Energy & Technology

Away from the headlines, Malaysian manufacturing is steadily changing how it competes — moving from cost and capacity towards engineering, precision and smarter production. Yoshitec is one of the companies making that transition. Manufacturing transformations rarely happen overnight. Vice President of Yoshitec – Elaine Soh. They happen quietly inside factories: when production data begins informing decisions once driven largely by experience, when automation improves precision, and when manufacturers stop asking how cheaply something can be made and start asking how much value they can add. In Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, Yoshitec offers a glimpse of that transition. The plastic injection moulding manufacturer has spent 18 years building a business that today employs 131 people, generates approximately RM42 million in annual revenue and distributes globally. It holds ISO, Halal and medical-grade certifications and has developed the capabilities to support international companies, including global giant 3M. But Yoshitec’s more interesting story is not how much it manufactures. It is what the company has decided to compete on.   Moving Away From Cheap For decades, manufacturing competitiveness was largely defined by volume, efficiency and price. That equation is changing. There will almost always be another factory somewhere capable of quoting lower. Yoshitec has deliberately chosen not to enter that race, avoiding low-margin mass production in favour of higher-complexity and higher-value projects where engineering, reliability and technical execution matter. It reflects a wider question confronting Malaysian manufacturers: rather than asking how much they can produce, should they be asking how difficult a problem they can solve? For Yoshitec, that problem-solving begins before production. Customers can arrive with little more than a sketch or product concept. An idea may look perfectly reasonable on paper but still be difficult, expensive or impossible to manufacture at scale. Yoshitec works through mould design, material selection and production requirements to turn those concepts into market-ready products. Its growing turnkey capabilities extend through moulding and assembly, giving customers access to multiple stages of production through one manufacturing partner. The manufacturer, in other words, is no longer simply receiving an order. It is increasingly helping determine how the product gets made.   Competing From Mantin When Yoshitec began in 2009, it identified a gap between large multinational manufacturers focused on major accounts and smaller workshops that could not always handle technically demanding projects. It positioned itself in the middle. Since then, that market has become considerably more sophisticated. Product tolerances have tightened, documentation requirements have increased and suppliers are expected to comply with increasingly complex global supply-chain standards. A factory may be located in Mantin, but the standard against which it is judged is international. That reality has driven Yoshitec’s investment in Industry 4.0 capabilities, earning the company recognition through the Smart Manufacturing Award from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). Its next phase includes deeper use of AI-driven quality systems. In precision manufacturing, the value of such technology is practical. Detecting defects earlier reduces waste. Better production data improves decision-making. Automation increases consistency. Smarter quality systems can identify patterns before they become expensive problems. The factory is no longer simply producing. Increasingly, it is learning from production.   Growing Without Becoming Slow Technology, however, does not solve every scaling problem. Growing to 131 employees has forced Yoshitec to introduce more formal management systems while attempting to preserve the agility of a smaller company. It is a familiar dilemma. Structure creates discipline, but too much structure creates bureaucracy. Yoshitec’s answer is to maintain what it describes as a “one-team” culture alongside stronger processes. Its internal YPE — Yes, Perfect, Excellent — ethos reinforces an emphasis on finishing details, quality and problem-solving. When a customer presents a design that appears impossible, Yoshitec wants its engineers’ instinct to be: let’s figure it out. As routine manufacturing becomes easier to automate and commoditise, that willingness to solve difficult problems could become increasingly valuable.   Less Waste, More Value The reinvention extends to sustainability. Yoshitec works around a straightforward principle: the best waste is no waste. It optimises plastic usage and recycles production scrap, recognising that sustainability and manufacturing efficiency increasingly overlap. A rejected component represents wasted material, machine time, energy and labour. Producing more accurately therefore makes both environmental and commercial sense. The company’s definition of responsible growth also includes people. Its team has volunteered with Pusat Jagaan Nur Hasanah, while internally Yoshitec maintains that expansion should not come at the expense of employee wellbeing.   Malaysia’s Bigger Manufacturing Opportunity Yoshitec ultimately wants to become a benchmark for smart, sustainable precision moulding in ASEAN and help create an environment where global OEMs think of Malaysia when seeking sophisticated manufacturing partners. That ambition points to a larger opportunity. Malaysia’s next manufacturing advantage may not come from producing more for less. It may come from engineering expertise, automation, precision, integrated services and the ability to solve increasingly difficult production problems. Yoshitec’s journey suggests that transition is already underway. The factories are still here. The production lines are still running. What is changing is the intelligence being built around them. And much of Malaysia’s manufacturing reinvention is happening quietly — one factory, one engineer and one difficult problem at a time.

