Latest news with #MichaelChong
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Loan sharks using funerary symbols to intimidate borrowers, says MCA
KUALA LUMPUR: Loan sharks are now using funeral images to intimidate borrowers, replacing violent tactics with psychological pressure to collect dues, the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department revealed today. MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong said his team had received complaints alleging that loan sharks had edited their victims' faces into fake funeral photos. "These edited images are uploaded on social media to instil fear and shame not just in the victims, but also their families," he said. In one recent case, a businessman from Klang identified only as Tan, 40, claimed he had received an image showing his portrait in a mock funeral memorial. "The image had joss sticks and an altar backdrop. They sent it after I failed to fully repay an unlicensed loan," he said at a press conference at Wisma MCA today. "The photo was sent by the lender, known as Han, supposedly to 'remind' me of what happens when you don't pay up. But I had already repaid RM6,000 of the RM10,000 borrowed," he said. Tan said the RM10,000 loan was part of a larger RM50,000 sum he had borrowed in February to support his business, and which had been repaid in March. "I had borrowed five times before this and paid every time. But this time, even before I finished paying, they started threatening me in all sorts of ways. "The picture was sent on June 26 but was deleted several hours later," he said. Meanwhile, MCA Public Complaints Bureau deputy chief and lawyer Ivan Tan said such tactics were increasingly being used as a form of psychological intimidation. Ivan said the shift in approach might be due to the loan sharks realising that symbolic or visual threats carried lighter penalties than physical violence. "They likely have some legal awareness and believe that these symbolic threats do not fall under the category of serious criminal intimidation. "This in turn makes it harder for authorities to act under existing legal provisions. We urge the government to review the laws and consider harsher penalties for such tactics," he said.
Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Seerslab Launches 'AInoon' : Affordable AI Glasses Now on Kickstarter
SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seerslab, an AR/AI technology company backed by Y Combinator, announced the launch of AInoon, a next-generation pair of AI-powered smart glasses designed to bring generative AI to everyday life. Now available on Kickstarter. AInoon is priced at $174, delivering intuitive access to multiple large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and more, all from a lightweight wearable form factor. "AI glasses shouldn't be a luxury for tech elites" said Michael Chong, CEO of Seerslab. "We built AInoon to be practical, affordable, and useful for real-world use, not just tech demos. It's AI that works for you, wherever you are." One Tap to See, Hear, and Understand the World AInoon is focused on providing real-world utility without a screen. By tapping the glasses' frame, users can activate an AI assistant to see, listen, and respond to their needs. Key features include: Disrupting the High-Cost AI Wearables Market While the smart glasses market includes high-end devices ranging from $300 to over $1,000, AInoon delivers a comparable experience for under $200. Unlike many competitors that integrate a single AI model, AInoon allows users to choose the best LLM for their specific task. "We focused on real value, not gimmicks," said Chong. "AInoon is for people who want AI to enhance their lives, not their budgets." Kickstarter Campaign Details About Seerslab Founded in Seoul in 2014, Seerslab is a pioneering media tech company with a decade of AR and AI expertise. The team gained international attention with ' lollicam ', the world's first AR selfie camera app, and ' ARGear ', a widely adopted AR developer platform. The company is backed by Y Combinator, Social Capital, Kakao Ventures and more, reflecting strong confidence from top-tier investors in its vision and execution. AInoon marks Seerslab's first hardware product—built on years of innovation in vision and generative AI—with the mission to make advanced AR and AI technology useful and accessible to everyone.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seerslab Launches 'AInoon' : Affordable AI Glasses Now on Kickstarter
Y Combinator Alum Seerslab Launches AInoon: Affordable AI Glasses Now on Kickstarter The $174 wearable provides seamless, intuitive access to leading AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini, challenging the premium-priced smart glasses market. SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seerslab, an AR/AI technology company backed by Y Combinator, announced the launch of AInoon, a next-generation pair of AI-powered smart glasses designed to bring generative AI to everyday life. Now available on Kickstarter. AInoon is priced at $174, delivering intuitive access to multiple large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and more, all from a lightweight wearable form factor. "AI glasses shouldn't be a luxury for tech elites" said Michael Chong, CEO of Seerslab. "We built AInoon to be practical, affordable, and useful for real-world use, not just tech demos. It's AI that works for you, wherever you are." One Tap to See, Hear, and Understand the World AInoon is focused on providing real-world utility without a screen. By tapping the glasses' frame, users can activate an AI assistant to see, listen, and respond to their needs. Key features include: Instant Translation: Read foreign-language menus or signs, with translations played through the open-ear audio system. Object and Landmark Recognition: Take a photo of an object or landmark, and the AI will explain what it is and provide context Personalized Style Advice: Receive fashion recommendations based on what you're currently wearing. Accessibility Aid: Provides voice-guided descriptions of surroundings to assist seniors and visually impaired users. Disrupting the High-Cost AI Wearables Market While the smart glasses market includes high-end devices ranging from $300 to over $1,000, AInoon delivers a comparable experience for under $200. Unlike many competitors that integrate a single AI model, AInoon allows users to choose the best LLM for their specific task. "We focused on real value, not gimmicks," said Chong. "AInoon is for people who want AI to enhance their lives, not their budgets." Kickstarter Campaign Details Launch Date: June 24, 2025 Starting Price: $174 (launch special) Shipping Begins: October 2025 Learn more: About Seerslab Founded in Seoul in 2014, Seerslab is a pioneering media tech company with a decade of AR and AI expertise. The team gained international attention with 'lollicam', the world's first AR selfie camera app, and 'ARGear', a widely adopted AR developer platform. The company is backed by Y Combinator, Social Capital, Kakao Ventures and more, reflecting strong confidence from top-tier investors in its vision and execution. AInoon marks Seerslab's first hardware product—built on years of innovation in vision and generative AI—with the mission to make advanced AR and AI technology useful and accessible to everyone. Product Specifications(Specifications are subject to change without notice.) Item Description Weight 1.6 oz Compatible Phones Android, iOS Processor 4-core CPU Camera Resolution 16MP Video Recording Full HD (1080p) Microphone 3 digital microphones Speaker 2 speakers Storage Capacity 32GB Battery Capacity 230 mAh Bluetooth 5.0 BLE For more information about AInoon, visit: Media Contact: Seerslab Press Team (Nicky Hwang) Email: aninoon@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Seerslab
