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The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Tackling current business issues
INDUSTRY experts gave tips at the recent Star Outstanding Business Awards 2025 LAB participants on how to navigate the challenging times wrought with geopolitical uncertainties. Then in the second session, the panel of experts explored different methods that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seek financing outside of the conventional practice of approaching normal financial institutions. The afternoon event, which was held at Menara Star to a packed audience, was attended by Star Media Group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt and chief operating officer Lydia Wang. Similar to previous labs, there were two sessions that covered two distinct topics. The first topic explored the challenges that companies face in light of 'The Tariffs and Taxes Aftermath: What is Next for Malaysian Businesses?' Moderated by the Malaysia Entrepreneurs and Development Association president Datuk Teh Tai Yong, the topic was discussed by panel speakers past SOBA winner Mega Fortris Berhad group managing director and group chief executive officer Datuk Adrian Ng, PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd chief operations officer Dr Jason Cheah and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) strategic planning division director Noor Hayati Abu Noh. The speakers discussed the different scenarios that businesses have to confront, from the 25% tariffs imposed by the United States to the expanded Sales and Service Tax from the government as well as instances of supply chain disruptions due to the civil unrest in the Middle East. Ng advised businesses to understand themselves and to draw back until the time is right to scale back up. Noor Hayati both touched on the importance of diversification, either in business or which country to trade with. Cheah urged SMEs that it is time to start looking into environment, social and governance matters as it has a profound impact. The second session, which was moderated by Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia treasurer Datuk Koong Lin Loong, gave SMEs enlightening information on 'Raising Funds and Accessing Capital for Business Growth'. Speakers in this session included RHB Bank Berhad SME banking, SME engagement head Sim Ee Chiew, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia chief business officer Sean Tan, PEOPLElogy Berhad founder Allen Lee and Hernan Corporation founder and group CEO Datuk Anna Teo. The panel gave a lively session as Teo declared she rarely approached banks for financing. She asked businesses to be more flexible and explore other possibilities. While banks would be the first step for budding businesses, she said entrepreneurs should network and ask about other alternatives, such as private equities. Tan explained that CGC's job is to transfer the credit risks from a bank to CGC. In the event a business fails, and the SME is unable to pay, CGC will provide the necessary relief. Ng shared his experience of raising funds via the initial public offering route, which he said was 'more challenging because (Bursa Malaysia) wants the public to trust you (hence the need for) transparency.' Sim said that banks do much more than just provide loans, they help enhance cash flow and operation efficiency in order to eliminate idle cash, as well as digitalisation services. Besides the panel discussions, SOBA sponsors introduced their business models and some of their services to the participants. CGC's SME advisory and strategic alliances head Mike Wong talked about some of the services that are available to SMEs that are seeking ways to finance their companies. PKT Logistic's presentation was on the company's diversified range of services, from logistics and education to its own inland port, presented by Cheah. RHB Bank SME business development head Kelvin Chin and U Mobile Sdn Bhd commercial pre-sales section head Lim Swee Mei showcased the services that would benefit SMEs in their businesses. SOBA 2025 is organised by SMG with CGC, PKT Logistics, RHB Bank and U Mobile as main sponsors, Great Wall Motor Malaysia as co-sponsor, and Matrade as the official trade promotion partner. It is audited by BDO while radio stations 988 and Suria are official media partners. For details, call the SOBA hotline at 017-231 1789 or visit Look out for the announcement of the next SOBA LAB 2025, which will be held on Aug 14 at Iconic Hotel, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Two million meals and counting
