Latest news with #Ngui
Business Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Businesses tackling Asia's ageing crisis awarded S$3 million at DBS Foundation's Impact Beyond Awards
[SINGAPORE] Smart emergency-response devices available round the clock and using artificial intelligence (AI) to help clients match with caregivers were among the four ideas that won the DBS Foundation's inaugural Impact Beyond Awards. They were unveiled during the DBS Foundation Impact Beyond Dialogue on Thursday (May 29). Collectively, the winners will receive S$3 million from the DBS Foundation and support from the bank to further aid them in tackling urgent needs in ageing societies through developing new products, upscaling their operations and more. The emergency-response device, known as the Buddy of Parents (BOP) Button, is for seniors who live alone or lack 24/7 caregiving support. The wall-mounted, battery-operated BOP Button helps to connect seniors to a round-the-clock emergency response centre if they press it. This emergency device is the flagship product of BOP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-based technology provider iWow Technology. Another winner, Evercare Health – a Hong Kong-based healthcare service – is tackling eldercare from another angle: using AI-powered algorithms to match caregivers and clients. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Through Evercare's mobile app, patients and their caregivers are offered features that include scheduling, in-app communication and payment processing. This is alongside connecting seniors with qualified caregivers and specialty services by considering each patient's personal preferences. Rounding out the list of winners were China-based Hua Kang Health Industry Group and India-based Life Circle Health Services. Force for good The awards build on the foundation's commitment to help purpose-driven businesses create an impact, which includes an annual DBS Foundation grant programme for social enterprises that has been running since 2015. This programme has disbursed S$21.5 million in funding to more than 160 organisations regionwide. 'We hope these innovative businesses for impact will demonstrate that businesses can indeed be a force for good,' said Karen Ngui, head of DBS Foundation and DBS group strategic marketing and communications. 'Ageing well should not be a privilege for just the select few but a shared promise for all.' Ngui highlighted that living in a world where the number of people aged over 60 outnumber those younger than five is 'sobering to see'. Singapore was deemed an aged society in 2017 and is barrelling towards a 'super-aged' status in 2026. By 2030, one in four of Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. An ageing population could create social fractures as seniors, especially those living alone, are more susceptible to social isolation. Rising life expectancies also put a strain on the Republic's healthcare system and raise the emotional and financial burdens on families and caregivers. These were some of the issues explored by the four winners, as well as some senior executives from DBS, GovTech chief executive Goh Wei Boon and Dr Fidah Alsagoff, vice-chairman of life sciences at Temasek International, during the Impact Beyond Dialogue. Kenneth Wong, CEO of Evercare Health, pointed to an inflection point that many will probably go through – transitioning from being someone's child to being their caregiver. For some, the change develops gradually but it can be immediate for others, said Wong, adding that, regardless, it is something that many are never prepared for. His AI-powered technology is aimed at simplifying that and making healthcare more flexible and accessible. Chen Jer Yaw, executive director of BOP, noted that the human-centeredness of these technologies is also important. 'We must understand that technology is to aid (the) human ability to reach out to our loved ones,' he said, adding that though nothing will replace human touch, AI's advancement can still help reduce feelings of isolation. Support needed However, businesses looking to address issues raised by an ageing population have also realised that they cannot face the problem alone. Both the CEO of Life Circle Health Services and the chairman of Huakang Health Group highlighted that they needed two types of support. The first of which, to understand their customers, would be partnerships with grassroots organisations that have worked closely with seniors and caregivers. The second would be government support to help them scale up operations. Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, noted that besides creating partnerships between various parts of the ecosystem, building transborder relations is also important. 'We have to create these bridges so that, in spite of whatever geopolitical noises we have, we can embrace AI for good and use it really to create good for the firm and for our societies.'
Borneo Post
01-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Premier: Sarawak to introduce Cambridge assessment for Year 6 students in October
Mann (fifth right) and Ngui holds up the signed agreement witnessed by Abang Johari (centre). – Facebook photo/Sarawakku KUCHING (May 1): Sarawak is set to implement the Cambridge assessment for Year 6 students this coming October, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg. The initiative, approved by the federal Ministry of Education through the state Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), aims to enhance English proficiency among students while maintaining a strong emphasis on Bahasa Malaysia. 'This is not about neglecting our national language. It is about preparing our children to be globally competitive while remaining rooted in our national identity,' said the Premier. He was speaking in London after witnessing the signing of an agreement between the Sarawak government and Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUPA), which will serve as the official assessing and qualifying body for the Cambridge assessment in Sarawak. Following this ceremony, CUPA will be the assessing and qualifying body for the state's Cambridge assessment, said a Sarawakku report today. In recalling the era where Senior Cambridge Certificate (SC) and Higher School Certificate (HSC) had been the standards of educational qualifications for Sarawak prior to the implementation of the national education policy, he said many Sarawakians today are the products of these examinations. In a post-ceremony media conference, the premier said the assessment would be administered by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak. Representing CUPA at the signing ceremony was its Partnership for Education managing director Jane Mann while MEITD was represented by Swinburne Innovation Malaysia chief executive officer Prof George Ngui. Among those present were Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, MEITD Minister Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, MEITD Deputy Ministers Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee and Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, and Deputy Minister in the Premier's Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.
