Latest news with #Woon
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
U Mobile, OCK ink MoU for nationwide next Gen 5G rollout
KUALA LUMPUR: U Mobile has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with OCK Group Bhd's subsidiary, OCK Telco Infra Sdn Bhd, for its nationwide Next Gen 5G rollout. In a statement today, U Mobile said OCK will become one of U Mobile's preferred 5G In-Building Coverage (IBC) infrastructure partners for the rollout. It said this collaboration represents another critical milestone in U Mobile's Next Gen 5G network deployment, especially in delivering a superior 5G performance in high-traffic indoor environments. U Mobile chief technology officer Woon Ooi Yuen said as Malaysia's Next Gen 5G network provider, the company is committed to empowering consumers and enterprises through reliable, ultra-fast connectivity. Woon said this partnership with OCK further enhances our ability to deliver that promise, especially in indoor and high-density environments. "OCK will also serve as a key enabler in supporting our goal of achieving 80 per cent coverage of populated areas (CoPA) by July 2026, while laying the foundation for broader 5G innovation and adoption," he said. With OCK's experience and capabilities in deploying telco infrastructure, U Mobile aims to accelerate its 5G IBC deployment with customised solutions tailored to the unique needs of each site. The partnership will prioritise reliable, high-performance indoor 5G connectivity that supports ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and seamless user experiences. Both parties also aim to deliver a fast and cost-effective deployment through a commercially competitive arrangement. "As part of the MOU, U Mobile and OCK will also jointly explore next-generation IBC innovations, including solutions that integrate technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, and autonomous systems, laying the groundwork for future-ready digital environments," it added.
Business Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Grow greener: Home-grown firm expands urban design expertise to over 40 countries
You step out for lunch. The heat and humidity hit you immediately. Within minutes, your skin is sticky, your shirt clings to your back and you long for the cool embrace of air-conditioning. Scientists estimate that Singapore endured 122 extra days of dangerous heat in 2024 due to climate change. These are defined as days when the mean temperatures were higher than the warmest 10 per cent of readings from 1991 to 2020. Compounding this is the urban heat island effect, says Mr Henry Woon, director of Environment, Buildings + Cities, at Surbana Jurong Group (SJ). Headquartered in Singapore and wholly owned by investment company Temasek, SJ is a global consultancy specialising in urban development, infrastructure and managed services, with offices in more than 40 countries. It brings together 10 global member brands to design and develop smarter, more sustainable solutions for the future. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 12.30 pm ESG Insights An exclusive weekly report on the latest environmental, social and governance issues. Sign Up Sign Up Speaking to The Straits Times along the Read Bridge in Clarke Quay, Mr Woon explains that the urban heat island effect is a phenomenon where cities tend to be hotter than rural areas. 'It is more pronounced in areas that are densely built-up and lack sufficient greenery and wind flow,' says the 44-year-old, who has over 20 years of experience in environmental and sustainable design. Familiar urban materials such as concrete, glass and steel are key contributors, Mr Woon explains. They trap heat and raise temperatures in the surroundings. So what can we do? Use the art and the science of design to create cooler, smarter, and friendlier urban spaces, he says. Expanding expertise Surbana Jurong Group (SJ) has helped shape Singapore's housing and industrial landscapes, including designing over a million homes. The company has broadened its global reach and expertise in recent years – especially in sustainability. One ongoing project: Exploring ways to protect Singapore's coastline from rising sea levels. A key driver of this transformation was Temasek's investment in 2015. 'Cities are increasingly integrating smart technologies, sustainable materials and resilient urban design into their built environments,' says Mr Russell Tham, head of Emerging Technologies, Temasek, and former board member of SJ. The Singapore-headquartered investment firm saw growing opportunities in the urban development sector, he adds. 'As an active shareholder, we (Temasek) are committed to engaging our portfolio companies, such as SJ, on their growth strategies to create sustained long-term value.' For SJ, this has meant strategic investments to accelerate expansion, including the acquisition of 10 companies to offer a wider range of sustainable solutions, says Mr Tham. Mr Sean Chiao, group chief executive officer of SJ, adds: 'Temasek's support has been crucial in fuelling our growth, by bringing together companies who are leaders in their respective fields, to form a collective of problem solvers.' Today, SJ operates in over 40 countries and employs 16,000 globally. Its annual revenue has surged from $400 million in 2015 to $2.3 billion in 2024, with 7,000 active projects worldwide. Expand Designing comfort Stepping under the shade of the iconic CQ @ Clarke Quay canopies, Mr Woon points out how the temperature immediately feels about 2.5 deg C cooler – even though the actual temperature hasn't changed. Mr Henry Woon, director of Environment, Buildings + Cities, SJ, is part of the team that worked on making CQ @ Clarke Quay more conducive for daytime activities. PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA The canopies are made from a lightweight, transparent plastic membrane called ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). The ETFE material enables the canopies to reduce solar heat gain by more than 60 per cent, says Mr Woon, improving comfort during the day. The goal of the CQ @ Clarke Quay rejuvenation project – completed in 2024 as part of a $62 million asset enhancement initiative by CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust – was to make the precinct more conducive for daytime activities. Mr Woon, who contributed to the project, shares how SJ uses environmental design elements to improve urban spaces and buildings. Cooler The new ETFE canopies at CQ @ Clarke Quay reduce the surface temperature of the concrete floors from over 40 to around 32 deg C at mid-day, says Mr Woon. This same material is used to shelter the indoor gardens at SJ's headquarters, located within CleanTech Park at Jurong Innovation District, keeping temperatures down while allowing natural light to filter through. Smarter For CQ @ Clarke Quay, SJ designed a customised misting fan system that provides an evaporative cooling effect to the surrounding food and beverage zones. This new fan design reduces energy consumption by about 50 per cent compared with the original fan system, he says, and helps lower the environmental temperature in the surrounding area by about 2 deg C. Greener Situated between Fort Canning and the Singapore River, CQ @ Clarke Quay 'has open spaces in all directions, allowing for natural ventilation', says Mr Woon. The team worked with CQ @ Clarke Quay's unique location to create a comfortable outdoor environment without relying on energy-intensive cooling. The enhanced natural ventilation, combined with the customised misting fans, helps counter the urban heat island effect by preventing heat from accumulating in the surrounding street area, he adds. SJ applied this same approach – of integrating a building with its natural surroundings – to one of its latest projects: Mandai Rainforest Resort. Nestled within the lush Mandai Wildlife Reserve, the resort was designed with nature-based principles. It was carefully built around existing trees in the area to preserve them, while maximising natural ventilation and shading. Building better Surbana Jurong Group (SJ) has over 120 offices in more than 40 countries across its 10 global member brands. Here's how it's helping to shape more sustainable and resilient cities. Snowy 2.0 in Australia. PHOTO: SJ Snowy 2.0, Australia: The pumped-hydro project will deliver 2,000 megawatts of on-demand renewable power and about 350,000-megawatt-hours of large-scale energy storage, helping to stabilise Australia's electricity supply. Sarawak Energy Transition Masterplan, Malaysia: The project aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions in Sarawak and drive sustainable economic growth through renewable energy resources like hydropower, and low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. Google London King's Cross, United Kingdom: Google's London headquarters integrates green roofs, energy-efficient lighting and natural ventilation to reduce its environmental impact and improve employee well-being. Kigali City Master Plan, Rwanda: This urban development blueprint aims to transform Rwanda's capital into a modern financial hub while addressing residents' needs through affordable housing, transport and infrastructure services. King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), Saudi Arabia: As the project management consultant, SJ helped KAIA expand capacity and enhance traveller experiences, especially for the millions of pilgrims transiting through the airport annually during haj and Umrah. Expand For people and planet, a positive impact Over half of the global population (55 per cent) currently resides in urban areas, according to data from the United Nations (UN). This figure is projected to reach 70 per cent by 2050. But every building carries an environmental cost. Already, the built environment is responsible for 37 per cent of global energy-related emissions, says a 2023 UN Environment Programme study. As part of the World Green Building Council's Net Zero Carbon Building Commitment, SJ has pledged to develop and implement a decarbonisation roadmap. This will outline key actions and milestones to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2030. Carbon neutral means that any carbon emissions released into the atmosphere is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed. But is reducing or offsetting carbon emissions enough? No, says SJ's Mr Woon. 'For those of us shaping urban spaces, our responsibility shouldn't stop at just minimising impact,' he adds, introducing the concept of regenerative design in the built environment. Regenerative design goes beyond sustainability, Mr Woon explains, by moving away from doing less harm to creating a 'net-positive impact'. It is about designing spaces that are better for the planet and people, he adds, enhancing the well-being of those who use it. SJ group chief executive officer Sean Chiao says the company is focused on a 'regenerative future', beyond just carbon reduction. PHOTO: CMG 'We're driving towards a regenerative future,' says Mr Sean Chiao, group chief executive officer of SJ. 'Beyond carbon reduction, we're committed to shaping cities and buildings that regenerate, not just sustain, in the long term.' The transformation of CQ @ Clarke Quay, which reimagined the precinct for daytime use and integrated the space with its natural surroundings, reflects this vision. The goal wasn't to change CQ @ Clarke Quay's identity but to breathe new life into it, says Mr Woon. It's an approach that embodies SJ's mission – designing urban spaces that create a positive impact for people and the planet. 'The growth of Temasek's portfolio companies from local to regional and global leaders reflects Singapore's pioneering spirit and its DNA of determination, innovation and vision. 'As an active shareholder, Temasek engages them to enhance shareholder value as they grow their competitive edge and generate sustainable long-term returns, while fostering meaningful change for people and communities – so every generation prospers.' – Mr Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, executive director and chief executive officer, Temasek Our Singapore DNA, a series in partnership with Temasek, spotlights how home-grown companies in its portfolio have grown into regional and global leaders. It also explores how Temasek has partnered them throughout their journeys. Expand This was first published in The Straits Times.
