost consciousness about kids’s rights and the challenges that have an effect on them. Those aged between 13 and 24 and residing in Malaysia can submit pictures throughout 5 themes: dignity and a good likelihood; survival and growth; training; safety from violence; and participation.

Participants are inspired to put up pictures on Instagram with a caption that features the hashtags #PictureMyRights and #AShotatLife. Those with out an Instagram account or who’ve non-public accounts can submit their pictures through electronic mail to [email protected].

The greatest images and accompanying captions could have the possibility to win one in every of 4 iPhone 14s. A pair of winners shall be chosen from every age group class: 13 to 17 years; and 18 to 24 years. Winning entries can even be featured in a particular World Children’s Day digital exhibition in November. The marketing campaign ends on Sept 20.

For extra data go to https://children4change.unicef.my

Canon Marketing Malaysia is looking out to aspiring nationwide filmmakers and content material creators to showcase their creativity of their “Canon Short Film Contest 2023”, which is supported by Tourism Malaysia.

The contest, primarily 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 supply prizes comparable to videography tools price greater than RM200,000 in complete and the grand prize of RM50,000 money.

The Canon Short Film Contest 2023 is open to all Malaysian residents aged 18 and above. The contest welcomes brief video entries between three and ten minutes lengthy, filmed on any model of digicam or smartphone. The entry classes shall be divided into digicam, smartphone and entries from college and school college students.

For extra data go to https://ylwc.canon.com.my.

To commemorate the launch of the Galaxy Z Flip5 and Fold5, Samsung is internet hosting a multi-week occasion dubbed “the Flip Town’’ and invitations Malaysians to discover key places across the nation to expertise native murals by homegrown artists and check out the brand new telephones.

Since Aug 18, Flip Town has transformed a number of areas into Galaxy Space Hubs, permitting individuals to admire native murals and luxuriate in Gen Z developments.

Participants could take pleasure in pictures in these spots, be part of the Flex360 Bus to make the most of the 360 Photo Booth or take within the scenes from the Chill Lounge on the highest deck of the bus.

Samsung’s Flip Town occasions will happen in a number of set places: Kwai Chai Hong, Kuala Lumpur (Aug 18 to twenty 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 brand new digital artwork set up within the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur is about to point out Malaysians the “beautiful soul” of the Rukun Negara. Atma Kirana is an set up by digital artist Abdul Shakir that makes use of 100 reused LED panels to show 5 distinctive flower motifs primarily based on the 5 rules 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 general public till Oct 30.

Imagine a world by which your mind will be interrogated to study your political opinions, your ideas can be utilized as proof of a criminal offense and your individual emotions will be held in opposition to you. A world by which individuals who undergo from epilepsy obtain alerts moments earlier than a seizure and the typical particular person can peer into their very own thoughts to remove painful reminiscences or remedy addictions.

Neuroscience has already made all of this doable and neurotechnology will quickly change into the “universal controller” for all of our interactions with know-how. This can profit humanity immensely, however with out safeguards, it will probably critically threaten our basic human rights to privateness, freedom of thought and self-determination.

From one of many world’s foremost consultants on the ethics of neuroscience, The Battle for Your Brain presents a path ahead to navigate the advanced authorized and moral dilemmas that can essentially influence our freedom to know, form and outline ourselves. — Amazon

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

With goals of worldwide growth, Meen Tech focuses on excessive specs and full Web 3.0 integration to set its units other than the competitors.

The specs of the flagship cellphone, the M60, are corresponding to high-end telephones available on the market, says Meen Tech. The dual-sim gadget measures 163mm in top, 76mm in width and 9mm in depth and weighs 215g. The cellphone homes a 6.53-inch AMOLED 120Hz display screen that curves on the edges and encompasses a 1440×2560 decision.

The M60 additionally boasts a 64MP digicam, a Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, whereas sporting a high-capacity battery with Type-C quick charging and light-weight and proximity sensors. Meen Tech’s M60 challenges high-end telephones 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 choice, the i18, options a lot of the identical specs because the M60 however with a bigger, 6.82-inch AMOLED show, a bigger construct measuring 175mm in top and 97mm in width and a weight of 380g. It has a lower-resolution entrance digicam, a decrease battery cost and fewer sensors. The i18 retails for RM2,999.

What units Meen Tech’s telephones aside is the combination of Web 3.0 and blockchain. The telephones include Metaverse capabilities, that are helpful for buying and selling and managing digital property.

The firm is partnering with UME Token Wallet Strategic — a crypto pockets engaged on the Meta-M platform — for its experience in managing and buying and selling digital property.

Meen telephones can be found on the market on the model’s outlets, with its first brick-and-mortar retailer opening at VivaHome in Cheras. The firm hopes to open 200 shops by 2024, provide different merchandise comparable to VR glasses and tablets by the third and fourth quarters of 4Q2024 respectively, and is already waiting for its new flagship cellphone, the M70. — By Aris Riza Noor Baharin

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