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The Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Taiwan band rocks Penang
FANS chanted 'Power Station', sang along to the band's tunes, screamed for an encore and waved their phone flashlights in sync with the music. The legendary Taiwanese rock duo enthralled fans at the Esplanade in George Town, Penang, by belting out five songs, each receiving louder cheers than the last. It was indeed a performance to remember for many. They performed Wu Qing De Qing Shu (Ruthless Love Letter), Zhong Xiao Dong Lu Zou Jiu Bian (Walking on Chung Hsiao East Road Nine Times), Wai Tao (Coat), Wo Hen Hao Pian (Love Me True), and Dang (When), setting the stage on fire with their crisp vocals and electrifying guitar rending. Locals and tourists enjoying the performance during the After Work Fest by 988 FM held at the Esplanade, Penang.( July 27, 2025 ) —CHAN BOON KAI/The Star Regarded as the highlight of the two-day After Work Fest by Star Media Group's (SMG) 988 FM over the weekend, the duo proved their crowd appeal when they paused mid-song and the audience took over singing the lyrics word for word. Other notable artistes who took to the stage to perform on the second day of the two-day fest were Bestards (from Taiwan), Anson Poon, Chronicles Ong Fu Ying and Jud Chen. The first day saw performances by Abin Fang, Uriah See, Diorlying Tan, Trevor Kuo, Ryota Katayama and Z-Chen Zhang. The fest, organised by popular Chinese-language radio station 988 FM in conjunction with its 29th anniversary, was a roaring success as crowds poured in from all over the country on both days. 988 FM DJs Chan Fong and Chloe Low showing the hair she donated. It embodied the spirit of 'Play with Passion, Play with Purpose,' in line with the station's annual theme 'Infinite Play', to help participants de-stress joyfully and unlock creativity and energy. The event also featured 50 creative and artisanal booths that offered workshops for carving wooden chopsticks, making decorated origami fans, arts and crafts. Other booths offered ornaments, accessories, crafts, trinkets, snacks and food for sale. Graphic designer Cassandra Chen, 26, who travelled from Kuala Lumpur with her sister specifically to attend the fest on both days, said, 'We heard about it on the radio and had to make the trip here. 'We are excited to watch Power Station and take part in the activities. 'They are a famous band and it is great to be able to see them in person and enjoy their music. See interacting with the audience, young and old, during his performance at the After Work Fest. 'We usually have to pay for tickets to watch such performances, so it's nice that this is for free,' she said. Chen, who tried her hand at decorating a fan, said she enjoyed the fun activities with her sister while waiting for the performances to begin. 'We have had great two days here and there has been plenty to see and shop at the fest,' she added. Baker Jeffrine Ang, 28, who was seen setting up a picnic on the field while waiting for the acts to begin, said it was a fun day out for them. 'We are all from Penang and heard about the festival. 'We have been fans of some of the local acts since high school. 'We are also fans of the radio station; we came to check out the fest and it has been fun.' Engineer Yeong Sze Hai, 40, who turned up with his friends, said it was mandatory for him to attend the festival as he was an ardent fan of the radio station. 'We wanted to see all the local and international acts. It has a good line-up of performers. 'I am enjoying the vibe as we sit on the field and the weather has been good too.' The event also saw a hair donation campaign and fundraiser, offering free haircuts for those willing to donate their hair. Proceeds from regular haircuts (without hair donation) will benefit Locks of Hope, the National Cancer Society Malaysia and Childhood Cancer Caregivers Support Organisation. 988 FM DJ Chrystina Ng, who initiated the hair donation drive, donated her long tresses. 'It has always been my dream to hold such a campaign and donate my hair. 'I have been working on this for almost 10 years. 'I cut some of my hair today and will keep the other half to cut at the next leg of this campaign.' Ng said she had always grown out her hair with the intention to donate it and was glad that she could encourage others to do the same. 'I am thrilled with the turnout as I never imagined that so many people will donate... it is not an easy decision for people to donate their hair. 'On the first day, we had more than 100 donors and now we expect the count to be much higher,' she said. Also present during the opening ceremony were Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin, Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, SMG group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt, 988 FM senior general manager Woo Bee Ay, SMG board member Loh Chee Can, chief operating officer Lydia Wang and client brand marketing (bureaus) general manager Simone Liong.
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia faces rising cyber threats as incidents increase
Malaysia is experiencing a more sophisticated and aggressive wave of cyber threats, with 2,366 incidents reported in the first half of 2025, says the National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa). Nacsa's chief executive Ir Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin, said cyberattacks are no longer solely targeting critical infrastructure or institutions. 'These attacks increasingly target our most vulnerable population, including children, the elderly, and digitally inexperienced users,' he said during his keynote address at the Cybersecurity Summit 2025 on Friday (July 25). Organised by Star Media Group and supported by IDMeta as the bronze sponsor, the summit carried the theme 'Securing Malaysia's Digital Future.' Megat said in 2024, Nacsa's National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4) recorded 4,626 cybersecurity incidents, a 43% increase from the previous year. 'In the first half of 2025 alone, 2,366 incidents involving National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) were reported. 'These figures underscore the urgent need to strengthen national cyber hygiene and awareness,' Megat added. He said cybersecurity is a critical national priority and should no longer be seen as merely a technical issue. 'Today's cyber threats don't simply target systems and software. They exploit something far more human, our trust, our habits, and the gaps between institutions,' Megat said. CyberSecurity Malaysia's chief executive officer, Datuk Ts Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab, joined the call for stronger safeguards, warning that digitalisation and emerging technologies, while transformative, also introduce new vulnerabilities. 'The more connected we are, the more exposed we become to the threat of cyber attacks,' he said. Amirudin emphasised the need for organisations to go beyond prevention and focus on cyber resilience, which is the ability to respond, recover, and resume operations swiftly after an attack. He also highlighted the importance of building a secure, resilient, and trusted cyber ecosystem through greater collaboration among regulators, industry players, academia, and international stakeholders. Sarbnedhan Singh Sandhu of the Securities Commission Malaysia warned that compliance alone doesn't ensure security. He stressed the need for well-enforced frameworks aligned to business risks, noting that weak controls often lead to breaches. Meanwhile, Securemetric Technology Sdn Bhd managing director Wo Swee Teck said generative artificial intelligence (AI) introduces serious risks. He noted that effective risk mitigation depends on implementing strong cybersecurity measures, enforcing strict privacy safeguards, and ensuring continuous validation of AI models. The one-day event gathered industry experts to address the country's most pressing cybersecurity concerns, including the emerging risks of generative AI, vulnerabilities in operational technology (OT) systems, talent shortages, and the growing importance of digital trust in a hyperconnected world. The summit also showcased actionable strategies, regulatory frameworks, and real-world case studies aimed at enhancing cyber resilience across all sectors. This year's edition featured more than 19 distinguished speakers and attracted over 80 participants, including C-level executives, IT security professionals, regulators, cybercrime investigators, and representatives from sectors such as telecommunications, finance, logistics, and technology startups. Looking ahead, the CloudTech & DataCentre Conference 2.0, scheduled for Aug 6–7, will further explore strategies to position Malaysia as a regional hub for sustainable, high-tech data centres while advancing digital resilience.
The Star
22-07-2025
- 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
18-07-2025
- 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.'