CBC
30-05-2025
- General
- CBC
It's time to act on foreign interference, attacks on dissidents, say opposition MPs
Social Sharing Opposition parties are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney's government to quickly implement key provisions of the law adopted last year to counter foreign interference following new revelations that attacks on Chinese dissidents living in Canada and around the world are on the rise. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said the "brazen" attacks by the Chinese government constitute a threat to Canadian democracy. "We've had more than enough reports, public inquiries, commissions that have highlighted this transnational repression and foreign interference," Chong said in an interview with CBC News. "It's now time for action." Chong's comments come in the wake of an investigation by CBC News, in conjunction with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which found attacks by the Chinese government on dissidents living in Canada — and around the world — are on the rise. Questioning of family members in China. Surveillance. Threatening phone calls. Online attacks. Spamouflage — which in one case led to fake, sexually explicit photos of one Quebec woman being spread online. In many cases, dissidents are targeted for expressing opinions contrary to the Chinese government's positions on what it calls "the five poisons": democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of Uyghurs, Tibetan freedom, the Falun Gong and Taiwanese independence. The Chinese embassy has yet to respond to questions from CBC News. It's a trend that worries experts on China, who say the attacks damage democracy and national security in Canada. Last June, Parliament adopted Bill C-70, which set out to counter foreign influence in elections and transnational repression of dissidents living in Canada. The legislation called for the establishment of a foreign agent registry and a foreign influence commissioner's office. Nearly a year later, those measures have not yet been put in place. NDP MP Jenny Kwan says it's time. "In light of the CBC investigation and the reports that have now come out, you would think that this would be a priority for the government. But so far, I have yet to hear the prime minister say foreign interference, transnational repression is a top priority for them." Kwan said people who are targeted by China are often told to go to the police, however she said that has often resulted in no action being taken. "All of that only just reinforces for them that there is no avenue for them to seek protection, that the Canadian government is not there with them in the face of such threats," she said. Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe said the government will be sending China a message if it doesn't act. "You can do whatever you want, we won't move. That's what the message will be. This is very dangerous," he said. Brunelle Duceppe said the Bloc has called for transnational repression to be added to Canada's Criminal Code. Chong said implementing Bill C-70 doesn't appear to be a priority for Carney's government. "The early signs are troubling," Chong said. "There's no mention in the speech from the throne. There's been no update on the establishment of this registry, and we've heard little from the government about protecting Canadians from these national security threats." The Public Safety Department says it is working on drafting the regulations to enact Bill C-70, setting up the commissioner's office and the IT infrastructure for the registry.
National Post
26-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Michael Higgins: Liberal caucus submits to Carney as it did to Trudeau
Contrary to what many in the West believe, some countries dislike democracy, preferring the strongman, the firm ruler, the dictator. Article content Article content So it is with the Liberals who have shunned accountability and democracy in favour of the autocratic leader. Article content Considering the problems the Liberals had with the last guy, it must be the case that some turkeys really do vote for Christmas. Article content Article content On Sunday, a majority of the Liberal caucus voted down a motion to adopt the rules set out in the Reform Act, a decade old law to give MPs more power. Article content Article content One of the central planks of the Reform Act would give caucus members the right to trigger a review of the party leader. Article content The private bill sponsored by Conservative Michael Chong passed its third reading in the House in 2014 with an impressive 260 votes for with only 17 against. Article content At the time, Chong said, 'I don't expect that all the rules will be adopted all at once, but in the long run, party caucuses will democratize themselves and empower themselves.' Article content After each federal election, parties vote on whether to adopt Reform Act rules or not. Article content The Liberals, despite overwhelmingly voting in favour of the act, have always chosen not to adopt it. Article content But the failure not to vote for it this time is baffling. Article content Former Liberal leader Justin Trudeau refused to relinquish power and attempts to get him to go bordered on the farcical. Article content During a caucus meeting last October, a letter from MPs was read to Trudeau urging him to step aside. The letter was signed by two dozen Liberal MPs, but such is the fear ingrained in MPs that the letter presented to Trudeau at the caucus meeting did not contain any names. Article content Article content Trudeau responded defiantly within 24 hours saying that he would be leading the Liberals into the next election. Article content Article content Many Liberal MPs critical of Trudeau preferred to remain anonymous with New Brunswick MP Wayne Long being one of the few who was open and vocal. Article content The calls within the party for Trudeau to go kept getting louder and yet the prime minister held on to power tenaciously, gripping it with his fingernails as events tried to prise him from it. By December, a majority of his caucus was demanding he resign; then Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland quit cabinet and with a twist of the knife accused Trudeau of 'political gimmicks,' and perhaps most damning was the lack of public support, the approval rating for Trudeau was at an all-time low and support for the Liberals stood at a mere 16 per cent. Article content In the face of all this, Trudeau went skiing and it wasn't until January that he bowed to the inevitable.