Ready to help: The Food Aid Foundation sprung into action during the floods that ravaged Kelantan last year, providing both hot meals and dry food items. PETALING JAYA: From warehouse shelves to dinner tables, the Food Aid Foundation is moving faster and smarter than ever. Since being named as one of the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA) winners last year, the foundation has delivered surplus food worth RM12.3mil, equivalent to more than two million meals to communities across Malaysia. On top of that, funding from the award allowed it to manage daily operations more efficiently, enabling improved food sorting and storage, reducing spoilage and improving turnaround. 'Being a winner of the SGHA was a turning point. It did more than affirm that we were on the right path. 'It opened doors we previously could not access. 'Public interest grew, new partners reached out and there was greater awareness around the issues we tackle daily, including food waste, hunger and poverty,' said general manager Afraz Said. She said more than 80 individuals from low-income groups had received culinary and entrepreneurship training with support from a corporate sponsor. 'Several participants even launched small food businesses. The SGHA indirectly supported this effort by easing operational burdens such as kitchen upkeep and transportation,' she said in an interview. The foundation has also expanded its entrepreneurship training programme to Kelantan, with the goal of bringing it to more states. Afraz said the SGHA helped the foundation to maintain a small emergency reserve, which came in handy during the floods that struck Kelantan late last year. 'We were able to act quickly and provide food relief. Even modest flexibility can make a big difference during crises,' Afraz said, noting that the foundation also worked with Star Media Group for the Food for Soul 2.0 initiative to feed needy families during Ramadan. Sustainability, however, remains the foundation's biggest challenge. 'Before this, we often faced tough choices like being stuck between either fixing a vehicle or running a training session. 'The award did not remove these pressures but gave us some breathing space. 'We used the funds to cover essential expenses such as fuel, vehicle repairs, kitchen maintenance and warehouse operations,' she said, adding that rising demand is another challenge. 'Since the Covid-19 pandemic and with the rising cost of living, more families are seeking help. 'We responded by working smarter, building stronger systems and leaning into partnerships that focus not only on food relief but also long-term community empowerment,' Afraz added. The SGHA returns for the 11th edition to honour everyday Malaysians whose compassion and selflessness have made a lasting impact on others. With McDonald's Malaysia as the new strategic partner, SGHA is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact nationwide. This year also marks the debut of the McDonald's Caring Hearts Award – a special recognition honouring individuals or grassroots groups whose acts of kindness have uplifted lives in profound and lasting ways. Since its inception in 2015, SGHA has honoured over 100 individuals and organisations whose efforts have inspired action, transformed lives and strengthened communities nationwide.
Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Known for its KL Foodie platform, parent company Foodie Media plans IPO on Bursa Malaysia
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Mr Nicholas Lim Pinn Yang, who co-founded Foodie Media with wife Ang Rui Mei in 2018, aims to raise capital by listing on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia. KUALA LUMPUR – As a young boy, Foodie Media's head honcho Nicholas Lim Pinn Yang would wake up early and accompany his father, a frying-pan salesman, to the bustling local markets. Seeing his father's lively product demonstrations and interacting with customers taught him the art of selling, sparking an entrepreneurial spirit that nudged him toward a path that involved talking up good food. 'My father understood the importance of live demonstrations. To show the advantages of non-stick pans, he would fry popcorn for the kids while also showing that fish wouldn't stick in another pan, to attract the aunties. 'Now, with the rise of social media, thousands of people can watch online. It's a big leap from the 20 or so shoppers who used to watch my father's demos,' Mr Lim told The Straits Times at his office in Bangsar on July 9. Penangite Mr Lim, 32, has come a long way since: From a humble food blogger offering free reviews nearly 10 years ago to co-founder and chief executive officer of a digital media company with online content that's amassed 40 million followers on social media – chalking up a net profit of RM7.45 million (S$2.24 million) on revenue of RM23.95 million for its latest financial year. Set up in 2018, Foodie Media, with 70 employees, is mainly involved in the digital media publishing sector, where it creates, produces and distributes content across established social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube, Douyin, RedNote, WhatsApp and blogs. In addition to top 'foodie' platforms like KL Foodie and Penang Foodie, it manages 34 lifestyle-focused brands in South-east Asia, covering a wide range of topics beyond food and beverage to travel, leisure, lifestyle, property and sports. Next up: Going public. Foodie Media wants to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO) on the local stock exchange Bursa Malaysia, to increase its workforce and acquire a livestreaming building, among other plans. It filed on June 23 to list on the ACE Market for emerging companies , offering 250 million shares or 28.15 per cent of the company's enlarged issued share capital. The IPO is touted as a first in terms of food-related content for a Malaysian digital media company, and will join established listed players in the sector such as Star Media Group and Catcha Digital , and Rev Digital, a subsidiary of listed Media Prima . Star Media Group controls The Star newspaper and two radio, while Catcha Media operates social media portals. Media Prima is the country's biggest integrated media group with television station and newspaper assets. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Government looking at enhancing laws around vaping to tackle issue of drug-laced vapes in Singapore Singapore Why the vape scourge in Singapore concerns everyone Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Singapore Organised crime groups pushing drug-laced vapes in Asia including Singapore: UN Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore From Normal stream to Parliament: 3 Singapore politicians share their journeys Business 29 Jollibean workers get help from MOM, other agencies, over unpaid salaries Asia Why China's high-end hotels are setting up food stalls outside their doors In the beginning, Mr Lim ventured into the world of food-writing by launching the Penang Foodie blog in 2016, with one of the earliest free F&B reviews on the island widely known as Malaysia's foodie paradise. Subsequently, recommendations for 'Penang's Best Breakfast' and the island's 'Top 10 Nasi Kandar' stalls gradually grew followers for the blog to 1,000 on Facebook in the first year. The rise of short videos was a pivotal moment for Mr Lim and his team in 2018. Turning blog articles into video slideshows was a hit. The first slideshow, 'Top 10 Street Foods in Penang,' garnered 15,000 shares on Facebook, far surpassing the 300 shares typically seen for written reviews. That gave Mr Lim the confidence to shoot his first outdoor video, featuring a burger stall, without charging the owners for the effort and resulting publicity. ' I was hesitant to appear on camera but we still went ahead. A day after the video was published, it received over 20,000 views, and there was a long queue at the burger stall,' he recalled. 'I'm happy to provide value for clients, support small and medium enterprises (SME), and grow our followers.' Now, he aims to ride the wave of growing online advertisement space versus traditional media. Foodie Media has benefited from the digital media advertising boom in Malaysia. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of digital media advertising rose by 11 per cent from 2019 to 2023, reaching RM2.37 billion, according to the IPO prospectus. In contrast, traditional media recorded a negative CAGR of 0.2 per cent over the same period, despite reaching a value of RM5.1 billion in 2023. Despite the economic downturn caused by Covid-19, Mr Lim managed to keep his team intact by earning affiliate income through e-commerce platforms. The recurring Malaysian food content not only helped ease the homesickness of sojourners but also increased followers on social media by 40 per cent between 2020 and 2022, said Mr Lim. In the pipeline, ideas are brewing for fresh content which drives website traffic and increases user engagement. A new series, titled Cooking for Colleagues, landed in May 2025. Episode 1: Fillet-O-Fish, a one-minute clip, has gotten more than 6,000 likes in the first month on Instagram. The company is also moving into livestream sales and trying its hand at producing and distributing drama shorts, said Mr Lim. In Malaysia, livestream sales are thriving, as leading e-commerce platform Shopee's numbers show. At the end of 2023, over one million Malaysians had registered to stream on Shopee Live, a livestream platform on the app that lets viewers watch product-related content and interact directly with sellers. That year, 80,000 sellers boosted earnings by 25 per cent from the previous year, while livestream orders grew 500 per cent over the same period. Popular Malaysian food influencer and entrepreneur Khairul Aming credited 70 per cent of his sales, or RM42 million, in 2024 from livestreaming two bestselling Kelantanese food products , Dendeng Nyet Berapi (spiced beef jerky) and Sambal Nyet (dry sambal or chili paste) . Micro-dramas , or short-form video series typically spanning one to two minutes per episode, could also fill a gap in a potentially lucrative market, given today's shorter attention spans. 'In the past, we used to sit down with our parents to watch TV at 8pm, but now audiences are shifting to ultra-short dramas,' noted Mr Lim. 'We recently collaborated with a third-party video production house to promote the China-based milk tea brand Chagee through a short drama titled Di Sebalik Permata (Behind the Gem) .' The Economist estimates the market for these micro-dramas could reach a valuation of US$14 billion in China alone by 2027. But Foodie Media will continue to rely on culinary storytelling to engage its followers – as seen in its organic or ad-free content featuring TBX The Baking Xperiment café in Subang, Selangor, interviewed by KL Foodie on July 4. The café's new recipe, Tapai Tiramisu – made with fermented rice – garnered 623,000 views on social media as of July 11. For Mr Lim, the advent and rise of digital media enables street vendors and SMEs to overcome the physical limitations his father once faced. 'When it rained, I felt sorry for my dad as he couldn't run his stall without sales (because there were fewer customers due to bad weather) . Now, with online markets, the sky is the limit.'
