Author name: admin

OpenAcademy, a Malaysian ed-tech platform, has introduced “Duit Yourself”, a financial literacy education series created in partnership with the Financial Education Network (FEN) — a national platform established by Bank Negara Malaysia — together with key members including the Malaysian Financial Planning Council (MFPC) and the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM). The programme aims to help young Malaysians better understand, manage, and grow their finances through engaging lessons led by certified experts. Launched in line with the priorities outlined under Belanjawan 2026, the initiative supports Malaysia’s broader push to strengthen financial literacy and resilience, especially among youths. Hosted on the OpenAcademy app, the free “Duit Yourself” series features 11 practical modules developed with FEN’s network of planners and educators. Topics include payslip basics, EPF and SOCSO, budgeting, debt management, savings, investments, and long-term financial planning. Crafted by professionals with on-the-ground experience, the content offers accurate, real-world insights to help Malaysians make informed financial decisions at every life stage. The digital-only series will be delivered through the OpenAcademy platform and supported by social media outreach with education partners. It is designed for students, young working adults, individuals planning their long-term financial future, and anyone seeking better control over their personal finances. “Financial literacy is about feeling confident in everyday money decisions. With the ‘Duit Yourself’ series, we worked with FEN and leading financial experts to build content that is engaging, credible, and freely accessible to all Malaysians,” said Celine Ting, Co-founder and Managing Director of OpenAcademy. Driving a national conversation on financial literacy The launch event also included a panel discussion titled “Are Malaysians Financially Literate?”, moderated by Daryll Tan, Co-founder of OpenMinds and OpenAcademy. Panelists included Kevin Neoh, Licensed Financial Planner and Certified Financial Coach; Anuar bin Shuib, CEO of VKA Islamic Wealth Management and Fellow of MFPC; and Daniela Strîmbei, Executive Director of SOLS Foundation. The session explored the state of financial literacy in Malaysia, the importance of early financial education, and the role of public–private collaboration in closing knowledge gaps. Panelists also discussed why financial illiteracy persists among youths despite rising awareness, the influence of social media, the gig economy’s impact on financial habits, and whether traditional literacy benchmarks still reflect today’s needs. Cultural mindsets, systemic challenges, and widespread misinformation were highlighted as key barriers, along with practical steps communities, institutions, and policymakers can take to drive meaningful behavioural change. Extending impact through “Teach to Thrive” Beyond financial literacy education, OpenAcademy is also expanding its social impact through the “Teach to Thrive” campaign, a movement focused on bridging the education gap and empowering underserved communities with practical, real-world skills. Built on the belief that education unlocks opportunity, the initiative aims to help individuals build better futures through knowledge and confidence. The campaign currently collaborates with SOLS Foundation and Women of Will (WOW) to make education more inclusive and accessible. For partnership enquiries or more information, contact OpenAcademy at [email protected].

BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB), Global Affairs Canada and Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst at Toronto Metropolitan University (“the Catalyst”) today announced the Women in Cyber Leadership Program, a strategic initiative designed to advance women cybersecurity professionals into leadership roles across Malaysia and ASEAN member states. Applications are now open, with the course scheduled to take place from 26-30 January, 2026, at the MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (CCoE) in Cyberjaya, Malaysia. The intensive five-day course will bring together mid-level women professionals across all sectors to develop strategic capabilities in cyber risk management, governance frameworks, and executive leadership. The program aims to help address a critical workforce challenge. Women remain significantly underrepresented in cybersecurity leadership roles, despite the Indo-Pacific region facing an escalating digital threat landscape and a shortage in human cyber capital. It also aligns with Malaysia’s goals to foster more diverse leadership in cybersecurity and strengthen the region’s digital economy. “It is inspiring to see so many women participating in skills training and globally-certified courses at the MCMC and BlackBerry Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Malaysia – but there is more work to be done as an industry to grow opportunities for women in cyber leadership roles across the region,” said Jaclyn Sim, Senior Manager, Cybersecurity Technical Training, BlackBerry. “As well as boosting regional cyber-resilience, this public-private sector initiative delivered in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada and the Catalyst can help to open doors for women to lead, influence, and shape the future of cybersecurity.” The curriculum combines practical application with strategic exploration of regional threat analysis, emerging technologies including AI, cyber governance frameworks, and executive communications. Participants will engage in tabletop simulation exercises, collaborative projects, and networking events led by global experts and regional leaders. The program culminates in a certificate of completion recognizing advanced leadership capabilities. “Cybersecurity is strongest when the people shaping it reflect the communities it protects, and it is encouraging to see Malaysia taking such proactive action to grow a more diverse and inclusive cybersecurity workforce,” added Charles Finlay, Founding Executive Director of the Catalyst. “We are proud to work with Global Affairs Canada and BlackBerry to support this effort, and create pathways for talented women in the Indo-Pacific to pursue leadership roles in one of the world’s fastest growing sectors.” The Women in Cyber program is offered at no cost for all accepted participants thanks to funding from the Government of Canada through its Anti-Crime and Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program. Travel bursaries covering transportation, accommodation, and meals are available for selected ASEAN nominees residing outside Malaysia. Approximately 40 women from ASEAN member states will participate in this program. This news follows a recent announcement during the 47th ASEAN Summit by the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, revealing that Canada is expanding its investment in advancing cybersecurity capacity building in the Indo-Pacific region. Under this initiative, Global Affairs Canada is providing CAD $226,000 to upskill and train 100 government and select civil society professionals in mid-level management roles through the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE in Cyberjaya, with more details to follow soon. Interested professionals for the ‘Women in Cyber’ program can apply here. Successful candidates will be notified in December 2025. For more information about the MCMC and BlackBerry CCoE, visit the website, follow us on LinkedIn, or contact us at [email protected].

