MALAYSIA RETAILER I VOL 10 NO 2 I WTCKL

CONTENTS

STORY

WTCKL Set To Return To Its Glory Days After Transformation World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim is proud to unveil KL’s newly transformed business centre

MRCA EVENTS/MARKET INFO

RESONEX 2022, 1st Ever Retail Solution Expo in Malaysia

CEO Get

at Maxis

Drives The Formation of Asean Retail & Trade Union

Mission To Phnom Penh,

Launches 2nd Phase of Enviro Campaign

Wellness City Presents FirstEver Fitness Challenge

Garden – Experience The Flavous of Nanyang

Developer Awards

Crowns The Finest Developers In Asean

2022 Fuels Selangor’s

Aspirations

Group Celebrates 21st

Grand Finale For Malaysia’s Largest Tech Event Ever

Malls Introduces Malaysia‘s First Mall Virtual Concierge, Providing A Seamless Shopping Experience

Unveils

Business

Named Malaysia’s Best Managed Companies In

2022 Debut with A Twist

Introducing MATRADE Digital Learning Platform

Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, Group Managing Director of World Trade Centre

COVER

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

WTCKL SET TO RETURN TO ITS GLORY DAYS AFTER TRANSFORMATION

A er more than two years of lockdowns and restrictions, Business Events venues are starting to get busy. World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim is proud to unveil KL’s newly transformed business centre, RACHAEL PHILIP writes.

There is a breath of fresh air over at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL), formerly known as Putra World Trade Centre or PWTC for short. The almost 40-year-old building –a pioneer in the Malaysian Business Events sector – has managed to shrug o its tired and sometimes dingy atmosphere.

A recent visit to the place saw a trendy café, catchy art pieces along the corridors and walk ways and most impressive is the stunning co-work space designed with mostly white furnishings. It is bright and vibrant, conducive for a productive work day.

Datuk Seri Irmohizam Ibrahim, Group Managing Director of the WTCKL, says the Business Events sector has become very competitive.

“Clients and businesses expect changes. With this in mind, we took on a large-scale rebranding exercise beginning in 2019,” says Irmohizam, who is accustomed to wearing many hats. He is a lawyer with his own rm, law lecturer at UiTM

and adviser to various government bodies. He is also the rst Malaysian to become the Chairman of Conferences and Exhibitions, Member Advisory Council (MAC), World Trade Centre Association (WTCA).

PWTC o cially changed its name to WTCKL to conform to the WTCA’s Standard Brand Guidelines. It is the only convention centre in Malaysia licensed as a World Trade Centre under the international association, headquarted in New York. Globally, the association has 323 members licensed in 90 countries.

Being a member gives WTCKL access to a global network catering to conferences and business events. WTCA members can also use the facilities provided in member countries for their events and leverage on potential markets in member countries.

STAYING RELEVANT

Besides the name change, the premise also underwent renovations and refurbishing. Two of its flagship halls – Dewan Tun Hussein Onn and

Dewan Tun Dr Ismail – as well as 10 of its small meeting rooms have been upgraded.

These spaces now have modern conference facilities as well as a new look all together.

“We have upgraded our premise according to current trends and demand. For instance, we now use clean lightings in line with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the ESG rating system. While it brightens up the place and saves energy, it also helps us to generate a green value proposition for our venue,” he says.

The Co-Work space is also a clever means to generate value for the venue, which all this while was mainly reserved for exhibitions and conferences. Now WTCKL wants to be also known as a business centre, says Irmohizam. He hopes that its clients will take advantage of its prestigious address – World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, 41 Jalan Tun Ismail – and park themselves here.

“The Co-Work o ers virtual and physical o ces for start-ups and small businesses. A virtual o ce at

the WTCKL will give you a respected correspondence address while at the same time help reduce overheads. Clients can choose to rent the physical space for hourly, daily or months rates. The coworking space features meeting rooms as well as video conferencing facilities and business support services,” he explains.

The Riverside Café was also recently upgraded to cater to a younger crowd. Along with other key management teams from the same industry, our café is led by a team of experienced chefs from international hotel chains.

“We are serious about creating an ecosystem at the WTCKL. As such, our eateries have to have a certain standard and ambience.”

CHANGING MINDSETS

The last three years have also seen businesses evolve signi cantly to cater to the new norms of life post-pandemic. Even the WTCKL has changed the way it does business.

“We cannot sit around and wait for business like in the old days. We

“We cannot sit around and wait for business like in the old days. We have to be proactive and seek new business opportunities.”

– Datuk Seri

Dr Irmohizam Ibrahim, Group Managing Director of World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur

have to be proactive and seek new business opportunities,” Irmohizam explains adding that executives from the WTCKL have made various working trips overseas to promote the venue as well as the country as an Asean exhibition hub.

WTCKL has also been forced to look within itself and analyse its operations. In light of the pandemic, it has secured the SafeBE certi cation from the Malaysian Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers, demonstrating its seriousness in the levels of hygiene and safety on its premise.

“We have implemented the latest technology and rigorous SOPs so that our venue is in compliance with stringent safety criteria.

“This will not only build and instil con dence among event organisers and the public, it will also provide a well-regulated environment to jumpstart business events and pave the way for business recovery.”

Besides these, WTCKL has invested in new events technology and human capital to position itself ahead of the curve. The business is keen to network and collaborate with other Business Events players, related industries such as the tourism industry as well as relevant government ministries and agencies.

For instance, in the tourism sector, Asean countries are major contributors to Malaysia’s international tourist arrivals. In 2019, visitors from Asean totalled almost 18 million, a 69% share of the overall arrivals of 26 million tourists, Irmohizam reveals.

