Author name: theexchangeasia admin

Pop Meals, one of Malaysia’s home-grown food brands, is proud to announce a major milestone in its journey: the official Halal certification of the Pop Meals brand. The certification was celebrated at a special Halal Certification Ceremony held at Pop Meals’ Pantai Hospital outlet on Thursday, 9 July 2026, officiated by high-ranking officials from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). High ranking Jakim Officials with Pop Meals’ Director Nursuriani Binti Tajul Azhar, Halal Quality Manager, Syahida binti Wahid Udin and Halal Executive, Ainna Sofia Zamri during the celebration. The ceremony marks an important step forward for Pop Meals as it continues to grow its presence across Malaysia while strengthening customer trust. The event was attended by representatives from JAKIM together with Pop Meals’ leadership team, including Director Nursuriani Binti Tajul Azhar, Halal Quality Manager Syahida binti Wahid Udin, and Halal Executive Ainna Sofia Zamri. Founded in 2021 with its first outlet at DPulze Cyberjaya, Pop Meals has grown from a young Malaysian food startup into a proudly homegrown brand with 87 outlets across Klang Valley, Melaka, and Johor. The company is on track to reach 100 outlets later this year, reflecting strong demand from Malaysian consumers for affordable, convenient, and familiar meals. The Halal certification comes at a meaningful time for Pop Meals as it scales up operations to support its expanding outlet network. Alongside the brand, the central kitchen is now officially Halal certified, powered by a strict Halal Assurance System (HAS) that guarantees 100% traceability of raw ingredients from kitchen to outlet. “This is a very proud moment for Pop Meals and for our entire team,” said Nursuriani Binti Tajul Azhar, Director of Pop Meals. “We started as a Malaysian brand with a simple mission: to make good, familiar meals more accessible to more people. Receiving Halal certification is an important milestone because it gives our customers even greater confidence in the food we serve every day.” Pop Meals has always positioned itself as a proudly Malaysian brand. Since its beginning, the company has focused on serving meals that Malaysians know, love, and enjoy regularly, while making them convenient and affordable for modern lifestyles. Today, Pop Meals employs a team made up of more than 91% Malay team members, many of whom work across its HQ, operations, quality, and support functions. To celebrate this milestone, Pop Meals is launching an “Up to 55% OFF” promotional campaign, giving customers across Malaysia the opportunity to enjoy their favourite meals at special prices. The campaign reflects the brand’s commitment to making quality meals more affordable and accessible for the everyday Malaysian customer. Pop Meals at Pantai Hospital celebrating the Halal Certification with a “Giving Back Day” to the community of frontliners, hospital staff and nurses with 555 Free meals during the event. The meals were taken up in less than 1 hour. As part of the celebration, Pop Meals also hosted a special “Day of Giving Back” at its Pantai Hospital outlet on Thursday, 9 July 2026. On this day, hospital frontliners, staff, and nurses will be invited to pick up 555 free Mac n Cheese meals as a token of appreciation for their dedication and service to the community. “Our Pantai Hospital outlet is a meaningful location for this ceremony because it allows us to celebrate together with the people who serve the community every day,” said Nursuriani. “We are especially happy to give back to hospital frontliners, staff, and nurses with 555 free meals on the same day as our Halal certification ceremony.” Pop Meals’ Halal Quality Manager, Syahida binti Wahid Udin, and Halal Executive, Ainna Sofia Zamri, have played important roles in establishing the Internal Halal Committee (IHC) and driving the Halal competency training across the wider team. Their work, together with the commitment of the wider Pop Meals team, has helped the brand achieve this important certification while preparing the business for further expansion. Looking ahead, Pop Meals aims to bring Malaysian classic meals to more customers not only in Malaysia, but also across Southeast Asia and beyond. The company has entered into joint ventures with local powerhouse retail conglomerates as part of its regional growth strategy, combining Pop Meals’ food brand and operating model with strong local partners in new markets. As Pop Meals moves closer to its 100-outlet milestone, the Halal certification represents more than an operational achievement. It reflects the brand’s Malaysian roots, its commitment to trust and quality, and its ambition to make Malaysian meals loved by customers across the region. “We are grateful to JAKIM, our team members, our partners, and our customers for being part of this journey,” added Nursuriani. “This milestone motivates us to continue growing Pop Meals with pride, responsibility, and a deep respect for the customers and communities we serve.”

