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Korea Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
MYEG and SGTraDex Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Malaysia-Singapore Digital Trade Connectivity
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MY E.G. Services Berhad ("MYEG"), Malaysia's leading e-government and digital services provider, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") with Singapore Trade Data Exchange Services Pte. Ltd. ("SGTraDex"), Singapore's digital infrastructure for trade data exchange. The strategic partnership seeks to enable both parties to collaboratively facilitate seamless, digital cross-border trade between Malaysia and Singapore, setting a new standard for digital trade connectivity in the ASEAN region. Signed at the ASEAN-GCC-China CEO Roundtable hosted by the ASEAN Business Advisory Council ("ASEAN-BAC"), the MoU underscores the deepening partnership between Malaysia and Singapore in advancing digital economic cooperation. This collaboration reflects a shared vision to develop interoperable, cross-border digital solutions and serves as a foundation toward broader regional integration across ASEAN. Under the terms of the agreement, MYEG's Zetrix and SGTraDex will explore the technical integration of their respective platforms to enable a secure and interoperable channel for the exchange of trade-related data. The collaboration aims to catalyse the transition from paper-based to digital trade flows, including the use of verifiable electronic records, aligned with the region's push for trade facilitation and supply chain resilience. "This partnership signals a new era for trade digitalisation in ASEAN," said Dato' Fadzli Shah, Co-Founder of Zetrix. "By aligning Malaysia's and Singapore's trusted digital infrastructure, we're creating the building blocks for a digitally unified ASEAN, one that reduces friction, enhances trust, and accelerates growth." "Our collaboration with MYEG reflects SGTraDex's commitment to fostering open and trusted digital trade. By aligning efforts with close partners like Malaysia, we are taking steps toward greater interoperability and connectivity, which will contribute to more inclusive digital growth across the region," said Mr. Tan Chin Hwee, Chairman of SGTraDex. The collaboration supports the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement ("DEFA"), and complements broader efforts to enable mutual recognition of Digital ID, electronic trade documents, and regulatory credentials across borders. With blockchain technologies such as MYEG's Zetrix Layer-1 chain and frameworks like TradeTrust on SGTraDex, immutability and traceability of verified information exchanged between governments and enterprises is ensured, fostering greater transparency and security in cross-border transactions. SGTraDex is a public-private digital utility founded by Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority ("IMDA") alongside a banking, trade and logistics industry consortium including Advario, DBS, Jurong Port, OCBC, ONE, PIL, PSA, Standard Chartered, Trafigura, and UOB. The initiative plays a critical role in digitising logistics and trade finance by interconnecting data silos across the supply chain. Through this partnership, both parties will explore new B2B and B2B2G flows, and co-develop services tailored for cross-border use cases. The MoU outlines areas of collaboration including: The partnership is expected to serve as a launchpad for wider regional integration, including with China and the Gulf Cooperation Council ("GCC") countries. By leveraging Malaysia's and Singapore's leadership in digital infrastructure and policy, the partnership is poised to reinforce the broader vision of ASEAN as a digitally interconnected economic bloc; strengthening the region's digital infrastructure by facilitating secure, inclusive, and efficient trade. About MY E.G. Services Berhad ("MYEG") MYEG is Malaysia's premier digital services company. Having commenced operations in 2000 as the flagship e-government services provider, MYEG continues to play a leading role in driving technological change in the region, bringing a diverse and complete range of innovations spanning the online delivery of major government services to a variety of commercial offerings in the areas of immigration, automotive and financial services, among others. Committed to staying firmly at the forefront of the global digital revolution, MYEG has embraced the potential of blockchain technology to enhance all aspects of life and is actively pioneering its adoption across the region through its Layer 1 platform Zetrix. Besides its home market, MYEG's presence spans other key regional markets such as mainland China, Philippines and Hong Kong SAR. About SGTraDex Launched on 1 June 2022, the Singapore Trade Data Exchange ("SGTraDex") is a digital utility that facilitates the sharing of data between supply chain ecosystem partners, streamlining information flows through a common data highway where data can be shared in a trusted, secure and inclusive manner. SGTraDex is a public-private partnership founded by IMDA, PSA, Trafigura, DBS, Jurong Port, OCBC, ONE, Advario, PIL, Standard Chartered and UOB. Their proprietary technology aims to resolve pain points in supply chain ecosystems including a heavy reliance on a paper-based system which lacks efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. The move to digitalise information will increase productivity and build supply chain resilience. New efficiencies and opportunities will be unlocked when ecosystem partners can collaborate to achieve a shared visibility of the end-to-end supply chain.