The Star
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Crowds flock to final day of Star Education Fair in JB
JOHOR BARU: The Star Education Fair continued to draw crowds on its second day as visitors explored study options and scholarship opportunities. Organised by Star Media Group, the two-day fair features 40 institutions occupying over 55 booths, offering a wide range of programmes and consultations. Netherlands Maritime University College business development and corporate communications executive Nur Alissa Mae said visitors from Indonesia and Singapore also came to her booth during the fair here. "Most enquiries this time were from postgraduate prospects, particularly those interested in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme. 'Perhaps because the education fair is held alongside a job fair, many diploma and degree holders came to explore postgraduate options. "They're looking at the MBA as a way to support their career growth or transition to a different company,' she added. Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) Computing and Informatics senior lecturer Dr Lim Kok Cheng said that among the courses that attracted the most attention during the fair was its newly introduced Master's in Artificial Intelligence. 'We've also launched a Master's in Computer Science majoring in AI, and both programmes started their intake this year. 'These are among the most talked-about programmes throughout the two-day fair,' he added. Dr Lim said visitors, especially working professionals and tech-savvy students, were intrigued by the AI offerings and asked detailed questions about the course structure and career prospects. Management and Science University (MSU) academic councillor and lecturer Adly Zaihardi Muhamad Said said the university received strong interest from both working adults and fresh graduates during the fair. 'The response has been encouraging. Many working adults looking to further their studies dropped by to enquire about postgraduate options, especially master's and PhD programmes,' he said when met at the fair at the Persada International Convention Centre here. He said MSU offers over 140 programmes, with more than 20 at the postgraduate level, including those delivered in a blended format that combines monthly physical classes with online learning. Lincoln University College marketing executive P. Harshinni said the institution offers over 160 programmes ranging from foundation to PhD levels. She added that the university's Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme is currently one of the most popular, especially among working adults. 'We're offering the full MBA course at RM10,000, which can be completed within one to two years via online distance learning. "The offer is valid until the end of this year,' she said. Akademi Laut Malaysia (Alam) business and management faculty head Dr A. Ramesh Babu said the academy received a fair number of enquiries from visitors interested in maritime-related careers. 'Alam offers seven diploma programmes tailored for both seafaring and shore-based careers. "Students who are keen to work on board ships can opt for diplomas in Marine Engineering, Nautical Studies or Marine Electro-Technology, while those interested in shore-based roles can choose from Maritime Business Administration, Maritime Management, Maritime Services, or Maritime Transportation and Logistics. 'We also offer more than 100 short courses tailored for the marine industry, ranging from five days to six months,' he said. Ramesh said demand for these short courses has increased, with the Diploma in Maritime Transportation and Logistics and Diploma in Maritime Management being the most sought-after. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) programme promotion division assistant manager Chin Kok Keong said the university offers a wide range of programmes, from foundation to postgraduate studies. 'We have courses in medical studies, engineering, IT, arts and social sciences. There's a good balance across faculties, and each programme has its own unique teaching style,' he said. He added that UTAR offers achievement-based scholarships to eligible SPM and STPM school-leavers. 'Our university is also one of the most affordable, and our graduates have a marketability rate of between 95% and 97%,' he said. Universiti Malaya marketing centre assistant registrar Mohd Hazyq Askyel Mohd Fuad said most visitors to their booth were interested in the university's foundation and undergraduate programmes. 'Most enquiries were about our foundation and bachelor's degree programmes. "We're hoping for a larger crowd as the foundation application deadline is closing in about a week,' he said. He added that Universiti Malaya offers on-the-spot offer letters and direct intake, which many students were not aware of prior to the fair. 'We managed to issue several immediate offer letters today, and it was a pleasant surprise for many visitors,' he said. The fair, which is being till Sunday (July 6), runs between 11am and 6pm at the Persada International Convention Centre here. The Star Education Fair, now in its 38th year, is one of the country's pioneer education exhibitions. For more details on the Star Education Fair, visit or email edufair@
The Star
05-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Students, parents throng Star Education Fair 2025 in JB
JOHOR BARU: Students and parents alike are making the most of their weekend by dropping by the Star Education Fair 2025 to explore the wide array of academic opportunities on offer. Among the visitors were sisters Belinda Goh, 21, and Regina Goh, 19, who stumbled upon the education fair after having breakfast near the convention centre. 'We saw the banners and signs for the fair and decided to just drop by to check things out. 'I've been to other education fairs before, but this is the first time for my sister, and I hope we can learn a thing or two here,' said Belinda when met at the fair held at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre here. Regina, who is taking the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), said she hopes to find out more about culinary programmes available at the fair. 'I am interested in culinary arts and I'm looking forward to discovering the local options available for me here,' she said. Also taking the opportunity to look out for education opportunities was 40-year-old lecturer Assoc Prof Hairul Azmi Mohamed. "I believe it is important for us to know about the latest technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), so that we can keep up with the fast-changing world. "So, I'm here to look out for courses related to technology, which may be helpful for the future of the maritime industry," said the maritime management and operations lecturer. Organised by Star Media Group, the two-day fair features 40 institutions occupying over 55 booths, offering a wide range of programmes and consultations. The fair, which is being conducted in Johor for the first time, offers various tertiary study options along with financial assistance such as study loans and scholarships. The fair, which is being held on Saturday (July 5) and Sunday (July 6), runs from 11am to 6pm at the Persada International Convention Centre here. Among the exhibitors are UniKL, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), University of Southampton Malaysia, Asia Aeronautical Training Academy, Singapore's At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Southern University College, Netherlands Maritime University College (NMUC), Educity International College (EIC) and Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed). The Star Education Fair, now in its 38th year, is one of the country's pioneer education exhibitions. It has consistently provided visitors with information on educational programmes ranging from pre-university, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate courses to professional and vocational training offered by various local and international institutions. For more details on the Star Education Fair, visit or email edufair@
