Malaysia Retailer|Vol 8|No 3|2020|Dato' Dr. Manjit Singh

Vol 8 No 3 2020

MRCA Elects its First Woman President

Exemplary Leadership & Creating A Legacy Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev, Founder of Messrs Manjit Singh Sachdev, Mohammad Radzi & Partners

WM RM9 / EM RM11

MRCA CEO Get-together

MRCA Corporate Patrons

Event

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A-5-2, 3, 3A, Level 5, Block A, Sky Park One City, Jalan USJ25/1, 47650 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 603-5882 4333 Fax: 1 700 810 950 Website: www.mrca.org.my PRESIDENT Shirley Tay Bee Koo SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL (M) SDN BHD

FOUNDER PRESIDENT Dato’ Eddie Choon POH KONG HOLDINGS BHD

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Datuk Seri Garry Chua ROTOL FOOD-CHAIN (M) SDN BHD

PRESIDENT COUNCIL Dato’ Eddie Choon POH KONG HOLDINGS BHD Datuk Albert Chiang BONIA CORPORATION BHD Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng SINMA JEWELLERY CENTRE SDN BHD Dato’ Tay Sim Kim OSIM (M) SDN BHD H.E. Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok, JP HONORARY CONSUL OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE TO MALAYSIA NELSON’S FRANCHISE (M) SDN BHD Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang, JP FOCUS POINT HOLDINGS BHD Datuk Seri Garry K.S. Chua ROTOL FOOD-CHAIN (M) SDN BHD

DEPUTY PRESIDENT Dato’ Liew Bin BRILLIANT MERCHANDISING SDN BHD VICE PRESIDENTS Datuk Seri Dr. Chai Kee Kan KK SUPERMART & SUPERSTORE SDN BHD Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem SIMPLY AWESOME SDN BHD Ken Phua Cheng Chuen BENTLEY MUSIC SDN BHD Sharan Jethanand Valiram VALIRAM HOLDINGS SDN BHD SECRETARY GENERAL Jit Singh A/L Santok Singh Ironhorse Asia Sdn Bhd DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL Raymond Woo Hai Shiang Vendpays Sdn Bhd TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin SOLUTION RISK CONSULTANTS SDN BHD DEPUTY TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing HAP SENG STAR SDN BHD COUNCIL MEMBERS Seak Thean Pow BAGUS CURTAIN SDN BHD Dr. Affendi Dahlan DR GROUP HOLDINGS SDN BHD Alex Chong Weng Wah SAKURA KRISTAL SDN BHD Christine Tan Gaik Lin CT F&B HOLDINGS SDN BHD Liang Foo Kuan BIG ONION FOOD CATERER SDN BHD Michael Liew Fong Tzer MARRYBROWN SDN BHD Jordan Ng Kim Leong BANNERKING SDN BHD William Tang Chee Weng THE STORE CORPORATION BERHAD Datuk Henry Yip Choong Hung DRAGON-I RESTAURANT SDN BHD Kevin Lee Guan Keong MAXIS BERHAD Brian Tham Jee Ping WATATIME (M) SDN BHD Aiveen Wong Choy Ching CHIN SWEE FOOD SDN BHD

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BOARD OF ADVISORS Dato’ Dr. Jennifer Low, JP GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, QUILL GROUP OF COMPANIES Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai CHAIRMAN, TOP GLOVE CORPORATION BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum GROUP MD, MAH SING GROUP BHD Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Barry Goh Ming Choon CHAIRMAN OF MCT BHD Tan Sri Datuk Tee Hock Seng JP GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BINA PURI HOLDINGS BHD Tan Sri Datuk Ter Leong Yap EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN SUNSURIA BHD PRESIDENT’S ADVISORS Dato’ Vincent Choo Kok Leong URBAN IDEA SDN BHD Dato’ Sri Dr. How Kok Choong VETTONS SDN BHD LEGAL ADVISORS Datuk Ringo Low RINGO LOW & ASSOCIATES Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh MANJIT SINGH SACHDEV, MOHAMMAD RADZI & PARTNERS HONORARY AUDITORS Dato’ Sri Raymond Liew Lee Leong MCMILLAN WOODS Datin Yap Shin Siang YYC GST CONSULTANTS SDN BHD OTHER FOUNDING MEMBERS Dato’ Chin See Keat Wong Chee How

MALAYSIA RETAILER is produced for MRCA by

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Tel: 603-7932 3259 Email: harini.mservices@gmail.com www.harini.com.my Publisher/CEO V.S. Ganesan Senior Editor Vimala Seneviratne Editor Rachael Philip Contributing Editor Khaw Chia Hui Creative Designer Goh Wei Lee Advertising Consultant Faridah Ismail Marketing Manager Karthik Ganesan Operations Manager G. Revathi PRINTER PERCETAKAN LAGENDA SDN BHD (406003-A) No. 2, Jalan Gangsa SD5/3E, Sri Damansara Industrial Park, 52200 Kuala Lumpur.

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All articles featured in Malaysia Retailer magazine represent the personal views of contributors and are not necessarily those of MRCA & Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. All writers automatically agree to indemnify MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd against any loss, costs, expenses (including legal fees), damages and liabilities that might arise from their own incapacity, negligence, breach of contract or other civil misdeeds. We reserve the right to edit all articles. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2020 by MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.

MRCA and Harini Management Services Sdn Bhd accept no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography, illustration and other editorial materials.

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President’s Message Dear members, I am honoured to be elected as the 8th President for the MRCA. I hope to emulate and follow the footsteps of all my past predecessors who each has contributed enormously for the growth of MRCA both in terms of membership as well as becoming the de factor voice and leader for the industry.

Traditionally, the new President will unveil the tagline in the President’s message. I thought hard about it. In consultation with some of my key council members, we have decided on a relevant one which will reflect what we feel is the most appropriate one at this point in time. “powered by YOU, WE serve better”

Shirley Tay President, 2020-2022 Malaysia Retail Chain Association

For the next two years, my board of council and I will focus on carrying out events, activities, collaborations which are beneficial to our esteemed members.

I am humbled that we are able to achieve what WE have today because of all of YOU. Following the direction of our much-respected founder President Dato Eddie Choon, we will continue to provide a platform for all our members to get connected as a cohesive team for mutual benefits.

There are 6 objectives that we want to achieve in our term. They are: • Networking and Liaison To facilitate and enhance networking and liaison among members for business development and expansion. Provide a viable platform for members to get connected for mutual benefits.

• Elevate and uplift women entrepreneurs Assist female entrepreneurs in enhancing their business opportunities by providing the platform for exchanging business ideas. Working together and synergising growth in addition to giving more recognition to women in their roles in business and other communities.

• Build alliance for members who are in the Food and Beverage industry Build a cohesive alliance for members in the Food and Beverage industry for the purposes of networking, cooperation and expansion.

• Educate, share and enhance retail and business know-how and technology Assist members to align their businesses to conform to new digital and online development and transformation to increase productivity and market competitiveness.

• Assist in recoveries Assisting companies where possible to recover from the scourge caused by the Covid-19 pandemic by offering information and connectivity leading to better business integration.

• Set up pertinent Information hub and efficient secretariat Provide members with up-to-date and relevant information pertaining to retailing and related businesses, including government’s directives. Provide efficient secretariat services to members.

Thus far, the MRCA has helped create long term relationships which have been priceless. The association consists of members with a wealth of experience and knowledge. Let’s foster a closer professional tie as it will translate to viable opportunity businesswise not forgetting the invaluable friendships among us.

For our current members and prospective members, we want to assure you that we aim to grow MRCA to greater heights. I look forward to a productive presidency and invite each of you to become involved in what we do.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

CONTENTS / VOL. 8 NO. 3

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MRCA CEO Get-together

COVER STORY

6 Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev: Exemplary Leadership & Creating a Legacy

Founder of Messrs Manjit Singh Sachdev, Mohammad Radzi & Partners in Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev, the winner of the ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Award for CSR in Legal Advisory, is a shining example of successfully nurturing a legacy of sowing seeds of goodwill into society.

FEATURES

12 Living It Up at PJ Midtown 14 Voice of the Retail Industry 16 MRCA Elects its First ON THE COVER

Woman President

23 Love Touches Lives 24 MRCA Launches Women Division

24 MRCA Southern Chapter 25 MRCA Youth Division 26 MRCA’s New F&B Chapter Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev

Malaysia Retailer Vol 4 No 1

28 What F&B Players Can Do

During RMCO to Keep Afloat

29 MRCA CEO Get-together 32 Fusionex Powers MATRADE’s #MyAPEC2020 Virtual Exhibition Platform

34 Clover Buildcon Sdn Bhd:

Creating Inspiring Living Spaces

36 Aladdin Group Returns to

Market as Digital Commerce Player

37 Mah Sing Wins Big with Seven

Recognitions at Propertyguru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2020

38 There’s a Disconnect Between Consumer Expectations and Delivery Experience

40 Malaysia Ranked 9th for Global Business Complexity

42 The New Age of Retail 44 Road to Recovery 46 Finding Opportunities in Challenging Times

48 Recap of News and Happenings in the Retail Sector

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Fusionex Powers MATRADE’s #MyAPEC2020 Virtual Exhibition Platform

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Physical Stores Remain Relevant to Modern Shopper

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MRCA Visits Media Prima Office

53 MRCA Visits Media Prima Office 54 Short-term Economic Recovery Plan

by Government

56 Loan Repayment Flexibility for Borrowers Affected by Covid-19

63 Ikano Centres to Launch New

Drive-thru Concept in Penang

64 Arm Yourself with a Recession-Proof Mindset

65 TDOX: A One-Stop Medical Clinic

57 Sunway Malls Cautiously Optimistic Sales

70 MRCA Facebook Initiative

58 Physical Stores Remain Relevant to

71 MRCA in the Media

Normalising in Q4

Modern Shopper

60 MRCA and Busan Economic Promotion Agency Sign MoU for Business Collaboration

61 Youbeli Teams Up with Taiwanese

e-Commerce PChomeSEA for Cross-Border Shopping Experience

62 AmBank Group Bags Two Awards at the

for Members

72 Words of Wisdom from Entrepreneurs DEPARTMENTS

3 President’s Note 67 Updates 69 Pico Malaysia Wins Gold & Silver at Agency of the Year Awards 2020

Alpha SEATreasury & FX Awards 2020

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Exemplary Leadership & Creating A Legacy An air force pilot turned lawyer, Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev, the winner of the ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Award for CSR in Legal Advisory, is a shining example of successfully nurturing a legacy of sowing seeds of goodwill into society. He is the founder of Messrs Manjit Singh Sachdev, Mohammad Radzi & Partners in Kuala Lumpur.

or Dato’ Dr Manjit, it all began when he left his job as a pilot at the Singapore Air Force, due to tympanic membrane perforation, and returned to Malaysia. Not long after, he left to read law in England and returned to Malaysia slightly more than two years later.

His career as a lawyer took off at one of the largest law firms in Malaysia, where he served as a chambering student. He went on to spend six years in that firm after which he realised his passion for the legal profession which led him to move on to set up his own firm.

Despite many offers, Dato’ Dr Manjit has other plans and set his sights on creating his own niche in the legal

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industry. “I think what really made me set up my own legal practice was the passion for it because I had that passion from very young,” he reminisces. He set up his legal firm 37 years ago at Jalan Tiong Nam, off Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur. Going solo and appreciating the freedom to explore other areas in the legal practice, this passionate legal eagle started off doing criminal litigation which meant he was in and out of the courts.

“If you love a profession and have a passion for it, you may find yourself wanting to practice different areas,” explains Dato’ Dr Manjit, who is one of the legal advisors of MRCA. Hard work paid off and his firm was

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“Whether you’re working for someone, or doing your own business, it is always important to be principled – that is, responsible, disciplined, honest, and to carry yourself with integrity.

These precepts have guided me for a long time, and I believe that they can only lead you on the right path.”

– Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh Sachdev, Founder of Messrs Manjit Singh Sachdev, Mohammad Radzi & Partners Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

soon growing from one lawyer to five lawyers and then to 10. Today, Dato’ Dr Manjit has a team of 48 lawyers and 130 staff in his firm.

One thing led to another – from criminal litigation, he went on to civil litigation, corporate practice, and conveyancing. As he made a name for himself with his excellent work ethics, humility and hard work, Dato’ Dr Manjit rose in the legal circle. “Just ‘good’ is never good enough. You must have the grit to serve clients in challenging cases and advise on unpopular positions with ingenuousness,” he explains.

According to this legal veteran, producing outstanding work for clients is key to achieving success not only in the legal profession but in all other professions as well. Practising this theory, Dato’ Dr Manjit soon received an overwhelming referral of clients who had heard about his excellent work and sought his services.

Not resting on his laurels, Dato’ Dr Manjit expanded his services to include listing services for companies, corporate services, project development, loans, joint ventures, the list goes on – creating a onestop legal advisory for clients. The firm’s clients include national and multi-national corporations, financial institutions, developers, entrepreneurs, management consultants, as well as the ordinary man on the street.

Nothing stops Dato’ Dr Manjit in his tracks – as digitalisation swept across all industries, including the legal industry, and as paperless transactions were rampantly being introduced, he developed a paperless digital reporting system that gave his clients immediate access to updates on cases at just the click of a button.

With a good grasp of the legal industry, Dato’ Dr Manjit is constantly seeking to expand his reach. With one main office in Kuala Lumpur and four branches – in Johor, Kota Damansara, Subang and Bukit Tinggi in Klang – he is set to explore his options in other states such as Penang. However, he notes that this calls for engaging with the right partners in order to continue delivering excellent services.

He has also set his sights for overseas expansion such as Singapore.

His practice also has associates in Vietnam, Hong Kong, China and the United Kingdom.

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ON LEADERSHIP As a corporate leader, Dato’ Dr Manjit firmly believes that leaders need to build people and reward them well.

Under his leadership, people are constantly provided with development opportunities to improve their skills and updates on the latest developments, as well as the monitoring of productivity and encouraging strong team spirit, aside from good monetary rewards.

“You have to have proper management of the staff and every department in our office has its own chief. There is a double check system (checking and reporting and KPI) on the productivity of each department.

The KPI is not only for producing work but also in their income level,” he adds.

He notes that most of his staff are over 25 years old, have been with him for many years and have become pillars of his firm. He quips that one of his staff who has been with him for several years, having started off with only RM650 as his basic pay, now owns four houses at just 28 years old. This is just one example of personal and professional successes experienced by his capable and highly professional team of employees.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS Dato’ Dr Manjit offers his deep-seated recipe for success that has guided him

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all these years. He notes that in offering business services, one needs to create awareness among target audiences on offerings provided, one’s capabilities, and one’s success stories.

Simply put, apart from awareness, success also requires proficiency, production, and to be results-oriented.

In the legal profession, he explains that it is important to act according to the client’s best interest as they would want you to win the case for them.

“It’s a lot of hard work, being humble and doing the best for the clients. When you go into practice you really have to work in the interest of your clients. That’s the bottom line. When you do your best for a client, that client can introduce you 10, and that 10 can introduce you to a 100,” he says.

SOWING SEEDS OF GOODWILL While charting successes, Dato’ Dr Manjit stresses that contributing to needy causes is a given priority. Over the last 32 years, Dato’ Manjit and the Sachdev family have been financially supporting a free medical clinic in Jalan Tiong Nam in Kuala Lumpur, administered by his nephew, Dr Sukhbir Singh, a hardworking doctor whose greatest passion is to serve the poor and needy.

His firm also provides aid to orphanages, churches, and old folks’ homes. He also undertakes legal work for many developers and his generosity is reciprocated by discounts offered by the developers to his staff for the purchases of property.

A SHINING LEGACY With two sons, a daughter and a niece following in his footsteps as lawyers, Dato’ Dr Manjit is set to create a longlasting and shining legacy in the legal profession.

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“I think that the legacy that we’d like to leave is that we have a good legal firm and we do our best for clients, to achieve the best results,” he shares.

“As a legal practitioner, you must be honest, humble and never mislead or cheat clients,” he advises.

According to Dato’ Dr Manjit, his biggest achievements are the successes of his children – three of whom are lawyers and three doctors – and that his staff has done well.

For all his efforts, contribution to society and to the legal profession, Dato’ Dr Manjit was recently awarded the ASEAN Lifetime Achievement Award for CSR in Legal Advisory.

Dato’ Dr Manjit said that winning the award “is recognition for the passion I have in what I am doing. This award also belongs to my dedicated staff of the firm who have grown with me.”

He hopes that it will in turn inspire and motivate young lawyers and entrepreneurs to “always love what you do and do what you love; live the way you want to live and do not live the way other people want you to live.”

As a leading expert in the legal field, Dato’ Dr Manjit lectures at several banks and institutions, and holds various non-executive directorships and legal advisory positions in many major organisations and associations such as Malaysia Retail Chain Association, Malaysia Franchise Association, Kuala Lumpur, and Selangor Car Dealers and Credit Companies Association, The Federation of Malaysia Hardware, Machinery & Building Materials Dealers’ Association and Malaysia Steel and Metal Distributors’ Association, among others, in Malaysia and the Asia Pacific region. He is also adviser and board member of charitable organisations in Malaysia.

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About Dato’ Dr. Manjit Singh Sachdev He first started as a military pilot with the Singaporean Air Force, flying for 5 years until a tympanic membrane perforation ended his career prematurely, and which also resulted in him having to be treated in England, where he would read law and develop a great passion for the legal practice... a love that carries on today. Dato’ Dr. Manjit Singh has over 40 years of legal practice experience, and is legal advisor to more than 70 charities, temple and associations in Malaysia.

He also speaks 12 languages, among them are many Chinese dialects – Hokkien, Mandarin, Cantonese and Teochew. His skills as a multilinguist is enhanced by the fact that his mother speaks Chinese dialect and conversational Mandarin, and his wife is of Hakka descent. He says there isn’t a language too difficult to learn, and it only takes determination to learn a new one.

His principles for success?

Be responsible, disciplined, honest and act with integrity.

Describe yourself.

I am a family oriented person and always take the opportunity to spend quality time with my family.

What is your motto?

Love what you do, and do what you love.

Live the way you want to live, and do not live the way other people want you to... and be great!

How do you spend quality time with your family?

I have 5 boys and 1 girl. My daughter and two sons are legal practitioners, whereas my three other boys are all doctors – one is finishing his course in rheumatology, the other is completing his course in dermatology, and the third is a GP. I have a happy, honest wife to share this good family with, and I love them all. There’s nothing else I would have

sacrificed more for than if weren’t for my family’s happiness.

I started my legal career in 1974, and up until establishing my own practice since 1980, my Saturdays and Sundays have always been family time. I make sure my wife and children are well looked after, and we spend a lot of time outdoors – going hiking, swimming, go-kart, you name it!

Every year, we as a family go overseas for at least 7-10 days so that we can have quality time with each other. Another weekend ritual is during Saturday and Sunday mornings, we have breakfast... usually at a coffee shop. At other times, we are together in the house.

How do you relax?