Companies can invest in automation, advanced manufacturing and new technologies, but none of it works without people who know how to use them. Institut Latihan Umax is tackling one of the most persistent challenges facing Malaysian industry: finding workers with the skills to do the job. Malaysia does not have a shortage of people looking for work. Yet companies continue to struggle to find people with the right skills. That contradiction has become increasingly important as the country moves towards more sophisticated manufacturing, automation and Industry 4.0. The problem is no longer simply about education. It is a business problem.   Institut Latihan Umax, managed by Ukiran Maksima Sdn Bhd, operates directly within that gap. The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institution specialises in welding technology and polymer technology, particularly injection moulding, combining theoretical education with hands-on technical training. Its students include SPM leavers, unemployed youth, job seekers and working adults. But the ultimate measure of its programmes is determined somewhere else: the workplace.   Training for the Job For employers, hiring someone with a qualification is not necessarily the same as hiring someone who is ready to work. Technical industries require employees who understand equipment, processes, safety and production environments. Businesses also need people capable of communicating, solving problems and working effectively within teams. Umax was built around closing that divide. Its programmes incorporate practical training, professional certification, career guidance and job-placement services. By working directly with employers and industry partners, the institution attempts to ensure that what students learn reflects what companies actually need. The distinction matters. Education can produce qualifications. Industry needs capability. For Umax, success therefore depends less on how many people enter its classrooms and more on how many leave equipped for sustainable employment.   Technology Keeps Changing the Skills The challenge is becoming harder because the workplace itself is moving. Automation, artificial intelligence, digitalisation and Industry 4.0 are changing how factories operate and what employers expect from workers. Technical skills can no longer remain static. Umax continuously reviews its curriculum, training equipment and certification programmes while investing in trainer development. Employer feedback, labour-market information and graduate employment outcomes are used to identify where skills demand is moving. This creates a continuous cycle between industry and education. As businesses adopt new technologies, training has to respond. As jobs evolve, workers need new competencies. And as existing roles change, even experienced employees may need to return to training. That is why Umax’s market extends beyond school leavers. Upskilling and reskilling working adults is becoming an increasingly important part of workforce development as companies attempt to modernise without leaving existing employees behind.   Quality Over Headcount There is an obvious growth strategy for any education provider: increase enrolment and introduce more courses. Umax is deliberately cautious about both. The institution says growth should instead be reflected in graduate employment, training quality, stronger employer partnerships and the ability to deliver skills that have genuine market demand. It does not want to introduce programmes simply because students might enrol in them. There must also be an industry need on the other side. That approach puts employability at the centre of the business model. It also explains the emphasis on job placement. Umax works with employers to connect graduates with employment opportunities, extending its role beyond training towards workforce development.   A Business Issue, Not Just an Education Issue As Umax itself expands, maintaining industry relevance becomes more difficult. Its response has been to strengthen governance, introduce clearer responsibilities across specialised teams and rely more heavily on performance monitoring, employer feedback and employment outcomes. The institution is also modernising training facilities, strengthening industry partnerships and developing its trainers to keep pace with technological change. These investments address a much larger economic challenge. Malaysia can attract investment, automate factories and encourage companies to move into higher-value activities. But those ambitions ultimately depend on whether businesses can find enough people capable of doing increasingly sophisticated work. Machines alone do not create an advanced economy. Neither do certificates. People with the ability to apply knowledge, adapt to technology and solve real problems do. That is why Malaysia’s skills gap increasingly belongs not only in conversations about education, but in boardrooms, factories and economic planning. For institutions such as Umax, the task is to make sure the skills being taught today still have value when graduates walk into the workplace tomorrow.  