The Star
30-04-2025
- Health
- The Star
Want to reduce your kid's screen time? Start with yourself first
Excessive screen time among kids and adolescents is a perennial issue, but what if managing young ones' digital exposure is about governing parents' own screen time? Between parents scrolling on TikTok, Instagram and binge-watching Netflix series, sometimes they themselves are guilty of unrestricted digital device usage. Sunway Medical Centre clinical psychologist Evelyn Ngui Ailing says sometimes, parents are hooked on digital devices for several reasons, including work and entertainment. 'So they give their kids smartphones or tablets for some peace of mind,' she says. 'Sometimes, some parents are not even aware of how much screen time their kids have.' She says while parents are very careful about what they say (in her office), their description may not reflect what happens at home. Phubbing – the practice of ignoring others in order to pay attention to one's digital device – is detrimental to kids because it denies kids time, attention and communication that are necessary for their development. 'Young kids require a lot of attention, connection and activities done together with their parents, like playing or building; parental screen time takes this away from them,' she says. Ngui says there are several factors why phubbing happens and why kids are allowed screen time as parents go online. 'They include parental attitude, like convincing themselves that a gadget helps kids learn. Some parents are also struggling with domestic issues like marriage and financial troubles, and giving kids digital devices help them manage these situations,' she says. However, as this continues, kids who are given smartphones will be glued to their screens more and parents will eventually feel helpless. Use with pullout quote Cultivating family values Ngui says habits are not formed in a day and parents should make sense of the situation and ask themselves what they want in their lives. 'If they want to connect with their kids and the obstacles are the gadgets, then they need to take devices out of the equation and in turn, spend time connecting with their kids,' she advises. 'This is not easy and requires a mindful shift... but it's necessary,' she says. Universiti Malaya senior psychology lecturer Dr Nordinah Mohd Kassim agrees. Parents, she says, 'need not be perfect, but they need to be present'. 'Being present doesn't mean being in the same house as your child. It means actually being present in conversations when your child talks, playing with them and really listening to them,' she says. 'There are some parents who are always with their kids, but who are not present. Likewise, some busy parents are always present when they are home.' Nordinah says parents need to be present in their child's life. — Dr NORDINAH MOHD KASSIM Ngui says parents need to take the rein in developing family values. 'These include setting rules and boundaries, like designating the dining table as a no-screen zone, no screens before bedtime and reserving a weekend morning for family activities, like breakfast or exercise, no device included,' she says. She adds that parents should develop these habits and values and set boundaries, because kids don't know when's and what's enough. 'They should not give kids free rein on what they watch and how long they are on a device,' she says. 'Parental control has to come from the outside in, especially with younger kids who don't know what's good for them,' she says. Nordinah adds that parents need to set digital rules that align with their family values. 'If we want to reduce the screen time of our children, then they mustn't see us glued to the phone all the time,' she says. 'Children learn based on what they see, not what they are asked to do, so it is imperative that parents themselves set a healthy example when it comes to screen time,' she says. Ngui says parents need to set clear boundaries, including setting rules like designating the dining table as a no-screen zone. Photo: Freepik Tool, not replacement Nordinah says parents' excessive screen time may eat up the time they have to teach their kids life skills like doing age-appropriate house chores. 'I think life skills are very important to teach early on. They empower kids and teach responsibility. But these are kids and they are still learning, so parents need to allow mistakes,' she says. 'Life skills are crucial in building resilience,' she adds. Ngui says parents should treat digital devices as learning tools, and not let them take the place of parents. 'Visual information can be engaging, but it should be complemented with parental presence to explain, converse and interact with the child. Interactive learning should happen with parental involvement and conversations. It is parents who should be teaching and assuming their parts in interactive learning,' Ngui adds. She says no single kid is the same, so parents need to decide on the age when their child needs a smartphone or a digital device, and how long can the child spend on it. 'Parents can use this to teach kids about consequences and responsibilities. These are opportunities for the family to work together; to give kids some autonomy and opportunity without relinquishing parental responsibilities,' she says. 'I believe if parents start to do this consciously while the kids are younger, it would pave a way to better communication and screen exposure as the child grows into a teenager, when smartphones will become an integral tool for their communication,' she adds.
Borneo Post
29-04-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Companies donate laptops to school housing stateless kids
Lau (front, second left) receives a laptop from a sponsor's representative. Looking on are (front ,from right) Tan, Ngui and Ting. SIBU (April 29): JY One Stop Services & Co and Hilltop Engineering Sdn Bhd have contributed 10 units of laptop computers to Destiny For Children (DFC), a school that caters to undocumented children. In her remarks, DFC treasurer Anne Lau expresses gratitude to Persatuan Kebajikan Bantuan Komuniti Terpinggir (Bantu Sarawak) for initiating the move to help find the donors for the centre. 'We are truly thankful to Bantu Sarawak and the donors. With these computers, we will embark on a journey to enhance our curriculum, engaging trainers to educate our teachers, who will in turn impart this knowledge to our students,' she said in her speech for the presentation event today. The DFC currently have 10 teachers and 135 undocumented children. Adding on, Lau said the students would not only learn basic IT skills, but also get into designs and even participate in social media activities. 'Education is evolving rapidly, with technology at its core. In this era of artificial intelligence (AI), it is crucial to equip our young learners with IT skills to navigate the competitive world awaiting them post-graduation. 'By bridging the digital divide, we aim to empower the children with the necessary skills to thrive in a technology-driven society, ensuring their success as they transition into the workforce. 'So, let us all extend our heartfelt appreciation to Bantu Sarawak for their unwavering support and dedication to fostering a brighter future for these underserved children.' Bantu Sarawak, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded by Jeffry Ngui, aims to raise funds, help and identify, and provide assistance to the neglected communities. Ngui, in his brief address, said the programme for DFC was one of its Project Noah's Ark beneficiaries. 'We have already helped build a computer lab for DFC and hopefully, we could continue to look into areas at the DFC that need to be upgraded.' Also attending the event were DFC advisor Ting Wei Ping and Bantu Sarawak Sibu coordinator Tan Leong Wee. donation laptop private company undocumented children
