Enterprise Explores

Leading up to Malaysia Day on the 16th of September, we’re taking a deep dive into what will determine our nation’s future - and today, we’re covering our language. Recently, over 30 schools in Penang have pushed for the Dual Language Programme, allowing for Science and Maths to be taught in English. Citing Penang’s position as an E&E manufacturing hub, Jagdeep Singh Deo said that the island needs about 10,000 skilled technicians in the sector in the next three to five years. Currently, there are only about 2,000. One of the critiques of a Malay curriculum is that the language lacks the vocabulary to be used widely, with English better suited to understand and contribute to technological advancements. That being said, how can Malaysia expect to come to prominence in an international landscape if Malay is not continuously developed? Joining us in this discussion is Canna Tan, a Senior Human Resources Manager. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Malaysia marks its 66th independence year, the spotlight is on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in SMEs. Dr.Matthew Wong from CarbonWorks discusses their scientific approach to ESG and the importance of carbon as an asset within this space. Additionally, CarbonGPT, an AI tool, emerges as a pivotal aid for businesses, offering in-depth sustainability insights and precise carbon accounting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Internet Alliance Malaysia has announced the launch of its Talent Development Programme in partnership with the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) and the Malaysian Digital Association (MDA). The programme aims to nurture future-ready digital talent to fill the growing demand for tech careers in the digital economy and it is supported by more than 130 member companies. On top of that, the Talent Development Programme is the first in Internet Alliance’s three-phase campaign that aims to upskill, reskill, and empower homegrown talents through ecosystem partnership. So, we wanted to know how talent development programs bridge the gap between traditional education and industry needs, how Internet Alliance addresses skills gaps and ensure a steady supply of industry level professionals, as well as how these programs keep pace with the evolving technologies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tech Tuesday: Threads is now finally on the web; Hum a tune to find the official version on YouTube; OpenAI’s first acquisition is an AI design company; and ‘Silent Walking’ is a new TikTok trend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Borders Malaysia started back in 2005. 18 years on, in June this year, it announced that it will officially cease operations on 31st August.The rise and fall of Borders exemplify the challenges that traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores faced in adapting to the digital age and changing consumer preferences for purchasing books and other media. Today, we speak at those still in the fight, and what the shutdown of physical stores would mean to bookstores in the future.Helping us with this conversation are Fong Min Hun, Founder of Lit Books, and Andrew Yap, Managing Director of BookXcess.Photo credits: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In July, the government launched the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) Phase 1 to accelerate Malaysia's energy transition. The Roadmap is critical in supporting: the Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025, which outlines aspirations for the nation to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, as well as the National Energy Policy (DTN) launched in September 2022, with aspirations to become a low carbon nation in 2040.The NETR is also crucial in navigating the complexity of energy transition on a large scale, especially the shift from a traditional fossil fuel-based economy to a high-value green economy.On this episode of Biz Bytes we speak to Zarihi Hashim, Chief New Energy Officer (CNEO) at Tenaga Nasional Berhad, about the work Tenaga Nasional is doing to drive the Energy Transition as well as expectations for the Energy Transition Conference 2023 happening on the 28 & 29 of August.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a global scale, women remain largely under-represented in the field of entrepreneurship. In Malaysia, despite making up approximately 49% of the population, female entrepreneurs are only estimated to make up 20% of the industry (based on registered entrepreneurs).On top of that, securing financing remains a great challenge for female entrepreneurs, with less than 3% of global VC funding in 2019 going to female start-ups, with the number dropping further to 1% in 2020.Despite this, in 2022 more women than ever started their own businesses, with twice as many businesses being started by women in the UK than in 2018. Female-led businesses continue to show great economic potential, with a BCG publication from 2018 noting that businesses founded by women ultimately deliver higher revenue—more than twice as much per dollar invested—than those founded by men, making women-owned companies better investments for financial backers. On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we speak to Lean In Malaysia about their new Entrepreneurs Bootcamp 1.0 and how they’re trying to support more women in entrepreneurship. Helping us with this conversation are Alia Ainuddin, Lead for Lean In Malaysia’s Community Engagement team, and Shamila Ravindran, Managing Partner of Ravindran Advocates & Solicitors and Lean In Malaysia advisor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The digitalisation of media has brought on a plethora of new ideas especially from the younger generation. However, this rise of individualism has brought into question our long-held beliefs of the traditional workplace. “Lazy girl jobs” are reflective of a rising anti-work sentiment among younger generations where people take up low stress, low effort jobs which prioritise flexibility and freedom. Giving us insights on this topic today is Mallory Loone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trust is incredibly important for businesses to succeed. Among other things, you need trust for customers to buy your products and for employees to stay with you and keep performing at their jobs. On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we explore the key pillars of building trust and how it differs between stakeholder with Pauline Ho, the Building Trust Programme Sponsor & Assurance Partner for PwC Malaysia.Among other things, we discuss the key lessons or common denominators of building trust, how the concept of trust has changed over the last few years, and how PwC Malaysia’s Building Trust Awards (BTA) assesses companies when it comes to building trust and how social listening, AI tools, and judging how annual reports are written plays a part in the process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Future Sound Asia has announced a refund mechanism for ticket holders after the cancellation of the 2023 Good Vibes Festival last month. The FSA told ticket holders that it would be appreciated if they could spare or defer any amount of the refund, saying this would help “save GVF”.However there has been some backlash to this request, with some wondering why they should need to fork out their own cash to help “save GVF”We explore this today with Wan Alman, Director Of Entertainment at Future Sound Asia. Among other things, we dive into the economic impact of the event cancellations, crisis management in this industry, and whether Good Vibes still has a Future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.