“We want to make full use of this and enhance Malaysia’s MICE industry by building closer relationships with our Asean counterparts and exploring new opportunities to boost the region’s Business Events market.”

WTCKL is also rolling out its carpets for weddings, not just celebrity-type weddings but medium-sized and intimate nuptial events at a ordable rates, signalling that is serious in hosting a variety of clients and business events.

“Business is picking up and wwe always try our best to accommodate and customise our clients’ requests so that a win-win situation is achieved. We believe in a constructive, transparent and two-way communication with all our clients.”

ALWAYS AHEAD

Because of its a liation with WTCA, the Business Events Centre strives to be at the forefront of providing impactful services. “We want to make sure that our service is on par with the standards set by the WTCA. Here, we want to make sure that all parts of the facility are ready and that we are always at our best. We conduct regular and random checks on all our applications.”

“The Business Events sector is

a revenue generator for a variety of industries such as retail, tourism, hotel and F&B. Hence, it is vital that the sector keeps up with the trends in the industry, remains agile and even is one step ahead of the game, utilising the latest in technology and communications methods.

“Going digital, using social and digital media platforms is the best and fastest way to communicate with the public on what’s up and coming.

“With all these changes, however, one thing remains. In our sector, be it pre-pandemic or postpandemic, we must always strive to create meaningful and memorable connections. This is what events are all about.

“WTCKL advocates humanising business events. This industry is built on profound human connection and the ability to push forward an overall humanised and wholesome experience. Our goal should be to make exhibition events lively, relatable, engaging and dynamic.”

RESONEX 2022, 1st Ever Retail Solution Expo in Malaysia

RESONEX 2022, also known as the Retail Solution Expo will be held from the 2-4 November 2022 at the World Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL). The event is themed ‘Shaping Retail Transformation’, and is a pioneer event focused on building up the retail solution industry to bring retailers closer to consumers.

Together with WTCKL as the cohost, the event aims to draw 15000 visitors and delegates, targeting both local and international participating countries. There will be a large variety of displays of retail innovations, platforms and services

from 200 retail solution companies. Plus, the Halal Business Conference will also have another 100 retailers participating in the event, bringing the total event exhibitors to 300.

Datuk Seri Dr. Irmohizam Ibrahim, the Group Managing Director of WTCKL also said that this step forward is to support MOTAC’s ‘Meet in Malaysia’ program to revive the Business Event Industry in Malaysia. “Our overall goal is to support potential local events in order to grow together”. The Malaysian China Trade Expo (MCTE) has also scheduled for its exhibition to happen at the same time as RESONEX 2022, and Dr Irmohizam

is con dent that the organisation of these two events will boost the Malaysian exhibition relationship with the Chinese market a er the pandemic disruptions.

“With our extensive network and our involvement with the World Trade Center Association (WTCA), we are proud to be able to assist local trade events in business matching and business networking”. RESONEX 2022 hopes to provide solutions to retailers as they face the constant evolving market trends while optimising their store presence and revenue.

The event has free admission and online registration is recommended.

MRCA CEO Get Together at Maxis

Maxis provides MRCA members with an insightful experience of innovation and technology.

MRCA organised a CEO Get Together in September 2022 at the Maxis Business Innovation Centre at Menara Maxis in Kuala Lumpur. The session featured a tour of the Maxis Business Innovation Centre, the newest business experience centre in Malaysia designed as a hub to foster innovation among SMEs and large corporations.

In welcoming the delegation of 60 MRCA members to the Centre, Lim Ben Jie, Organising Chairperson, said this visit and tour of Maxis Innovation hub was a learning opportunity for its CEO members. “MRCA CEO Get Together is a hallmark event in our calendar, conceptualised by MRCA to bring together like-minded directors, CEOs and leaders of organisations who are decision makers in paving the way forward for the future of our industry,” said Lim.

He explained that under the leadership of Sharan Valiram, MRCA’s newly appointed President, the theme is “Together We Thrive” which includes continuous learning through various means, such as this visit.

“This avenue also provides MRCA

members with the opportunity to network and to socialise with other fellow retailers,” Lim added.

In addressing the delegation, Sharan Valiram, MRCA President thanked Maxis for the support and the warm welcome of MRCA members into the innovation centre.

“At MRCA we want to continue to provide learning opportunities. I myself have learnt ve things today from the presentation this a ernoon delivered by Maxis – it was an amazing experience,” added Sharan. “Together we will thrive, together we will grow and together we will learn,” he stressed before concluding his remarks.

Kelvin Lee, Head of SME, Maxis Berhad welcomed the delegation from MRCA and took them through an insightful session on

how Maxis is relevant in enabling transformation and its extensive o erings. He explained that the tour will provide MRCA members with an idea of what Maxis hopes to deliver to customers.

“Over the last 30 years we have been known as a mobile services company, but in the last 5 to 6 years we have transformed to o er e-commerce, data analytics, and cloud computing, among others. Today, we want to give you an idea of the possibilities that you can leverage on new technologies and news ideas to advance your businesses,” Kevin told the delegation.

The tour and visit was indeed an eye-opener on the role of Maxis in driving innovation and digital transformation in Malaysia.

MRCA Drives The Formation of Asean Retail & Trade Union

MRCA and HIPPINDO have joined forces to lay the rst foundations of a regional retail association.

In an e ort to expand its wings across the region and to form strategic regional partnerships, MRCA has formed an agreement with the Indonesian Shopping Centre Retailers and Tenants Association (HIPPINDO) to establish the ASEAN Retail & Trade Union (ARTU).