Occasionally, I play a little bit of golf, and I also read a lot. My free time is dedicated to my passion for the law...I spend a lot of time reading on the legal aspects of Malaysia and the legal aspects in the Commonwealth countries.

I basically enjoy reading, jogging and watching television. You’ll be surprised that one of my biggest hobbies is helping people, and I have a family clinic in Jalan Raja Laut where we only charge RM1 for medical necessities, It’s my love for contributing to the society that makes it fulfilling.

What do you think of food?

I’m very particular about food. I don’t eat everything but I do eat enough to survive. My favourite food is bread, and bread with anything! As you grow older, you’d want to keep away from rice because it’s carbohydrate and has sugar or glucose in it.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue and red. Why? Because blue, to me, is a very corporate colour, and red, I just find it very attractive to look at.

To what do you attribute your success in life as or as a businessman?

My success basically stems from the passion for the profession. I always look at it this way: if you love something, you will do well in it; and if you work hard, you put your effort in, you will never fail.

As a barrister who’s achieved much and respected by many, how do you stay humble and grounded?

You just need to remember that everyone is equal. Don’t discriminate... communicate! It’s important to not be a poser. When I meet with Ministers, people with titles, and decades-old friends, we don’t compare titles, instead, we stick to being our true selves.

When you are successful, always give back. I’ve been involved with a lot of religious associations and temples, and when we are helping them, whether it’s in the form of donations or charity work, we do our best. Our contributions make lives easier for many others.

If you give, give willingly. Do not expect anything back when helping others, and you’ll be happy. Don’t think of it as a loan, think of it as a gift.

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Feature

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Living It Up At PJ Midtown In the heart of Petaling Jaya stands a contemporary mixed development that boasts innovation and sustainability, complemented by unlimited amenities and conveniences.

CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCES The residential apartments occupy levels 3 to 29 and feature contemporary apartments comprising 1 to 3 bedrooms and 1 to 2 bathrooms, with built-up sizes ranging from 613 sq ft to 1,227 sq ft. The residences are partly furnished with top quality built-in cabinets. Residents can enjoy a breath-taking view of Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur from the sky terrace which has direct access to the podium. With security a top concern today, PJ Midtown has addressed this with 24-hour security surveillance, card access systems, digital locksets in all apartments, intercom facilities and panic buttons. t the epicentre of Petaling Jaya’s bustling metropolitan stands a sterling development that holds excellent appeal as a commercial hub and business centre, coupled with residential apartments. Spanning 5.5 acres, PJ Midtown, a strategic collaborative partnership by Award-winning developer, IOI Properties and Sime Darby Brunsfield, is a self-contained development that offers wholesome lifestyle and commercial offerings.

PJ Midtown is also the winner of industry excellence awards such as the StarProperty Earth Conscious Award (Merit) and Best Green Development Awards 2016; and has received the Green Building Index Provisional Gold certification for its eco-friendly elements.

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A VIBRANT COMMERCIAL PODIUM A symbol of contemporary architecture, PJ Midtown’s residential tower is atop the commercial podium. The commercial podium has 2 to 4 storey shop offices and retail units with connecting lifts fronting two main thoroughfares, and trendy suites with direct car park access.

The vibrant offices with built-up sizes ranging from 1,800 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft, offers ceiling heights options up to 24 ft. An ideal set up for established

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enterprises and niche businesses, PJ Midtown is the perfect venue for businesses to grow and thrive. The centre courtyards serve as pleasant meeting points amidst a refreshing environment and lush greenery.

Recognising parking as a major problem in city areas, PJ Midtown has ample space with 2,400 parking bays for residents, tenants and clients.

EXCITING FACILITIES Residents get to enjoy an exhilarating array of facilities at the facilities deck which spans 140,000 sq ft. Facilities at PJ Midtown include a swimming and a wading pool, a jogging path, a playground, a sun deck, gazebos, a sauna, a gymnasium and tennis court, among others.

GBI COMPLIANT

EXCELLENT CONNECTIVITY

Designed as a Green BuiIding Index (GBI) compliant development, PJ Midtown offers eco-friendly features that include motion sensors for lighting at common areas for energy conservation, as well as an enhanced energy management system for better energy efficiency and rainwater harvesting to reduce potable water consumption. The development also boasts vertical greens at the parking podium to reduce the overall building temperature; while solar energy is used to power up common areas.

PJ Midtown was conceptualised with a single loading building design to allow ample cross ventilation and natural sunlight to brighten the interiors.

To encourage eco-friendly practices, recycle bins are placed in common areas to promote awareness of recycling.

Low VOC paint is used throughout the building, while green vehicles are given dedicated parking spots. The development is a smoke-free building.

PJ Midtown is just minutes away from the LRT and MRT stations and four major highways – LDP, SPRINT, Federal Highway and NKVE. Healthcare facilities, shopping malls, private and government schools, university and colleges as well as five and four-star hotels are a stone’s throw away from PJ Midtown.

Contact person for enquiries: General Line: 016-299 2177 Renee 019-696 4303 / Kartik 012-200 7697 or visit www.pjmidtown.com Prospective buyers will be entitled to the following: • Waived SPA & Loan Legal Fees* • Waived MOT & Loan Stamp Duty* • Waived Maintenance Fees* • Free up to 12 months Loan Instalment* *T&Cs Apply

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MRCA: Voice of the Retail Industry ato’ Eddie Choon, the visionary Malaysian chain retailer and Executive Chairman of Poh Kong Holdings, founded the Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA), previously known as Retailers Chain Affiliation (RCA).

Dato’ Eddie Choon firmly believed that the local retail industry could grow stronger with mutual support rather than competition. He believed in networking, training and education.

He intended to create a networking platform to give the main retail chain players in the country opportunities to learn from each other and share ideas pertaining to their trade.

MRCA’s humble beginnings saw less than 10 business leaders, joining together to regroup and support Malaysian retailers. These numbers grew to 30 visionary members within the association’s first year, and more members willing to exchange ideas with fellow retailers and government agencies had to be persuaded.

The MRCA’s main aim is to support its members in their efforts to network, share resources, pool ideas and tap into industry-specific opportunities as well as to promote healthy expansion in Malaysia and abroad. It is also recognised as one of the most influential retail bodies in the country,

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with over 530 members who operate more than 30,000 outlets and support more than 200,000 job opportunities.

It also benefits from the constant support of members in the banking as well as the media industries. This renders networking more important than ever, but also a lot more complex.

Considering the rapidly changing business landscape, members need a greater variety of events in order to receive the support they need from a professional association. Therefore, the MRCA has expanded its purpose considerably. It focuses not only on business matters, but also on providing its members with relevant training and industry updates. The association represents its members when dealing with other organizations, the industry, governmental and public agencies as well as the media and the public.

Relationships with the business community at large are also maintained and further developed in a bid to maximise the awareness of the association’s value. With government policies catering to the local as well as global marketplace today, the association has an obligation to ensure further that members are kept informed of the latest such policies and best practices introduced by the relevant agencies.

These efforts will ensure that

members are well equipped with the knowledge required to prevail in today’s and tomorrow’s business environment.

In addition, MRCA is one of the most active institutions in Malaysia, which gives the association substantial pull for its members and significant weight within the industry.

Another fixture in the association’s social calendar is the biennial Council Installation Night, with well-known guests of honour. This is confirmation that the MRCA has not only become one of the largest and more influential associations in Malaysia, but also one of the government’s key driving forces in shaping Malaysia’s retail industry and a significant contributor to the country’s economy. It also shows how the collaboration between high-level members of the government and the Malaysian retail industry proves mutually beneficial.

Over the years, many MRCA members have successfully expanded into overseas markets. In support of its members’ international growth, the

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association has launched The Malaysia International Retail, Franchise and Licensing Fair (MIRF).

With its doors opening to more than 230 booths for the show’s first instalment in 2016, it is now the biggest showcase of domestic and international retail and franchise exhibitors in 2019 with 380 booths held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. A testament, indeed, to the association’s dedication and support of its members’ success.

The many milestones reached and accolades awarded to numerous MRCA members are a measure of their deep and extensive involvement with their businesses as well as a tribute to their commitment toward helping to shape the future of the retail industry in Malaysia.

Realising that a new generation of professionals will be at the helm of both the retail industry, MRCA encourages and prepares these young and keen entrepreneurs through its Youth Chapter. The Chapter has its own programs and projects, overseen by the division’s own chief. The very active, positively assertive group of young executives is making excellent use of this grooming and training platform, as they are very much in tune with up and coming business practices such as e-commerce and social media marketing.

A Women’s Chapter was also recently set up with the aim to elevate and uplift women entrepreneurs in

enhancing their business opportunities by providing the platform for exchanging business ideas. This is in line with the government’s directive to have more women playing significant and active roles in all sectors, including the Cabinet.

MRCA has also set up a Food & Beverage Chapter to deal with related issues and provide a more conducive environment of opportunities. F&B is arguably the fastest growing sector in retail and will make up about 50% of mall tenants in the future.

As the MRCA has been growing in numbers as well as influence over the past years, it also focuses on promoting a healthy lifestyle and CSR activities for members. The MRCA charity foundation actively supports the less fortunate

and events such as the charity golf tournament and the annual charity run enjoy great popularity among the members and their guests. Both numbers of participants as well as funds pledged grow substantially every year.

The future of Malaysia’s retail chain landscape will be demanding, as the region faces new economic challenges.

It is therefore more crucial than ever for the MRCA to focus on assisting its members and help them seize new opportunities. The governing council is committed to enhancing participating members’ future prospects, to equip them with current and bold know-how and to help them embrace innovation.

With the MRCA’s support, the Malaysian retail industry will, no doubt, be creative, resilient and forward-looking.

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MRCA Elects its First Woman President Shirley Tay, Sunrider International’s Regional Corporate Director, takes on the mantle as the 8th President of one of the most influential retail associations in the country, for the 2020-2022 term. With the tagline “Powered by You, We serve better” for her tenure, one of her six key areas of focus is elevating and uplifting women entrepreneurs. lso elected to the top leadership were Datuk Liew Bin, CEO of Brilliant Merchandising Sdn Bhd, as the Deputy President and, Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai, founder of KK Supermart & Superstore Sdn Bhd, Valerie Choo, Managing Director of Simply Awesome Sdn Bhd, Sharan Valiram, Executive Director of Valiram Holdings Sdn Bhd and Ken Phua Executive Director of Bentley Music Sdn Bhd as Vice Presidents.

Jit Singh, founder of Ironhorse Asia Sdn Bhd was elected Secretary General, Raymond Woo, founder & CEO of Vendpays Sdn Bhd, as Deputy Secretary General, Dato’ Winnie Lim, Managing Director of Solution Risk Consultants Sdn Bhd as Treasurer General and Dato’ Alex Wong, GM, Finance & Administration of Hap Seng Star Sdn Bhd as Assistant Treasurer General.

Members voted for the new office bearers during the association’s 23rd

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Annual General Meeting held on August 11 at the Menara PNS, Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur. The event, attended by 114 members, was hosted by Perbadanan Nasional Berhad (PNS).

Due to the limitation on the number of attendees in view of the RMCO, the AGM was conducted both physically and virtually. During the voting session, Ordinary members cast their votes digitally through a voting software while the Associate and Affiliate members joined via Zoom.

The AGM began with the CEO of Perbadanan Nasional (PNS) Mohd Hilaluddin Abd Shukor, welcoming the members and thanking MRCA for using its premises for its AGM. “PNS and MRCA enjoy a close working relationship, one that is built on strength and mutual respect which facilitates dialogue and exchange of ideas,” he said and added that since 2015, PNS has been an active sponsor and contributor in franchise associated

MRCA activities and events such as MIRF and MRCA annual dinner.

PNS, he said, will be organising the 2nd edition of the International Franchise & Entrepreneurship Conference in November and invited all MRCA members to participate in the event.

Outgoing President Datuk Seri Garry Chua highlighted some of the activities the Association had done for its members, especially during the MCO and the current RMCO periods. “We have been most vocal on many issues such as government subsidies, bank moratorium and mall rent, among others. We have also made proposals to the government through Facebook, webinars and even recommendations to the Prime Minister.

These, I believe, have been effective in that there were some beneficial results for the retailers and SMEs,” he stated.

He also noted that there are lessons to be learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Online is the talk of the town. You may

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Shirley Tay, newly elected MRCA President receives a bouquet from Immediate Past President Datuk Seri Garry Chua.

Datuk Seri Garry presenting a token of appreciation CEO of PNS Mohd Hilaluddin Abd Shukor.

Cheque donation to Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia by MRCA “Kita 1 Keluarga” Charity Project.

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Datuk Seri Garry Chua.

CEO of PNS Mohd Hilaluddin Abd Shukor.

want to change your business strategy for the long-term. Online is already 50-60% of the world economy, and as Jack Ma said, by 2030, it could be 80% digital and online. These are some very important facts to take note of.”

Datuk Seri Garry expressed his appreciation and thanked all the President Council members: Datuk Albert Chiang, Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng, Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok and Dato’ Liaw Choon, the senior executive committee members, committee members, legal advisors, patrons, sponsors, members and secretariat for their hard work, dedication and commitment to MRCA throughout the years.

He also extended a special thank you to Datin Flora who was in charge of CSR projects, Raymond Woo and Datuk Liew Bin for their dedication in making MIRF exhibition a runaway success, Dato’ Alex for organising the Charity Golf tournaments, Datuk Bruce Lim for the MRCA Retail Conference and the late Ricky Thye for his effort in putting together the MRCA Charity Run. “The hard work by the Council, Exco and everyone has enabled the past two terms of my Presidency to far exceed our 6-point Action Plan. Membership in the Northern region increased more than two and a half times, and today

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Datuk Ringo Low.

Ken Phua.

Dato’ Dr Manjit Singh.

L-R: Vice President Valerie Choo, MRCA President Shirley Tay and Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim.

we can see that most of the big names are in MRCA. This is all due to the dedication and hard work of Shirley Tay, who was then in charge of the membership drive.”

Datuk Seri Garry Chua also referred to the V-shaped flight formation of wild geese where they will naturally switch and take turns to lead the formation.

“MRCA practises rotational leadership.

We give everyone a chance to lead the Association and take it to new levels with every tenure. This is truly reflective of MRCA’s past and present leadership, and it is also the way forward.”

Newly-elected President Shirley Tay took to the stage and thanked Datuk Seri Garry Chua for his leadership, commitment, dedication and hard work during his two terms serving as the President. “He has made many sacrifices in order to achieve great milestones.”

She also highlighted six key areas of focus she would like to achieve during her tenure. Among them are enhancing networking and liaison among members for business development and expansion and helping women entrepreneurs enhance business opportunities by having a platform for exchanging of ideas, providing more recognition for them and synergising growth.

“Over the past few months, we

have been meeting a lot of outstanding and capable businesswomen. I feel they should be given some form of recognition and voice to be heard as well.” She added that this is in line with the government’s directive to have more women playing a significant and active role in all sectors, including the Cabinet.

The newly formed Women’s Division, she stated, would be helmed by MRCA Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim. Her other main focus areas include building a cohesive alliance for members in the Food and Beverage industry for networking, cooperation and expansion; assisting companies, where possible, to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic by offering information and connectivity for better business integration; educating, sharing and enhancing retail and business know-how and technology; and setting up a pertinent information hub and efficient secretariat to provide members with up-to-date and relevant information pertaining to retailing and related businesses including government’s directives.

On networking and liaison, Shirley Tay told the audience that she had, on many instances, heard what MRCA founder Dato’ Eddie Choon said – “Polling of resources and achieve desired results”. “Simple yet Effective.

I’d like to keep his direction as my

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number one goal so that I stay aligned with why this Association was formed 23 years ago.�

Shirley Tay also thanked members of the President Council, advisors, legal advisors, honorary auditors for their support, PNS for hosting the event and all those who organised and ensured that the AGM ran smoothly. “We need all your support to meet our objectives. I really hope that all the members can get connected with us without hesitation. We aspire to make it a reputable, professional and a friendly Association where we can come together to improve, interact and build relationships, both in business as well as personally. Give us suggestions and advice to help us to serve you better!�

During the AGM several resolutions and amendments to the constitution as well as reports by the Secretary General and Treasurer General for 2019 /2020 were passed and approved. Secretary General Ken Phua gave an overview of the activities held during 2019/2020 by the Association.

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Activities for 2019/2020 Activities involving various Ministries, Organisations

23

Charitable Activities

6

MRCA Networking Activities, Events & Visitations

87

Trainings, Seminars & Forums 12

He said that a total of 162 activities were organised and these included activities involving various Ministries and organisations, key MRCA events/ Press Conferences, charitable activities, training, seminars and forums, membership visitations, business trips and monthly meets, among others.

Treasurer Datuk Alex Wong briefed the audience on MRCA’s audited accounts and expenditure. This included the Branding Education Charity Foundation report for 2019 and the Budget for 2020.

Amendments to the Constitution were Clause 6 (Admission fees, Subscriptions and other dues), Clause 8 (Council), Clause 10 (Financial Provisions), deletion of Clause 13 (Interpretation), Clause 20 (Youth Division), insertion of Clause 20 (Women Division) and insertion of Clause 20A (Food and Beverage Division).

The AGM concluded with a cheque donation of RM10,000 to Taiwan Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia

by MRCA “Kita 1 Keluarga” Charity Project.

MRCA Key Events/ Press Conferences

13

Meetings, Monthly Meetings

8

Exhibitions or Supporting Organiser

5

Business Trips/Membership Visitations

8

Total

162

MRCA President’s Objectives for 2020-2022

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Elevate and uplift women entrepreneurs Assist female entrepreneurs in enhancing their business opportunities by providing the platform for exchanging business ideas. Working together and synergising growth in addition to giving more recognition to women in their role in business and other communities.

Build alliance for members who are in the Food and Beverage industry Build a cohesive alliance for members in the food and beverage industry for networking, cooperation and expansion.

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5

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Networking and Liaison To facilitate and enhance networking and liaison among members for business development and expansion.

Provide a viable platform for members to get connected for mutual benefits.

Educate, share and enhance retail and business knowhow and technology Assist members to align their businesses to conform to new digital and online development and transformation to increase productivity and market competitiveness.

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Assist in recoveries Assisting companies where possible to recover from the scourge caused by the Covid-19 pandemic by offering information and connectivity leading to better business integration.

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Set up pertinent information hub and efficient secretariat Provide members with up-todate and relevant information pertaining to retailing and related businesses including government’s directives. Provide efficient secretariat services to members.

