Editor's Picks
A weekly recap on the news, interviews and trends you might have missed for the week.
As we reach the end of another week, we would like to unveil the cover of our November issue which is out in stores as we speak. The issue features a range of telcos, agencies and SMEs who have shared their tips and trends for readers who might need it to overcome these unprecedented times.
We also have some insights from government players and what it took to conduct one of the biggest events of the year virtually.
So be sure to look out for our latest copy in your nearest store or if you are keen to subscribe to the print edition, feel free to drop us an email at raj@reach.com.my to enquire more.
Here are some of the news and interviews that you might have missed:
With a total allocation of RM322.5 billion for Budget 2021, it has become Malaysia’s biggest budget to be tabled. With more focus on digitalisation, the government has also extended their priorities to cover mental health, aid for the vulnerable as well connectivity in the country.
Experts and industry players have signaled a general acceptance, lauding its new focus areas. However, not all responses have been positive. Expectations fell short when it came to tourism, where tourism players had hoped for more aid and relief programmes.
BusinessToday speaks to think tank researchers and analysts on their thoughts on the recently tabled Budget 2021.
Playing an equally important role in building the ecosystem, the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre (MaGIC), an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation malaysia ( MOSTI ) is tasked to empower technology startups and social innovators while developing a vibrant and sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem.
BusinessToday speaks to Dzuleira Abu Bakar, CEO of MaGIC on her efforts to support the startup ecosystem in the country.
According to a new HSBC survey, Resilience: Building Back Better, Malaysian businesses believe that with the adoption of technology and changes in the ways of working, new norms will be established requiring new thinking and greater agility.
“The Covid-19 crisis is accelerating change at a rate we have not witnessed before. To remain competitive, businesses need to adapt quickly to new ways of working,” said Stuart Milne, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC Malaysia.
Based on a pre-event survey of 2,064 business and IT decision-makers across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA), digital transformation and cloud security (79 percent) are the chart-topping topics enterprises want to know more about.
Other common challenges include getting cloud security automation and configuration right (31 percent), asking for more budget for cybersecurity (28 percent), obtaining complete visibility of threat vectors across the entire organisation (26 percent), and constantly having to justify cybersecurity investment (25 percent).
RHB Banking Group has committed RM5 billion in support of green financing by 2025, through its core business activities of lending, capital markets advisory and fundraising, and investment, in line with its Sustainability Framework.
Facebook Malaysia’s Country Director, Nicole Tan has expressed the platform’s commitment towards fast forwarding Malaysia’s digital progress through small medium enterprises (SMEs) during the Facebook Summit 2020.
“We know the pandemic has hit the smallest businesses the hardest. However, with Facebook tools, they have also managed to leverage on opportunities throughout these unprecedented times,” she said.
Kawal Preet, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) of FedEx writes on what it takes to ship a crucial vaccine to stop a global pandemic.
For further reading, visit businesstoday.com.my
Till the next newsletter, have a good weekend and stay safe!
Cheers,
Poovenraj Kanagaraj, Deputy Editor