The Malaysian Association for Arts, Live Events, Concerts and Festivals (ALIFE) today joined fellow industry associations under the Industries Unite coalition in calling for the abolishment of the Entertainments Tax. Introduced in 1953 during the colonial era, the Act was created at a time when entertainment was viewed as a luxury. More than seventy years later, Malaysia has evolved into a nation driven by tourism, creativity, culture and experiences, yet this outdated legislation remains. “Entertainment today is not a luxury. It is culture, family recreation, tourism and an important contributor to Malaysia’s creative economy,” said Rizal Kamal, Senior Advisor of ALIFE. “The question is no longer whether the Act is outdated. The question is why we continue to operate under it.” Entertainment Tax Affects Far More Than Concerts A common misconception is that entertainment duty only affects major international concerts. In reality, it applies to virtually every ticketed live performance, including theatre productions, musicals, comedy clubs, dance performances, cultural showcases, arts festivals, touring productions and performances in cafés and live music venues. These are not simply commercial activities. They are cultural outputs that preserve Malaysian stories, nurture local talent and provide wholesome experiences that bring families together. For many children, a theatre production is their first introduction to the performing arts. Public policy should make these experiences more accessible, not more expensive. Grassroots Talent Bears the Greatest Burden While major productions receive the most attention, it is grassroots performers who are most affected. Emerging comedians, theatre companies, musicians, dancers, cultural producers, festival organisers, venue operators and independent promoters rely on affordable ticket prices to build audiences. Entertainment duty increases costs before a single ticket is sold, making it harder for local talent to experiment, grow and build sustainable careers. If Malaysia wants internationally recognised artists tomorrow, it must support emerging artists today. Malaysia Should Make Touring Easier, Not Harder Local artists should be encouraged to perform throughout Malaysia. A successful production in Kuala Lumpur should naturally continue to Johor Bahru, Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Ipoh and other cities, allowing more Malaysians to enjoy live performances while creating economic opportunities nationwide. Instead, organisers face different entertainment tax rates, approval processes and administrative interpretations depending on where performances are held. In some cases, even different municipalities within the same state apply the law differently. Some local authorities have clear mechanisms for exemptions or reductions, while others have little guidance on implementation. This fragmented approach discourages domestic touring, creates unnecessary costs and limits the growth of Malaysia’s live performance ecosystem. Stable Policy Creates Investment The creative economy depends on long-term investment. Whether developing touring circuits, restoring theatres, opening live music venues or producing festivals, investors need confidence that policies will remain stable and predictable. The Federal Government’s decision to exempt entertainment duty for international live performances until 2028 has already demonstrated what stable policy can achieve. Kuala Lumpur has experienced remarkable growth in international concerts and live entertainment, attracting investment, creating employment and generating significant economic activity across tourism, hospitality, retail and transportation. This growth has contributed substantial revenue to the Federal Government through tourism, corporate taxes, income taxes, SST and the wider economic activity generated by a thriving live entertainment industry. ALIFE believes the same certainty should now be extended nationwide, particularly in high-potential cities such as Johor Bahru, Penang and Kuching, where the private sector is ready to invest if long-term policy remains competitive and consistent. Looking Beyond Entertainment Duty Every live event creates spending that extends far beyond the venue itself. Audiences support hotels, restaurants, cafés, shopping centres, transport providers and thousands of small businesses. Tourism remains one of Malaysia’s most important economic sectors, while shopping consistently accounts for more than one-third of international visitor expenditure, illustrating the wider multiplier effect generated by visitor experiences. The objective should not be to maximise tax collected from each ticket. It should be to maximise economic activity across entire cities, support local businesses, create jobs and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness as a regional destination for arts, culture and tourism. A Call for Action ALIFE respectfully calls upon the Federal Government and all State Governments to work together to resolve the longstanding issues surrounding the Entertainments Tax. We recognise that successive governments have acknowledged that the legislation no longer reflects the realities of today’s creative economy. What Malaysia needs now is decisive action. Malaysia should not have one city with a competitive entertainment policy while other cities compete under different rules. A consistent national framework would unlock private investment, encourage domestic touring and allow every state to benefit from the growth of the creative economy. Abolishment of the tax would make live performances more affordable for families, strengthen grassroots talent, encourage domestic touring, provide confidence for investors and position Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s leading destinations for arts, culture and live experiences. Stable Policy. Stronger Confidence. Sustainable Growth. “Entertainment is not a luxury. It is culture. It is family. It is community. It is economic growth. It is time our laws recognised that.”

WCT Holdings Bhd has expanded its overseas project portfolio after securing a sub-contract worth RM926.21 million from United Arab Emirates-based Construction General Contracting House Ltd to undertake works for a residential development in Abu Dhabi. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, WCT said the project is owned and developed by Aldar Development LLC-OPC, a subsidiary of one of Abu Dhabi’s prominent property developers. The contract, known as the Yas Riva Residences Works Package, involves the construction and completion of six residential buildings located on Plot C54 and C55. Each building will comprise 11 levels and will be supported by a shared basement facility. The scope of works includes the construction activities required to deliver the residential development, further strengthening WCT’s presence in the Middle East construction market. According to WCT, the sub-contract works are expected to commence in the third quarter of financial year 2026 and are scheduled to be completed within 1,218 days from the commencement date. The company said the project is expected to contribute positively to its future earnings and order book, while enhancing its track record in delivering large-scale international property and infrastructure developments. WCT added that neither the directors nor major shareholders of the company, nor any persons connected to them, have any direct or indirect interest in the sub-contract. The latest contract win reflects WCT’s continued efforts to grow its construction business beyond Malaysia, leveraging its experience and capabilities in undertaking complex developments across regional markets.