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MRCA Office Bearers 2020-2022 President Shirley Tay Bee Koo Immediate Past President Datuk Seri Garry Chua Deputy President Dato’ Liew Bin Vice President Datuk Seri Dr. Chai Kee Kan Vice President Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem Vice President Ken Phua Cheng Chuen Vice President Sharan Jethanand Valiram Secretary General Jit Singh A/L Santok Singh Deputy Secretary General Raymond Woo Hai Shiang Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin Deputy Treasurer General Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing Council Member Dr. Affendi Dahlan Council Member Alex Chong Weng Wah Council Member Brian Tham Jee Ping Council Member Christine Tan Gaik Lin Council Member Jordan Ng Kim Leong Council Member Kevin Lee Guan Keong Council Member Liang Foo Kuan Council Member Michael Liew Fong Tzer Council Member Seak Thean Pow Council Member William Tang Chee Weng Council Member Datuk Henry Yip Choong Hung Honorary Auditor Dato’ Seri Raymond Liew Honorary Auditor Datin Yap Shin Siang Legal Advisor Dato’Dr Manjit Singh Legal Advisor Datuk Ringo Low

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About Shirley Tay, MRCA’s President A mother of three, Kuala Lumpurborn Shirley Tay shares some interesting insights into her personal life.

Describe yourself I am a meticulous person. I always want things done fast and well. Can get impatient at times but over the years I have learnt to look at things from others’ perspectives and I have perhaps become more tolerant.

Do you have a motto in life?

Enjoy each day as it comes! Life is a journey, it is also like a cup of tea, it is as good as how you make it. You have different goals at different phases.

When you are young, work hard to get a good qualification. Once you are in the business or corporate world, do your best to save enough, preferably with a business or career that can provide a residual and generating income so that even if you slow down when you grow older, you can still lead a comfortable life.

Have like-minded friends whom you can share good times with and most importantly love and care for your family. Believe in the divine power and follow His teachings always.

What’s your education background and your working experience?

I qualified as a certified chartered accountant and public accountant.

Currently, I am the Regional Corporate Director (Southeast Asia) of Sunrider International, an international company which I first joined in 1990 as an accountant. I worked in various capacities at Sunrider prior to my current position.

I began my career in accounts in 1981 and held senior positions while working in established accounting firms. I was also the Honorary Secretary of the Direct Selling Association of Malaysia (DSAM) for several years besides having held the post of Vice President of DSAM. I have been in the network,

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distribution and franchise industries for more than 20 years.

yearly, I took his advice to trek with him!

How many children do you have and are they working or studying?

I have three children, my eldest son is working in ExxonMobil. My only daughter is working in the UK as a banker and my youngest son is still studying in university.

How do you spend quality time with your family?

I always try to have dinner with my family for at least a few times a week.

We are foodies who enjoy good food.

We used to travel together fairly often but due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, we have not been able to do so. My eldest son likes to cook so it is always fun when our family get together for a good meal cooked by him. Sometimes we also play some board games which I feel is a good way to bond.

What’s your favourite food?

Anything that tastes good but not the exotic types. I have a few groups of very close friends who enjoy eating good food. We always look for unique and special types of cuisines to please our palates. But I also believe in balancing our diet with natural whole foods. The philosophy of balancing is very important as you need to nourish your body, cleanse it so that it will become healthy. It is important to take such nutritious whole food manufactured by a reliable company such as mine, Sunrider International, who understands the art of herbal science and have very talented experts who are owners to formulate them. Not overeating is also very important. I like to go for quality rather than quantity.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy watching movies and spending time with family and close friends.

What is/are your favourite colour(s)?

No specific colour, any combination that looks pleasing to the eyes.

What are your hobbies?

I used to play a lot of sports – badminton, table tennis and bowling.

Nowadays, other than table tennis, which is less strenuous, I trek from time to time. I successfully trekked to the peak of Mount Kinabalu about 10 years ago. It was very tough but it was also an experience that I cherish.

Thanks to my husband, an avid climber who treks huge mountains

To what do you attribute your success in life/or as a businesswoman?

I achieved what I have today due to my commitment, attitude and discipline. I am very blessed to have worked with great bosses who are visionaries, very intelligent and diligent. They are my role models.

I leant to be humble and I try to keep check of myself from time to time.

Charity project raises RM117,000 for single mothers in the country many of whom lost their jobs and were unable to support their children during the Movement Control Order caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

RCA President and Organising Chairperson of the project Shirley Tay thanked all who had supported and contributed to the Single Mother Charity Fundraising Project.

“Without your support, we would not have been able to exceed our target and we are delighted to inform that we have managed to raise RM117,000, before tax deduction,” she said.

At a media conference held in August when the charity project was launched, Shirley Tay said MRCA started the initiative to “soften the blow that this pandemic has left on single mothers as many have lost their jobs during the MCO and must continue to support and fend for their children on their own”.

A survey conducted by Selangor’s Women Empowerment Institute saw a majority of single mothers earning less than RM3,000 a month; at least 40% of them were forced to either take unpaid leave or close their businesses during the MCO. “Raising children is not easy, even more so to do it alone while struggling to put food on the table and maintain the roof over their heads.

“Love Touches Lives” will be of help to single mothers regardless of race, ethnicity, and religion,” said Shirley Tay who is also the Regional Corporate Director (Southeast Asia) of Sunrider International (M) Sdn Bhd.

M

MRCA has done numerous philanthropy projects in the past. Over the past five years, MRCA, through its Branding Education Charity Foundation, which was set up in 2010, has contributed more than RM1 million to many charitable causes.

Donations from the charity drive will be channelled to six single mothers’ organisations. They are Great Heart Charity Association, Kassim Chin Humanity Foundation, Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Spring Malaysia, Association of Social Services and Community Development of Gombak District, Selangor (PSPK), Persatuan Wanita & Ibu Tunggal Nur Iman KL & Selangor (WITUS) and Women of Will.

“We feel that it is our social responsibility as an association to give back to society. MRCA hopes to

continuously provide support and aid to the underprivileged in our nation.

Through the ‘Love Touches Lives’ charity project, MRCA hopes to also rekindle the spirit of charity in the hearts of Malaysians as it serves as a platform for them to donate for a good cause,” said Shirley Tay. MRCA also launched the Women’s Division which will be helmed by the Association’s Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim, at the event. With its tagline: “Empower Women, Build Nation”, this division aims to promote and advance the personal and professional development of women in the Association. It also looks to equip female entrepreneurs with knowledge of the right skills, information and training to expand and develop their businesses.

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MRCA’s Love Touches Lives

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MRCA Launches Women Division MRCA launched its Women Division with the tagline Empower Women, Build Nation, in early September during the Single Mother Charity Fundraising Project press conference. hief of the Women Division, Dato’ Winnie Lim, who is also the Treasurer General of MRCA, said that among its aims is to promote and advance the personal and professional development of the MRCA women in the retail chain business and franchise industry.

It also aims to equip women entrepreneurship with knowledge of the right skills, information and training to expand and develop their businesses.

Other objectives of the Division are: • To assist and support its members in matters of business and personal development.

• To encourage and foster collaboration, goodwill and understanding amongst its members.

• To assist and support MRCA in achieving and/or attaining its objectives.

Membership is open to only female representative of MRCA members, over 21 years old and who has obtained the written approval and/or consent of the particular MRCA member that she is a representative of. The letter must be written on the company’s letterhead.

Those wishing to be a member should submit their particulars to the MRCA Women Council on a prescribed form.

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MRCA WOMEN DIVISION Position

Name Company

MRCA President / Advisor Shirley Tay

Sunrider International (M) Sdn Bhd

Chief

Dato’ Winnie Lim

Solution Risk Consultants Sdn Bhd

Deputy Chief

Crystal Lee

Media Prima Omnia Sdn Bhd

Secretary

Aiveen Wong

Chin Swee Food Sdn Bhd YYC Group

Treasurer

Christine Looi

Committee

Dato’ Choi Wei Yee TDox Clinic

Dato’ Grace Lee

Milestone Production Sdn Bhd

Christine Tan

CT F&B Holdings Sdn Bhd

Khatherine Lim

ADV Fusionex Sdn Bhd

Steffanie Chua

Identity Lab Sdn Bhd

Tan Soo Hui

Kuuvancha (M) Sdn Bhd

MRCA Southern Chapter he Southern Chapter plans to recruit 50 new members for the 2020-2022 term and it hopes to achieve its target by expanding and recruiting subcommittees. The Southern Chapter Chief Michael Liew said that one of the ways to reach out to more retailers to join the association is by having an open and consistent social media platform.

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“We plan to engage a local Public Relations agency to have a weekly social media posting. We will also acknowledge members by having a poster or sticker of MRCA in their outlets, factories and offices,” said Michael Liew who added that the Southern Chapter is committed to host at least two major events annually.

Currently, the Southern Chapter

has 27 members. He also added that the Southern Chapter will work towards achieving MRCA President Shirley Tay’s six objectives. MRCA monthly meetings will be hosted at the Marrybrown head office via livestream. The Southern Chapter also works closely with local associations such as the Johor Chinese and Malay Chambers, Bossclub, JCI, PUMM, charity organisations and government regional offices.

The MRCA Southern Chapter is also exploring ways to reach out to poor families or homes in need of food supply as well as provide job opportunities. Early this year, MRCA Southern Chapter organised a Business Talk which attracted 292 attendees

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MRCA SOUTHERN CHAPTER 2020-2022 Title Name

Brand

Division Chief

Michael Liew

Marrybrown Sdn Bhd

Deputy

Wesley Tan

Aqina Farm

Secretary

Alisa Lamlertkittikul

Sedap Corner Sdn Bhd

Treasurer

Soo Hui, Tan

Tea Garden

Committee

Bruce Ban

Arashi Shabu-shabu

Committee

Jarvin Leow

Taang Shifu

Committee

David Teo

2N Shop

and during the MCO in April, it held a webinar via Zoom which featured three women entrepreneurs who stared their stories on how they kept their SME businesses afloat. Two other events,

Entrepreneurship in the New Normal and Covid-19 Transformation Opportunity for Retail, were held in June and August respectively, in Chinese, via Zoom.

MRCA Youth Division ince the initiation of its Youth Division in 2015 by Past President Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang, MRCA has been nurturing its youth members to inherit the entrepreneurial spirit of the association through education, advocacy and communication.

As the Division enters its fourth term for the year 2020-2022, it is now led by Alex Chong, founder of MBA Crew Sdn Bhd, who runs and operates a successful chain of restaurants of various brands.

The Division envisages assisting and helping fellow youth retailers who have been impacted by the Covid-19 economic upheaval currently experienced globally.

The Youth Council members who are capable business leaders in their own respective industry, will assist through the sharing of updated information and exchange and share knowledge with the members.

Over the years, the Youth Division has also organised various events, workshops and networking sessions, among others, to equip its members with more skills and knowledge to start, manage and expand their retail businesses. “MRCA Youth will be there to help with start-ups, as well as assist them to weather the current economic upheaval,” said Youth Chief, Alex Chong.

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MRCA YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS 2020-2022 Position

Name Company

Youth Chief

Alex Chong

MBA Crew Sdn Bhd

Deputy Chief

Joyce Ooi

Neubodi Holdings Sdn Bhd

Secretary

Terry Tay OSIM (M) Sdn Bhd

Head of Events

Gillian Ooi D’ Touch International Sdn Bhd

Head of Membership

Steven Pui Supersave Multi Trading Sdn Bhd

Treasurer

Calvin Lim Myszm Sdn Bhd

Assistant Treasurer

Ryan Liang Big Onion Food Caterer Sdn Bhd

Council Members

Michael Woon

Daphne Tan Multicom Grand Sdn Bhd

Teh Souki CT F&B Holdings Sdn Bhd

Nellie Tan App Lab Sdn Bhd

Violet Lee AppPay Sdn Bhd

Gabby Wong KTIC Marketing Sdn Bhd

Jameson Yap

Lim Ben Jie Tune Group Sdn Bhd

Kok Wai Hien

One AP Advertising Sdn Bhd

S&J Co. SS Productions & Marketing Sdn Bhd

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MRCA’s New F& B Chapter Datuk Seri Garry Chua who heads the newly-created F&B Chapter, will deal with related issues and provide a more conducive environment of opportunities.

Tell us about the current situation in the F&B sector in Malaysia The F&B businesses in the suburbs show great promise of recovery. Footfall has gone up to 75% of pre-MCO levels, maybe 80% for some. As for sales, which generally depends on concept, the median’s probably around 60-65%, although it could be 7080% for some others.

However, F&B businesses in city malls could have possibly recovered to only 50-60%. This is due to the lack of tourists, offices operating at lower capacities than before and social distancing measures which have affected seating. Surprisingly, up-market restaurants catering to the top 20 bracket seemed to have performed better. Take the Grand Imperial, Oriental Group restaurants, etc, for example – they’ve been doing quite well.

When do you think the situation will be normalised?

Compared to the earlier Covid-19 days, F&B businesses have been experiencing good improvements in the last two to three months. We hope this trend will last towards the end of the year where volumes could be buoyed by the peak season.

Another positive news F&B businesses can look forward to is that, starting from September 2020, the Malaysian government is officially reopening borders for a start from Singapore essential sectors, etc.

We can expect to return to normalcy probably by the second quarter of 2021 provided there’s no second wave.

How did this idea of starting an F&B Chapter come about?

The idea started and was suggested to the Council quite some time ago.

However, it wasn’t until the nation faced the Covid-19 pandemic that we started receiving a lot of support from members for an F&B Chapter.

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of business establishments in Malaysia by sector, food service activities are the most popular category of trade in the country.

Optimistically, MRCA can easily double F&B representation to onethird, or 30%.

In fact, the enlisting process has been proceeding smoothly over the last few months before my term as MRCA President was up. We have been submitting names for membership regularly.

Most of the new applicants are from the F&B sector.

Until that time, I’ve always reasoned with the Council that if we aren’t proactive about establishing this chapter, other groups and associations are going to do it, resulting in diluted representation. For the Chapter to be effective, it has to have many members and be inclusive.

Secondly, F&B will make up an estimated 50% of mall tenants in the future. Whether it’s fast food or finedining establishments, going by the number of outlets opening every month, F&B is arguably the fastest growing sector in retail. Leading the proliferation of new outlets are mid-tier restaurants which seem to be springing up faster than fine-dining concepts.

How is this Chapter going to help MRCA and its members?

Overall, the F&B has a diluted representation for MRCA in the retail fraternity. About 17% of its members are F&B players. Based on the composition

In what ways can the Chapter help its members?

There are many problems and issues in the F&B sector that must be ironed out –staffing, suppliers, bankers, retail locations, rates, investors, franchising opportunities, e-wallet charges, overseas exhibition, etc.

As a Chapter, members benefit from collective bargaining power.

From my observation many in the F&B landscape these days are grouping up to expand.

It is common for F&B businesses to have several partners because participating in this industry basically requires a hefty, upfront cash investment.

A small outlet will cost RM500,000 to set up. Larger outlets on the other hand will cost RM1 million or so.

That said, this is an industry at the forefront of current and future retail.

It is foreseeable that F&B will definitely be playing a very prominent role in the future of MRCA. What percentage of retail in malls in Malaysia is F&B? In malls, F&B’s presence is close to 50%, a trend which has been going on in Singapore over the past few years.

In contrast to adjacent retail segments (fashion, for instance, has been very badly hit), F&B holds its own because people still need to eat, though on a more cautious scale.

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What are your views on the mobile food delivery marketplace, and the future of F&B? For most F&B businesses, sales via mobile ordering apps and online takeaways, even during the height of Covid-19 period, are 20% (as a percentage of total revenue), at the most. Of course, there are exceptions, e.g. burger brands and fast food companies would be doing much more.

If we were to sell our food online as opposed to serving dine-ins, diners hardly order any appetizer or drinks. The main course is basically the only attraction.

Therefore, even with the same number of customers, it simply shows for a fact that value isn’t there.

Food delivery companies charge fees as high as 30-35% of the menu price, which skims away nearly all of the margins restaurants enjoy. You just can’t make more money from F&B in platforms like that. Hence, our newly-established F&B Chapter will start devoting resources to get a better share for our members.

Nevertheless, we should recognise platforms like these as a good, complementary, and supportive element to our offline operations. Online will grow to a much higher level to balance out the off-line dining as in China.

This mode of operating has also enabled people to aggressively move towards the “cloud kitchen” concept – centralised food production facilities where space can be rented to prepare and cater for on-demand deliveries.

Because you can optimise the use of other’s kitchens, it’s a good way for people to start their own business, without having to spend a lot of capital.

What are the membership goals of this new Chapter?

Currently, MRCA has more than 100 F&B chain members.

Data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia indicates that there were 167,490 food and beverage establishments in 2015 in the country.

While it would be difficult to precisely estimate the number of unique F&B brands and establishments in the country (in view that many operate from a nearlyuncountable diaspora of single, small handful of shops) without reliable data from institutions like the Companies’ Commission of Malaysia (SSM), it is not impossible for MRCA to reach a target of 500 F&B chain members by the end of next year.

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What F&B Players Can Do During RMCO to Keep Afloat uring the MCO and RMCO most of the cafes and restaurants, especially those in the shopping complexes, saw a drastic drop in sales. Sales dropped to about 80% and about 20% were depending on takeaways to sustain their business.

Those who managed to stay afloat did so because they adopted a new breakthrough by leveraging digital technology.

What we learned from the lockdown was that whatever strategy that worked before the pandemic may not work now and whatever strategy that did not work

By Ray Wong, Business then may work in the current situation.

The business model, the strategy Development Director, and approach as well as the promotion Coffeeland Sdn Bhd. methods have all changed under the new normal. The new model or going digital, requires a new mindset and a new game plan. Many of the industry players are exploring and learning how this game can be played in a more effective manner.

The F&B players can use social media such as FB Live, as one of the main tools in promoting their products and services. The idea is to draw customers by communicating directly with your target audience, engaging them, charming them, educating them and entertaining them in a way that has never been done before. By pressing the right button you hit the Jackpot, in fact, some cafes have been receiving overwhelming orders.

FB Live is definitely a MUST for Retail and F&B business to recoup their losses and more importantly, moving on and reaching to the new segment of customers who could not be reached or were not targeted before. The FB Live is a new approach that requires new skills, right content and has an element of “Edutrainer” (educating and entertaining).

The Covid-19 pandemic has also taught the industry players that in order to sustain they need to collaborate with other players or service providers. Promotions can be more effective if it is done in collaboration, for example, when customers order takeaways, throw in free delivery. Throw in more irresistible offers when customers purchase more (buy in advance approach).

Playing a solo game will not be wise as the industry is moving into the concept of “Resources Sharing”. Within this new collaboration, cloud kitchens, purpose-built spaces that function as shared cooking facilities, are introduced and have been successfully launched and implemented.

The new normal is all about new ways, new strategies, new approaches and new business models. It is about exploring what works and what doesn’t. Above all, you must be able to change, adapt fast and learn and re-learn. It is a new battle with new playing rules.

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Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

here is no doubt that doing business in these economically trying times is a challenge. The key words to staying afloat in the F&B industry are cashflow, light assets, takeaways, outsource services where necessary and keep in mind the 4Ps – product, pricing, place and promotions.

Top of the list is cashflow. You need to have a cashflow projection for the next couple of months to give you a rough idea of the business’s financial health. The projections must include collections – customer collections,

By Liang Foo Kuan, suppliers and other expenses as well.