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NADRA launches deployment of digital birth, death notification tools
ISLAMABAD: In a major step toward digital transformation, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), in collaboration with provincial governments, has launched the nationwide deployment of digital birth and death notification tools in healthcare facilities. This initiative is part of the federal government's flagship 'Uraan Pakistan' programme, aimed at modernising the country's digital infrastructure. The new system, introduced under the National Registration and Biometric Policy Framework, enables real-time, accurate, and complete recording of vital life events—such as births and deaths—directly at the point of occurrence in hospitals and clinics. This digital transformation of the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) system is expected to significantly enhance data accuracy and service delivery across Pakistan. According to NADRA, the collected data will not only bolster national development planning but also support transformative projects like Digital ID and the Digital Economy. The system forms a core component of the broader Digital Economy Enhancement Project (DEEP), spearheaded by NADRA with support from the World Bank and other national stakeholders. To ensure seamless implementation across the country, formal agreements are being signed between NADRA and provincial as well as regional governments. A recent signing ceremony in Karachi saw the Government of Sindh, represented by Provincial Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, join the initiative. The agreement was signed by the Secretaries of Health and Local Government on behalf of Sindh, and the Director General of NADRA Karachi. Earlier, a similar agreement was signed in Quetta between NADRA and the Government of Balochistan, represented by the respective provincial secretaries and the DG NADRA Balochistan. Further agreements with Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) are expected to follow in the coming days, paving the way for a unified, digital civil registration system across Pakistan. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Gulf News
17-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Secure UAE work permits from outside the country in four simple steps
Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has outlined four steps to obtain a new work permit for a worker currently residing outside the UAE. The Ministry explained the process with simple and quick procedures, in a post on its official social media platforms. The service is provided to establishments seeking to recruit and employ workers from outside the country, and only employers are eligible to apply for this permit. Skilled and Unskilled Labor According to the Ministry, employers must log in using their username and password or digital identity, then input the required information. Once submitted, the request is electronically forwarded to the Ministry. Immediate approvals are granted for some permit types. If any documents or information are missing, the employer will be notified to complete the submission. Skilled workers Regarding the verification of educational qualifications for skilled workers, the Ministry clarified that it will handle the verification process through the Ministry of Higher Education. Fees will be charged, and the results will be issued within a maximum of two weeks. A labour contract can be issued upon the worker's entry into the UAE, along with the required medical examination to confirm fitness. The Ministry also stated that it will determine whether the applicant belongs to the skilled or unskilled labour category. Applications with a clear passport copy and personal photo will receive immediate approval. Once the worker enters the UAE and passes the medical fitness test, the labour contract can be issued. Procedural Steps for Employers The Ministry's statement has provided the following procedural steps that employers must follow to obtain a work permit for workers outside the UAE: Log in using UAE Pass (Digital ID). Submit the application through one of the service delivery channels. The application is electronically referred to the Ministry for review and verification of requirements and documentation. If there are missing items, the establishment will be notified to complete the file. If all requirements are met, the permit is approved for issuance. Pay federal fees and deposit the required insurance or bank guarantee upon approval, and attach the approved job offer signed by the worker. Required Documents: Clear coloured personal photo with a white background. Valid passport copy (minimum six months validity). Official job offer form issued by the Ministry, signed by both the employer and the worker. Educational certificate (for skilled labor and technical professions): Must be clear, include the worker's name, and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Skill Level 1 & 2: University degree required. Skill Level 3 & 4: Diploma or higher. Skill Level 5: High school diploma. Skill Levels 6–9: Certificate not required. Note: A worker is not considered skilled if the monthly salary is below AED 4,000, even with the required certificate. Professional license (if applicable), issued by the relevant authority: Medical professionals: Ministry of Health or Health Authority license. Educators: Ministry of Education, KHDA (Dubai), ADEK (Abu Dhabi), or Sharjah Education Council. Sports trainers: General Authority of Youth and Sports. Lawyers: Ministry of Justice license. National ID card from the worker's home country is required for the following nationalities: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran. The ID must be valid, with all data and both sides clearly visible. Terms and Conditions: The establishment must have an available electronic quota. The worker must be at least 18 years old. The worker must meet the legal requirements for specialized professions or any other role requiring a practice license. The establishment's trade license must be valid, with no violations resulting in business suspension under UAE laws. The permit application must be submitted by a person legally authorized to sign on behalf of the establishment. The worker must not already have an active work permit. Permit replacement is allowed with a change in nationality, while maintaining the same job title and gender (male/female), within six months of issuance and up to a maximum of two replacements. The original worker's entry permit must be canceled in the systems of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security.
