Law firm Christopher & Lee Ong recently circulated a Sustainability Update on environmental issues commonly reported in Malaysia and how organisations can ensure compliance with the legal and regulatory framework in the ESG space in Malaysia. In this update, some of the environmental law compliance issues frequently encountered in Malaysia are examined.
This evening we were delighted to have with us H.E. Brian McFeeters, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia to brief our members on the latest happenings in the U.S with regards to trade, COVID-19 vaccinations, and other areas. Members had the opportunity to seek clarifications from the Ambassador directly as well as his team, Dennis Simmons, Juha Salin and Timothy Harrison.
Our CEO, Siobhan Das once again provided updates on the Chamber’s ongoing initiatives and engagement with the government. We had another special guest featured – David Jones, Member Director of PEMUDAH, who presented on the latest developments in public-private partnership through PEMUDAH.
Special thanks to both of our special guests for a very informative and engaging Members’ Briefing. These briefings take place on the first Wednesday of every month.
The last 16 months have been a long haul for everyone but we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel (we hope) .
The AMCHAM Executive Office Team has been trying our best to support all our members in their varied needs through thick and thin since COVID-19 became our new reality. While there is never a right or good time, especially in our most unpredictable of circumstances, we are giving the entire team a week to ‘decompress’.
As such, from Monday, 09 August 2021 to Friday, 13 August 2021, AMCHAM will be closed so that we can all RECHARGE our batteries and come back energized to support and deliver the typically busy fourth quarter. Business will resume on Monday, 16 August 2021.
Should you have any urgent queries, please email: [email protected]
Some things to look forward to in Q4:
September 01 Members’ Briefing
October 21: Penang Dialogue 2022*
November 24: Thanksgiving & MY AMCHAM CARES Recognition*
And, of course, 2022 Membership Renewals (queries for our Tiered Membership categories can be made to [email protected])
* for sponsorship information on these Signature programs, please email: [email protected]
Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), which is listed among the top 20 ports in the world, is the only port that saw a jump in its ranking, says Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
He said the encouraging performance was due to the success of PTP, which recorded a growth rate of 8.5% last year. Dr Wee expressed confidence that PTP would be able to record a double-digit growth rate this year based on its excellent performance so far.
“I am confident that in 2021, the growth rate of PTP will be better. If last year the port handled 9.8 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), this year, it is able to handle almost 11 million TEUs. “Based on the performance shown in the last seven months, a double-digit increase will be seen by the end of this year,” he added.
On 3 August 2021, LAM Research officially opened their new 800,000 sq ft manufacturing plant at Batu Kawan, Penang, the largest production facility of Lam Research. The launch was attended by Y.A.B Tuan Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang and H.E. Brian McFeeters, U.S Ambassador to Malaysia.
Let’s give a round of applause to Mike Snell & Soon K. Kuek and Tim Archer for a successful opening of the new LAM Research site in Penang!
Congratulations!
Malaysia, August 2, 2021 – FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) and one of the world’s largest express transportation companies, together with Junior Achievement (JA), announced the six Malaysian students who won the 2021 FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge (ITC) Malaysia. The students now advance to compete at the FedEx Express / JA ITC Asia Pacific Regional Finals later this month. FedEx Express Malaysia and Junior Achievement (JA), have been hosting the competition since 2008.
The FedEx Express / JA ITC provides a platform for students to gain firsthand experience of international trade and entrepreneurship while cultivating a business mindset. To date, the FedEx Express / JA ITC has reached over seven thousand students in Malaysia.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s competition was held virtually for second consecutive year. Over 500 students participated in a series of seven intensive virtual workshops held through April 2021 to prepare them for the competition. During the workshops, several FedEx volunteers facilitated and mentored the students on how to structure and present their business plans.
At the Malaysian finals, 15 shortlisted teams presented their market entry strategy plans for a fashion product targeted at the Pakistan consumer market. Applying the insights and knowledge gained from the virtual workshops, the students presented their teams’ business plan with value proposition, pricing strategies, identified market opportunities and distribution channels to a distinguished panel of judges that comprised of SC Chong, managing director of operations at FedEx Express Malaysia; Zaman Ahmad, head of corporate ventures of Tenaga Nasional Berhad and Jasmine Ng, co-founder of EnGame.
“We are delighted to see that more than 500 students from all over Malaysia have taken part in the FedEx Express / JA ITC workshops despite the lockdown,” said SC Chong, managing director operations, FedEx Express Malaysia. “The Top 15 teams that made it to the Malaysia Finals demonstrated thorough market research, creativity and smart pricing strategies, high quality financial analysis, and practical supply chain design. By organizing this competition year after year, we hope to continue inspiring a new generation that understands and appreciates the importance of international trade to help prepare their careers as future business leaders. The finalists this year have validated that we are on the right track.”
This year, the three winning Malaysian teams that will compete at the FedEx Express / JA ITC Regional Finals are:
- Team Venerable: Alyssa Goh Min Yi and Jayden Leong Jin Chern from SMK Seafield, created a handbag called “RRAW” (Reducing and Repurposing Agricultural Waste). The front and back panels of RRAW are made up of leather from natural fibres and the sides are made of hand-woven wheat straws. The pattern of this bag was inspired by combining Pakistani rugs as well as the Malaysian “anyaman” style. This product is targeted for women aged 15 to 54 years old, as they make up 54% of Pakistan’s population. Both Alyssa and Jayden believe that to reach the top of your game, you need to invest in an innovative and sustainable product.
- Team Shamsi Co.: Sree Sanjana Manoj and Krithika from SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 3, developed the Solar Shield – a sun protective clothing made for women to protect them from the hazards of UV rays as 67% of the Pakistan’s population are exposed to extreme heat conditions. The Solar Shield is made from a range of Sun Protective Fabric which typically has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 30. Hence, only 1 out of 30 units of UV rays will pass through the fabric.
- Team Pyara: Lavanya Indran and Leanne Cheong from SMK Bandar Utama Damansara 3, who developed the AaRAM Boots, high quality footwear designed for labourers, working class women and young adults. It is made of plastic-free, natural fibres for the soles and tear-resistant shoelaces out of synthetic wool from recycled plastic bottles. This footwear caters to various foot types, from low to high arches. There were three objectives behind their design – meant for those unable to afford high quality footwear, have a footwear option that can withstand Pakistan’s weather conditions, and to provide a product that is Halal-certified.
Chairman of JA Malaysia, Stuart Dean shared his enthusiasm about the upcoming regional competition. Dean said, “Every year these young minds never fail to impress us with their talent and entrepreneurial spirit. Even though we are currently living in a challenging virtual world, we know that these students will excel at the Regional Finals. Thank you to FedEx Express Malaysia for this continuing collaboration and for sharing the same values and vision as us, which is to nurture and upskill our future talent.”
At the Regional Finals, the three winning Malaysian teams will be paired up randomly with students from other countries such as Vietnam, China, Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Philippines, India, Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore, to boost cross-cultural exchange of ideas.
For more updates, insights and photographs of the FedEx Express / JA ITC 2021, log onto www.facebook.com/AsiaPacificITC.