Managing Director, For those who have multiple outlets Big Onion Food or business units, it’s time to make Caterer Sdn Bhd. decisions to scale down, close or maintain operations, based on profitability.

Generally, the two biggest costs are rental and staffing.

As such, you have to look into ways of keeping your overheads down in the best way possible. If you have to make the decision to let some of your staff go, do so by looking into their individual KPI instead of seniority.

Consider having an asset-light business where the company has relatively few capital assets compared to its operations. It is also important to talk to your banks to reschedule your loans or other financial commitments.

Look for Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) suppliers for food such as ready or partially ready food, paste or sauce.

OEM can help to cut down on purchases or maintenance of equipment, kitchen staff and other hidden costs such as meals, accommodation, uniforms, medical and staff benefits, among others.

The 4Ps comprising product, pricing, promotion and place, also play a considerable part in whether you stay afloat or go under. Where product is concerned, you may want to redesign your menu as not all the items on the menu are suitable for takeaways. Simplify your menu. You need to take into your supply chain as well.

Look into your pricing which should depend on what it costs you to produce, market, and cover expenses including your delivery costs. Your pricing will also depend on your location or place (commercial, residential area, mall, etc.) you are operating from and who your customers are.

Redirect your marketing strategies.Make your brand present O2O, have physical (dining experience) & online presence. Work with people such as influencers and key opinion leaders who can easily reach out to more customers.

Leverage on food-related platforms and food delivery platforms and have customer loyalty programmes to encourage repeated sales.

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MRCA CEO Get-together Hosted by Fusionex, its Founder and Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh shared his thoughts on how businesses can cope and survive with the rapidly expanding digital economic frontier. he amount of data that the world is consuming is growing exponentially every second, he said. “Data is growing because people are searching for products online, uploading videos, consuming livestreams, and this is something that we in Malaysia have a great opportunity,” he said at the event which was attended by about 70 CEOs of companies who are members of MRCA. The event was held at the Fusionex office in Petaling Jaya recently.

He pointed out that there is a big pool of talent in Malaysia. “A lot of things at Silicon Valley, for example, are not done in Silicon Valley. In reality, Malaysians deliver a lot of these products branded at Silicon Valley, just as how American producers have branded their goods in Europe.

The global landscape, Dato’ Seri Ivan pointed out, is disorientating as there is an eruption of disruptive technologies and change that incumbents cannot deal with. “There’s a lot of fluidity and uncertainty businesses have to strategise today... and no one can assume that traditional bases of competitive advantages will remain competitive.

Constant change is the new norm.”

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Dato’ Seri Ivan cited the McKinsey report that in 1964, S&P500 companies had an average lifespan – how long a company would last before it gets acquired or disappears – of 33 years. In 2016, this lifespan reduced to 24 years.

In 2027, it is estimated to be only 12 years. “This is intimidating information.

If companies don’t evolve, they will cease to be relevant.”

He also drew references to Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Richard Branson, Steve

Jobs and Elon Musk. “They’ve disrupted different types of businesses and revolutionised how things really happen.

Think about Honda, GM, Toyota... these are all good brands, yet Tesla is more valuable…because innovation has made it such.”

He quoted Steve Jobs who said that when his customers asked him to give the “what they want” he replied that his job was to “figure out what they’re going to do before they do it”. “We need to read

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

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30

Fusionex Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh.

Fusionex MD of New Technologies Jacob Isaac.

Fusionex Senior Director of Solutions Development Nicholas Tan.

Fusionex Programme Director James Martin.

Fusionex Senior Manager Tan Sean Khong.

MRCA President Ms. Shirley Tay.

Dato’Liew Bin.

things not yet on the page and that’s something that we have to discuss.

I think we have that great creativity in ourselves – to brainstorm and do amazing things,” said Dato’ Seri Ivan.

He added that apart from operational efficiencies and tangible return on investment, it is important to develop a flexible, agile solution because things will change along the way. “We have to be prepared for that change and be fast in identifying the neglected opportunities with a clear overall strategy. Think big with a vision, start small, and scale really fast. We could build something for when a crisis strikes,” he stated adding that Fusionex

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is privileged to have MRCA as friends.

“Fusionex can play the role as MRCA’s friendly and supportive partner.

We are happy to help not just in words, in strength and in spirit, but also in effort, in kind and in funding.”

Earlier, organising chairman Dato’ Liew Bin who is also MRCA Deputy President, thanked the participants for their support in attending the event which was sold out within a week of its announcement.

“The opportunity to network is one of the reasons we join MRCA as it brings together the top bosses from the franchising, branding, and retail industries providing everyone

an opportunity to mingle, share and exchange ideas.”

He also encouraged everyone to participate in MRCA President Shirley Tay’s charity event, “Love Touches Heart” by donating towards helping single mothers.

President Shirley Tay shared with the audience that she started the “single mother project” after reading a report by theEdge which stated that close to 40% of the people losing their jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic were single mothers.

“Fifty per cent of them have no money or access to social protection at all. The Secretariat team, my committee members, and I have visited a lot of

Interesting facts shared

by Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh

• 200 years ago, 90% of the world’s population worked in agriculture. Today, about 2 % work in agriculture.

• Radio took 38 years to reach 50 million users. TV, 13 years, the Internet, 4 years and iPod, 4 years while Facebook took only 9 months to reach 100 million users.

• The world’s population today is about 7 billion, and we have close to 10 billion connected devices. By 2028, we will have more than 100 billion connected devices.

• The supercomputer that helped land Apollo 11 on the moon in 1969 was only 6 megabytes – smaller than the Pokemon app. The iPhone had 40,000 times more processing power and storage compared to that supercomputer.

• McKinsey reports that in 1964 S&P500 companies have an average lifespan of 33 years. In 2016 it is reduced to 24 years and in 2027 it is about 12 years. homes. It was very heart-breaking to see that many of the single mothers not only had to care for their families, but were also the breadwinners for their families.”

She also appealed to the members to donate generously to the charity cause. The target is RM100,000 and to date, they have raised RM50,000. The funds will be distributed to six single mothers’ charity organisations.

Shirley Tay also shared her sixpoint action plans and said that the newly-created Women’s Division, led by Dato’ Winnie Lim, has received many registrations and encouraged all women entrepreneurs to join. The F&B Chapter helmed by Datuk Seri Garry Chua, will seek to voice out for those in the fraternity.

With regards to Assist in Recoveries, she said that she had spoken with some members who had recently listed their company but were unable to attain the results desired due to the pandemic.

“I hope that we continue to stay patient, positive and motivated.”

On the Secretariat being an effective information and communication hub, she said the Secretariat and Council are

working more closely together to ensure its members will be the first to receive pertinent information.

Later, there was also an exchange of mementoes between MRCA and Fusionex and a cheque presentation of RM10,000 by Fusionex as its contribution towards the “Love Touches Heart” charity project.

There was also a sharing session by four Fusionex International staff.

Jacob Isaac, Managing Director of New Technologies, gave an insight into Fusionex’s operations, performance

and how they can help transform from “What If” to What’s Next” for every business use; James Martin, Program Director, spoke on Post Covid-19 eCommerce Forecast and AI-powered Personalised Digital Marketing, while Nicholas Tan, Senior Director, Solution Development, shared on “To Digitalise or Not to Digitalise and Tan Sean Kong, Senior Manager, on “Grant and Training”.

The event ended with cocktails and drinks with everyone mingling and networking with one another.

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Fusionex Powers MATRADE’s #MyAPEC2020 Virtual Exhibition Platform Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) has partnered with multiaward-winning AI and Big Data technology leader Fusionex to power #MyAPEC2020, its first virtual exhibition which will be the catalyst for many more similar initiatives in the future. rompted by the accelerated digital transformation efforts by various organisations in response to the impacts brought about by the Covid-19 crisis, MATRADE has established multiple channels to help stimulate business activities and sustain business competitiveness in the international market.

In a bid to keep everyone safe, MATRADE pivoted to a fully digital exhibition, powered by Fusionex technologies, that provides a virtual avenue for businesses and enterprises to convene, converse and collaborate.

“As the organizer of the exhibition, MATRADE will leverage its reach around the world to promote this virtual exhibition and arrange virtual B2B meetings that will enable Malaysian companies to connect with the right buyers.

“We are confident this exhibition will be of great benefit to the participants and help revitalize businesses that may have been affected by the pandemic,”

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said MATRADE CEO Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa, In compliance with social distancing regulations and guidelines, Fusionex responded by the innovative utilisation of cutting-edge digital technologies to make manifest the experience of hosting a real exhibition on multiple screens and channels simultaneously.

The platform is also able to create a borderless and seamless experience for people around the world to attend the virtual event while obtaining actionable insights and gaining a comprehensive panoramic view of the exhibition to understand its impact.

Fusionex Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh applauded MATRADE for creating a platform for companies and enterprises to participate in the exhibition, offer digital content, conduct business pitching and hold online conferences.

“Companies will have visibility of online traffic and the sales leads generated from these visits. All in all, this virtual platform represents the future in digital technology innovations

that will help make Malaysian SMEs more digitally savvy, able to not only survive a post-pandemic world but flourish and soar,” said Dato’ Seri Ivan.

MATRADE The #MyAPEC2020 Exhibition is being held in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2020 forum, hosted

by Malaysia this year. The exhibition was launched by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Lim Ban Hong.

Datuk Lim said that #MyAPEC2020 is “Malaysia’s first virtual exhibition of this scale that has a trade engagement system that allows for business pitching, pre-arranged meetings and webinars.

“This exhibition would not have been possible without the support and technical expertise offered by Fusionex, who has been instrumental in developing the platform. MATRADE will be using this interactive platform to facilitate future virtual engagements between our business community and global buyers.

L-R: Fusionex Group CEO Dato’ Seri Ivan Teh, MATRADE Chairman Tan Sri Dr. Halim Mohammad, Ministry of International Trade & Industry (MITI) Deputy Minister Datuk Lim Ban Hong, MITI Deputy Secretary General Hairil Yahri Yaacob and MATRADE CEO Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa at the launch of the MATRADE’s #MyAPEC2020 Virtual Exhibition Platform.

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Creating Inspiring Living Spaces Revitalising modern homes with artistic flair while keeping them highly functional, is one of the hallmarks of Clover Buildcon Sdn Bhd.

uilding dream homes, and delivering successful commercial and corporate projects has put Clover Buildcon on the map of reputable interior design and building projects.

The company was born from the hard work and commitment of its founder, Stephen Ng, who is also the Director of the company.

Driven by a passion to explore and discover the unknown, Stephen Ng has a remarkable tale of how he started creating dream homes for other people.

He worked at cybercafes, restaurants and auto workshops before getting his break when he was offered the post of a supervisor to oversee factory operations.

He gained a sea of experience and also learnt to assemble and dismantle machinery. Realising his potential, he pursued a Diploma course in Mechanical

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Engineering majoring in the machinery and semiconductor industry, and upon completing his studies, began to take an interest in drawing and designing machines.

As the dynamics of the engineering industry began to evolve, Stephen was approached by a friend from the renovation industry who proposed a new career path. He took the leap and started a renovation business with his new partner. Within six months he learnt the ropes and the business thrived.

When his business partner parted ways, Stephen made a fresh start and set up Clover Creatives in 2011 with small projects in design and consultation.

Clients encouraged Stephen to be a building contractor as they trusted him and his abilities and soon he landed his first big project – a bungalow extension project worth RM280K. As the company

successfully completed and delivered projects to clients, Stephen’s business started to get recognised and gained prominence through word of mouth. In 2012, the company evolved into Clover Buildcon Sdn Bhd, a one-stop design and build contracting consultancy.

Passionate about designing and creating aesthetically appealing homes, offices and commercial spaces, today Clover provides end-to-end services in interior design, renovation and carpentry works, including conceptual design and project management. The carpentry division was added in 2017. By having design, construction, and carpentry all under one roof, good time management, smooth execution of projects and quality workmanship are assured.

Driven by a vision to be widely recognised as trustworthy professionals in transforming residential and

35

BRICK CRAFT With its panel of experts and professionals in various components of build technology, Clover provides comprehensive solutions for ceiling and flooring, glass and grill, landscaping, mechanical and electrical, project management, pillars and structures as well as roofing.

commercial spaces, the company is committed to exceeding customer expectations in delivering exceptional services. Clover’s aspiration is to provide innovative solutions, achieving a perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality while delivering superior after-sales service to customers. It also takes great pride accentuating the character of homes while refreshing the interiors and exteriors to resemble modern architecture with an artistic touch.

Clover Buildcon has delivered numerous successful projects at residences, offices and commercial spaces such as Gentlemen’s Tonic @ Robinsons Kuala Lumpur, Rose Attractions @ Pinnacle Petaling Jaya, Bayan Residences, D’ Island Residence and Eco Majestic, among others.

Having come a long way in building Clover Buildcon, today, Stephen has made the company a reputable brand that is known for its reliability, trustworthiness and quality workmanship.

To experience Clover Buildcon’s exquisite designs and projects, visit www.clovergroup.my or contact +(60)16 266 5000.

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN CRAFT Aside from high quality workmanship, the company is also committed to delivering superior aesthetics that suit the client’s functional and aesthetical requirements. Clover is able to intelligently incorporate aesthetics with functional components while keeping the building stylish and appealing.

EXQUISITE WOODCRAFT Clover Buildcon is a connoisseur of woodcraft, providing clients with sophisticated carpentry work complemented by the finest quality and craftsmanship. It undertakes various carpentry works that include bar counters, bedframes, book cabinets, kitchen cabinets, shoe cabinets, TV consoles, wardrobes, and wooden pillars.

“Highly recommended for speed of delivery, quality of work and excellent follow-up services. We bought a second-hand home at the end of 2015 and needed a renovation contractor who can get the job done within about a month. Of the six contractors that we contacted, Stephen is the only one who had the confidence to take up the job, and he not only delivered on time, but also catered to our every need and demands along the way. Well done, and highly recommended.” ~ Charlie Lee, Sieramas, Sungai Buloh

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Aladdin Group Returns To Market As Digital Commerce Player Following a corporate restructuring exercise, Aladdin Group, a home-grown tech company, returns to the market as a digital commerce player focusing on the Halal and Muslim-friendly landscape. he Halal and Muslim-friendly markets represent one of the largest growing consumer segments in the world, with a global consumption value of about US$3 trillion annually.

At the Aladdin Group’s media launch and the onboarding of strategic partners recently, Group CEO Eizaz Azhar said the Group’s approach to the industry leverages on local Malaysian talents paired with one of the most established digital teams in China as a strategic partner, specialising in e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and the recent trend of social commerce.

“We’ve witnessed an industry shift throughout the past 10 years, where seven of the largest companies in the world by market cap today are tech companies, and out of those five of them are multi-sided platforms.”

The event was witnessed by Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin as well strategic partners such as Shirley Tay, President of MRCA, Danny Lee, Chairman of PIKOM, Emmy Suraya, National President of MyBHA, Bon Zainal, President of MBDA, Dato’ Moehamad Izat, President of ACCI, Chris Daniel Wong, President of MDCC, Dato’ Mike Loh, President of ARFF and Datuk

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Michael Kang, National President of SME Association of Malaysia.

Eizaz Azhar added that coronavirus crisis had also led to the rise of platforms where they have become an integral part of everyday lives, further highlighting opportunities within the tech industry.

Aladdin Group plans to establish a supply chain solution to over 40 countries, serving a Muslim consumer segment of an estimated 1.45 billion people and creating a powerful trade network, through the establishment of 40 domestic and one global platform, explained Eizaz.

“Our core focus is on the development of B2B, B2C, and O2O (online to offline) digital infrastructure for Malaysian SMEs so merchants can easily access new markets, and consumers have a wider selection of quality products and services, on a global scale via the Aladdin Group network, he added.

“At the end of the day, at Aladdin, our consumers come first. While our products and services are of great importance, our core product remains: serving you trust and integrity. With a capable and dynamic management team augmented by a unique value proposition, we believe that participants in our platform will be able to grow on a truly global level,” said Eizaz.

Aladdin Group’s restructuring brings

Onboarding of associations represented by its presidents. From left: Danny Lee, PIKOM Chairman, Emmy Suraya, National President MyBHA, Bon Zainal, President MBDA, Eizaz Azhar, CEO of Aladdin Group, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin, Deputy Minister of Communications & Multimedia, Dato’ Seri Desmond To, Founder of Aladdin Group, Dato Moehamad Izat, President of ACCI, Chris Daniel Wong, President of MDCC, Dato’ Mike Loh, President of ARFF, Shirley Tay, President of MRCA, and Datuk Michael Kang, National President of SME Association of Malaysia.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

onboard its new Director of Halal Affairs, Professor Dr Irwandi Jaswir, recipient of the prestigious King Faisal Prize in 2018 for his outstanding services to Islam and Muslims worldwide. The corporate exercise is backed with the appointment of an experienced board and advisors, comprising industry leaders within the global Islamic economy.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said that the Covid-19 global pandemic has changed the global business landscape. “Digital technology plays a focal point towards facilitating the recovery against the Covid-19 pandemic around the world, and this has been especially true in Malaysia.

“In doing so, we have seen a dramatic shift for traditional business models, transforming the way trade and business is conducted. Almost every industry in the world has been disrupted by this rapid uptake of digitalisation, and the halal industry follows suit to this global trend, with e-commerce and online purchasing taking centre stage on a global scale.

“The endeavour between Aladdin Group and its strategic partners is a clear reflection of Malaysia’s commitment to the digitisation of businesses especially in today’s world, where business models worldwide have embraced digitization as a means of overcoming uncertainties that we face today.”

Datuk Zahidi added that the halal industry has a diverse value proposition and is not confined to only food segments; several emerging sectors support the growth of the halal and Muslim-friendly industry such as fashion, cosmetics, supplements and tourism.

“As Malaysia represents a world leader within the industry, it is imperative that Malaysian SMEs partake in this growth trend, leveraging on this valuable opportunity to reach beyond our borders into international markets,” he stated.

Mah Sing named Best Lifestyle Developer and received 5 Special Recognitions; M Oscar also crowned as Winner of Best Mass Market Condo/Apartment Development (Central). ah Sing Group Berhad won seven recognitions across different categories at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2020 which was held recently in a whole new virtual gala format.

Mah Sing was awarded the Best Lifestyle Developer, acknowledging the Group’s continuous effort and strong track record in developing quality projects featuring various lifestyle elements and communal facilities which enhance the home buyers’ preferred lifestyle. In addition, it also won the Best Mass Market Condo/Apartment Development (Central) for M Oscar, its latest understated luxury residential project located off Kuchai Lama.