Spearheaded by Dato’ Vincent Choo and Ken Phua, MRCA is set to form agreements with other regional neighbours in the months ahead.

President of HIPPINDO, Budihardjo Iduansjah visited Malaysia to nalise the formation of ARTU in July 2022.

MRCA is set to reach out to retail associations in Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam to increase regional participation for greater impact.

Trade Mission To Phnom Penh, Cambodia

MRCA celebrates 65 years of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Malaysia with a trade mission entourage to Phnom Penh.

In commemorating 65 years of diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Malaysia, MRCA organised a trade mission to Phnom Penh from 30 August to 3 September 2022. The trip was also co-organised by the Royal Embassy of Cambodia to Malaysia. The 5-day trip comprised MRCA’s Exco members as well as members of the association. With an exciting itinerary, the entourage from Malaysia had an insightful experience exploring business opportunities and learning about the economic drivers of Cambodia.

On the rst day of the trip, the delegates attended a business forum entitled “Forum on Business Opportunities and Intellectual Property Protection in Cambodia under Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

Framework”. The forum was coorganised by the Asia Cambodia Law Group, Association of Guang Dong China Commercial Representative in Cambodia and Royal Embassy of Cambodia to Malaysia. It was supported by the Ministry of Foreign A airs & International Cooperation of Kingdom of Cambodia, Intellectual Property Association of Cambodia, Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA), Malaysian Business Chamber In Cambodia (MBCC) and Morgan Group. Dato’ Vincent Choo, Vice President of MRCA delivered the welcome speech, while His Excellency (H. E.) Dr. Nhem Khemara, Secretary Of State, Ministry of Foreign A airs and International Cooperation (MFA.IC) delivered the opening remarks. MRCA signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Asia Cambodia Laws Group and the Guang Dong China

Commercial Representative in the Kingdom.

The delegates also had the opportunity to listen to several presentations by industry experts on trademark registration and IP enforcement, business and investment opportunities in Cambodia and regional business expansion, among others.

The rst day of the trip ended with an exhilarating gala dinner at NagaWorld Hotel, graced by H.E. Dr. Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-inChief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army.

The rest of the days were equally exciting, featuring a courtesy call on H.E. Mr Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign A airs and International Cooperation. Dato Vincent Choo led the delegation of 60 Malaysian entrepreneurs and

businessmen, amidst the other delegations present.

“It has been a wonderful experience leading a group of MRCA delegates to this trade mission, and having the opportunity to meet many new business friends and fostering new opportunities,” said Dato’ Vincent.

A mini-exhibition was held themed “Creating Business Opportunity Between Malaysia and Cambodia”. The event was graced by several dignitaries and industry leaders. The guest-ofhonour was H.E. Mr. Sok Chenda Sophea, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister, Secretary General of Council for Development of Cambodia, H.E. Sim Sokheng, Secretary of State, The Ministry of Commerce and Advisor to IPAC, H.E. Mr. Cheuy Vichet, among others.

Dato’ Vincent delivered his welcome speech at the exhibition. The event witnessed the signing of several MoUs between MRCA and several organisations.

To commemorate Malaysia’s independence, a Merdeka celebration networking cocktail was held, providing MRCA members the opportunity to network and build business relationships with Cambodia’s business fraternity.

The trade mission also comprised visits to the Urban Village, Olympia Mall, Diamond Island and many other corporate visits, followed by a gala dinner and networking session. All in the trade mission was a success and testament to the strong business bonds between Cambodia and Malaysia. The delegates had a memorable time and insightful learning experience.

Monthly Members Meeting

MRCA’s monthly members’ meeting continues to deliver exciting and memorable moments.

MRCA recently held its monthly members’ meeting at Anaika Collection in Petaling Jaya. The meeting began with an inspiring welcome address by the President, Sharan Valiram. The session proceeded with a presentation by Wing K. Lee, Chief Executive O cer of YTL Communications Sdn Bhd. Wing expounded on the concept of 5G and why it matters to the retail industry.

Dennis Ser, Sales Lead from Google Malaysia took to the stage to share about the dynamics of

customers’ expectations today, multi-demand buying behaviour, seamless omnichannel journey and a personalised standout experience.

The members also had the opportunity to learn about the innovative o erings of POSable Sdn Bhd – an organisation that empowers retailers with technology to provide exceptional customer experiences. POSable’s leadership team comprises of retail business experts who deliver quality services and consultation to ensure that customers always have the most flexible, comprehensive and robust

suite of retail so ware solutions for their businesses. Neerav Valiram, Executive Director of POSable, shared about what POSable is able to deliver to customers and the company’s expansion plans.

The monthly meeting also had a splash of fun with the celebration of members’ birthdays and a cake-cutting ceremony. More than 100 MRCA members attended the meeting. The were treated to a sumptuous spread of Indian cuisine along with an exciting time of networking and interaction between business owners and retailers.

Star RFM Continues To Dazzle

Managed by Star Media Group Sdn Bhd, Star Rfm Sdn Bhd present the popular 988 FM station – a Malaysian-Chinese language radio channel broadcasting across Peninsular Malaysia. Operating since 1996, 988 FM is a trilingual radio station comprising 50% Chinese content, becoming a full-fledged radio station in December 1997.

Currently, as one of Malaysia’s leading Chinese language radio stations, 988 FM has weekly listeners exceeding 2.17 million, mostly aimed at urban and suburban listeners comprising professionals, managers, and adults. Armed with a commitment to constantly deliver

only the best content to listeners and meeting their needs, the radio station leverages on insights from various market research avenues to create inspiring and entertaining radio content for its millions of listeners across all platforms, digitally and globally.