Tencent Holdings Ltd has reached an agreement with Apple Inc that will allow the iPhone maker to manage payments and take a 15% commission on spending within WeChat’s mini apps and mini games — effectively ending a long-running dispute in the world’s largest smartphone market. The deal comes under a new Apple programme launched on Thursday, which will be available to all mini-app developers. To join, developers must comply with certain Apple software requirements, including features that support parental controls. Although the 15% fee is significantly lower than Apple’s usual 30% cut, it provides Apple with a new revenue stream and eases pressure on Tencent, which runs WeChat — an all-in-one platform used daily by over a billion people in China. Previously, Apple had pushed Tencent to block workarounds used by developers to direct users to external payment channels, bypassing Apple’s in-app purchase system. “We have a very good relationship with Apple and have collaborated in many areas,” Tencent president Martin Lau said during a post-earnings call on Thursday. “We’ve been discussing ways to make the mini-game ecosystem more vibrant. There may be an official announcement in due time.” The partnership marks a significant move toward smoothing Apple’s operations in China — a key market where it faces stiff competition from domestic giants like Xiaomi and Huawei. It could also pave the way for similar arrangements for digital purchases across Chinese app platforms, which operate differently from Apple’s ecosystem. Apple’s concession comes after long negotiations, amid increasing scrutiny of the company’s policies by Chinese authorities this year. While Apple tightly controls its app ecosystem globally, its leverage in China is relatively limited, where Tencent and other major players such as ByteDance dominate online content and impose their own fee structures. With the 15% share, Apple gains ground in the fast-growing mini-game segment. These games — operated entirely within WeChat — brought in 32.3 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion or RM18.75 billion) in social network revenue for Tencent in the September quarter. Tencent previously disclosed in August last year that it was in talks with Apple to establish “economically sustainable” and fair terms that would allow Apple to take a share of mini-app and mini-game transactions. Mini games have been expanding rapidly in popularity, and until now, Apple earned nothing from purchases made in these ecosystems. Globally, Apple has gradually eased its once-standard 30% commission in certain regions and cases, allowing exceptions for subscriptions and alternative payment options — part of broader changes to its longstanding app-store policies.

Citaglobal Bhd has secured a RM628 million contract from Jabatan Bekalan Air Malaysia (JBA) for a raw water and flood mitigation project in Selangor. The contract value is nearly double the group’s current market capitalisation of RM349 million and will boost its total order book to around RM1.7 billion, up from RM1.1 billion as of June 2025. In a filing to Bursa Malaysia on Thursday, Citaglobal said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Citaglobal Land Sdn Bhd (CLSB), has formally accepted the contract, under which it will serve as the project contractor. The contract follows a tender issued by JBA in March 2025 for the Dual-Function Pond for Raw Water Source and Flood Mitigation Package A Project, with CLSB submitting its bid in July 2025. The 48-month design-and-build project includes the construction of a weir and raw water pumping station at Sungai Klang, laying raw water pipelines to Sungai Air Hitam, and upgrading 10 existing ponds into detention and sedimentation systems. It also involves building a side spillway and stilling basin near the Sungai Air Hitam–Sungai Klang confluence, along with associated mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control system, and infrastructure works. The project is expected to positively impact Citaglobal’s earnings, earnings per share, and net assets during the contract period. Designed as a dual-function facility, the pond will serve both flood mitigation and raw water supply purposes, enhancing Selangor’s water security and increasing the state’s reserve margin to over 15%. At the noon break on Thursday, Citaglobal’s share price remained steady at 82 sen, maintaining a market capitalisation of RM349 million.