Mah Sing was also honoured with Special Recognitions for the Group’s outstanding performance in various aspects, which include Special Recognition for Corporate Social Responsibility and Special Recognition for Building Communities, a testament of the Group’s consistent commitment

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From left: Sheldon Fernandez, Country Manager for PropertyGuru Malaysia; Mah Sing’s General Manager for Sales & Marketing, Chris Chen; Mah Sing’s Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Ho Hon Sang, and Mah Sing’s Senior General Manager, Strategic Communications and Corporate Responsibility, Lyanna Tew.

in improving the lives of the underserved groups and community building initiatives for the betterment of the surrounding communities. Mah Sing’s dedication in sustainable practices and effort also helped the Group to claim the Special

M Oscar – Winner of Best Mass Market Condo/ Apartment Development (Central)

One of Mah Sing’s latest projects, M Oscar claimed the Winner of Best Mass Market Condo/Apartment Development (Central). The participating projects of the category were evaluated based on various criteria such as design and amenities, location, value for money, use of space, construction and materials, unique selling points, and sales success.

M Oscar is a freehold residential development strategically located off Kuchai Lama, within the vicinity of the matured neighbourhood of Happy Garden and Sri Petaling.

M Oscar is designed as an understated luxury development, incorporating 3 key pillars into the design, which are the Canyons, Stars and Water in the form of grand entrance, star-lit podium and meandering stream. With this in mind, M Oscar is tag-lined “A Jewel Amongst the Stars,” where home owners are invited to be part of the celebration of living.

The development composes of 4 unit types which are the 2 Bedrooms, 3 Bedrooms, 4 Bedroom and Dual-key ranging from 708 to 1,198 sq ft, covering the needs of different groups. In addition, M Oscar comes with an array of facilities which help forge strong bonds within the community. The 2.7-acre facility deck is designed into multiple zones including The Star Light Walk, The Fun Zone, The Energy Zone, The Chill Area and more, which would allow the community to destress by making time for themselves and others.

Recognition for ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), Special Recognition in Sustainable Construction and Special Recognition in Sustainable Design.

Founder and Group Managing Director of Mah Sing, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong Hoy Kum said, “At Mah Sing, we take pride in what we do and we are committed to doing our very best to deliver quality homes for the home buyers who believe in us. We will continue to offer affordably priced projects at strategic locations which come with premium features to cater to the current demand, especially for first-time home buyers.”

He added that while Mah Sing works towards achieving its next growth target, it remained steadfast to incorporate sustainability into its business practices and project designs so that it creates long term sustainable benefits for all stakeholders, including the surrounding communities.

“We will also continue to collaborate with our strategic partners and NGOs to support various charitable causes to enhance the lives of the underprivileged communities so that we can grow together as Malaysia moves towards evolving into a developed nation.” Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Leong elaborated.

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37 Feature

Mah Sing Wins Big with Seven Recognitions at Propertyguru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2020

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Consumers In Asia Pacific Region Unhappy with Online Delivery Services There is a disconnect between consumer expectations and the delivery experience. Only 22 per cent of consumers in the region have product delivery experience that meets expectations every time, according to ‘The Delivery Experience,’ report. ne of the insights from the report by BluJay Solution, a global provider of supply chain applications, networks and data solution, is how the onset of Covid-19 has expedited consumer interest in contactless delivery options and heightened expectations for greater transparency, reliability and accurate delivery information.

“With consumers stuck at home due to Covid-19 restrictions, we’re seeing a shift in delivery needs and preferences towards contactless ‘click and collect’ in addition to increased demand for precise collection and delivery times.

“However, the delivery experience is being hindered by issues such as delayed deliveries, long wait times and a lack of proactive communications,” said Katie Kinraid, General Manager, APAC at BluJay

Solutions. BluJay surveyed more than 7,000 consumers across APAC, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Consumers age ranged from 18 years to more than 50 years.

As Covid-19 continues to accelerate the growth of e-commerce, retailers need to be striving to meet and even exceed consumer delivery expectations, however the research highlights that best practice delivery hygiene is often overlooked.

She said that while hygiene features such as tracking and regular updates on timing remain critical to ensuring a positive customer experience, the shift to online shopping as the primary means of purchasing marks a significant change in delivery expectations.

“Retailers and carriers must adapt to suit consumer preferences that have

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transformed as a result of this pandemic.

Returns policies, for instance, will become more important as consumers increase their online shopping,” said Kinraid She pointed out that with consumers now preferring contactless, same-day delivery, retailers and carriers need to reassess how they will manage the new model moving forward.

“Areas for improvement that retailers and carriers should consider include the need for new communication channels with customers, as well as the need for greater transparency and accuracy on the delivery and collection times.

“Most importantly they will need to look at how they can help ensure a seamless and safe delivery that maintains zero contact and reduces the potential for theft,” added Kinraid.

ONLINE SHOPPING TRENDS

1

SEA shops more frequently than ANZ, and 18 –49 year olds more frequently than ≥50 year olds.

% Shop Online Once Every 2 Weeks

AU NZ SG MY ID PH TH Clothing/ Footwear Small Electronics

68

MY

65

SG

Groceries

62

TH PH

Top 3 Categories of Online Purchases

73

ID

61

AU

55

NZ

55

2

Clothing/ Footwear and small electronics are top categories purchased. Other categories are groceries (ANZ + SG) and health supplements/ beauty products (other SEA countries).

18 –49 YO 67%

Health Supplements/ Beauty Cosmetics

50 YO

54%

Furniture Physical Books Larger Electronics

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KEY TAKEAWAYS Changing profile of the online shopper • Covid-19 has opened up online retailers to new consumer audiences.

• Over half of 50-year-old and almost 70 per cent of 18 to 49-yearold people are now shopping online every fortnight.

• Clothing, footwear and small electronics are the top categories purchased, as well as groceries and health supplements/beauty products.

Expectations are high, but waiting times are sub-par • The delivery experience is now a key consideration in the consumer purchase journey, with consumers checking delivery information such as cost (87 per cent), delivery timeframe (71 per cent) and the ability to track delivery (51 per cent) before completing their purchases.

• Delivery delays are a major issue across the region with an average of just 14 per cent of consumers stating that parcels are always delivered on time.

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(%) CONSUMERS WITH DELIVERIES THAT ARE UP TO EXPECTATION

Consumers still favour traditional delivery methods, but interest in click and collect is growing • About half of all consumers across APAC are shopping more online during the pandemic and are unanimous in their preference for contactless delivery.

• Click and collect as a preferred delivery method is still in its infancy across the region, with about a third of consumers in Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines having never used click and collect before.

8

12

28

ID

TH

64

62

13

14

22

65 14

22

AU

NZ

Reliability and visibility are critical to meeting delivery expectations • Free and fast delivery and having visibility over delivery tracking information are the top considerations when online shopping.

Other considerations are free returns and more customisable features, such as the ability to specify or change delivery details.

• On returns polices, having free returns and an easy process were the top two most important features across the region.

26

64 16

23

16

SG

PH

63

68 20

22

MY

58 Always Most times

DELIVERY TRENDS

1 1

85%

Of online consumers are satisfied with their delivery experience

BUT....ONLY

22% 3

Have received parcels up to expectation all the time

Cost of delivery and delivery time are important information while online shopping – Cost of delivery (87%) and expected delivery timeframe (71%) are the top 2 info that consumers look out for, and are also top barriers to shopping more online (applies across countries).

3

Delivery is an important consideration of thepurchase journey – 87% check delivery information (Eg.cost, delivery timeframe, ability to track purchase) before checking out items.

Top 5 Barriers To Online Shopping (%)

Top 5 Delivery Info Before Purchase (%) Cost of delivery

87

Expected delivery time

71

Ability to track purchase Returns policy Ability to select delivery time

56 43 34

Cost of delivery

61

Slow of delivery

49

Bad delivery experience

36

No returns policy

36

Lack of delivery info

34

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Malaysia Ranked 9th for Global Business Complexity Malaysia is the 9th most complex country for multinationals to do business in globally, and the 3rd most complex in Asia, according to the Global Business Complexity Index (GBCI) 2020 report. he report, compiled by the TMF Group, a global administrative support services company for international business expansion, said that one of the drivers of Malaysia’s high complexity was the incorporation process for foreign businesses, which could take up to a month.

The Global Business Complexity Index analyses key areas of business administration and compliance across 77 jurisdictions – from the time it takes to incorporate, to changes in tax legislation, to policies around wages and benefits, through to the challenges of opening a bank account. Over 250 different criteria were factored into the 2020 rankings.

Sharon Yam, TMF Group’s Managing Director for Malaysia, said that incorporation in Malaysia involved obtaining licences for all business premises. Licences are also required for operating in some industry sectors which will affect the required share capital.

“Malaysia offers a wealth of opportunities for international businesses. There is clearly an appetite to attract more investment into the country. However, investors in Malaysia must be able to navigate its changing social, political and economic landscape. The country’s legislation has a large impact on day-to-day business operations as well,” she said.

As part of a drive to make Malaysia a more attractive place to do business, the government launched a digital submission platform for audits and financial statements. “While its use is not compulsory, the government is encouraging the companies to use it by giving an annual rebate of RM5,000 per year.

“This is part of the Malaysian government’s strategy of simplifying processes to attract foreign direct

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TEN MOST COMPLEX JURISDICTIONS

investment which has helped move the country forward. We can expect to see the country’s business complexity to start reducing as a result,” added Sharon Yam. Malaysia’s business environment had a number of plus points which helps in their global positioning. As a former British colony, Malaysia’s legal system is based on UK law making the legal environment readily understandable to many multinational firms. Its accounting practices are internationally aligned, including adherence to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), a common set of rules and regulations for financial statements that are understandable to businesses operating globally.

The report stated that in Asia, only Indonesia (1st) and China (6th) represented a larger challenge for

multinational firms looking to establish and operate local subsidiaries. On the opposite end of the scale, Hong Kong and Singapore are the continent’s simplest jurisdictions for business.

Taiwan, India and South Korea held the 16th, 17th and 18th position respectively.

Beyond Malaysia’s borders, six of the 10 most complex jurisdictions are in South America, with Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively. Greece, which occupied top spot last year, has made some improvements, and is now ranked 5th most complex this year.

On the other end of the scale, the 10 least complex jurisdictions to set up or operate in are those found in the Western hemisphere, with Curacao leading the way, followed by the United States of America, Jamaica, Denmark and the British Virgin Islands.

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The New Age of Retail

By Fang-How, Lim, Regional Director – Southeast Asia, Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific

he resiliency of retailers and supply chains are being tested more than ever before. As businesses reopen and rebuild, retailers are facing new challenges because consumers have completely changed their shopping habits.

Covid-19-driven lockdowns and social distancing requirements have greatly accelerated the pace of e-commerce. Companies around the world are trying to determine how to add value to their e-commerce operations to maintain consumers’ appetite for online shopping. The following four options can help businesses find their own solution as they migrate into a new retail age.

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MICRO-FULFILMENT: EFFICIENCY ON INVENTORY MANAGEMENT As shoppers become increasingly demanding, an out-of-stock situation will likely impact customer service, sales and income. Therefore, micro-fulfilment is gaining popularity worldwide. Many retailers are managing e-commerce demand with decentralized distribution

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models that stage products closer to consumers to enable faster preparation and deliveries.

Mini distribution centers are strategically located near target clients, and the use of technology like mobile computers and wearables ensure full traceability of inventory and drive increased operational productivity in small spaces. With the right system, retailers can achieve control of their data, ensure seamless integration with

other inventory management systems and meet consumers’ expectations of fast and flawless delivery.

A NEW “DARK” SIDE OF RETAIL Shoppers today expect to find and purchase the item they want, when they want it, and for the best price. Retailers need to prioritize expanded fulfillment capabilities with flexible options like convenient pick-up via click-and-collect

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at the store or delivery of items to their customers’ doorsteps, which have become even more relevant during this pandemic.

“Dark stores” are traditional retail stores turned into local fulfilment centres to increase delivery speed and reduce the complexity of traditional supply chains. During this pandemic, some retailers have closed their stores to customers and turned them into “dark stores” to fulfill delivery and pickup orders. With mobile devices, store associates can process realtime order information, update product availability data, and improve picking processes and route planning.

Automated “dark stores” translate into additional space capacity, 24/7 operations, speedier deliveries, more sales, and improved customer satisfaction.

IMPROVING ORDER PICKING PRODUCTIVITY With increasing e-commerce sales and a reduced workforce in facilities, businesses are faced with the challenge of doing more with less resources. By implementing new workflow processes with edge technology, companies can extend human capabilities by connecting assets, people and processes and achieve an integrated, profitable, and compliant supply chain. Mobile computing, scanning, and printing solutions can connect operational areas throughout a warehouse, providing the agility

needed to realize transformational productivity gains.

By improving order picking productivity, businesses’ operations will improve dramatically. Organizations need to start looking at location solutions which can automatically sense the location of assets and inventory, help to streamline business production lines and improve productivity to boost efficiency and business growth.

Likewise, the use of RFID, artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) solutions can provide an added performance edge to warehouse workers. Some retailers are starting to deploy smart glasses in their warehouses to help employees quickly complete assigned tasks and perform laborious tasks using both hands.

Another exciting industry trend is the use of robotics and cobots.

Intelligent automation solutions are enhancing picking productivity and reducing repetitive physical labour tasks as well as unnecessary walking within massive warehouses and distribution centers. Contrary to popular belief, eliminating human involvement in the warehouse is not the end goal.

Rather, the objective of robotics is to enhance and augment workers’ capabilities and allow them to perform more value-oriented tasks by getting machines to do the mundane chores.

NEW WAYS OF DELIVERING With new ways of shopping, new ways of delivering have emerged. Click and

collect, or buy online, pick-up in store (BOPIS) are becoming consumers’ preferred methods of shopping. In the new retail era, we can expect this to continue while retailers implement additional solutions that minimize in-store contact and improve customer convenience.

Drive-thrus are no longer exclusive to fast-food chains, with more retailers offering it to reduce human contact.

Mobile computing solutions are being used for line busting to hasten the checkout process while reducing queues at the counter.

Retailers are not only creating their own e-commerce sites but offering exclusive delivery apps to provide detailed order status to customers.

By increasing visibility for the customer, retailers are gaining greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Retailers today can leverage innovative technology solutions to improve workforce productivity and enhance operational efficiency, while serving the needs of their customers and employees. By deploying the right technology and workflows, retailers will drive better delivery processes, faster service, improved inventory management and compliance with new social distancing policies, all of which are the basic premises of the new age of retail.

Scan the QR Code to learn more.

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Road to Recovery:

2020 E-commerce in Asia Pacific The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region alone will account for 63% of total e-commerce sales worldwide and Chinese consumers, making up the majority of APAC, will spend US$2.1 trillion online in 2020, an increase of 16%, says a research.

he ‘Road to Recovery: 2020 e-Commerce in Asia-Pacific’ research

by Rakuten Advertising, uncovered insights into consumer buying behaviour and preferences, accompanied with actionable strategies to help brands navigate through regional nuances and seamlessly integrate into the APAC market.

More than 5,000 consumers across Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were surveyed.

A majority of Asia-Pacific consumers (72%) also closely follow influencers and bloggers, with shoppers from Malaysia

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(87%), China and India stating that they are highly likely to be influenced by these content creators.

The research says that about 1/3 of Malaysian consumers find out about new retailers through bloggers and influencers, with 25% stating that influencers play an important role when it comes to discovering new products.

To reach these customers, it suggested that brands consider implementing a multi-touch commissioning strategy in their affiliate program to efficiently reward online content publishers or influencers and strengthen their partnerships.

Additionally, brands can reach highly engaged cashback shoppers and at

the same time align commissions to business objectives through dynamic commissioning which allows brands to commission differently based on business objectives such as new vs. existing customers or specific products.

By doing so, online content publishers have greater insight into what’s important to a brand and can align campaigns accordingly.

Rakuten Advertising’s Senior Vice President of Asia-Pacific, Stuart McLennan, commented on how retailers can identify the opportunities to enable them to ride out the challenges brought about as a result of Covid-19.

“Whilst the pandemic has unfortunately resulted in more

Over Half Of Consumers Engage With Brands Via Social Media The APAC social media ecosystem is diverse, with consumers choosing to engage via different local platforms.

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72% of APAC Consumers Follow Influencers Influencers and bloggers play an important role in the discovery of new products, particularly in India, China and Malaysia.

Top Influencer Type

Percentage of APAC consumers who follow influencers

APAC

37 %

92%

82%

91%

39%

85%

87%

51%

77 %

83%

consumers being confined to their homes or geographical locations, online services such as food and grocery delivery, ‘buy online pick-up in-store’ and video-on-demand (VOD) have, undoubtedly, gained popularity, with consumers showing that these new habits are likely here to stay.”

He said that retailers should ensure

they are complementing their online presence with a strong and tailored digital strategy to enable brand discovery and encourage conversion.

“Understanding the consumer behaviour of Asia-Pacific shoppers, addressing the nuances of each market and adapting for the online and mobile experience will be key to success.”

The Malaysian Shopper

Indoleads Involve Asia ShopBack *Please contact us for list of local publishers a full

Additionally, as e-commerce continues to blur the line between international borders, it is more important than ever for brands to tailor their marketing messages and shopping experience to each market and look to reach consumers through the right channels and partners.

Some Key Findings

• 66% of consumers across APAC have made an online purchase from an international retailer this year.

• 64% of APAC consumers discover new brands through online search, followed by paid social, and recommendations from friends and family.

Influencers and bloggers also play an important role in the discovery of new products.

• On average, 3 out of 4 consumers agree that brands should offer benefits to frontline health workers.

At the same time, 73% prefer retailers to include information on how they are responding to Covid-19 and communicate with compassion and empathy.

• Consumers in Asia Pacific want to see empathy from brands and support for frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. 75% of consumers say they prefer brands that offer discounts and benefits to frontline health workers, and 73% stated they want brands to communicate with compassion and empathy during this time.

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Finding Opportunity in Challenging Times The Covid-19 pandemic has created the greatest economic crisis the world has faced since the Second World War, says the World Bank in its June 2020 Global Economic Prospects.

Even in this bleak scenario, tech industries have fared quite well. Sheila Singam highlights the various tech industries that are likely to thrive during and after the pandemic.

he Covid-19 pandemic has changed our way of life and of doing business forever.

No one was prepared for this non-linear discontinuity in the world economy and there was a wide discrepancy in the way organisations reacted world-wide.

These organisations can be loosely divided into three categories. In the first were those corporations that had a digital strategy in place and they immediately fast-tracked their plans for the future. They were the ones that were almost, but not quite, ready for this new, unexpected episode in our history. The second category were the companies that were totally unprepared, but agile enough to mobilise their digital teams, which though unprepared, managed to muddle through their uncertainty to achieve some semblance of business sustainability. The third type

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of organization just froze and waited, caught unaware, and hoped it would go away quickly.

It didn’t. Eight months down the line, we have not returned to normal and it looks like we never will. The pandemic accelerated trends that were already shaping before it hit. Changes that were expected over the next five years occurred within weeks. This has forced all organisations to rapidly adapt or fall by the wayside. Aside from having to figure out how to operate in a world cowed into submission by this pandemic, one of the most challenging tasks for most businesses is learning to respond to new consumer trends that have arisen during the global lockdown.

Many are struggling, and some have caved in to the challenges and closed shop, but there are companies in many sectors that have found opportunity in the midst of the pandemic by reacting

quickly to market demands. One of these sectors is the tech industry, which has seen a surge in demand as businesses turn to digital solutions for business continuity.