Sunday World
16-05-2025
- Sunday World
Irish boxer caught with drugs at Manchester Airport took offer he ‘couldn't refuse'
The 36-year-old was caught with €117,180 worth of cannabis in a suitcase An Irish boxer who was caught with drugs at Manchester Airport took an offer he 'couldn't refuse' according to his defence counsel. Edward Nesbitt was jailed after he picked up a suitcase containing 23 kilograms of cannabis from a baggage belt in March. The 36-year-old collected the drugs after he landed in the UK on a flight from Amsterdam. Manchester Crown Court heard that the suitcase arrived on a flight from Singapore with Yoke Woon, an Uber driver from Malaysia. He then left the case on a luggage carousel in Terminal 2 for the Northern Irish father of two, who then picked it up and attempted to exit the airport. CCTV showed Woon arriving on a Singapore Airlines flight shortly after 8.30 am on March 4th. He walked through the baggage reclaim hall without collecting the luggage he checked onto the flight. Edward Nesbitt News in 90 Seconds - May 16th On the same morning, Nesbitt arrived on a KLM flight, collected Woon's suitcase, and walked through the 'nothing to declare' channel while attempting to exit the airport. When he was stopped and questioned by customs, he said the suitcase was not his and claimed that he had stolen it. Officers discovered 23 kilograms of cannabis worth €117,180 (£93,600). The two men were arrested and answered 'no comment' to questions asked throughout their interviews. The court heard Woon left Manchester Airport following the incident, but was arrested when he returned a week later for a flight to Abu Dhabi. Both men pleaded guilty to the fraudulent importation of class B drugs. Nesbitt had 13 sets of previous convictions for 27 offences in Northern Ireland. He was serving a suspended sentence at the time of the drug smuggling operation. His defence counsel, Sarah Magill, told the court that he had a 'boxing career' in Northern Ireland, but went on to commit 'low-level' crime. She said her client had alcohol issues, and previous 'substance' issues, and felt he had been handed an 'offer he couldn't refuse.' Magill added that while he had split from the mother of his two children, they had a 'constructive parental relationship.' The court heard the men had 'received very limited financial benefit' for their crimes. Woon had no previous criminal convictions, and the court heard his role in the drug smuggling operation came as a 'complete shock and surprise' to his family, who were present in court for the proceedings. His defence counsel, James Skelsey said he 'reluctantly' got involved in the operation, and demonstrated 'immaturity and naivety' after he was 'told he would not be in big trouble if he did get caught.' However, he accepted his client made a 'colossal mistake' and pleaded for leniency. In her sentencing remarks, Judge Hilary Manley said the pair 'had operated separately but in tandem' as part of the plot to import the cannabis. While she told Woon his involvement was 'very out of character', she said Nesbitt had 'mental health problems including autism and learning difficulties.' "It's sad that each of you has allowed yourself to be embroiled in this enterprise which has to lead to an immediate sentence of imprisonment in my judgment," she said. Nesbitt, of Sandown Park, Northern Ireland was handed a sentence of 12 months in prison, while Woon of no fixed abode was jailed for 10 months.
