KUCHING: AFFIN has set a Q2 2026 timeline to launch its asset management business, while targeting sustainable financing at 25 per cent of total loans by 2028. AFFIN Bank Bhd’s President and Group CEO, Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah, said the plan follows the group’s move into fund management through the
KUCHING: ASEAN’s digital economy is projected to reach USD1 trillion (RM4.05 trillion) by 2030, but the benefits may not reach beyond the major cities. Mastercard Division President for Southeast Asia, Safdar Khan, said ASEAN’s digital economy could expand well beyond that mark if the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA)
KUCHING: Sarawak’s carbon levy must be matched with captive renewable energy options for heavy industry, or firms will face rising costs without a practical way to adjust. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Dr Dzul Hadzwan Husaini, said the design should focus on
KUCHING: AirAsia X has locked in RM1.65 a share for its private placement and filled the book in full, lining up new capital just days before its AirAsia Group consolidation is due to close. AirAsia X said the RM1 billion shares placement was fully subscribed by a broad mix of
SARAWAK has shifted from cautious, incremental development to long-horizon delivery over the past nine years. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) Faculty of Economics and Business senior lecturer Dr Afiza Abu Bakar said the shift has been driven by a development approach anchored on long-term planning backed by stronger state finances. “Over
KUCHING: Malaysia’s graduate mismatch debate is missing the real pressure point, with entry-level wages still not reflecting skills, productivity and living costs. Universiti Malaysia Sarawak senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Dr Dzul Hadzwan Husaini, said the issue must be read within Malaysia’s structural economic transformation. “Discussions
KUCHING: Nine years after Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg took office in January 2017, Sarawak’s economic performance is now well-entrenched on a post-pandemic rebound. In 2024 the state registered a GDP of RM148.2 billion with projections of up to RM154 billion in 2025. Sarawak’s economy contracted
KUCHING: Malaysian businesses expect their electricity use to climb within three years, with 91 per cent anticipating higher consumption by 2028. Ernst & Young’s (EY) Navigating the Energy Transition research programme found that 75 per cent of businesses also expect their energy needs to become more complex as cost pressure,
KUCHING: Work in Malaysia is getting more digital and more dynamic, but for many it is also becoming less connected. INFINITY8 Head of Recruitment Kathy Wong said the shift is shaping boardroom discussions, hiring decisions, and business strategy as industries evolve and technology accelerates. “The future of work is no
KUCHING: Malaysia’s Small and Medium-size Entreprises (SMEs) are adopting the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework in greater numbers, but many still take a wait-and-see approach. Universiti Malaya’s Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics Associate Professor, Dr Rozaimah Zainudin, and Monash University (Malaysia) School of Business Associate Professor,