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KUALA LUMPUR, Ge-Shen Corp Bhd plans to raise up to RM103.76 million through two private placements, part of which will be used to increase its stake in Local Assembly Sdn Bhd, an electronic manufacturing services (EMS) firm, from 40% to 80%. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, the company said the first placement will involve up to 41.4 million new shares — representing no more than 10% of its issued share capital — to third-party investors at a price to be determined later. Assuming an issue price of RM1.45 per share, the first exercise is expected to raise up to RM60.02 million, which will mainly be used for working capital and loan repayments. As at the latest practicable date (Sept 26), Ge-Shen’s total borrowings stood at RM113.53 million. The second placement will involve up to 30.16 million new shares, or not more than 6.5% of its issued shares. Based on the same assumed price of RM1.45, this exercise is expected to raise RM43.74 million, of which RM39 million will go towards funding the acquisition of the additional 40% stake in Local Assembly. The total purchase consideration of RM52 million will be partly satisfied with cash and the issuance of 8.66 million new Ge-Shen shares at RM1.50 each, amounting to RM13 million. Ge-Shen said the acquisition would strengthen its position in the EMS sector and enable it to tap into Malaysia’s growing manufacturing market. Both the private placements and the acquisition are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026. Shares of Ge-Shen closed one sen lower at RM1.59 on Friday, giving the company a market value of RM642.55 million. Year to date, the counter has risen over 21%.

KULAI, The RM350 million allocation under Budget 2026 to strengthen the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi) network is expected to further boost e-entrepreneurship programmes and expand its role in delivering healthcare services to rural communities. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said Nadi serves as a key platform to help rural entrepreneurs grow their income through online businesses in collaboration with e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada and TikTok. “Those interested in becoming e-entrepreneurs can visit their nearest Nadi centre. If there is sufficient demand, we will invite trainers from e-commerce platforms to conduct workshops. “These sessions not only provide guidance on becoming online entrepreneurs but also include training on product packaging and poster design,” she told reporters after presenting a contribution to the Sri Nagakanni Temple in Bandar Putra here on Sunday. Teo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kulai, said there are currently 1,089 Nadi centres nationwide, with at least one centre in each state constituency. She added that Nadi’s functions will be expanded to include serving as a medical delivery hub through a pilot drone delivery project starting at the end of this year to enhance access to healthcare in rural areas. “This pilot project, a collaboration between the Communications Ministry and the Health Ministry, will begin in two locations — Sibu, Sarawak (involving the Sibu Jaya Health Clinic and Nadi Kampung Jeriah), and Tawau, Sabah (Tawau Health Clinic, Nadi Batu Payung and Nadi Kampung Sungai Imam),” she said. When tabling Budget 2026 in Parliament last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has allocated RM350 million to enhance Nadi centres, including initiatives to support rural entrepreneurs in generating additional income through online ventures. Earlier, Teo presented a RM20,000 contribution to Sri Nagakanni Temple chairman R Cheran to help rebuild the temple, which was severely damaged in a storm last August. The storm caused a large tree to fall onto the temple, destroying about 80% of its structure and rendering it unsafe. “I hope this contribution helps support the temple’s reconstruction efforts. To date, I have allocated RM80,000 to NGOs and temples in Kulai for various programmes, upgrades and repairs,” Teo added.

KUALA LUMPUR, Khazanah Nasional Bhd has reaffirmed its commitment to driving Malaysia’s strategic investment agenda in key growth areas such as semiconductors, energy transition, and rare earths. The sovereign wealth fund also aims to strengthen collaboration between local companies and multinational players within the semiconductor ecosystem. Managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said the initiatives, alongside efforts from other government-linked investment companies (GLICs), support the Government-linked Enterprises Activation and Reform (GEAR-UP) programme to boost domestic investment and industrial capabilities. He added that Khazanah’s K-Youth Development Programme will allocate RM200 million to provide industry-based training for 11,000 Malaysians, helping to equip local talent for future high-value industries. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently announced that Khazanah and the Retirement Fund (Incorporated) (KWAP) will jointly invest RM550 million to strengthen Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem by building partnerships between local and global companies. Through Dana Impak and Jelawang Capital, Khazanah is also investing to expand opportunities, develop talent, and support Malaysia’s innovation ecosystem. Additionally, its Mid-Tier Companies Programme will provide up to RM250 million in financing to help midsized firms scale up and move higher in the value chain. The initiatives were announced following the tabling of Budget 2026 — themed “Fourth MADANI Budget: The People’s Budget” — which totals RM470 billion, including RM419.2 billion in government allocation, marking the first budget under the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026–2030).

KUALA LUMPUR, Gold prices jumped back above the US$4,000-per-ounce mark on Friday, heading for an eighth consecutive weekly gain, after US President Donald Trump hinted at new tariffs on China — reigniting fears of a trade war and boosting demand for safe-haven assets. Spot gold rose 0.8% to US$4,007.39 per ounce as of 11.18am ET (1518 GMT), while US gold futures for December delivery climbed 1.3% to US$4,024.40. The precious metal has advanced 3.2% so far this week after hitting a record high of US$4,059.05 on Wednesday. Trump said there was “no reason” to meet China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea in two weeks, adding that Washington is calculating a “massive” increase in tariffs on Chinese imports. The announcement triggered a swift selloff in equities and a renewed rally in gold. “Trump heating up the trade war again will tank the dollar and boost safe-haven assets,” said independent metals trader Tai Wong, noting that gold’s swift rebound reflected heightened investor caution. Analysts said gold’s ongoing rally is underpinned by strong central bank purchases, exchange-traded fund inflows, expectations of US interest rate cuts, and persistent geopolitical uncertainty — including concerns over a potential French government collapse and the ongoing US government shutdown. The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points each in October and December. “While a short-term pullback is possible after such a steep rise, we expect gold prices to continue trending higher over the next couple of years,” said Hamad Hussain, climate and commodities economist at Capital Economics. Adding to the rally, the US dollar slipped 0.6%, making dollar-denominated bullion more attractive to non-US investors. Silver followed suit, rising 2.2% to US$50.21 per ounce after touching a record high of US$51.22 on Thursday. It has soared 70% so far this year, supported by concerns over a supply deficit and surging industrial demand. “Silver’s backwardation is a loud signal — physical demand is crushing paper supply,” said Alex Ebkarian, COO at Allegiance Gold. “If this continues, silver staying above US$50 looks very realistic.” Platinum added 0.3% to US$1,622.61, while palladium gained 2.8% to US$1,445, with both metals also on track for weekly gains.