Singapore Law Watch
05-05-2025
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Man allegedly linked to Nvidia chips case in Singapore out on $1m bail, may face more charges
Man allegedly linked to Nvidia chips case in Singapore out on $1m bail, may face more charges Source: Straits Times Article Date: 03 May 2025 Author: Shaffiq Alkhatib The authorities in the US are looking into the potential circumvention of export controls for advanced Nvidia chips. Three men allegedly linked to computer servers exported to Malaysia that might contain Nvidia chips have been released on bail and at least one of them might face additional charges. Chinese national Li Ming, 51, is now out on bail of $1 million. Singaporeans Alan Wei Zhaolun, 48, and Aaron Woon Guo Jie, 40, are out on bail of $800,000 and $600,000 respectively. Nvidia is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer in the US. On May 2, Deputy Public Prosecutor Phoebe Tan asked the court to grant a 12-week adjournment for the three as investigations were ongoing. However, Li's lawyer asked for his client's case to be adjourned for a pre-trial conference instead. When District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam asked why the adjournment was needed, DPP Tan said the case was complex and Li could face more charges. Lawyers acting for the Singaporeans did not object to the prosecutor's suggestion. The judge granted an eight-week adjournment for the three, and their cases will be mentioned again on June 27. Li faces two charges – one of fraud and one under the Computer Misuse Act. Woon and Wei face two fraud charges each. Li is accused of committing fraud on Supermicro, a supplier of servers, by claiming in 2023 that the end user of the servers would be a company he controlled, called Luxuriate Your Life. He also allegedly accessed an OCBC corporate bank account without authorisation to make and receive transfers for Luxuriate Your Life on June 19, 2024. Woon and Wei are accused of being in a criminal conspiracy to defraud two suppliers of servers, Dell and Supermicro. They allegedly made false representations in 2024 that the servers would not be transferred to a person other than the authorised end users. The pair worked at Aperia Cloud Services, a Singapore-based technology company. Wei was the company's chief executive and Woon its chief operating officer. Preliminary investigations showed that servers from US firms Dell and Supermicro, possibly embedded with Nvidia AI chips, were sent to Singapore-based companies before they were exported to Malaysia. The probe came after an anonymous tip-off. Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said on March 3 that the servers most likely contained items subject to export controls by the US. The US government had in 2022 imposed a number of export controls to restrict the sale of high-performance AI chips to China. Questions were raised in the US in 2025 when a Chinese start-up launched DeepSeek, an AI platform allegedly using chips from Nvidia. The launch of DeepSeek in January wiped around US$1 trillion (S$1.3 trillion) off the value of US tech stocks. The authorities in the US are looking into the potential circumvention of its export controls for advanced Nvidia chips. The chip designer in a statement said there was no reason to believe DeepSeek had obtained any export-controlled products from Singapore. Mr Shanmugam said Singapore was investigating if Malaysia was a final destination for the servers or if the servers went somewhere else. He added that if there were false representations within Singapore about the servers' final destination, then an offence under the country's laws had been committed. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
New Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Three men linked to Nvidia server exports to Malaysia out on bail
KUALA LUMPUR: Three men allegedly linked to computer servers exported to Malaysia that might contain Nvidia chips have been released on bail, with at least one of them potentially facing additional charges. Chinese national Li Ming, 51, is now out on bail of S$1 million (about RM3.29 million), The Straits Times reported. Singaporeans Alan Wei Zhaolun, 48, and Aaron Woon Guo Jie, 40, were released on bail of S$800,000 (about RM2.6 million) and S$600,000 (RM1.97 million), respectively. Nvidia is a leading artificial intelligence (AI) chip designer based in the US. On May 2, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Phoebe Tan requested a 12-week adjournment for the trio, as investigations were ongoing. However, Li's lawyer requested a pre-trial conference adjournment instead. When District Judge Ng Cheng Thiam asked why the adjournment was needed, DPP Tan said the case was complex and that Li could face more charges. Lawyers for the two Singaporeans did not object to the prosecutor's request. The judge granted an eight-week adjournment for all three. The next mention has been set for June 27. Li faces one fraud charge and another under the Computer Misuse Act. Woon and Wei face two fraud charges each. Li is accused of defrauding Supermicro, a server supplier, by claiming in 2023 that the end user of the servers would be a company he controlled, Luxuriate Your Life. He is also alleged to have accessed an OCBC corporate bank account without authorisation to make and receive transfers on behalf of Luxuriate Your Life on June 19, 2024. Woon and Wei are accused of conspiring to defraud two server suppliers Dell and Supermicro by falsely claiming in 2024 that the servers would not be transferred to anyone other than the authorised end users. The pair worked at Aperia Cloud Services, a Singapore-based technology company. Wei was the company's chief executive, while Woon served as its chief operating officer. Preliminary investigations showed that servers from US firms Dell and Supermicro - possibly embedded with Nvidia AI chips - were sent to Singapore-based companies before being exported to Malaysia. The probe was triggered by an anonymous tip-off. In 2022, the US government imposed a series of export controls restricting the sale of high-performance AI chips to China. Questions arose in the US in 2025 when a Chinese start-up launched DeepSeek, an AI platform allegedly using Nvidia chips. The launch of DeepSeek in January reportedly wiped around US$1 trillion off the value of US tech stocks. US authorities are now investigating whether its export controls on advanced Nvidia chips were circumvented. Nvidia said in a statement there was no reason to believe DeepSeek had obtained any export-controlled products from Singapore. Singapore authorities were investigating whether Malaysia was the final destination for the servers or if they were re-exported elsewhere.