TotalEnergies will sell a 9.1% stake in the Papua LNG joint venture to its partners and hand over operatorship of the project to ExxonMobil, the French energy major said on Monday. The company, which co-owns the project with Exxon, Santos, Kumul Petroleum/MRDC and ENEOS Xplora, said it would sell shares to its partners in proportion to their existing interests, while retaining a 20% stake in the venture. TotalEnergies did not disclose the sale price for the transaction. Separately, TotalEnergies said it was nearing a final investment decision on the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, noting that contractual and commercial hurdles have now been cleared. CEO Patrick Pouyanné had said in July that he was targeting a final decision by November, suggesting the project is moving closer to a definitive stage after years of development. Papua LNG forms part of TotalEnergies’ broader portfolio of projects aimed at growing lower-cost LNG supplies. The project is expected to produce 5.6 million metric tons per year (Mtpa) from the Elk and Antelope fields in Papua New Guinea’s Gulf Province, with output mainly destined for Asian buyers. Exxon, which already operates the neighbouring PNG LNG plant, will take over as the operator of the Papua LNG project going forward. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies’ offtake share, which gives it access to 1.5 Mtpa of LNG for its own portfolio, will remain unchanged despite the reduction in its equity stake. TotalEnergies said it has completed the tendering process for engineering, procurement and construction work on the project, with contracts now pending approval from its partners. The company added that close to US$4 billion in cost savings has been achieved since 2024 through the rebidding of those contracts and the optimisation of the project’s design, bringing overall capital spending down to approximately US$14 billion. In addition, the companies have finalised an amended gas agreement with Papua New Guinea’s government and established an LNG marketing joint venture with Kumul Petroleum to sell 2.4 Mtpa of the project’s total 5.6 Mtpa output.

Electricity is most visible when it fails. A blackout can stop production, interrupt business and disrupt daily life. Keeping power available depends on infrastructure that most people never see, and on the specialists who install, maintain and upgrade it. Director of Betapac Sdn. Bhd. – Mohd Yassir Che Amat. Betapac Sdn. Bhd. has spent more than two decades working on that infrastructure. Established in 2000 and based in Subang Jaya, the Malaysian electrical and mechanical engineering company handles cable installation, switchgear work, substation maintenance and high-voltage systems of up to 500kV. It also undertakes engineering design and SmartMeter installations. “The main problem Betapac solves is ensuring that electricity is delivered safely and reliably,” the company says. When Betapac entered the market, it saw a need for contractors capable of managing complex high-voltage projects from start to finish. Utility providers and developers often had to engage separate firms for design, installation, testing and commissioning. Betapac built its business around bringing those stages together, giving clients one engineering partner to coordinate the work. Today, the challenge is changing. New infrastructure is still needed, but existing power assets also require attention. Aging substations must be maintained, equipment replaced and systems upgraded, often while limiting disruption to the electricity supply. That makes careful planning as important as the installation itself. The push towards smarter networks adds another layer of complexity. Digital protection systems and smart meters offer ways to improve performance and reliability, but introducing them requires specialist knowledge. Betapac is investing in those capabilities as it pursues transmission projects and the modernisation of existing power infrastructure. Much of its work happens during critical shutdown periods, when teams have limited time to complete upgrades safely and bring systems back online. Equipment must be installed correctly, then tested and commissioned before use. On high-voltage sites, errors carry serious consequences. Betapac says its ability to manage these demanding stages is a key part of the value it offers clients. The demands increase as projects grow larger. Maintaining consistent quality and safety across several sites requires more than the oversight of a few experienced leaders. Betapac has strengthened its project management processes, safety procedures and quality controls while giving project managers, engineers and site teams greater responsibility. It is also investing in training. High-voltage testing, commissioning and newer grid technologies call for specialised skills, and the company needs a broader technical workforce to support future projects. Developing employees internally helps it share expertise across teams instead of relying on a small number of senior specialists. Growth brings financial pressure as well. Major projects require substantial upfront spending on equipment, materials and manpower. Betapac says it chooses work that matches its capabilities and resources, rather than pursuing every large contract available. “Growth requires patience, perseverance, and above all, time,” the company says. Its measure of progress includes the ability to remain stable, adapt and deliver safely over the long term. That thinking also informs its approach to sustainability. Refurbishing substations and upgrading existing systems can extend the useful life of infrastructure and avoid unnecessary replacement. Although this work can be technically demanding, it helps customers make better use of assets they already have. Betapac aims to take on more complex projects in grid modernisation, smart technologies and high-voltage upgrades. To do so, it will need stronger technical teams and systems that can maintain standards at a larger scale. For most people, reliable electricity is something to take for granted. For Betapac, it is the result of planning, skilled work and constant attention to the infrastructure already in place.  