A recent report by Accenture states that the consumer habits formed during the global lockdown caused by Covid 19 will “endure beyond the crisis, permanently changing what we value; as well as how and where we shop and work.� There is no doubt that working, living, eating, leisure and buying patterns have changed dramatically worldwide and are likely to be here to stay. These trends offer new business opportunities for the tech industry to pivot and create new income streams in various sectors as outlined below.

BLENDED LEARNING A hybrid of in-person lessons and distance learning via virtual platforms

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

The global artificial intelligence market is expected to grow from $28.42 billion in 2019 to $40.74 billion in 2020. The leap is mainly due to Covid 19, which has sparked a plethora of transformative technologies. If the world economy is able to recover as expected on a linear trend, the market could grow to $99.94 billion in 2023.

There will be ample opportunities in the coming decade for companies involved in artificial intelligence to expand their scope of business. Online portal GlobeNewswire says that a major challenge to the growth of the AI sector is the limited number of experts in the field. Research by Chinese tech conglomerate Tencent three years ago pegged the figure of AI researchers and practitioners at around 300,000, while the actual number needed runs into the millions.

TELEHEALTH Telehealth services can definitely cut costs for consumers. Malaysia’s telehealth industry, which was struggling to go mainstream before the pandemic, definitely offers new possibilities now.

An article on CodeBlue, an online health publication, states that since February this year, digital health platform DoctorOnCall has seen over five million visitors to its website and has over three million active users. The platform has concluded thousands of consultations between patients and doctors. As health continues to be a major concern for consumers, this sector

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offers great opportunity for the tech industry. However, there will need to be conversations with the health industry regulators on the issue of dispensing separation and with the finance industry on insurance coverage for telehealth services.

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ENTERTAINMENT Social distancing rules and the fear of public places has drastically cut down the number of people visiting entertainment outlets. And yet, people need entertainment to distract them from the dreariness of being stuck at home. Human creativity has come to the rescue with museums, theatres and concert organisers offering virtual solutions. Of course, a concert streamed online can never match the roar of a crowd and thunder of drumbeats, but when there is no choice, why not?

If concerts are not one’s cup of tea, there are always a multitude of movies available via online platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and others. As these entertainment solutions become more popular and convenient, they may phase out the conventional cinema experience. There is opportunity for these entities to pivot by offering hybrid solutions to consumers hungry for fresh, new approaches to being entertained at home or in small, safe groups.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE The F&B industry has seen a major transformation during this pandemic.

Restaurants and bars have suffered due to major restrictions, and many have closed down. Those that have survived the movement control order have morphed into crossbreed entities offering as much, if not more, food via delivery than in-house dining. What if a solution could be offered to small business owners who want to carry on their business, but cannot afford to set up shop in a rented space in a high-end part of town?

A possible solution could be a cloud kitchen backed by a common shared kitchen. Something like a SOHO for chefs, where they could come in and rent a workstation to produce comestibles based on demand generated through a cloud kitchen. The concept could be tagged to a delivery service, which also offers additional business opportunities.

Napoleon Hill said, “In every

adversity lies the seed of an equal or greater opportunity.” We’ve seen numerous seeds of opportunity sprouting into amazing innovations that have shifted entire industries. The world as we know it is gone. We can either swim strong with the tide of change or drown by standing still and doing nothing. Opportunities are aplenty, now it’s time to get cracking, to grasp the best of them and transform them into viable businesses.

Sheila Singam is the founder of Human Equation Sdn Bhd, a company dedicated to accelerating growth in individuals and corporations alike.

She believes that when things get tough, it’s time to get going.

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Recap of News and Happenings In The Retail Sector Since March 2020, the Malaysian government had given more than RM255 billion in incentives to jumpstart the economy which was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Its latest addition, the Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) stimulus package, introduced in June 2020, is valued at RM35 billion. Listed here are some of the incentives of this package, compiled by Stratos Consulting Group Sdn Bhd, a market research consulting firm.

Zero% Tax Rate for:

• 10 years for companies in

the manufacturing sector with investments in fixed assets between RM300 million to RM500 million; and • 15 years for companies in the manufacturing sector with investments in fixed assets exceeding RM500 million.

• 100% investment tax allowance for 3 years for an existing company in Malaysia that will relocate its overseas facilities into the country; • A special reinvestment allowance for selected manufacturing and agricultural activities for the year of assessment 2020 to 2021; • Income tax rebate of up to RM20,000 per year for the first 3 years for a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) incorporated between 1st July 2020 and 31st December 2020.

• The exemption of stamp duty on any instruments executed for mergers and acquisitions between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2021.

• Eligible businesses can receive up to 50% remission of penalties for the late sales and service tax (SST) payments due and payable from 1st July 2020 to 30th September 2020.

• Enhanced Accelerated Capital Allowance program to include capital expenditure incurred on information and communications technology (ICT) equipment.

• Tax deduction on reduction or waiver of rental – landlords were eligible to tax deductions equivalent to the 30% reduction in rental from April to June 2020. This has now been extended to September 2020 under the PENJANA package. This incentive is eligible for landlords who rent their premises to SME tenants and the premises must be used for their business operations.

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Incentives For Tourism Sector

• Personal income tax relief of up to RM1,000 incurred on domestic travel between 1st March 2020 to 31st August 2020. Now extended to December 31, 2020.

• Businesses in the tourism industry (airlines, hotel operators, travel agencies, etc.) are eligible to defer on their income tax instalments for the periods: • 1st April 2020, to 30th September 2020.

• 1st October 2020, to 31st December 2020.

• Service tax exemption for hotels extended to 30th June 2021 (previous deadline: 31st August 2020).

Incentives for Property Sector

• Reintroduction of Home Ownership Campaign • Developers to provide at least 10% discount on price of property • 70% margin on housing loan for a third residential property valued at RM600,000 and above will be lifted – pending confirmation from the Malaysian government.

• Stamp duty exemption for instruments of transfer (limited to first RM1 million) and loan agreements (full exemption) for purchase of a residential property valued between RM300,000 to RM2.5 million – executed between 1st June 2020 and 31st May 2021.

Exemption of Real Property Gains Tax

• Exemption on gains arising from the disposal of residential property from 1st June 2020 to 31st December 2021 – limited to 3 residential property per individual Malaysian citizen.

PENJANA SME financing

• Banking sector to provide RM2 billion at an interest rate of 3.5%, to eligible SMEs (who can individually apply for a maximum RM500,000).

PENJANA Microfinancing

• Banking sector to provide 400

million at an interest rate of 3.5%, to eligible micro-enterprises (who can individually apply for a maximum RM50,000).

• RM50 million allocated by the government to assist women entrepreneurs.

SME Go-Scheme Liquidity Support

• The SME Bank to provide RM1.6 billion in liquidity support to 16,000 G2 and G3 contractors awarded projects under the previous two stimulus packages.

Incentives for the purchase of passenger cars (from June till year-end)

• 100% tax exemptions for locally-produced cars; and • 50% sales tax exemption on imported cars.

Extension of The Wage Subsidy Program (Extended for 3 months until September 2020)

• Employers with workers earning less than RM4,000 per month will be eligible to receive RM600 per employee, up to a maximum of 200 employees.

• Incentive enhanced to allow employers receiving wage subsidies to implement reduced work weeks and unpaid leave.

%

Flexible Work Arrangement Incentives

Digitalisation of SMEs

• Further tax deductions effective 1st July 2020 for employers who implement flexible work arrangements (such as work-from-home policies), and employees who receive cell phones, tablets, and notebooks from their employer are eligible for individual income tax exemption of up to RM5,000;

• The SME Technology Transformation Fund, which has prepared RM500 million ringgit in loans. Application for the loans opens in July 2020; and

• Employees to receive individual income tax relief of up to RM2,500 on purchases of cell phone, tablet and notebook, effective from 1st June 2020.

• The SME Digitalisation Matching Grant, totalling RM100 million, developed in cooperation with telecommunication companies in the country;

• The Smart Automation Grant, totalling RM100 million – maximum amount: RM1 million.

• RM1 billion set aside for PENJANA tourism financing, to help SMEs adapt to the ‘new normal’ and remain sustainable.

Relief Financing for Bumiputera Entrepreneurs – Dedicated Financial Assistance of RM200 Million Through PUNB and RM300 Million Through MARA for Bumiputera Businesses:

• Working capital • Operational expenditure • System automation • Expenditure to implement COVID-19 health protocols and • Financing of 50,000 ringgit (US$11,600) to 1 million

ringgit (US$233,000) at an interest rate of 3.5% for up to five years.

Relief for COVID-19 Expenses

• Scope and period expanded in relation

to expenses allowed as a tax deduction for the prevention of COVID-19. This includes the cost of protective equipment and screening tests.

• Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) – the government agency responsible to aid, train, and guide Bumiputeras in the areas of business and industry – the government has allocated 300 million ringgit (US$70 million) to assist Bumiputera entrepreneurs, who can also receive up to 1 million ringgit (US$233,000) at an interest rate of 3.5%.

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Support for The Agriculture Industry

• Micro-credit financing scheme worth RM350

million at an interest rate of 3.5% per year, for ‘agropreneurs’ to receive up to RM50,000, repayable in a 5-year tenure.

Reskilling and Upskilling Programs

• Some 2 billion ringgit (US$467 million) in funding has been allocated to help with the reskilling of graduates and the unemployed.

• The funds will go towards optimizing short courses in local universities and training programs provided by government agencies.

One-off Cash Payment of RM300 for Single Mothers and Disabled Persons Registered with the Social Welfare Department (SWD):

• 190,000 registered disabled persons; • 150,000 single mothers who are below the poverty line; and • 2,000 volunteer home help services.

Shop Malaysia Online Campaign (RM70 Million Allocation)

• The package will provide 108 million ringgit to help the most vulnerable members of society.

• RM50 one-off e-wallet credit for citizens earning less than RM100,000 annually • Individual tax relief of up to RM2,500 (from June onwards) for the purchase of handsets, laptops and tablets, to facilitate remote working arrangements.

Hiring of Local Workers

Unemployment rate Hits Multi-year High

Assistance to The Most Vulnerable in The Community

• Apprenticeships for fresh graduates and school leavers

(up to RM600 per worker per month); • RM800 for businesses hiring an employee below the age of 40 for up to 6 months; and • RM1,000 for hiring an employee above the age of 40 or a person with a disability.

• Training allowance (up to RM4,000) and skills development programs for reskilling graduates and unemployed individuals – RM2 billion in allocation.

• Grants of up to RM5,000 for registered child care centre operators; • RM800 e-voucher for parents who apply online for nanny services

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• Within a month, unemployment rate shot up nearly 1.5 times from 3.4% in March to 5% in April, the highest known to Malaysia in 30 years. That’s almost 800,000 jobless people in the country – 48.8% higher than the year before, and more than the unemployment rate during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 and the Great Recession of 2008 (3.2% and 3.7% respectively).

• Research carried out by the Ambank Group showed that unemployment rates could hit 6% or higher – considering how the pandemic has already changed consumer sentiments and affected entire industries – manufacturing, F&B, arts, entertainment, child care, beauty are among the hardest hit sectors according to Department of Statistics Malaysia.

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Delays in New Mall Openings & Subdued Interest in Retail Investments

• Delays in new mall completions is inevitable, according to Savills Malaysia’s ‘In the Asian Cities Report – Kuala Lumpur’ report.

• Projects affected are KL East Mall, Setia City Mall Phase 2, The Exchange TRX, Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport, Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Pavilion Damansara Heights, Warisan Merdeka Mall and IOI City Mall Phase 2.

• The report said retail space in the Greater KL would see an extra 13.5 mil sq. ft. of net lettable retail space, in the next 2 years with 63.6% of it being expected to be completed in 2021.

• Investment activity in the retail sector most likely be

stagnant and restricted for the remaining months of the year, though some opportunistic investors may find this period attractive to position their capital albeit with some challenges.

• A drop in average occupancy rate in the Greater KL was also reported, as it fell by 0.9% to 87.2% in the first quarter of the year. Despite the slight decline in average occupancy rate, the rate remained stable as it was supported by well-managed malls.

Instant Retail for Grab Mart

• GrabMart expanded its services with Instant Retail, which taps into retail SME, allowing them to access Grab’s network of users, following a triple increase in sales for convenience and grocery businesses on GrabMart during the MCO. • Grab Malaysia’s managing director said that the new Instant Retail feature would help retailers who traditionally depended on foot traffic and walk-ins to run their businesses, amid a more challenging environment for physical retail.

• The new service is also in line with the government’s new initiative of ‘Shop Malaysia Online’.

• Suburban malls located in high-rise residential areas were recovering faster than city-centre malls as workers whose offices are located in the city centre were still encouraged to work from home.

• Savills mentioned that deliveries and takeaways would continue being important channels for retail, as a decrease in window shopping could be expected in the future.

Large Declines in Sector Values (April 2020 vs 2019) The Department of Statistics Malaysia reported that the wholesale and retail sector’s value fell by 36.6% to RM66.9 billion in April y-o-y.

• Non-specialised wholesale trade fell 45.2% • Other specialised wholesale trade fell 39.4% • Retail sales declined 32.5% The decline was mainly contributed by: • Near stagnant motor vehicle sales (down a whopping 93.2% or RM11.5 billion) • Decreased retail sales (down 32.5%, or RM13.5 billion); and • Wholesale trade (down 27.2%, or RM13.5 billion).

In its entirety, the wholesale and retail trade contracted by 38.6% compared to the same month in 2019.

Gradual Recovery and Major Malls

• Mall operators such as Suria KLCC and Sunway Malls have been giving out vouchers to get shoppers back into their malls, while restaurants and other retailers are holding reopening promotions and discounts, following the easing of the MCO. • It was reported that footfall in some malls had only recovered to about half the numbers at the beginning of the year, while demand for services continued to weaken as people were still staying at home.

• According to the president of Malaysian Shopping Malls Association, the total loss of sales was estimated at RM1.8 billion during the MCO. • The CEO of Sunway Malls & Theme Parks said that its malls were seeing a recovery in footfall of 60-70%, while tenants’ sales recovered by 30-40%. The company is expecting a 75-85% recovery of footfall by end of this year.

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Survival Plus Recovery Mode

Restructuring at AEON Company

• Hektar REIT, whose portfolio includes Subang Parade,

• AEON Co (M) Berhad and AEON BIG (M) Sdn Bhd restructured and combined into a single entity as part of its 10-year strategy to create an agile, resilient and “intra-preneurial” retail organisation in July, according to TheEdge.

• Hektar Asset Management Sdn Bhd’s Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Hisham Othman stated that maintaining cash flow, and retaining tenants are the Group’s top priorities at the moment.

• With both companies headquartered in one location, the new, simplified, “flat” structure at AEON Co is expected to lead to faster decision-making.

Mahkota Parade, Wetex Parade, Segamat Central, Central Square and Kulim Central, will go into a “Survival Plus Recovery Mode” for the remainder of the financial year ending 31st December 2020.

• Despite the crisis, the REIT is still committed to its core business – retail assets, and is actively looking at potential acquisition targets, explaining that it believes there are still under-served markets in the country’s retail sector. Internal discussions within Hektar are also underway with the intent of formulating a strategy for the Group to diversify its non-retail assets.

New Openings

• Ideal United Bintang International Bhd targets to open the 1st Avenue Virtual Mall in Penang in 3Q2020 following the completion of its acquisition of the mall located on Jalan Magazin.

• IUBIB’s chairman mentioned that the first virtual mall will fuse digitalisation and information technology with the brick-and-mortar component.

• Tesco Tesco Stores Malaysia opened two new stores in June in Mines, Seri Kembangan, and Teluk Intan Perak. Tesco Mines, is a superstore with a size of 2,000 sq. metres while Tesco Teluk Intan, is 3,000 sq.metres. Both stores offer the scan and pay feature apart from the usual self-checkout counters.

• TF Value Mart opened a

new store in Tambun, Bandar Sunway, Ipoh and in Tampoi, Johor, in June.

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• Econsave opened a new store each in Taman Teratai, Johor, and in Aulong, Perak.

• Kim Hin Joo (M) Bhd, the operator of Mothercare stores in Malaysia, has opened the first The Entertainer store in Sunway Pyramid. UK’s largest chain of toy stores will be joined by two new stores at the end of 2020.

• The newly-revamped Ramlee Mall in Suria KLCC has some new brands such as Le Labo, Gucci Beauty and COS. New eateries are also set to launch, with premium brands such as the Bathing Ape Cafe, Omotesando Koffee, David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, and the first pork-free Dragon-i restaurant in Malaysia.

• Paragon Market Place, a threestorey retail market located in Jalan Tampoi, Johor opened in June.

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MRCA Visits Media Prima Office bout 15 MRCA members led by its President Shirley Tay, visited Media Prima office in the NSTP building at Jalan Riong, Bangsar, recently. The visit was part of MRCA’s “Engagement with the Media” programme.

Among those who attended were Deputy President Dato’ Liew Bin, Immediate Past Presidents Datuk Seri Garry Chua and Past President Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, Vice Presidents Ken Phua and Valerie Choo, Secretary General Stan Singh, Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim, Council members Datuk Henry Yip, Liang Foo Kuan, Dr. Affendi Dahlan, Jordan Ng, Brian Tham and Christine Tan, Youth Chief Alex Chong and MRCA member Tan Soo Hui, The team was welcomed by Michael Chan, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Media Prima Omnia at Media Prima Bhd who later gave a briefing on Media Prima’s current direction and operations. The delegation also had a fruitful dialogue and gained insights into the workings of Media Prima Omnia.

The visitation is one of the series organised by MRCA with media owners.

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Short-term Economic Recovery Plan by Government Here are some of the highlights of the Government’s short-term economic recovery plans as announced recently by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin.

SST

E-vouchers

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• Wage Subsidy

Programme, which allocates RM600 per worker, extended for another three months.

• There are two incentives

allowed to operate during the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), are allowed to apply for the wage subsidy programme.

given to companies, whereby those that employ unemployed Malaysians under 40 will receive RM800 per worker and firms that employ those 40 years and above or persons with disabilities (OKU) will receive RM1,000. The incentives will be given for six months.

• An employment subsidy

• Government has set-up

• Employers who are not

programme worth RM1.5 billion. Companies will receive financial subsidies for giving jobs to the unemployed. An expected 300,000 people will benefit.

• RM400 million to fund

Penjana microcredit by Tekun and Bank Simpanan Nasional with RM50 million allocated, especially for female entrepreneurs.

• RM1 billion for the

tourism industry under Penjana Tourism Funding to ensure that the country’s tourism industry can still be competitive in the new normal.

• Cash-flow aid by SME Bank for G2 and G3 contractors that have been awarded minor government projects.

• RM10 million allocated

to the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) to fund social enterprises for social projects to address issues faced by vulnerable groups.

PENJANA – Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara to empower people, propel businesses and stimulate the economy. It has 40 initiatives worth RM35 billion of which RM10 billion is a direct fiscal injection by the government.