AmBank Unveils New Business Credit Cards To Empower SME s

As SMEs emerge from the pandemic, AmBank is ready to equip them with nancial solutions to weather the challenges.

Recognising the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in accessing spending flexibility, AmBank has introduced two new business credit cards o ering SMEs a wide array of value-added bene ts. The credit cards – AmBank Visa In nite and Visa Platinum Business Card – are aimed at enabling business owners to better manage their daily expenses more e ectively.

According to Visa’s SME Digital Banking Study in Malaysia, despite being signi cant contributors to Malaysia’s GDP, SMEs remain largely underbanked and underserved, with 79 percent facing operational challenges, and 57 percent experiencing digitisation challenges.

Aaron Loo, Managing Director, Retail Banking, AmBank said “We are happy to work together with Visa, as they have been a key prominent partner of the Bank in recent years. SMEs are the backbone of our economy, however, many nd gaining swi and timely nancing a challenge.”

“We remain committed in delivering industry-leading value propositions to our esteemed customers. The AmBank Visa Platinum Business Card targets SME customers, whereas the Visa In nite Business Card targets larger corporations such as Wholesale Banking and Business Banking customers,” explained Aaron.

Aaron shared that with sustainability high on the agenda of companies in Malaysia, AmBank has

utilised recycled materials to cra these cards.

“We’re extremely pleased to partner AmBank to launch their rst Visa Platinum and In nite Business cards. In Malaysia, we still see tremendous opportunities for SMEs to digitise, and providing them with payment cards will encourage business owners to use their cards to make business purchases, and at the same time earn cashback and rewards,” said Ng Kong Boon, Visa Country Manager for Malaysia.

The AmBank Visa In nite Business Card o ers 0.5% cashback on Petrol, Airlines, Hotel, Food and Travel. Business travelers can bene t from a 1% cashback for any overseas transaction. Cardholders can also enjoy complimentary Club Marriot Membership that includes both accommodation and dining privileges. Furthermore, customers will have access to Plaza Premium Lounge facilities and complimentary travel protection plan of up to RM2 million.

Meanwhile, the AmBank Visa Platinum Business Card is equally rewarding, o ering rewards points for local transaction and 2x rewards points for overseas transaction. This card also comes with access to Plaza Premium Lounge and RM1 million travel insurance coverage. Cardholders are also covered with complimentary Personal Accident Plan of up to RM30,000.

For more information on the AmBank Visa In nite Business Card and AmBank Visa Platinum Business Card, kindly visit ambank.com.my/ BusinessCard

(From Le ): Ng Kong Boon, Country Manager, Visa Malaysia, Dato’ Sulaiman Mohd Tahir, Group Chief Executive O cer, AmBank Group & Aaron Loo, Managing Director, Retail Banking, AmBank and senior management of AmBank Group.

Valiram Named Malaysia’s Best Managed Companies in 2022

Recognised for excellence in business, Valiram joins the ranks of Malaysia’s top companies.

Valiram Group was recognised as Malaysia’s Best Managed Companies in 2022 by Deloitte. This is a leading business awards programme that recognises excellence in privately-owned companies. Through the awards program, Deloitte is showcasing best practices, supporting company and sector growth, and building a community of the best private companies in Malaysia and across the world.

This award recognised Valiram’s commitment in business excellence as well charitable causes.

The framework and structure of the Best Managed Companies programme will continue to help Valiram shape its thoughts, and approach. The Group is very grateful and equally motivated to do more for its customers and for its teams. Valiram attributes this award to the commitment, hard work and perseverance of its people, which has propelled the Group to greater heights.

Established in 1935 in Kuala Lumpur, Valiram has grown in leaps and bounds from specialising in textile trade to become one of Malaysia’s leading specialist in luxury goods with presence in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau and New Zealand. Operating more than 500 stores, the Group represents in excess of 200 brands across various categories, from fashion and accessories, timepieces and jewellery, perfume and cosmetics to confectionery and dining concepts. Its portfolio comprises internationally renowned brands such as Bath & Body Works, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Tumi and Victoria’s Secret, as well as original and innovative retail concepts Luxury Fashion, Swiss Watch Gallery, Flying Emporium, Beaute and MLB.

UNIQLO Launches 2nd Phase of Enviro Campaign

The JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING campaign, which supports action for a better world, unveils new and exciting products.

Global apparel retailer UNIQLO kicked o the second phase of its global JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING campaign on 3 October. The campaign, which will continue through 31 October, 2022, will be conducted at UNIQLO stores in Malaysia, the uniqlo.com online store and at select overseas locations.

Three months ago, in July, the company carried out the rst phase of the campaign in Malaysia.

The aim of the JOIN: THE POWER OF CLOTHING campaign is to encourage UNIQLO customers to be a part of its ongoing sustainability activities. The programme hopes to raise awareness among its customers on global ecological problems such as ocean pollution, and to inspire action in order to make the world a better place.

Among the new campaign products are UNIQLO fleece jackets made from 100% recycled polyester fabric derived from plastic bottles. During the campaign period, each fleece jacket purchased will see UNIQLO parent company, Fast Retailing, donating USD1 to the Nippon Foundation to support activities that reduce ocean waste.

In addition, the campaign month will see UNIQLO selling the Flu y Fleece Full-Zip Jacket (Men and Kids) with design featuring Doraemon Sustainability Mode. Doraemon is UNIQLO’s Global Sustainability Ambassador.

The small needlepoint design, suitable for both men and women, allows parents and children to coordinate their out ts.