A person can earn an income, pay their bills and run a small business yet still struggle to qualify for a loan. If they have little conventional credit history, a lender may have too little information to assess them. For gig workers, young adults and others outside standard employment patterns, the absence of a record can close doors. Global Psytech is trying to give lenders another way to make that decision. The Malaysian technology company combines psychometrics, behavioural science, data analytics and artificial intelligence to study factors that traditional credit reports may miss. Its work also extends to talent assessment, governance and other decisions involving human behaviour. Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Global Psytech – Dr. Haniza Yon. “A lack of credit history should not automatically mean a lack of creditworthiness,” the company says. That belief led Global Psytech to develop GFI, a psychometric credit scoring system. Rather than relying entirely on past borrowing records or third-party data, it gathers information from the individual and uses behavioural indicators to help financial institutions assess willingness to repay. The aim is to give lenders more evidence when considering applicants who might otherwise be difficult to evaluate. Global Psytech says the system has been used in more than five countries. It reports that its models have achieved predictive accuracy as high as 98% and, in some implementations, helped financial institutions reduce non-performing loans by more than 50%. Those are company-reported results, but they illustrate the commercial question driving the work: can lenders reach more people while managing risk responsibly? The opportunity extends past a lending decision. Global Psytech says behavioural assessments can also identify a borrower’s strengths and areas for development. For institutions financing entrepreneurs, that information could inform the support offered after a loan is approved. The company’s wider business follows a similar principle. Its technology is used to support decisions about talent, leadership potential and human-related risks. In each case, the visible result may be a score, assessment or dashboard. Producing it, the company says, requires years of research, testing and refinement. That work matters when an assessment can influence whether someone receives financing or is considered for a job. Global Psytech places scientific validation, information security and responsible use of AI at the centre of its approach. It holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for information security management and says it continues to invest in research even when commercial returns take longer to arrive. Growth presents a different challenge. With offices in Malaysia and Qatar and clients across more than 10 countries, Global Psytech wants its Malaysian-developed technology to reach more markets. But adapting a product for every new client or country can make it difficult to scale. The company is working towards more repeatable products and processes while accounting for important local differences. It must also become less dependent on its founder. As the business expands, responsibility for decisions is moving to a broader leadership team. Stronger management structures and clearer accountability are intended to let the company grow without losing its research standards. “Focus is as important to growth as ambition,” the company says. It plans to concentrate on problems where its scientific expertise can produce measurable results, rather than pursue every new application of AI. Global Psytech’s next test is whether its technology can earn trust at a much larger scale. If it succeeds, its greatest impact may begin with people who have been difficult for conventional systems to see.  

Singapore-based deeptech startup N&E Innovations has raised around $1.7 million in Series A funding to develop solutions that help keep fresh produce and food products from spoiling. The round was led by Australian agrifood investor Tundra Capital, with SGInnovate, The Radical Fund, Archipelago VC and SG7 Group also participating. Existing investors Cercano, SEEDS Capital, Elev8 Capital and Qian Hu Corporation joined the round as well. Didi Gan is a Singaporean biomedical scientist and entrepreneur who founded N&E Innovations to turn agricultural food waste into sustainable antimicrobial technology. The company uses waste from cashew processing to develop ViKANG99, an ingredient designed to slow the growth of bacteria and mould. It can be used to produce protection, packaging and hygiene products. “Food waste is usually seen as something we need to get rid of. We see it as a resource,” said founder Didi Gan. “We can take something like a discarded cashew nut husk, extract the compounds that naturally fight microbes and turn them into an ingredient that can help protect food.” Founded in 2020 by biomedical scientist Didi Gan, N&E Innovations has developed ViKANG99, a patented edible antimicrobial ingredient made from agricultural waste, including discarded cashew nut husks. The ingredient helps slow the growth of bacteria and mould and can help fresh produce stay fresh for up to four times longer. N&E Innovations uses agricultural waste to produce ViKANG99, a food-grade ingredient containing natural antimicrobial compounds designed to slow the growth of bacteria and mould. It can be incorporated into food packaging and various other products. One of the company’s products is The Orange Wrap, which it describes as an antibacterial cling wrap. Unlike regular cling film, it uses ViKANG99 to help reduce microbial growth on food surfaces. The technology could help reduce food spoilage, particularly in markets where temperature-controlled supply chains are not always consistent. It could also help extend the shelf life of fresh produce and reduce food waste more broadly.