• Penjana Nasional fund

worth RM600 million to drive the process of digitalisation of businesses and innovation.

A matching fund will be matched by local and international investors.

• RM75 million allocated to draft policies related to the so-called gig economy.

• My30 unlimited pass

• Grants will be given to

• E-vouchers available for those who order childminders’ services online.

• Full exemption of

tourism tax until 30 June 2021.

• Exemption of Services Tax on lodgings and accommodation services extended until 30th June 2021.

• Lessen companies’

grant for gig economy workers’ EPF and Socso contribution.

• To encourage Malaysians

• Tax exemption of

to use contactless payments, the government has allocated RM75 million to e-wallets, or RM50 per person. It is set to benefit 15 million Malaysians.

• 100% tax exemption

for the purchase of locally assembled cars until 31st December 2020.

of individual income tax for fees paid by parents to taska and tadika (kindergartens).

• Campaign Shop Malaysia

daycare (taska) operators for implementing and adhering to the SOPs (standard operating procedures) set by the government.

financial burden through the waiver of penalty to companies that are late in submitting payment for SST as well as extension of various tax exemptions.

• RM50 million matching

• Up to a RM3,000 incentive

for public transport users.

Commuters pay RM30 a month for unlimited rides.

It is open to all nationalities.

Card is valid until 31st December 2020.

Online to encourage trade via e-commerce platforms using promo codes and discount vouchers. Government allocating RM70 million, which would be matched by e-commerce platforms.

• Banking sector allocates

RM2 billion to assist SMEs, where applications began mid-June, with a threshold of RM500,000 per SME.

• The stamp duty

exemption on property transfers limited to the first RM1 million of house value and is applicable for sales and purchase agreements signed from 1 June 2020 to 31st May 2021 and subject to a condition that the developer must offer at least 10 per cent discount.

RM5,000 for employees who are provided with a smartphone, tablet or laptop by their employers.

• RPGT exemption for

residential property from 1st June 2020 to 31st December 2021 of up to 3 properties per individual.

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Report compiled by McMillan Woods.

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Loan Repayment Flexibility For Borrowers Affected by Covid-19 Businesses, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and individual borrowers can apply directly to their respective banks beginning Aug 7, 2020 to obtain loan repayment flexibility, says Bank Negara Malaysia. ank Negara, in a statement, said that it had informed the banks to deliver a simplified application and documentation process for borrowers.

“In recognition of these exceptional circumstances, the flexibilities provided to borrowers during this period will not appear in the CCRIS reports of borrowers.”

It added that a more targeted approach to help SME and individual borrowers would ensure that financial resources and attention are prioritised.

“It is recognised that income and cashflow challenges remain for some,

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especially those who have lost their jobs or experienced a reduction in incomes.”

The banking industry will provide a targeted moratorium extension and provision of repayment flexibility.

Individuals who have lost their jobs in 2020 and have yet to find a job, will be offered an extension of the loan moratorium for a further three months by their bank.

Individuals who are still in employment but whose salaries have been affected due to Covid-19 will be offered a reduction in loan instalments in proportion to their salary reduction, depending on the type of financing.

Banks will offer flexibility for a period of at least six months and will also consider extending the flexibility at the end of that period, bearing in mind the salary of the borrower at that time, it said.

For hire purchase financing, affected borrowers will be offered revised instalment schedules that are consistent with the Hire-Purchase Act 1967.

In addition, banks have also committed to providing repayment flexibility to other individuals and all SME borrowers affected by Covid-19. The flexibility offered by each bank will take

TARGETED EXTENSION OF MORATORIUM AND REPAYMENT FLEXIBILITY for borrowers still financially affectedby Covid-19 FOR INDIVIDUAL BORROWERS

WHEN

Approach your banks or AKPK starting 7 August 2020 Loss of job and income in 2020

Reduction of salary

HOW TO APPLY

Extension of loan moratorium by 3 more months

Reduction of instalment amount for at least 6 months in proportion to their salary reduction

Approach your banks to discuss and apply for repayment flexibility

FOR OTHER BORROWERS INCLUDING SMES Viable business that issuffering from cash flow problems

Other individual borrowers who face difficulty to repay

• Pay only interest for a period of time; or • Reduce monthly instalments by extending loan period; or • Other flexibility until borrower can resume full repayment

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Understand and agree on new repayment terms and schedule If a suitable repayment plan cannot be agreed upon: • Individuals can approach AKPK • SMEs can apply for Small Debt Resolution Scheme (SDRS) • For Hire Purchase, affected borrowers will be offered revised instalment schedules that are consistent with the Hire Purchase Act 1967 • The above extension will not affect your CCRIS credit report

into account the specific circumstances of borrowers. These includes: • Allowing borrowers to pay only the interest portion of the loan over a period of time

• Lengthening the overall period of the loan to reduce monthly instalments; or • Providing other forms of flexibility until a borrower is in a more stable position to resume repayments in full.

“All other borrowers who have the means should start to repay as it will reduce their overall debt and borrowing cost,” Bank Negara said in the statement.

To ease concerns of borrowers with loans from multiple banks, they may also approach the relevant “one-stop” centre to work out an appropriate assistance package: • For individuals, Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK) • For SMEs, Small Debt Resolution Scheme (SDRS) “Bank Negara will monitor the progress of banks in assisting borrowers that may continue to face temporary financial difficulties. The Bank will also continue to focus efforts in ensuring that the banking system continues to carry out its intermediation function effectively in support of the economic recovery,” it added.

Sunway Malls Cautiously Optimistic Sales Normalising in Q4 Sunway Malls and Theme Parks are showing signs of recovery and sales and traffic are expected to normalise by year end says its chief executive officer HC Chan. e was quoted in the Star newspaper recently that he was optimistic about the year-end festive period based on August sales and car traffic flow which recovered to about 80 per cent compared to last year.

“People are spending but there are concerns on the loan moratorium expiry which will weigh down sentiment.

We will need to monitor that closely week-on-week in October. Good traction are from food and beverage, athletic and leisure wear, skincare and certain fashion categories, “he told the English daily adding that group has installed sensors for footfall, car traffic and at point of sales during the MCO. Sunway Group owns and operates Sunway Pyramid Mall, Sunway Putra Mall, Sunway Velocity Mall, Sunway Carnival Mall, Sunway Giza Mall, Sunway

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Citrine Hub and Sunway Big Box Retail Park.

He also told the daily that the pandemic has “accelerated digitalisation and the need to integrate online and offline solutions. Early next year, the group will be launching a major digitalisation initiative to provide a full online and offline experience.”

“We still believe offline will continue to play a significant part both in terms of experience delivery and income generation. Products and services like leisure and entertainment will become the staple of physical malls. Things that can be commoditised like clothes and shoes will move online,” Chan told the daily.

Chan was also quoted in the New Straits Times newspaper that with

the outbreak of the pandemic, most businesses, irrespective of size, scale and industry, would see contraction this year, except those with exposure in technology, medical and protection industries.

“Everyone is impacted, the question is the degree of impact. Hence now, ingenuity is called for to address cost containment and demand management initiatives. We are immensely hopeful that when the world does eventually recover fully, we will be enjoying a slightly higher growth,” he told the English daily.

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Physical Stores Remain Relevant To The Modern Shopper Although more than two-thirds of Malaysians prefer to purchase in-store, how merchants interact with customers has changed and is inherent to their success, according to Wirecard Global Shopping Report.

espite the worldwide boom in online retail over the past years, shopping in physical stores is still key for consumers worldwide – but only if the purchasing experience integrates all sales channels, innovative technology and data-driven incentives.

These findings are part of a global study of 6,000 consumers over the age of 18 in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the U.K. and the United States, commissioned by Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology. The survey was done in Q4 2019.

“Our research has revealed that consumers clearly desire choice when

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completing purchases. Consumers shop in many different ways nowadays and this is challenging merchants to meet a wide range of retail demands,” commented Markus Eichinger, EVP Group Strategy at Wirecard.

“A lot of focus is put on pricing, but not necessarily on the flexibility customers seek. A unified commerce strategy, with a focus on a consistent and frictionless buying journey, is integral to offering consumers the experience they would expect from any modern retailer.

“In the future, brick and mortar stores will only exist if they are technologically advanced with the latest in-store innovations and a fully integrated e-commerce backend.”

Interest In New Technologies

Courtesy of Wirecard.

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Digital payments are now predominant in the purchasing process – with over 90% of consumers having used cashless payment methods both online and in-store.

Three-quarters (84%) of consumers surveyed are willing to share personal data in return for incentives.

Physical stores remain the predominant choice for the Malaysian shopper to make their purchases, followed by mobile apps.

The Need For Consistency

KEY FINDINGS Consumers need consistent offerings across all sales channels While 68% of shoppers in Malaysia are most likely to purchase in-store over the past 12 months, the research shows that consistent cross-channel experiences are vital to consumers.

Nine out of 10 either research the products they want to purchase online before buying in-store afterwards (98%) or vice versa (97%).

Malaysians also prefer to use an app or the store website via their phone (87%) to do research while in-store, compared to other methods like in-store screens or a VR booth.

Merchants not offering Unified Commerce possibilities will lose out The rise in popularity of more advanced cross-channel purchasing options, such as buying online and then picking up in-store (BOPIS), further supports this finding. About 45% of Malaysians purchase through click-and-collect options where they buy online and collect in-store. About 80% of Malaysian respondents say that if a brand or merchant doesn’t offer these kinds of options, it would have at least some influence in their decision to shop there.

Maintaining an up-to-date online shop is key While physical stores are the preferred buying location, how and when people find goods varies, with online browsing offering shoppers the most convenience. Consumers will shop online most often while they are relaxing (82%), in bed (48%), watching TV (40%) and while on holiday (40%).

On average, Malaysians order products from a foreign website 18 times a year, with half (58%) doing so at least once every month. They do so to get products not available locally (70%) or are cheaper (51%).

However, 95% indicated that the lack of a familiar payment method would influence their decision to order products from a foreign website.

Consumers appreciate data-driven services and offerings A majority of consumers value datadriven, customer-centric value-added services with loyalty programs.

About 84% of Malaysian consumers reported that they would be willing to give retailers personal information in exchange for incentives such as a larger discount. Most Malaysian shoppers (92%) use loyalty programs, with 40% preferring to accumulate loyalty points through their mobile apps and phone numbers, similar to countries like Hong Kong and Singapore.

Cashless payments are omnipresent Nearly all (93%) respondents are now using cashless payment methods when they shop in physical stores.

The main reasons for paying cashless in-store is speed (40%), ease (25%) and security (23%). More than half (55%) of the Malaysians surveyed indicated that they are less likely to shop at a physical shop if it did not offer ways to pay via their mobile phones, compared to the global average of 45%.

“Retailers that want to engage with their customers via targeted offers, and improve their service across all channels need to leverage on customer data. Our report shows that if customers can see a concrete benefit when it comes to providing personal information, they are willing to share it with retailers, thus providing merchants critical data which they can analyze to optimize their offerings and improve customer loyalty,” continued Markus Eichinger.

Other Key Findings From The Research 72% of Malaysian shoppers are interested to use biometric data e.g. facial recognition, fingerprint) to purchase products in-store and online.

Consumers would spend an average of RM 63 more if the payment is authorized with biometric data compared to a cashless payment that does not need authorization.

When shopping in-store, Malaysians’ preferred method of payments is: swipe debit/credit card (63%), mobile wallets (42%) and contactless card payment (32%).

77% are interested to use technologies like mobile apps, smart mirrors and VR while shopping.

Environmentallyfriendly options resonate strongly with Malaysians, with 86% citing that being environmentallyfriendly is a major purchase factor and 88% of respondents saying they would be willing to pay more for these products.

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MRCA and Busan Economic Promotion Agency Sign MoU for Business Collaboration ifteen MRCA member companies recently participated in an online business to business matching event organised by the Busan Economic Promotion Agency.

The MRCA team was led by its President Shirley Tay. Also present were Vice Presidents Datuk Seri KK Chai and Valerie Choo, Secretary General Stan Singh, Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim and Council member Aiveen Wong.

A total of 93 companies from Busan, South Korea, took part in the inaugural online B2B event which saw a vibrant online business matching among the participants. Product matching included health food products, snacks, beauty and hair care products, baby products and electrical products, among others.

The event also saw the Shirley Tay signing the MoU on behalf of MRCA. One of the objectives of the MoU is to further build trade relations between the two associations.

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Exclusive partnership allows Malaysian online shoppers delivery of more than 5 million high quality products to Malaysia. n celebrating the partnership, Youbeli, the homegrown e-commerce brand will be offering free delivery nationwide with no minimum purchase.

Chua Khai Suan, Chief Executive Officer of Youbeli, said that Malaysian online shoppers have become more sophisticated in their choices of products. “With the current Movement Control Order (MCO) implemented as the Government that encourages Malaysians to shop online, Youbeli has decided to secure this exclusive partnership with PChomeSEA. With the current free delivery promotion, we hope that Malaysian online shoppers will enjoy high-quality products while saving on postage.”

Sam Tsai, Managing Director of PChomeSEA, Taiwan’s largest e-Commerce platform, said that Taiwan has built a reputable online shopping experience for the past 20 years with an annual e-commerce transaction that exceeds the annual transactions in all 10 countries in the Southeast Asian region.

“Therefore, we take pride in our Made in Taiwan (MIT) label that ensures affordable products without compromising on the quality. To date, PChomeSEA offers more than 5 million different products featured in more than 300 million listings,” he said.

Youbeli listed Electronics, Health & Beauty and Home & Living category to be the top categories under PCHomeSEA that were estimated to garner the highest traction among Malaysian shoppers as Taiwan has also been recognised as among the top manufacturers of high-quality products in Asia.

Chua also said that the longstanding bilateral relations between Malaysia and Taiwan in various aspects of the economy and social development has made Taiwan an attractive option

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for Malaysians to shop online.

Chua hopes to expand the Youbeli brand to other Southeast Asian countries within the next two years.

“We have various plans in the pipeline and we can’t wait to excite Malaysian online shoppers with new announcements soon,” he added.

During the recent ePenjana RM50 campaign, Youbeli recorded a 300% increase in sales transactions.

The platform boasts a trilingual setting to reach out to as many shoppers as possible. Other than debit and credit card, Youbeli also accepts payment via Touch ‘n Go, Boost, GrabPay, Razer, MCash, GoPayz, Zapp, kiplePay and other e-wallets. Malaysian online shoppers can start making purchases from PChomeSEA on Youbeli website and mobile apps. The app is available for free download via App Store and Google Play.

Chua Khai Suan, CEO of Youbeli.

Youbeli, a homegrown e-commerce brand announces exclusive partnership with PChomeSEA, the largest e-Commerce platform in Taiwan.

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Youbeli Teams Up with Taiwanese e-Commerce PChomeSEA for Cross-Border Shopping Experience

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AmInvestment Bank Clinches Four Awards at RAM League Awards 2020 mInvestment Bank Berhad clinched four awards at the 17th Annual RAM League Awards 2020 held in Kuala Lumpur recently. The RAM League Awards recognises outstanding accomplishments and leadership in the Malaysian bond market.

AmInvestment Bank placed joint second in the number of issues category and placed third in the programme value category for the Lead Manager Awards 2019 (Bonds and Sukuk).

AmInvestment Bank also placed joint second in the number of issues and placed third in the programme value category and category for the Lead Manager Awards 2019 (Sukuk) respectively.

Commenting on the awards, Tracy Chen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, AmInvestment Bank Berhad, said,” We are honoured to have received these awards from RAM in recognition of our continued leadership in the corporate bond and Sukuk market by consistently

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providing the best debt capital market solutions to our esteemed clients.”

Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive Officer, AmBank Group, said, “We pride ourselves on the unique services we offer to our clients and

these awards are a further indication that our efforts are being recognised in the industry and our perseverance in maintaining our leadership in the Malaysian corporate bond and Sukuk market.”

AmBank Group Bags Two Awards at the Alpha Southeast Asia Treasury & FX Awards 2020 or the ninth consecutive year, AmBank Group was again recognised as the Best FX Bank for Corporates and Financial Institutions at the Alpha Southeast Asia Treasury & FX Awards 2020.

The Group also bagged another accolade by winning the Best FX Bank for Structured Products: Commodities, Credit, Equity, FX and Multi-Assets for FX & Treasury segment for the second time.

Jamzidi Khalid, Deputy Managing Director, Wholesale Banking and Head, Group Treasury & Markets, AmBank Group commented, ”Being recognised for the ninth time as the Best FX Bank for Corporates and Financial Institutions demonstrates our tenacity in delivering only the best services and

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solutions to our clients. These awards are a testament to the hard work of our talented team and their ability to curate innovative financing solutions for our clients, especially in these trying times.”

Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive Officer, AmBank Group, said, “We are pleased to see that AmBank Group continues to be recognised through these prestigious awards. We pride ourselves on listening and understanding the unique needs of our clients, from individuals to large corporates, and this has enabled us to deliver the right products and services. We thank our clients for their unwavering support and continued trust in AmBank,” Alpha Southeast Asia is a Hong Kong-based regional institutional investment publication. It has a readership following among pension funds, asset managers as well as institutional investors across Asia, Europe and the United States.

Well-known F&B brand, McDonald’s adds to the growing IKEA Batu Kawan retail destination.

kano Centres, part of IKEA Southeast Asia, is set to launch a new drive-thru concept next to IKEA Batu Kawan Penang. Focusing on food and beverage (F&B), the drive-thru will be the natural next phase in the development of its meeting place that embraces the new age of convenience and grab-to-go concept.

The drive-thru component which will be fully operational by mid-2021, will complement the current dine-in IKEA restaurant and F&B tenants. The latest addition will see more great food options across the 200,744 square feet gross leasable area.

“Malaysians have a great love for food and appreciate convenience,” said Christian Roejkjaer, Managing Director of IKEA Southeast Asia & Mexico.

“For many, drive-thrus have become a quintessential part of their lifestyle and may play a crucial role in our ‘new normal’.

Building our first drive-thru concept in Batu Kawan is one way for us to create a safe and positive space for the community to come out and enjoy their favourite food.”

IKEA Southeast Asia’s Shopping Centre and Mixed-Use Director, Christian Olofsson added, “We look forward to welcoming more partners that share the same community-spirit, to further build a retail destination that Malaysians and tourists will want to visit.”

“About 97 per cent of our retail space was leased out in the first phase and that has motivated us to continue developing and creating spaces for more global and local businesses to grow with us,” he said.

McDonald’s restaurant will take up 35,000 square feet space at Batu Kawan and it will be Penang’s 16th freestanding McDonald’s Malaysia outlet.

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According to Azmir Jaafar, Managing Director and Local Operating Partner of McDonald’s Malaysia, this outlet will reflect the iconic fun, bright and comfortable atmosphere that most Malaysians have come to love.

“We continue to cater to changing trends among customers who are increasingly seeking convenience, as well as fast and friendly service to complement their on-the-go lifestyles.

