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Hextar Portfolio Sdn Bhd has launched a conditional voluntary takeover offer, on behalf of Datuk Ong Choo Meng, to acquire all remaining shares in Hextar Retail Bhd not already held by the offeror and its ultimate offeror. The offer is priced at RM0.43 per share. Dato Eddie Ong Choo Meng. According to the offer document, Hextar Portfolio currently holds 142.29 million shares in Hextar Retail, representing a 30.6% stake in the company. Meanwhile, Datuk Ong Kook Liong, who is acting in concert with the offeror, holds an additional 0.6% stake. The offer price of RM0.43 per share represents a 7.5% premium over Hextar Retail’s last traded price of 40 sen on Aug 7. It also translates into premiums ranging from 0.3% to 7.8% over the company’s five-day, one-month, three-month and six-month volume-weighted average market prices, reflecting a consistent premium across various trading periods leading up to the offer. The takeover offer is conditional upon Hextar Portfolio and Ong Choo Meng securing valid acceptances that would bring their combined shareholding to more than 50% of Hextar Retail’s voting shares. If this condition is met, it would give the offeror and its concert party a controlling stake in the company, potentially paving the way for further corporate restructuring or a change in the company’s strategic direction. As of the time of the offer, no additional details have been disclosed regarding the offeror’s future plans for Hextar Retail should the takeover succeed, including whether the company would maintain its listing status on the stock exchange or undergo any operational changes.

Longevity in business is rarely about doing the same thing well for decades. More often, it is about knowing what should remain unchanged — and recognising what must evolve. For Salleh Food Industries Sdn. Bhd., almost four decades in Malaysia’s food manufacturing industry have been shaped by precisely that balance. Established in 1987, the company began with products deeply familiar to Malaysian consumers: kerepek ubi, kerepek pisang and a variety of traditional snacks made from locally sourced agricultural produce. Chief Executive Officer di Salleh Food Industries Sdn Bhd – Mohd Fauzie Salleh. The flavours may be rooted in tradition, but the business behind them is increasingly looking forward. Today, Salleh Food distributes its products throughout Malaysia via retailers and distributors while embracing newer channels including e-commerce and TikTok Shop. Behind that expansion is a wider transformation taking place across the company — one that involves strengthening its brand, modernising systems, developing people and preparing the organisation for its next phase of growth. For a business approaching its fourth decade, the question is no longer simply how to sell more products. It is how to build an organisation capable of remaining relevant for decades more.   The Business Behind the Snack Salleh Food may be recognised as a snack manufacturer, but its role extends further along the value chain. The company takes locally grown agricultural produce and transforms it into accessible, higher-value consumer products. In doing so, its business connects farmers and suppliers with consumers while creating economic opportunities across the communities that support its operations. There is also an emotional dimension to the products it makes. Traditional food occupies a distinctive place within Malaysian culture. A familiar snack can carry memories of childhood, family gatherings and traditions passed from one generation to another. Preserving that connection has remained important to Salleh Food even as the expectations surrounding food manufacturing have changed. The challenge is to retain the familiarity consumers appreciate while ensuring the business behind the product continues to advance. That means bringing modern processes, technology, stronger quality standards and contemporary distribution into a category that has traditionally been dominated by smaller producers.   When a Good Product Is No Longer Enough When Salleh Food began operating in 1987, the opportunity in the market was relatively clear. Demand for local snacks was strong, but many smaller producers faced challenges in maintaining consistency, developing their brands and reaching consumers beyond their immediate markets. Building greater structure around these areas created room for businesses such as Salleh Food to grow. Nearly 40 years later, the market gap has changed. Producing something that tastes good remains fundamental, but it is no longer enough to guarantee success. Consumers have more choices. Brands are discovered through social media as much as supermarket shelves. E-commerce has changed how products are purchased, while digital platforms allow new competitors to enter the market much faster. Trust, consistency, visibility and convenience have become increasingly important. This has pushed Salleh Food to think beyond manufacturing. The company is now focused on building the infrastructure around the product — from its brand and distribution capabilities to its internal systems, people and leadership. Its strategic direction centres on three priorities: strengthening the brand, developing systems and talent, and expanding into larger markets. It is a deliberately focused approach. Like any business, Salleh Food operates with finite time, capital and management resources. Rather than pursuing every opportunity available, the company is increasingly assessing opportunities according to their ability to contribute to long-term organisational value.   Growing Stronger, Not Simply Bigger The distinction between getting bigger and becoming stronger has become increasingly important to Salleh Food. Sales growth is one measurement of success, but the company believes genuine growth should also be reflected in the organisation’s ability to operate without excessive dependence on any single individual. That requires processes that can be repeated, people who can make decisions and leaders capable of taking responsibility. As organisations expand, this becomes significantly more difficult. A management approach that works with ten employees may become ineffective with 50 or 100. Communication becomes more complex. Informal decision-making begins to create bottlenecks. Responsibilities must become clearer, and maintaining alignment around a common vision becomes a leadership challenge in itself. For Salleh Food, scaling has therefore required a shift in the way leadership is approached. Where a leader may once have been heavily involved in solving day-to-day operational problems, the next stage requires becoming what the company describes as a “builder of leaders”. Instead of solving every problem, leadership must develop people who can solve problems themselves. It is a fundamental transition for any growing organisation — particularly one that has evolved from a family-founded enterprise. The objective is to create a business that can continue progressing because capability has been distributed throughout the organisation rather than concentrated at the top.   What Four Decades Really Teach a Business Remaining in business for almost 40 years inevitably means operating through very different economic and commercial environments. Salleh Food has experienced changing consumer preferences, rising costs, operational pressures, new forms of competition and the disruption created by the pandemic. Through each period, the company’s competitive advantage has not necessarily been something consumers can see on its packaging. It has been adaptability. Products can be copied. Prices can be challenged. New competitors can enter a category. What is considerably harder to replicate is an organisation’s ability to continuously learn, adjust and recover when circumstances change. This willingness to evolve has become one of Salleh Food’s most important strengths. While consumers see the final product on a shelf or online, behind it sits an ongoing process of improvement — refining operations, strengthening systems, developing employees and responding to what the market requires next. That mindset is particularly important for established businesses. Longevity can be an advantage, bringing experience, market knowledge and consumer familiarity. But history alone does not guarantee future relevance. The companies that endure are often those willing to challenge the very practices that helped them succeed in the past.  

