Recruiting firms use new age talent scouting
GEORGE TOWN: About 600 graduating students at a job fair here were subjected to a new era of talent scouting whereby they had to solve 10 mental and physical challenges. Among them was how to build shockproof armour for an egg with only straws and sticky tape as well as how to build a prototype […]
In tune with the times
THE Penang government is spending RM20mil for the conservation and renovation of the Penang State Museum @ Farquhar in Farquhar Street. The works which is expected to be completed in 2020 would include the restoration of the existing two-storey museum building and an extension to the building’s west wing. The project aims to restore and […]
Hilton finally sets foot in Penang with premium resort
GEORGE TOWN: The Hilton brand of hotels may be commonly found in all major tourist destinations and major cities, including in Malaysia, but there has never been one in Penang. That changed today with the launch of the American hotel chain’s first-ever property on the island, the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton. It is located at […]
Community building a major part of coworking
The place I walk into on Level 11 of Menara KEN TTDI in Taman Tun Dr Ismail is spacious and modern, with plenty of natural light and splashes of colour on the furnishings. I can smell the aroma of coffee, and taking a few steps further in reveals the source — a barista is preparing […]
Robots set to transform PR field
ROBOTS have entered the field of public relations (PR). They are artificial intelligence programmes that do data mining, work processes and research. “When processes and procedures are all automated for you, the future of the industry will be drastically changed from what we are accustomed to,” said Prof Dr Anne Gregory from the University of […]
Co-working spaces to help reposition market demand
KUALA LUMPUR: The co-working trend in Malaysia may help reposition demand for the oversupplied office property segment instead of reducing it, says real estate advisory firm Savills (M) Sdn Bhd. Savills executive chairman Datuk Christopher Boyd said this is because traditional workspaces — which meet tenants’ demand for modern facilities — can be easily turned […]
‘No water rationing in Penang for ten years’
GEORGE TOWN: Penangites can be assured there will be no water rationing for the next 10 years after the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) completes the new Butterworth-Penang Island Twin Submarine Pipeline project. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the RM125 million project comprises three packages, and that Package One has been completed. He said Package […]
Sowing seeds for tech growth
THE Penang i4.0 Seed Fund, a seed programme customised to fund early stage tech startups in Penang, has been launched. The programme initiated by the Penang government through investPenang and @CAT Penang, offers funding amounting up to RM150,000 to assist startups with innovative technology products and services to attain commercialisation. investPenang chief executive officer Datuk […]
Penang to build second digital library
GEORGE TOWN: Penang plans to build a second digital library in the state following the resounding response to the first one which was established around 18 months ago. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the second library should be ready by year-end after an impressive number of young people had patronised the first one. “We […]
Penang duo are maths wizards of SEA
TWO years of dedicated hard work proved fruitful for two local SMJK Heng Ee students when they took first place in the 11th Regional Congress Search for Seameo (South-East Asia Ministers of Education Organisation) Young Scientists 2018 competition in the mathematics category. Wong Wai Kern, 17, who is in Form Five, said he and his […]
Making a mark on Batu Kawan
Plantation company Golden Land Bhd’s boardroom in its main office in Empire Tower Subang, into which we are ushered, is bright and neat. Not surprisingly, its chief operating officer Ng Heng Phai and executive director Jessica Yap, whom we are there to interview, are warm yet fastidious. For a bit of background, Golden Land (formerly […]
Malindo Air launches Penang-Banda Aceh flight
KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — Malindo Air today launched its Penang-Banda Aceh direct flights, with a promotional all-in-fare starting from RM189 for one-way travel, inclusive of a 15-kilogramme (kg) baggage allowance. In a statement today, the airline said, the flights would depart thrice weekly — Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday — via the Malindo Air fleet […]
ViTrox on the prowl for M&A
SINCE its inception in 2000, Penang-based automated test equipment (ATE) manufacturer ViTrox Corp Bhd has relied solely on organic growth. This could change in the coming years as the group is on the hunt for mergers and acquisitions in a bid to enhance its earnings prospects. ViTrox was established with a capital of only RM20,000, […]
IATA expects 4.5% growth in air cargo demand in 2018
KUALA LUMPUR (March 14): The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects a healthy 4.5% growth in air cargo demand this year, following a 9% growth in 2017. Speaking at the World Cargo Symposium in Dallas, IATA global head of cargo Glyn Hughes said there are great opportunities in e-commerce and the movement of time-and-temperature sensitive […]
Enhancing Penang-Medan business ties
PENANG will be organising a business matching programme for entrepreneurs from Penang and North Sumatera in conjunction with the annual Medan Fair in Indonesia. Organised by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the programme will be held on Friday at Hotel Emerald Garden International in Medan. Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon said entrepreneurs […]
DHL Express launches inaugural passenger-to-freighter A330-300