We are excited to expand our drivethru footprint to Batu Kawan, where customers can now enjoy ‘feel-goodmoments’ just by conveniently driving by and ordering their favourite meals from a McDonald’s restaurant window,” said Azmir.

Ikano Centres is in dialogue with petrol station operators to meet the high demand within the growing township of Aspen Vision City in Batu Kawan.

The latest anchored-by-IKEA commercial development is a jointventure between IKEA Southeast Asia and Malaysia’s Aspen Group to develop Aspen Vision City, transforming Batu Kawan into an iconic hub in the Northern region of Malaysia.

“Batu Kawan’s development has been tremendously progressing towards becoming the third satellite city of Penang. We are elated to welcome another well-known international brand, McDonald’s to Aspen Vision City’s (AVC) neighbourhood. As a globally famous quick-service restaurant chain, their presence in AVC will surely be a crowdpuller, which also caters to a workforce of about 16,000 at the Batu Kawan Industrial Park.

“Earlier this year, we also saw students joining the newly launched The Ship Campus as well as the University of Wollongong KDU Batu Kawan Campus.

Other projects to be completed are Vertu Resort, Vivo Executive Apartment and Viluxe with 3,132 units of residential units which will add traction to AVC,” said Dato’ Murly Manokharan, President & Group CEO of Aspen Group.

Within the region, IKEA Southeast Asia owns and operates five shopping centres anchored by IKEA.

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Ikano Centres to Launch New Drive-thru Concept in Penang

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Arm Yourself $ With A Recession-Proof Mindset

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By Dr Victor SL Tan

oday, the world is facing an unprecedented change driven by the tiniest adversary – the novel coronavirus, also known as “Covid-19”, wreaked havoc on companies, businesses, economies and countries.

To date, more than 11 million people were infected worldwide with more than 500,000 deaths, as of 8th July 2020. This number will keep increasing by the day.

Offices, entertainment outlets and factories are shut down while the malls and food outlets are almost empty.

Major business sectors that are badly hit include airline, banking, energy, hotel, retail, transport, tourism and travel.

Many economists are in concurrence that the world will face a recession in 2020. The Secretary-General of United Nations had said that a global recession – perhaps of record dimensions – is a near certainty due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The International Labour Organisation predicted that as a result of this pandemic crisis, there will be a spike in global unemployment as high as 24.7 million, which would be higher than the 22 million increase in the global financial crisis of 2008-2009.

During a recession, many companies would certainly initiate cutbacks.

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Employees would live in fear of losing their jobs. There is a better way to work in such perilous times without fear and worry. Employees can develop a recession-proof mindset by practising positive and productive work behaviours.

DO WHAT OTHERS ARE UNWILLING TO DO Having worked in the past 3 recessions as a consultant, I had privy information on the key criteria companies use to select staff they want to retain during tough times. Many leaders singled out the attitude of the staff; in particular in doing the tasks others are unwilling to do.

During a business slowdown, some companies practise non-replacement of staff when they leave, resulting in existing staff having to do more work.

While many would complain about doing more work, this would be a good time for them to stand out from the workplace by adopting a positive work attitude towards the added work responsibilities. Those who continue to practice such good work behaviour during these challenging times will have little difficulty retaining their jobs.

Every employer would value such staff and would do everything possible to retain them.

PRODUCE EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS When the economy is booming and the company is doing well, excellent performance by individuals attract less attention. That is because many other individuals are also doing well. However, during a recession, when many others are showing poor results, the one who produces excellent results will shine in a distinctive manner. Go ahead, put in the extra effort, make more sales presentation and exceed that sales target. Win over that difficult customer and bowl your boss over! Indeed there has never been a better time to produce extraordinary results than now.

SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT MATTER MOST One hallmark of a valuable employee is his or her ability to adapt to changes.

An economy in recession can alter the priorities in companies. For example, a company which once used to emphasise workplace cleanliness, now shifts towards focusing on business development. It will serve employees well to start prioritising their work to address the company’s current concerns. Find out what matters most to your company and start actively to play a role to help solve them. Such an

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approach may be the key to ensuring the employee survives in this company during challenging times.

DEVELOP A UNIQUE SKILL It is time employees start to differentiate themselves to break away from the crowd. In selecting candidates for job interviews, I notice that it is rare to find those who stand out. It is very common today to have candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and even with an MBA. The idea is to develop a unique skill which is relevant and useful to the company and which no one else in the company has. For example, one senior person who worked in the administrative office of a company which was going through a financial crisis was retained and promoted while many of her colleagues were asked to leave. The reason was she not only had administrative experience and skill but also had the added advantage of experience and certification in the area of change management. She was promoted to Change Manager to lead an organization transformation project.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY During a crisis, speedy actions are required. Companies need employees to take charge and get things moving. Those who are willing to take responsibility, address issues and solve problems are highly valued.

Often staff complain that companies are not grateful. In trouble times, they argue that companies seem to

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forget their past contributions. An employee is indeed as good as his or her current performance. To ensure their bosses continue to remember their achievements, staff should stop the blaming. They should instead start to lead and take the necessary actions to counter the current business slowdown and improve performance in whatever way they can.

BE A CHANGE AGENT During a business slowdown, many would sit around waiting to see what would happen. They argue that there is no point in working hard as the company might just fold up. Such defeatist thinking is detrimental. One does not need to be crystal ball reader to know that if everyone does nothing in a declining business situation, the company’s closure would become a reality. Instead, why not start identifying the critical changes in your area or function which you can undertake to help the company. This is the time to mobilise all your knowledge, skills and effort to pull everyone together and turn around the company. Lead a change initiative; be it a productivity improvement program or a business transformation program – be a change agent, make a difference and be noticed!

GO THE EXTRA MILE Recession is not a time to panic and shirk responsibilities. It is a time for greater commitment to working together to overcome whatever

challenges that come in the way.

Practice the work philosophy of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. This is the time to put in the extra hours, stretch one’s limits, tap into creativity and do whatever it takes to succeed. In such critical times, the results would speak for themselves.

There is no running away from going the extra mile to achieve the desired results.

The late 33rd President of the United States, Harry Truman used to quip, “It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose yours.” It does not matter whether there is a storm of recession or depression coming; for as long as one adopts the above positive work behaviours at the workplace one will be wanted and welcome everywhere. Job security lies not in companies, but with the individual himself – his recession-proof mindset.

Dr Victor SL Tan is an international change authority who undertakes change management consulting and seminars. He is the author of 11 change management books.

His most recent book is Leading Positive And Profitable Change. His latest program is on Developing A Recession Proof Mindset. For comments, WhatsApp him at 012 3903168 or email him at victorsltan@klscc.com.

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TDOX: A One-Stop Medical Clinic bout 50 guests and clients were treated to an afternoon tea complete with mooncakes and drinks at TDOX clinic’s head office at Equatorial Plaza in Kuala Lumpur recently.

On hand to welcome the invited guests and clients were Dato’ Choi Wei Yee, founder of TDOX Clinic and Chairman Datuk Seri Garry Chua who is also the Immediate Past President of MRCA. TDOX which stands for Transforming, Developing of X-factor, is more than a regular aesthetics clinic.

It believes in transforming a person’s beauty by developing her confidence and uplifting her X-factor.

As Dato’ Choi says, “We believe in all things beautiful and we help you achieve beauty by working from within yourself, through your health and personal well-being.”

There was also a presentation on the various services and treatments provided at TDOX. Products used at TDOX clinics are well recognised aesthetic brands and are FDA approved and there are medical doctors on hand when invasive treatments are done.

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A2A GLOBAL NETWORK SDN BHD A2A Global Network Sdn Bhd has developed a one-stop mobile application called JomSave, which is a unique customer loyalty program that provides members with access to unlimited deals and vouchers.

At the same time, members will also receive cashback rewards which will be credited into their Shopping Point (SP) wallet. Shopping Point can be used as payment at all participating merchants. The amount available in the SP wallet is a ready-sales fund for merchants.

Unlike other normal shopping apps, JomSave offers a variety of products and services from offline merchants, online e-marketplaces, entertainment, bill payment, food delivery, in-house products as well as live streaming. It gives members the convenience of collecting their rewards by accessing their favourite offline stores, shopping online and making other transactions in one app.

Vivian Yue, Chief Executive Officer of A2A Global Network Sdn Bhd said that MRCA is a leading retail association that represents the interest of its members and the industry.

Vivian Yue, CEO

“With A2A’s JomSave app members will be able to increase revenue. Its unique business model can also bring a second source of income to businesses. We firmly believe that A2A can have a mutually beneficial relationship with MRCA members,” she said.

MANFORCE RESOURCES (M) SDN BHD Manforce Resources is one of the subsidiaries of Manforce Group Berhad that was established in 2004. Its speciality is in human capital management and consultation for recruitment and employment of foreign and local workers.

Manforce Resources is not an ordinary agent that supplies workforce as perceived by some, but instead, it is a “one-stop” avenue for all the issues arising in recruitment and Dato’ Paul Wong Boon Ming, Managing Director management of workforce.

The company also offers full-fledged cleaning services for its clients such as hospitals, hypermarkets, shopping malls and factories. By 10,000 workers across nationwide. On becoming a member of offering convenient, efficient and cost-saving solutions and MRCA, Dato’ Paul Wong Boon Ming, Managing Director, said through constant engagement, Manforce Resources is able that joining the association “is one effective way to bridge the to maintain and offer high standards of quality solutions and gap in expertise and knowledge to help us grow the business”. services for its clients. To date, it has managed more than

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PARKSON CREDIT SDN BHD From its humble beginnings in late 2014, Parkson Credit has since grown to become one of the leading motorcycle hire purchase financing providers in Malaysia today.

The company is the first within the industry to pioneer the adoption of its own proprietary online digital application platform while aggressively pursuing a near-paperless operation environment.

Parkson Credit aims to revolutionise digital business initiatives beyond consumer credit while rapidly evolving into a technology-based company. At the same time, the

continuous pursuit of business collaborations with potential partners through technological innovation and fintech remains the driving force of the company in the new digital Danny Poh Wan Chung, landscape.

Senior General Manager.

Danny Poh Wan Chung, Senior General Manager, Manager of Parkson Credit said that joining MRCA provides an invaluable business network platform that creates opportunities for professional cooperation and collaboration.

“Parkson Credit is open to collaboration with the association and its members to foster growth and prospects in the technological and digital landscape,” he said.

SHINING CONTINUUM SYMMETRY SDN BHD O’Briens Irish Sandwich Cafe have been operating in Malaysia since 2002. The longevity of the brand is credited to a consistent approach in providing hearty, healthy, and wholesome food and drink in clean hygienic surroundings, with attentive customer service.

The Café is known for its freshly made-toMRCA was because he had seen and heard order hand-cut sandwiches, salads, wrappos, many success stories from the events and soups, gourmet coffees, freshly squeezed support that the association had delivered juices, refreshing smoothies, cakes, Irish snacks to its members. and outside catering platters. The sandwiches “This is important for me when I am looking are prepared using premium ingredients as Managing Director to join any association as we need a platform customers deserve nothing but the best!

Brian Pua. that can take our brand, voice and objective Added to this is the dedication to sourcing that we want to achieve to a bigger community, fresh local produce and natural products which in addition to our own group. MRCA is the association have minimal or no processing and preservatives added. that is always at the top of my list and we look forward to It truly is food that is good for you! contributing and adding value to the association,” he said.

Managing Director Brian Pua, said that the decision to join

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

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E-BEAUTY GROUP e-beauty Group is one of the most prominent manufacturers of Professional Beauty Line in Malaysia.

The Group provides customised private brand manufacturing services such as OEM, ODM, OBM, R&D, design, printing, packaging, and consultation.

Its internationally recognised standard cGMP manufacturing facilities include advanced R&D and QC laboratories and a team of professionals, strictly controlling product quality, safety and in compliance with the government regulations.

The company has received numerous accolades within the industry. It was ranked 3rd among 100 leading businesses in Malaysia (Golden Eagle Award Malaysia 100 Excellent Enterprises 2018). Karen Qu, Executive Director of e-beauty Group said, “We truly believe that a continual emphasis on innovative advances is a crucial part of bringing growth and improvement to us, especially

in this rapidly emerging business world. Our main goals will always be providing the most effective products to our customers and ensuring their experience will always above satisfactory.”

She added MRCA is a platform that gathers retailers and entrepreneur from all over Malaysia. We share experience and exchange information in the industry, learn from each other and work hand in hand, creating greater value.

“MRCA keeps pace with the times and provides members with many learning opportunities and updated market info, so that members can benefit from it and understand the changes in the industry. We are honoured to be a part of MRCA and create better business,” she added.

To find out more about e-beauty Group, visit www.e-beauty.my.

Pico Malaysia Wins Gold & Silver at Agency of the Year Awards 2020 ico Malaysia (M) Sdn. Bhd. bagged the gold in the B2B Agency of the Year category and a silver in the Event Marketing Agency of the Year category at the eleventh annual edition of the colocated Agency of the Year and MARKies Awards held in Kuala Lumpur recently.

Judged by an independent panel of senior client-side marketers from reputable brands, the Agency of the Year and MARKies Awards are designed to recognise and reward Malaysia’s top-performing agencies and the most innovative, creative and effective campaigns respectively, spanning Malaysia’s entire marketing and advertising industry.

The Agency of the Year entries were judged with equal weight given to business performance, staff development and management, contributions to the industry and

P

community at large, and the quality of work carried out over the past year.

The MARKies entries were evaluated by focusing on the campaigns’ creative ideas or the innovative use of media.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

MRCA Facebook Initiative for Members RCA has set up a Facebook album for its members to solely promote their services and products. The initiative will commence from 1st July to 31st Dec

M

2020.

“We hope to lend our unwavering support to our members through this little gesture in this challenging time,” the association said in a statement.

Under this initiative, each member (per company) is entitled to a maximum of two slots throughout the duration. Those who have claimed prior to 1st July 2020 are still allowed to claim again under this new promo period.

Member must provide the Secretariat with the e-flyer in JPG format with caption / description (if any) to secretariat1@mrca.org.my. Only image format is accepted. No video format allowed.

Each day only four images will be uploaded.

Images will be posted on a first come first served basis sequence. MRCA also reserves the rights to reject any images with contents that are deemed inappropriate.

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF Vol 7 No 4 2019

Vol 8 No 1 2020

MIRF Exhibition 2019

Platform to Generate New Businesses Businesses

MRCA Retail Conference 2019:

The Perfect Middle Man

MIRF, A Runaway Success

Lazada Malaysia Scores Big with Wecommerce 2019 Moving Towards New Retail with Cloud

Visit Malaysia 2020 to Stir Excitement in Retail Industry

TARGET MARKET Business community interested in the retail, franchising and branding industry.

DISTRIBUTION More than 450 Members Companies & Associates in Malaysian and abroad.

Top Management of companies.

Relevant Government Ministries & Agencies, including the Malaysian Overseas Trade Office.

Relevant Business Organisations & Major Shopping Malls.

MRCA Events.

Sold in all leading bookstores nationwide.

• • •

• • •

MRCA Southern Business Talk: Growth & Innovation

Rise of e-commerce in Malaysia during Covid 19

Malaysia Needs Covid-19 Act to Protect Businesses & Jobs

MRCA MCO Action Bureau to Help Members Affected by MCO

Nicole Lim, Chief Executive Officer, Empire Sushi Group Sdn Bhd

Senheng Leads Digitalisation in Consumer Electronics Industry in Malaysia

Daphne Teh, Founder and CEO of MuzArt International

MRCA’s 27th Anniversary Starry Night Dinner Running For A Worthy Cause

WM RM9 / EM RM11

Exploring Business Opportunities in Shanghai

WM RM9 / EM RM11

The new and improved MALAYSIA RETAILER highlights, informs and introduces readers to trends and strategies within the retail, franchising and branding disciplines. The quarterly magazine also features a mix of articles, including personality and company profiles, success stories, and general reports relevant to the three disciplines.

Crafting the Future of Young Leaders

Arnoud Bakker, Head of Leasing, IKEA Southeast Asia & Andrew Yeoh, Head of Marketing for IKEA Southeast Asia’s shopping centres

Vol 8 No 2 2020

Dazzling CNY Celebration

Enjoying The Taste of Success

Datuk Dr Tan Hang Ming, Sunny Founder, Group Managing Director & CEO

Alvin Lee, Managing Director of UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd

Dato Sri Koh Yock Heng, Group MD of APPLE

MYWORLD Flies High with Fintech

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From Springs Apple Vacations’ Success

MRCA Delegation Delegation Visits Visits Johor Johor

Vol 8 No 2 2020

Sushi Empress,

MuzArt –

IKEA Reinvents Retail with Toppen

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SMEs Forge Ahead in New Era of Retail

Vol 8 No 1 2020

Lim Lim Kim Kim Heng, Heng, Managing Managing Director Director of of Senheng Senheng

MAGAZINE DETAILS Frequency: Quarterly Issues: March June

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Datuk Seri Garry Chua: A Retrospective The right voice of reason never goes out of season as exemplified by the leadership of the MRCA President

WM RM9 / EM RM11

Vol 7 No 4 2019

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Vol 7 No 3 2019

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Vol 7 No 3 2019

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• September • December

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A MRC

MRCA NEWS THAT APPEARED IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY

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Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

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Words of Wisdom From Entrepreneurs No entrepreneur starts off with a bang. Before they tasted success, they too, like everyone else, put in the hours. Here are some words to live by from successful entrepreneurs from around the world.

“What makes you better than your competitors? I believe they are smarter than me, but they have a messy nightlife, while I work hard; my horses run faster than theirs.”

– Robert Kuok, Malaysia’s richest man.

“What do you need to start a business?

Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer and have a burning desire to succeed.”

– Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s.

“Always think outside the box and embrace opportunities that appear, wherever they might be.”

“If you can do it, you can dream it.”

– Walt Disney, founder of The Walt Disney Company, creator of Mickey Mouse.

“I only know of the kerbau (buffalo) way, that is, to work hard and to wait for the rain.”

– Mark Chang, founder of JobStreet (a Malaysian company), Southeast Asia’s largest online recruitment site which currently serves 80,000 corporate customers and 11 million job seekers.

“I never think I am successful.

If I am successful, then I should be retired.

If I am not retired, then that means I should still be working hard, keeping the company running.”

– Terry Gou, founder and chairman of Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer of electronics.

– Lakshmi Mittal, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal.

“You don’t need to be a genius or a visionary or even a college graduate for that matter to be successful. You just need a framework and a dream.”

– Michael Dell, founder of Dell.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

– Thomas Edison, the greatest inventor/ entrepreneur of the 20th century.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 8 No 3

“I talk a lot about taking risks, and then I follow that up very quickly by saying, ‘Take prudent risks.’”

– Irene Rosenfeld, chairwoman and chief executive officer of Mondelēz International, one of the largest snack companies in the United States.

“It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent but the most responsive to change.”

– Charles Darwin. He was not an entrepreneur but a scientist famous for the Theory of Evolution.

But what he said is good advice for any business or entrepreneur.