The jackets for Men, priced at RM129.90, come in sizes S-XL. It is

made from the equivalent of around 19 500ml plastic bottles. The Kids version is priced at RM79.90 and uses around 10 500ml plastic bottles per jacket.

Besides Flu y Yarn Fleece FullZip Jacket for Men, Women and Kids, Flu y Yarn Fleece Jacket Long Sleeve for Babies, and Doraemon Sustainability Mode Flu y Fleece Full-Zip Jacket and T-shirt for Men and Kids, the campaign period will also see Doraemon Sustainability Mode Pocketable Bag and Doraemon Sustainability Mode Toy.

Visit www.uniqlo.com/jointpoc to learn more about environmental issues and to take action. There are also feature articles exploring current issues on ocean garbage and measures to reduce plastic waste.

KL Wellness City Presents First-Ever Fitness Challenge

Building a healthy nation and taking tness to the next level.

Kuala Lumpur Wellness City Sdn Bhd, the visionary developer of the 360-degree integrated wellness hub introduces the rst-ever Fitness Challenge, scheduled to be held in December 2022. The event is aimed at rede ning health experiences and enhancing quality of life.

Set to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Wellness City in Bukit Jalil, the tness challenge consists of an exciting course that can get the adrenaline pumping. The challenge comprises a CrossFit obstacle course at various intensity levels, a 5km run and the opportunity to unlock ve obstacles that will challenge both physical perseverance and determination of the participants.

The event is open to both locals and international participants as well as sports enthusiasts from the ages of 18 to 70 years old. A nisher’s crown awaits the victorious winner who braves the course and completes the challenge.

The ve obstacles include weight li ing, whereby competitors have to li 10kg of weights and move towards the next checkpoint. Other obstacles include a full two-minute plank, barbed wire crawl and 50 burpees. The nal challenge is for the participants to soak themselves in ice-cold water, putting their mental and physical strength to the test.

Dato’ Colin Lee, Managing

Director of KL Wellness City, believes that the obstacle challenge will further encourage communities to lead a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle. He said, “The statistics from industry players suggest that Malaysians have now placed greater priority on health and wellness ever since the pandemic – two in ve Malaysians have begun exercising more during the period.”

“As a pioneer in advocating healthcare and wellness living, we are honoured for the opportunity to motivate the communities to embrace a healthier lifestyle through our Fitness Challenge,” explained Dato’ Colin.

KL Wellness City believes that this is also an excellent opportunity to drive sports tourism in Malaysia, drawing both local and international participants.

The challenge is scheduled to

take place on 11 December 2022, and those interested to participate are encouraged register either as individuals or as a group under the corporate category. The obstacle race comprises three age groups for both men and women respectively, namely Junior (16-29 years old), Open (30-44 years old), and Master (45 years and above).

The top ve winners will walk away with trophies and attractive cash prizes ranging from RM250 to RM5,000.

The registration fee is priced at RM79 per person for early birds and RM99 per person a er 31 October. Registered participants will receive a goodie bag worth RM150, a race kit, a timing chip, an event t-shirt, a nisher medal, a post-race meal, insurance coverage and a e-Certi cate. Participants are encouraged to register at https:// register.racexasia.com/my/klfc22/ registrations latest by 15 November 2022.

Tea Garden – Experience The Flavous of Nanyang

Presenting authentic Nanyang cuisine and local Malaysian delights with uncompromised quality and distinction.

Promoting the flavours of Nanyang, Tea Garden

Restaurant is driven by a passion to delivering traditional cuisine and in preserving the authenticity of the delicacies on its menu. Reflecting the unique heritage of Nanyang, the restaurant serves its customers only the best. With 32 outlets in Malaysia, Australia and China, Tea Garden o ers 200 dishes on its menu.

Customers can wet their palates with the restaurant’s exhilarating choice of food items that include

street food, ‘hot in the wok’ items, Malaysian favourites, western dishes, dim sum, vegetarian options, and a mouth-watering selection of drinks and desserts. Tea Garden’s signature dishes are top specialty dishes handpicked by its customers. The restaurant also presents 15 must-try dishes and drinks that have been amongst its best-sellers through the years.

Believing that there are no short cuts to serving exceptional cuisine, Tea Garden’s recipes are largely homemade, giving the brand total

control over the quality delivered to customers. “It’s de nitely worth the e ort simply because our customers deserve the best from us,” says the restaurant’s management.

With 600 team members, Tea Garden is well-equipped to deliver superior service and an unforgettable dining experience to its customers. Tea Garden welcomes diners to its newest outlet at LG1.40 & 41, at Sunway Pyramid to experience tastes of Nanyang cuisine and local Malaysian favourites.

Asean Property Developer Awards 2021/2022 Crowns

The Finest Developers In Asean

The regional property development industry comes together for a celebratory night of achievements and excellence.

The Des Prix In nitus Media ASEAN Property Developer Awards made a roaring comeback in Malaysia for the third time, with more than 50 distinguished categories. The awards were welcomed by developers across Malaysia and the ASEAN region, promoting healthy competition and o ering developers to network and form strategic alliances for future business collaborations.

Hagenz Choo, Managing Director of Des Prix In nitus Media said, “The ASEAN Property Developer Awards aims to provide recognition to the well-deserved and stands

to provide a perpetual stance in the property development sector—an inspiration to motivate business opportunities locally and regionally.”

Datuk Seri Hajah Rosida Binti Jaafar, Secretary General of the Ministry of Federal Territories said, “By gathering some of the best developers in the region, this enables copious amounts of healthy competition, which in turn, raises the bar of standards for not only Malaysia, but throughout the ASEAN region in terms of workmanship, quality and design.”