New York Times
11-03-2025
- New York Times
Your Bag's Hidden Journey From Check-In to Plane
Visuals by Graham Dickie Text by Christine Chung Checking a bag is an exercise in trust. The hope? That you will be reunited painlessly with your possessions after many labor-intensive steps involving heavy machinery and numerous workers, often across multiple airports. While several million bags end up getting lost or damaged by U.S. airlines every year, the overwhelming majority of checked baggage (some 480 million bags in 2023) are returned to their owners. Checking your bag involves a significant amount of human effort: The average checked bag flown with Delta Air Lines is guided by nine people, including ticket agents and a handful of baggage handlers. We recently spent a day at LaGuardia Airport's Terminal C, to get an inside look at the journey of a bag checked with Delta. At the check-in counter Our bag was checked onto DL994, a daily flight departing LaGuardia at 12:59 p.m. and bound for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Ideally, checking a bag takes just a few minutes, barring long lines at the terminal. Customers begin the process at a self-service kiosk or at the counter with a ticket agent. (T.S.A. PreCheck travelers flying Delta can shave off more time by using Digital ID, a document-free process that relies on biometrics.)Bag tags are printed with essential information about your itinerary, including whether you have a tight connection. A chip with radio frequency identification technology is embedded in the tag — about the size of a nickel — and scanned at different points, providing regular location updates to the airline. After the tag is attached to the bag, a ticket agent takes the luggage and places it on the conveyor belt, which transports it to be screened by the Transportation Security Administration. T.S.A. screening Within a few minutes, the bag reaches T.S.A. screening. The agency uses C.T. scanning machines, which allow for 3-D analysis of a bag's contents. T.S.A. agents don't need to be present for this Delta and the overall airline industry, the number of passengers — and checked bags — has risen steadily in recent years. If a bag is flagged, it trundles on the conveyor belt over to a second room for additional screening. Here, T.S.A. agents may open it, breaking luggage locks if necessary, and pore over the contents to ensure there aren't weapons, explosives or other threats. Overstuffed bags can complicate this process, agents said. Duffel bags aren't easy to sift through, either. Agents will leave a notice of baggage inspection, playfully referred to as a 'T.S.A. love note.' The process for pets traveling as checked baggage differs. Pets don't travel on the conveyor belt and are screened by hand, a T.S.A. spokeswoman said. And the animals are loaded into the plane last and unloaded first upon arrival, a Delta spokeswoman said. Oversize luggage continues on the conveyor belt after screening, like other baggage. Ramp agents are constantly monitoring luggage flow on the conveyor belts. Jams can be caused by irregularly shaped or damaged bags and loose straps or zippers. Checked toolboxes, which can snag the belts, are also a culprit, T.S.A. agents said. Last year at LaGuardia, Delta handled four million checked bags on 81,000 flights, a spokeswoman said. Across its entire operations worldwide, Delta handled more than 145 million checked bags in 2024, about five million more than the previous year. The bag room The conveyor belt system at Terminal C is lengthy, clocking in at about three miles. The belts move the luggage from bag drop to screening and then to a carousel in the baggage room. Ramp agents then hoist the luggage into carts driven to the are loaded into carts and organized by whether they're local (to be picked up at the next destination), connecting or 'hot' — at LaGuardia, that refers to a bag that has a connection of less than an hour. Then ramp agents drive the carts to the planes. Agents can heft hundreds of bags daily. They take pride in the neatness and efficiency of their 'stack,' said Jordan Machado, a ramp department manager for Delta at LaGuardia. Stacking bags is 'a whole competition sport' among the ramp agents, Mr. Machado said. Onto the tarmac and onto the plane Ramp agents face a number of challenges inherent to the job: noisy conditions, inclement weather and strain on the body. Delta refers to these employees as 'industrial athletes.' For each departure at Terminal C, there's a handful of agents handling luggage: a pair pulling the bags off the belt and a trio getting the bags loaded onto the plane and prepping it for takeoff. For DL994, ramp agents began loading bags into the plane's cargo hold shortly after noon. The number of bags that can fit depends on the type of plane and on stacking strategy, like a game of Tetris. Each bag is scanned again as it enters the are loaded into different bins depending on factors that include connection time and whether the passenger is in a priority cabin. (Upon arrival, this generally means that elite Delta fliers will get their bags unloaded first.) Graham Dickie/The New York Times
