
Johor govt to engage local councils on unused MyKiosks
ISKANDAR PUTERI : The Johor government will convene a meeting with all 10 local authorities to address the high number of unutilised MyKiosk units in the state.
State housing and local government committee chairman Jafni Shukor said the meeting was necessary to come up with solutions and ensure that the initiative to support small traders continues to thrive.
'Before these kiosks existed, many single mothers, single fathers, and poor families were eager to start a business. Some were even evicted from their trading spots.
'Many traders are struggling, so I've directed that the kiosks be rent-free for the first six months. In my view, this is a good initiative as they provide legitimate spaces for many who previously lacked licences.
'Single parents and others now have a proper place to operate,' he said during the Johor legislative assembly sitting in Kota Iskandar today.
He was responding to an additional question from Gan Peck Cheng (PH–Penggaram) on the status of the MyKiosk initiative.
The Bukit Permai assemblyman said a brainstorming session would be held with all 10 local councils to come up with creative approaches to revitalise the kiosks and support small traders.
'When I visited some of these kiosks, traders told me there's no water supply. They're relying on solar power and don't even have proper set-ups to cook food.
'Can we relocate the idle kiosks to better spots and ensure that they have access to water and other facilities? We want these kiosks to truly benefit the people, so we need to place them in strategic locations.
'If needed, we can arrange skills training for traders. The point is, if we're going to help people, we can't do it halfway,' he added.
The MyKiosk units are a national initiative by the housing and local government ministry.
Lately, social media posts had highlighted the number of units that were empty or abandoned, largely due to inconsistent participation by traders.
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Customers can easily apply for Payday Financing and i-Bridge Financing through IBPO's online customer financial portal, myIBPO+, or via the upcoming all-in-one financial app. Both platforms are available 24/7 to help users manage and improve their finances. Payday Financing is an interest-free advance cash for customers to cover urgent expenses before their monthly salary day. It's fast, safe and 100% Shariah-compliant. Meanwhile, i-Bridge Financing provides immediate short-term financing for homeowners, property sellers and SMEs to ease urgent cash flow gaps while awaiting disbursement of long-term bank financing, which typically takes up to 4 months. i-Bridge Financing is fully Shariah-compliant, in accordance with Islamic financing properties. This initiative supports Bank Negara Malaysia's Financial Sector Blueprint 2022–2026, which aims for greater digitalisation, inclusive financial access, and enhanced protection for households. 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This collaboration is key to empowering individuals to make smart, secure money moves that support both their immediate goals and long-term financial stability," said Andy Lim, Founder & Group Managing Director of IBPO Group Berhad. He added, "Our initiative with FWD Insurance allows customers to take on financing with maximum peace of mind and security in the event of an unfortunate incident, providing life coverage to our customers and to ease unexpected financial burden to their loved ones or if one faces any disability throughout the financing term – their loans are covered." "FWD Insurance is committed to changing the way people feel about insurance, by making it simpler, more accessible and truly meaningful. This partnership with IBPO is a powerful step forward in that vision. By embedding protection seamlessly into everyday financial solutions, we're not just offering convenience, we're delivering peace of mind. Through innovation and customer-first thinking, we're helping Malaysians celebrate living, knowing their loved ones are protected no matter what life brings," said Mak See Sen, CEO of FWD Insurance. *Individual plan offer includes death, total and permanent disability (TPD), accidental death, hospitalisation benefits, critical illness, and a medical card, with protection up to RM500,000. This initiative reinforces IBPO's Fusion Finance model, a personalised, 360° innovative integrated approach with AI-powered technology and traditional finance solutions. For more information, visit *Subject to each individual policy's terms and premium details. Hashtag: #IBPOGroupBerhad #FWDInsuranceBerhad #LoanFinancingProtection The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. IBPO Group Berhad IBPO Group Berhad is a fusion financial company that provides holistic personalised financial solutions to help clients achieve their financial aspirations and live a better life. Incorporated in 2012, IBPO Group became a public limited company in 2020. We deliver bespoke financial consultancy services with our cutting-edge Fusion Financial System, a financial technology ("fintech") system powered by Artificial Intelligence ("AI") that was developed through extensive in-house IT research and development and ANIKA, the first AI-powered virtual financial consultant chatbot in Malaysia. Our financial programs include; i-Refinancing, i-Connect, i-Console Plus, Payday Financing, i-Bridge Financing and Housing Value Investment. Discover personalised solutions tailored to your needs with mortgage refinancing, personal loans and financing, property management and more. To learn more, visit Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | TikTok | Follow Us: Facebook XiaoHongShu @IBPO Group Berhad Address: Level 28, Mercu Aspire, No. 3 Jalan Bangsar, KL Eco City 59200 Kuala Lumpur. Email: Email: [email protected] Head Office Contact No: +603 2201 2828 FWD Insurance Berhad FWD Insurance Berhad is part of FWD Group, a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 30 million* customers across 10 markets. FWD's customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance and takaful. FWD Group is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code 1828. For more information, please visit is part of FWD Group, a pan-Asian life and health insurance business that serves approximately 30 million* customers across 10 markets. FWD's customer-led and tech-enabled approach aims to deliver innovative propositions, easy-to-understand products and a simpler insurance experience. Established in 2013, the company operates in some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world with a vision of changing the way people feel about insurance and takaful. FWD Group is listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code 1828. For more information, please visit FWD Insurance Berhad offers a variety of family and life insurance products, such as medical, critical illness, savings, and investment-linked plans. The company operates under the regulation of Bank Negara Malaysia in accordance with the Financial Services Act 2013. For more information, please visit *including BRI Life in Indonesia.