The event was also graced by Tunku Dato’ Ahmad Burhanuddin, a member of the royal family

of Negeri Sembilan and other dignitaries as well as celebrities, to show their support to the property industry.

The Des Prix In nitus Media ASEAN Property Developer Awards 2021/2022 was conceptualised to regulate the industry, and to encourage developers to deliver top quality developments that are on par with some of the region’s sterling property development projects. The awards also demonstrates the constant evolution of the industry in meeting benchmark quality standards.

The gala night was held at the One World Hotel in Petaling Jaya in late September 2022.

SELBIZ 2022 Fuels Selangor’s Economic Aspirations

PKNS delivered an inspiring exhibition that showcased shining testimonials of its entrepreneurship programmes.

The Selangor State Development or Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) has been actively driving entrepreneurship, in an e ort to achieve its mission to enhance socio-economic performance within the state of Selangor. In September 2022, PKNS held its inaugural edition of Ekspo Usahawan Selangor 2022 (SELBIZ 2022), showcasing 149 exhibitors at the Shah Alam Convention Centre. The 2-day event drew more than 5,000 visitors, and provided an inspiring view of entrepreneurship in Selangor. Entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry took up 48 percent of booth space, followed by retail industry entrepreneurs taking up 28 percent, and the remaining 24 percent being taken up by the service industry.

Haji Suhaimi Kasdon, Deputy CEO (Corporate & Entrepreneurship), PKNS expressed delight at the response received by SELBIZ 2022. He said, “It’s very encouraging to see the entrepreneurial spirit and passion showcased by the entrepreneurs at SELBIZ 2022. It’s one of our commitments to provide a platform of comprehensive resources for these entrepreneurs to thrive in their business.”

SELBIZ 2022 is an extension of PKNS’ entrepreneurial programmes such as Program Perintis Usahawan, Program Tunas Niaga (PROTUNe), Program Usahawan Mahasiswa (PUM) and Program Usahawan Siswazah (GROW). The programmes were conceptualised to provide entrepreneurs with the necessary

resources and aid to expand their businesses.

In fact, initiatives such as Program Perintis Usahawan, PROTUNe and GROW are targeted at youngsters comprising secondary school students, university students and graduates, in a bid to drive entrepreneurship among the young, as well as to boost Selangor’s economic competitive edge in the long term.

Four entrepreneurs shared valuable insights and their experiences on how PKNS’s entrepreneurial programmes helped them elevate their businesses. Abdul Halim bin Asmuni, Founder of Halim Asmuni Enterprise; Ezlyn Wahida binti Khalid, Chief Marketing O cer of Sambaleena; Saiful Azlan bin Ramli, Managing Director of Susu Irfan; and Waliyyah binti Silong Taib, Founder of Sugar Dinda, shared their inspiring stories with the audience and visitors.

Susu Irfan Managing Director, Saiful Azlan bin Ramli, stressed the importance of proper business

guidance by experts in order to excel in business. He shared that as his company explored new international markets, he obtained vital knowledge on nancial management and reducing the risk of loss in new markets, through the PKNS GROW programme, thus helping his business navigate through challenging economic challenges.

Ezlyn Wahida binti Khalid, Chief Marketing O cer of Sambaleena, testi ed to the e cacy of the GROW programme. She shared about how GROW o ered her networking opportunities to expand her business collaborations and experience in direct-dealing with customers.

GROW has also boosted Waliyyah binti Silong Taib, Founder of Sugar Dinda, in her entrepreneurial journey. Having started the company amidst the pandemic, she said that GROW provided her the necessary exposure to other salient business aspects such as marketing and accounting.

Abdul Halim bin Asmuni, Founder of Halim Asmuni explained that his participation in the PKNS entrepreneurial programme actually paved new business paths that helped him identify bright spots in the industry.

In line with its aspiration to drive socio-economic growth within Selangor, PKNS has diligently delivered high-impact programmes to nurture entrepreneurs over the last 27 years. To date, PKNS has nurtured over 41,000 businessowners through its programmes.

KK Group Celebrates 21st Anniversary

The group has much to celebrate. It has 636 stores and counting, including outlets in Nepal and India. It also recently partnered a Korean company to bring in the popular GS25 convenient stores next year.

KK Super Mart Group of Companies celebrated its 21st anniversary in style at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre early October 2022. The event feted 2100 guests consisting of sta , family members, the media and invited guests.

The company has 636 24-hour KK Super Mart outlets. Founder of KK Super Mart Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai said this is proof that anything is possible if one has the right strategy.

The family-owned grocery store started its business in Jan 2001. Just 10 years ago, it opened its 100th store, and in 2020 it hit a milestone with the launch of its 500th store.

“Convenience stores are an integral part of modern cities. In countries like the US, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, the market penetration is relatively high. There is on average one convenience store for 2100 Americans, 2200 Japanese and 1250 South Korean.

“Looking at the statistics, 32 million Malaysians should see a total of at least 16,000 convenience stores. There are currently 5000 convenience stores in Malaysia today. There is much room for growth,” Datuk Seri KK Chai said.

In early July 2022, KK Group announced that it has joined hands with South Korea’s convenience store chain GS25. The brand has more than 16,000 outlets in South Korea.

The two companies will open its rst GS25 store in Malaysia next year under the master franchise deal.

“With KK’s knowledge in distribution, operations and its rsthand market understanding, coupled with the franchise know-how of GS25, we aim to open 500 GS25 convenience store in Malaysia in the next ve years.

“This business model can help young entrepreneurs start their own business and plan their career path under the guidance of KK Super Mart.”