KUALA LUMPUR: DHL Express has welcomed its first ever Airbus A330-300 aircraft at its Penang Gateway, making Malaysia the first country in the world to operate the first of its four A330-300s. In a statement today, the international express services provider said the A330 will join the DHL Express fleet under a new passenger-to-freighter (P2F) […]
Regus Malaysia Adds A Fourth in Penang
Written on 13 March, 2018 by investPenang Regus Malaysia officially open the door of their latest addition here in Penang last week. The 4th centre located in SPICE Arena, Relau has office space of approximately 10, 465 sq. ft. YB Dato’ Haji Mohd Rashid bin Hasnon – the Deputy Chief Minister 1 of Penang – […]
Firm injects RM70mil into Penang
JLL MALAYSIA Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Japan Lifeline Co Ltd, is investing RM70mil in Penang over the next two years. The investment includes the manufacturing equipment and acquisition of a 1.6ha plot at Penang Science Park, Bukit Minyak, for the construction of a factory. The factory will produce medical devices for cardiac rhythm management, […]
Penang launch RM3.91m seed fund to aid young technopreneurs
GEORGE TOWN: Penang has formally launched a USD$1 million (around RM3.91million) seed fund to help identify young technopreneurs out there who can power the state’s Industrial 4.0 aspirations and cement the state’s place as one of the hi-tech locations in the world. In trying to consolidate Penang’s position as the “Silicon Valley of the East,” […]
CEVA opens new Penang cargo hub
CEVA Logistics has officially opened a new multi-user facility in Penang, Malaysia, close to Penang International Airport. The 70,000 sq ft facility includes temperature-controlled and ambient storage space, office space for in-plant customers, advanced materials handling equipment, an advanced warehouse management system and Customs stationed on-site to facilitate on-time clearance. It is located within the […]
Citilink to open Jakarta-Penang route as first step of expansion
Garuda Indonesia’s low-cost subsidiary Citilink is about to open a new route between Jakarta and Penang in Malaysia, marking the beginning of its planned expansion into the Southeast Asian region. The new service, set to begin on March 25, seeks to maximize economic potential by specifically catering to people traveling for business, tourism or medical […]
Penang booked RM10.8b investments in 2017, second most in country
GEORGE TOWN, March 8 — Penang more than doubled its total investments in 2017, hitting RM10.8 billion from RM4.3 billion in 2016. Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the growth in investments is impressive when compared with the growth of the total national investment of about six per cent. “Penang is also the state with […]
Penang government launches upgraded disaster alert portal
GEORGE TOWN, March 7 — The Penang government today launched an upgraded online disaster alert system called “Penang Alert.” Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the portal will provide early information of disasters and major incidents such as road closures and landslides to the public. “Penang Alert is an RM87,700 upgrade to the e-bencana […]
Varsities nurture love of STEM in schools
For some time now, very low numbers of students enter the science stream at secondary schools in the country compared to the arts. Universiti Penguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Professor Datuk Dr Noraini Idris said that only 23 per cent of those in upper secondary school study pure science, indicating a […]
MIDA targets RM200b approved investments in 2018
KUALA LUMPUR (March 6): The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) is targeting to achieve about RM200 billion worth of approved investments flowing into the country in the manufacturing, services and primary sectors for 2018. Its chief executive officer Datuk Azman Mahmud said RM80 billion of the said target will be for the manufacturing and manufacturing-related […]
Cargo tonnage at Penang airport seen rising in 2018
GEORGE TOWN: Penang’s freight forwarders expect the tonnage of the imported and exported cargo handled at the Penang International Airport to rise by 15% and 6%, respectively, in 2018 to 75,000 and 69,720 tonnes. Penang Freight Forwarders Association secretary-general Ali Ahmad told StarBiz that in 2017, the imported and exported cargo handled rose by 25% and 5.3%, respectively, over […]
Penang Future Foundation scholarship opens in June
GEORGE TOWN, March 5 — Students can start applying for the Penang Future Foundation (PFF) Scholarship from June 1 to 21 this year. This is the fourth year since the scholarship was introduced as part of the state government’s initiative to assist Malaysian youths to pursue tertiary studies in local public or private universities. “With […]
Having fun cracking digital puzzle
TWENTY-SIX children were given a first-hand experience in coding for the first time at the Penang Digital Library in Jalan Mesjid Negri. The children, aged between seven and 15, were selected by Datuk Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo to take part in the first trial initiative under the ‘Digital Learning Programme’ conducted by Telebort Technologies […]
Benchmark Electronics expands third facility in Penang
GEORGE TOWN: A US based multinational engineering and manufacturing services company Benchmark Electronics today commemorated the expansion of its third facility in Penang. Vice president and general manager Dr Bala Murugan said the grand opening ceremony marks the new milestone that the company has achieved in the state. He said the latest facility which was […]
Penang i4.0 Seed Fund Takes Root
Written on 1 March, 2018 by investPenang The Penang State Government yesterday unveiled the organization structure of the recently announced i4.0 Seed Fund which consists of a steering committee and an evaluation committee. The seed fund with an allocation of US$1 million is meant to provide funding for new inventions and to encourage innovation so […]