Latest news with #AZALEAAZUAR
Malaysian Reserve
27-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Anwar to deliver keynote address at Energy Asia 2025
by AZALEA AZUAR PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (picture) is set to deliver a keynote address at Energy Asia 2025 which will take place on June 16 to 18, 2025 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). He will also lead a delegation of Malaysian ministers as well as their regional counterparts at the 'Delivering Asia's Energy Transition' conference. Anwar will also participate in the 'Asia's Energy Future' opening plenary which will focus on geopolitical dynamics, alliances, risks, Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship and its role in Asia's energy transition. Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) president and group CEO and Energy Asia chairman Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik said this event will advocate for a global energy transition. It expects to benefit all sectors through increased cooperation across economies and industries. 'In this regard, we are indeed very privileged to welcome Anwar to the second edition of the conference, with the opportunity to engage in progressive discourse on his aspirations for Asia's sustainable and inclusive energy future, aligned with Malaysia's role as the chair of ASEAN this year,' he said in a statement. Energy Asia is organised by Petronas while CERAWeek by S&P Global Inc serves as its Knowledge Partner where it aims to bring actionable solutions for a just energy transition. It aims to attract more than 4,000 delegates from 50 countries and will feature more than 180 prominent speakers such as Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries secretary-general Haitam Al Ghais; Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) president and CEO Amin Nasser; TotalEnergies SE board chairman and CEO Patrick Pouyanné; as well as PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Ltd (PTTEP) CEO Montri Rawanchaikul. Energy Asia will conduct strategic dialogues across seven sub-themes to enhance energy security, promote renewable energy adoption, deploy decarbonisation solutions, facilitate technology transfer and catalyse economic and socio-economic development. Meanwhile, the conference's centre of technology and innovation programming Energy Park will showcase transformational technology platforms in energy and adjacent industries.
Malaysian Reserve
23-05-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Samenta: No real ASEAN integration without MSMEs
by AZALEA AZUAR THE Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (Samenta) is urging ASEAN leaders to place micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at the forefront of discussions as Malaysia hosts the ASEAN Summit 2025. National president Datuk William Ng said the summit is expected to impact the region's support and scaling of its MSMEs. 'We call on ASEAN leaders to seize this moment: Reduce non-tariff barriers (NTB), leverage geopolitical shifts, invest in creative and digital sectors, and create a level playing field in trade and compliance. 'A resilient ASEAN must start from the ground up, with our small businesses at the core of our shared future,' he said in a statement. Ng stressed how MSMEs make up a majority (more than 97%) of all business in ASEAN and are responsible for 85% of employment in several member states. Despite their abundance, they only contribute 30% to 40% of the region's GDP and 22% of intra-regional trade due to structural barriers and limited scale, innovation and integration into regional value chains. Ng raised concerns regarding the low ASEAN trade levels as it represents a missed opportunity despite their proximity and cultural familiarity. ASEAN trade is important for MSMEs for internalisation but NTB such as inconsistent product labelling, cumbersome customs clearance and poorly coordinated regulations in the agrifood sector make it inefficient and costly. 'ASEAN must take bold steps to address these issues through enforceable agreements on NTB reduction, expanded mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) and greater operationalisation of the ASEAN Single Window for MSMEs,' Ng said. Ng also advised ASEAN to present itself as a neutral and business-friendly bloc to absorb global investments and new manufacturing mandates as global supply chains are shifting and companies are diversifying away from single country dependencies. Therefore, he suggested enhancing the capacity of MSMEs to avoid entrenching economic dualism and widening inequality. 'ASEAN must also remain vigilant against rising protectionism in a fragmented world and ensure reciprocal market access is honoured. 'While large firms often have the resources to adapt or lobby, MSMEs are typically the first casualties of sudden tariffs, quota restrictions or import bans. 'ASEAN must be proactive in trade defence, making sure our MSMEs are not collateral damage in global economic disputes,' Ng said. ASEAN MSMEs face a middle-income trap due to low-value sectors, and for them to escape the trap, they need investment in innovation grants, regional research and development (R&D) centres, and cross-border talent and technology platforms. This is critical not only for income growth but also for building globally competitive MSMEs that can expand beyond their home markets. Moreover, the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement should promote inclusive platforms, cross-border e-commerce and data governance policies, while focusing on realistic environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards for smaller firms. Ng also acknowledged the high potential of the creative economy for MSMEs, noting that it is scalable, culturally rooted and has strong export prospects. 'ASEAN must include the creative economy in its regional economic integration strategy, with a focus on copyright and intellectual property (IP) protection for creators, market access and mobility for creative professionals and creative clusters and infrastructure, especially for youth and women-led enterprises,' he said.
Malaysian Reserve
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
Malaysia Airlines reroutes its flights to Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle airports, following Pakistani airspace and Amritsar Airport closure
by AZALEA AZUAR MALAYSIA Airlines has announced disruptions to its flight schedules following the closure of Pakistani airspace and Amritsar Airport in Punjab, India. The national carrier noted the flights MH2 and MH22 were rerouted to London Heathrow Airport in the UK and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France respectively yesterday. 'After making a quick refuelling stop in Doha (DOH), both planes have left to resume their respective flights,' they said in a statement today. Malaysia Airlines also added that all flights to and from Amritsar have been temporarily suspended until May 9. This is after Amritsar Airport closed from today to 9 due to the increasing security and operational conditions in the region. 'The safety of our passengers and crew remains our highest priority. We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure safe and reliable operations,' said the statement. Reuters reported this morning that Pakistan has shot down five Indian military aircraft in retaliation after India attacked Pakistan and killed eight of its people under 'Operation Sindoor.' Pakistan labelled the Indian strike as an 'act of open war,' marking the worst fighting in over two decades, following an 80-year-old Kashmir dispute and retaliation for a recent Islamist militant attack. Meanwhile, India has struck nine locations in Pakistan that claimed to be 'terrorist infrastructure' used for planning attacks on India but Pakistan reported that six locations within its territory were targeted. In a report by AFP, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for Pakistan and India to avoid military conflict amid rising South Asian tensions, stating the situation is at its highest level in years. Both neighbouring countries have heightened armed forces following a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir and Guterres expressed concern over the current state of relations, stating they are on the brink of danger.
Malaysian Reserve
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Malaysian Reserve
PKR to proceed with 'proportional representation' system for central party election
By AZALEA AZUAR PKR's central leadership election, which will be held in May, will use a 'proportional representation system' with 10,000 in-person ballots and over 20,000 online. PKR secretary-general Fuziah Salleh said this is the first time the party employed this sistem – a change to their 'one member, one vote system' since its creation until being changed during a special congress held on December 15 last year. In a statement after the party's Central Leadership Council (MPP) meeting yesterday, Fuziah confirmed that delegates will convene to elect their top leaders during the three-day National Congress in Johor, starting May 23. 'For the first time, the 2025 PKR National Congress will adopt the concept of 'proportionate representation' for delegates, as approved in the Special Congress on Dec 15 last year. 'All preparations are progressing smoothly, and all eligible delegates will be notified soon,' She said in the statement. The central election will also involve the top leadership of the party's youth and women's wings. Fuziah added that the meeting chaired by party president, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, had decided on a key policy. 'Any PKR member who becomes a candidate for the party and is later found to have joined another political party will have their membership revoked, disqualifying them from standing as a candidate and nullifying their nomination,' she said.