In order to grow its resources and to contribute more to the community and the country, Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai aims to list the Group on Bursa Malaysia within the next two years.

He also added that KK Group welcomes entrepreneurs to collaborate with the company, supporting each other in order to ful l its mission.

“We are a Malaysian company. This is where we want to grow and flourish.”

A Grand Finale for Malaysia’s Largest Tech Event Ever

WCIT 2022 ends with a big bang, making history as the largest tech event to be held in Malaysia.

With an attendance of more than 4,000 delegates from over 60 countries, the 26th World Congress on Innovation and Technology 2022 concluded its grand presence in Penang on 15 September 2022. The event is now o cially the largest and most prestigious technology and innovation conference ever held on Malaysia soil.

The conference saw foreign and domestic digital investments at a value of more than RM46 billion inked at the conference through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between some of the biggest players in the global technology and digital world.

Expressing con dence that these investments are set to serve Malaysia in various aspects, PIKOM Chairman, Dr. Sean Seah said, “The success of WCIT 2022 certainly cannot be overlooked as we have minimised the technological divide between Malaysia and some of the most developed countries in the world.”

“We have also secured more than 25,000 new job opportunities through foreign and domestic digital investments. We will continuously seek to improve infrastructure, increase employment, foster technological innovation and ultimately, advance forward as a nation actively pursuing technological excellence,” he added.

MoUs signed were between Angkasa-X and Ideal Property Group; IHEAL Medical Group and the Democratic Republic of TimorLeste; Digital Penang and Microso ; along with Securemetric and AVM

Cloud. PIKOM was also successful in signing MoUs with the Centre for Sustainability Intelligence, the Russian National So ware Developers Association (RUSSOFT), ASSESPRO Brazil, 88 Captains, Huawei and the ASEAN China RCEP Chamber.

At the closing ceremony, it was announced that WCIT will be hosted in Kuching, Sarawak, next year, making Malaysia the second country to host WCIT for the third time, and the rst in Asia to do so.

Chief Minister of Penang, Chow Kon Yeow, expressed, “WCIT 2022 has positively positioned Penang on the world map as a global technological and innovation hub. Besides being home to some of

the world’s leading tech companies, the successful fruition of this event has demonstrated that this ‘Silicon Island’ has even greater potential to thrive as the centre for innovation and technological advancements. I would like to therefore congratulate everyone, especially all participants and stakeholders of WCIT 2022 for making this what I believe to be the best iteration yet in the event’s history.”

During the closing ceremony, the ve SEADragon Unicorn Winners were announced, comprising Angkasa-X Innovation, iHeal Medical Group, Magnus Games Studio, MDT Innovations Sdn Bhd, ReSkills Edtech, SkyeChip Sdn Bhd, Swi Bridge Technologies (M) Sdn Bhd and WeAssist Sdn Bhd.

As WCIT 2022 draws to a close this year, TechFest 2022 makes its debut at the Setia Arena in Penang. This event is a ve-day experiential technology festival showcasing various innovative solutions for lifestyle and business.

YOUR BUSINESS

THE OFFICIAL

MALAYSIA RETAILER magazine is MRCA’s o cial publication that provides news, relevant information and market reports on the evolving retail, franchise and branding landscape in the country and the region.

The quarterly publication highlights: • Events • Market information • Changing consumer behaviour with a focus on retail-industry speci c surveys, studies and reports to help those in the industry to assess their impact and to stay informed • Success stories of business people – their achievements, innovation, vision, hard work and dedication – that can inspire up-and-coming entrepreneurs

• Digitalization • Special reports on the retail industry such as Fashion & Lifestyle, F&B, Pharmacy & Healthcare equipment and supplements, Shopping Malls, Hypermarkets and Supermarkets; and general information related to the three disciplines.

Apart from the print copy, the entire issue of MALAYSIA RETAILER magazine is available online, including at MRCA website (www.mrca.org.my). A link is available for anyone who wishes to read the magazine, free of charge. A PDF of the magazine will be given to advertisers who wish to promote their write-up and advertisement through email, WhatsApp and other social media.

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Introducing Malaysia’s First Mall Virtual Concierge

Aimed at delivering seamless shopping experience to its customers, Sunway Malls has upped its ante with this latest innovation.

As technology penetrates every aspect of life, work and leisure, Sunway Malls continues to trailblaze in the leisure and commercial segment with its digitalisation e orts. Committed to o ering the best retail experience to customers, Sunway Malls has introduced various digitalised facilities and features. These include a mobile app for real-time indoor navigation using Google Maps’ indoor technology and WiFi signals, Smart Parking, Smart Toilets and its Customer Engagement Hub (CEH) with omnichannel strategy.

In October 2022, Sunway Malls has achieved yet another major milestone by introducing its Virtual Concierge, the rst Malaysian mall to o er such a service. The Virtual Concierge is aimed at delivering a new seamless experience to all shoppers.

With the recent economic recovery e orts by the government and the removal of movement restrictions, Sunway Malls has witnessed an increase in footfall, as locals and international shoppers begin to resume normal shopping and leisure activities.

HC Chan, Chief Executive O cer of Sunway Malls & Theme Parks says, “As the business landscape continues to evolve with cost pressures escalating, the adoption of technology will enable better productivity, e ciency and consistency even with the same amount of resources. The deployment of the Virtual Concierge is a good example.”