GoodARCH has invested nearly RM1 million (approximately NT$7 million) to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) powered foot mapping system that can generate a personalised foot assessment in about five minutes. The launch taps into a preventive health market that is gaining ground in Malaysia, where up to 75% of people are expected to experience a foot problem in their lifetime. GoodARCH’s AI-customised insoles featuring a patented multi-layer design for targeted foot support and improved comfort. The Asian arch support brand, operated by Homeway Technology, is introducing the technology in Malaysia as part of its expansion into preventive health solutions, with the system currently available at several locations, including its headquarters along Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur, as well as in Penang, Batu Pahat, and Johor Bahru. GoodARCH aims to work with local health management providers as it expands its presence, encouraging earlier health awareness and more proactive approaches to health management across the country.  GoodARCH Founder Dr Hsieh Chin-Hsing. To date, their technology has supported foot structure assessments for more than 300,000 users. Each assessment is paired with a GoodARCH Far-Infrared Arch Support insole, built for stability and shock absorption. GoodARCH Chairman Hsieh Ming-Chia said the latest technology builds on the company’s two decades of work in foot health. “GoodARCH has continued to invest in foot health technology and research, evolving from infrared-based arch support solutions to graphene technology, proprietary Torsion Field Energy (TFE) technology, and now AI-powered digital foot mapping,” he said. GoodARCH Chairman Hsieh Ming-Chia. He said the company would continue to explore technology that could make health assessment simpler and more practical for consumers, helping them better understand their health and identify potential concerns earlier. Developed over 12 months by an 11-member team spanning medical engineering, business, and edge computing, the technology helps users understand their foot structure and identify potential arch imbalances earlier. Dr Hsieh Chin-Hsing, Founder of GoodARCH, said the shift toward AI reflects a broader effort to get ahead of foot problems before they become disruptive. “Many people only start paying attention to their feet when pain or difficulty walking begins to affect daily life. AI gives us an opportunity to change that by making foot assessment a simpler first step toward greater awareness and earlier action,” he said. Foot Health a Growing Concern Among Malaysians A study of 190 students conducted by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) found that 26.3% had flat feet, a condition that may also affect urban working adults who spend long hours sitting or standing at work. The foot arch plays a key role in supporting body weight and maintaining balance, and data published by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia and the Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA) show that 30% to 40% of Malaysians aged 60 and above suffer from knee osteoarthritis [2], a condition linked to long-term arch abnormalities such as flat feet. Broader Push into Preventive Health Beyond foot assessment, GoodARCH has extended its TFE and graphene technology into Health Rhythm, a physiotherapeutic recliner offering a passive routine for circulation and sleep. GoodARCH’s core technologies have obtained medical device approvals and National Quality Award (SNQ) certification in Taiwan, along with patents in Malaysia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. AI-powered foot analysis, from foot impression capture to personalised health report.  

MN Holdings Bhd said its subsidiary, together with an engineering firm, has jointly secured a RM67.32 million contract from Tenaga Nasional Bhd to install an underground cable for bulk power supply to Intel Penang. The wholly-owned subsidiary, MN Utilities Engineering Sdn Bhd, and Pembinaan Tajri Sdn Bhd will undertake the 275-kilovolt cable installation works through an 80:20 joint venture, MN Holdings said in a bourse filing on Monday. Pembinaan Tajri, which was established in 1983, is involved in building and infrastructure works, according to the firm’s website. MN Holdings said the scope of the underground cable job includes engineering, design, supply and erection works for the new underground cable, as well as associated civil works. The project is scheduled to be completed within 540 days. The group said the contract is expected to contribute positively to its future earnings and net assets once works commence, underscoring the financial significance of the win for the company. MN Holdings’ share price closed unchanged at RM3.65 on Monday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM2.48 billion. Year-to-date, the stock has more than doubled from RM1.65, reflecting strong investor confidence in the company’s growing pipeline of infrastructure and power-related contracts. This latest contract adds to MN Holdings’ expanding portfolio of power infrastructure projects, further reinforcing the group’s position within Malaysia’s power transmission and utilities sector as demand for reliable electricity supply continues to grow, particularly from high-profile industrial clients such as Intel.

Pekat Group Bhd has announced that its subsidiary, Pekat E & LP Sdn Bhd (PELP), has secured three subcontracts worth RM57.18 million for earthing and lightning protection works on a project in Johor Bahru. Pekat said the subcontracts were awarded by a company principally engaged in engineering, construction services and investment holding, according to a bourse filing on Monday. The identity of the company was not disclosed due to confidentiality obligations. Under the subcontracts, PELP’s scope of works spans the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of comprehensive earthing and lightning protection systems, which include civil works and substation applications, reflecting the technical breadth of the project. The first subcontract, valued at RM27.21 million, commenced on July 6, 2026, and covers the supply, delivery, installation, testing and commissioning of the earthing and lightning protection system, with completion expected by September 2027. The second subcontract, worth RM4.64 million, commenced on March 24, 2026. Its scope includes the supply and installation of the system for a substation, targeted for completion by February 2027. Works under the third subcontract, valued at RM25.33 million, began in January this year and involve the full design, supply, installation and testing of earthing and lightning protection services, including earthmath, cabling, copper tape, joints, terminations, fixings, accessories and related civil works. Completion is scheduled for February 2027. In the bourse filing, Pekat said it expects the works to contribute positively to its earnings for the financial year ending Dec 31, 2026, underscoring the financial significance of the contract wins for the group. At the noon break on Monday, Pekat shares were up two sen, or 1.1%, at RM1.91. At its last traded price, the group was valued at RM1.36 billion. Year-to-date, the stock has climbed 15.06%, reflecting positive investor sentiment amid the company’s steady stream of contract wins.

Parkson Credit Sdn Bhd and Boost Bank have entered into a strategic partnership aimed at expanding access to digital banking and financing solutions for underserved Malaysians, combining Parkson Credit’s consumer financing network with Boost Bank’s digital banking capabilities. The collaboration will offer customers more seamless access to a range of financial products, including loans, insurance, and current and savings accounts, all supported by simplified onboarding processes and digital channels designed to make financial services more accessible to a broader segment of the population. Parkson Credit Chief Executive Officer Danny Poh said the partnership supports the company’s ongoing push to make financial services more accessible while improving the overall efficiency of its financing ecosystem. He added that the alliance would allow both companies to serve underserved communities more effectively while broadening their reach across new customer segments that may have previously had limited access to formal financial products. Boost Bank Chief Executive Officer Fozia Amanulla said the partnership is aimed at making banking more relevant to customers’ everyday needs by linking digital banking services with Parkson Credit’s consumer financing expertise. She noted that this integration reflects a broader industry trend of financial institutions collaborating to deliver more comprehensive, accessible solutions rather than operating in silos. The companies said the collaboration will strengthen their ability to deliver connected financial services while supporting greater participation in Malaysia’s digital economy, particularly among communities that have historically faced barriers to accessing formal banking and financing options. By combining Parkson Credit’s established consumer financing network with Boost Bank’s digital-first infrastructure, the partnership is expected to create a more integrated financial ecosystem that addresses the evolving needs of Malaysian consumers, particularly as more everyday transactions and financial decisions increasingly shift towards digital platforms. The initiative also reflects the growing role that digital banks are playing in Malaysia’s financial landscape, as traditional consumer financing companies increasingly seek partnerships with digital-native institutions to enhance their service offerings and extend their reach into previously underserved markets.