VIRTUAL CONCIERGE

Driven by its strong commitment towards championing customer service excellence, Sunway Malls’ Virtual Conciege o ers an all-in-one interactive self-service kiosk allowing shoppers to seek personalised service on-demand. With this service, shoppers can easily and e ciently seek assistance with its user-friendly interface acting as extra touchpoints placed strategically throughout high tra c areas of the mall. This bridges the gap in customer service, thus creating an ecosystem comprising existing physical concierges o ering hybrid engagement and the digital version, thus serving both “overthe-counter” shoppers and digital interactions simultaneously.

With this digital Virtual Concierge, Sunway Malls Customer Care team is able to serve more enquiries quicker than ever before, by ltering routine questions to be answered by

its extensive database. This allows the team to e ciently serve more shoppers and attend to a more diverse variety of enquiries.

The Virtual Concierge service is in line with Sunway Malls unwavering vision of ‘Creating Experiences That Enrich Lives’, providing shoppers the best customer experience in both in-mall interactions and digital enquiries.

BENEFITS OF VIRTUAL CONCIERGE

With digitalisation, shoppers now expect contactless services at various points. The Virtual Concierge connects shoppers with Customer Care personnel without having to visit a physical counter.

With the “Chat with us” function, shoppers can now have the option to use the self-service option or start a video chat with Sunway Malls’ Customer Care team using their own

mobile devices. In addition to that, this easy-to-use Virtual Concierge o ers additional touchpoints throughout the malls, providing shoppers convenience and a more improved and seamless shopping experience. Shoppers can even get instant answers to questions they have about Sunway Malls through the built-in rule-based chatbot. Shoppers can also choose to speak to Customer Care personnel via a realtime voice and video call by simply scanning the QR code to connect their mobile devices.

Other innovative functions o ered by the Virtual Concierge include membership privileges, whereby shoppers can choose to sign-up as a Sunway Malls member directly through the “Be A Member” function, and enjoy various perks and deals.

During festive periods, the “Get Rewarded” function o ers shoppers the opportunity to redeem gi s easily and skip long queues by keying in transaction details into the Virtual Concierge.

With “Rate the Services” function, shoppers are empowered to provide feedback on their experiences with Sunway Malls. This helps the mall management to understand better customers’ demand, expectations and issues, so that they can address these areas.

Leveraging on the data and insights derived from the Virtual Concierge, Sunway Malls can continuously improve and deliver excellence to their shoppers.

The “Events and Happenings” tab on the Virtual Concierge provided the latest information on exciting events and happenings at Sunway Malls. All shoppers have to do is to scan the event QR code and read the information through their mobile devices while on-the-go.

The Virtual Concierge by Sunway Malls is a revolutionary innovation that changes the way the malls deliver superior shopping experiences to customers.

MIHAS 2022 Debut with A Twist –Introducing Matrade Digital Learning Platform

This year MIHAS 2022 delivered an innovative twist by introducing a new digital learning platform to enhance the participation of Malaysian businesses in the global halal market.

The 18th edition of Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2022) made its debut from 7 to 10 September 2022 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). Launched by Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob, MIHAS 2022 presented Malaysian micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with access to the growing opportunities within the halal market.

Chief Executive O cer of Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz said that there has been a signi cant rise in the number of Malaysian exhibitors including MSMEs participating in MIHAS since it was introduced back in 2004.

“This year there was a year-onyear rise of 326.4 per cent of local exhibitors participating in MIHAS 2022,” he said, pointing out that the exhibitors largely comprised local exhibitors from the MSME segment.

Observing the increased participation of relatively younger entrepreneurs, Datuk Mohd Mustafa said that a case in point is the pro le of exhibitors in the Pahang state pavilion, consisting of 15 exhibitors aged below 45 years old.

Datuk Lim Ban Hong, Deputy Minister of International Trade and

Industry (MITI), expressed con dence that these and other programmes that MATRADE has carried out over the years has and will continue to assist more Halal-certi ed Malaysian companies to access the growing global halal markets.

For instance, in the ASEAN region alone, the halal market is estimated to be worth USD900 billion, demonstrating the market share that Malaysian companies can potentially gain as producers of halal products and services. At present, Malaysia has more than 8,000 companies that have been certi ed as halal by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), with only 20 percent from this number carrying out export activities.

Dubbed as the world’s largest halal trade event, MIHAS 2022 sports the theme “‘Diversifying Halal Possibilities” and is on target to achieve RM1.9 billion in sales, thus playing a signi cant role in supporting the 12th Malaysia Plan’s export target by increasing MSME players’ footprint in the international halal market.

In more ways than one, MIHAS 2022 has opened the eyes of MSMEs on the opportunities available in the international halal market, especially with the various programmes organised by MATRADE over the years.

In 2021, despite the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns, MATRADE organised a virtual exhibition, while 2022’s exhibition took a hybrid approach. This enabled cross border trade deals to continue between local and international buyers despite geographical boundaries and time di erences.

MATRADE’s constant use of new innovative methods such as virtual business matchings as well as International Sourcing Programmes (INSP) have helped spur an increase in the number of MSMEs in the global halal market.

In line with the nation’s digitalisation agenda in the trade sphere, the Prime Minister also launched the MATRADE Digital Learning (MDL) a er o ciating MIHAS 2022. MDL is a virtual learning platform dedicated to improve the knowledge and skills of Malaysian companies through the provision of holistic content on export-related topics. The content for MDL was developed partly through collaboration with Google Malaysia and contains 13 highly industry-relevant modules.

MIHAS 2022 was supported by Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC). Thirteen halal clusters were showcased, including food and beverage, services & enablers, cosmetics and personal care, modest fashion, food technology, pharmaceuticals, media and recreation, ecommerce, Islamic nance, Muslim-friendly travel, franchise, education, and MIHAS’s newest cluster to be introduced this year, Islamic arts and cra s.