Revenue can grow while a business gets weaker. It is one of those uncomfortable realities that entrepreneurs tend to discover only after running a company for some time. A strong sales month does not necessarily mean strong cash flow. A profitable year does not automatically mean a business is financially prepared to expand. And a company that is completely compliant with its tax obligations can still be making poor financial decisions. Founder of KPL Corporate Advisory Sdn. Bhd. – Shu Yi Kuek. This is why KPL Corporate Advisory Sdn Bhd believes the relationship between an SME and its accountant needs to change. The Malaysian taxation, audit, accounting and corporate advisory firm works with business owners who are often very good at what they do. They know their customers. They understand their products. They can spot an opportunity and instinctively know when something might sell. What they do not always have is the financial clarity to know whether the business is actually moving in the right direction. And that can become expensive.   Compliance Is the Starting Point Tax has to be filed. Accounts have to be prepared. Regulations have to be followed. KPL does all of that. But compliance tells a business owner surprisingly little about what decision to make on Monday morning. Should another employee be hired? Is there enough cash to open a second location? Why is turnover increasing but profitability barely moving? Is the business financially structured for its next stage? What risks are quietly accumulating? These are not accounting questions in the traditional sense. They are business questions that happen to require a strong understanding of the numbers. That distinction has increasingly shaped KPL’s work. The firm has moved towards becoming an adviser that can sit alongside an entrepreneur and translate financial information into something commercially useful. No unnecessary jargon. No assumption that the person sitting across the table has an accounting degree. Just: What do these numbers mean for my business?   SMEs Have Changed. Their Advisers Have To Change Too. The Malaysian SME of today can move remarkably quickly. A small e-commerce company can suddenly be selling nationwide. A family business can move into export markets. A founder-led operation can become an organisation employing dozens of people within a relatively short period. The financial complexity grows with it. KPL saw early that accounting and taxation were still frequently treated as obligations to be dealt with after the fact. Professional advice could also be overly technical, creating distance between advisers and the very business owners who needed to understand it. Digitalisation has since raised expectations further. Clients want answers faster. They expect better visibility. And increasingly, they want advisers who understand commercial realities rather than simply regulatory requirements. That has pushed KPL towards three priorities: technology, deeper advisory capabilities and people.   Bigger Isn’t the Objective There is an interesting restraint to KPL’s growth philosophy. The firm does not necessarily want every client. It has become increasingly selective about the businesses it works with, favouring organisations that value transparency, ethical practices and sustainable long-term growth. The logic is simple. Taking on more work means very little if the quality of advice deteriorates. For KPL, a better measure of growth is whether clients trust the firm with more complex decisions, whether relationships become deeper, whether employees become stronger professionals and whether internal systems allow the organisation to handle greater complexity without becoming impersonal. That philosophy also explains why rapid expansion holds limited appeal if it comes at the expense of culture or service.   Technology Should Make Advice More Human Accounting is one of many professions being transformed by technology. KPL has increased its adoption of digital workflows and paperless processes, improving efficiency while reducing unnecessary operational waste. Further digital integration forms an important part of its next phase. But the interesting question is not whether technology will replace parts of traditional accounting work. Inevitably, some repetitive processes will become easier to automate. The more important question is what professionals do with the time that creates. For KPL, the answer should be more advisory, not less interaction. If technology can process information faster, professionals can spend more time interpreting it. If systems can handle routine workflows, advisers can devote more attention to understanding the client, identifying risks and discussing decisions. In other words, technology should make the relationship more valuable rather than more distant.   The Growing Pains Are Internal Too KPL faces the same challenge it advises many clients about: scaling changes the organisation itself. In a small team, information moves informally. People know what everyone else is doing. Decisions can happen across a desk. Growth makes that increasingly difficult. The firm has had to strengthen workflows, improve delegation and create clearer processes while investing more heavily in developing its people. Leadership has consequently shifted from personally overseeing work towards building teams capable of taking ownership. The balancing act is maintaining the responsiveness associated with a smaller advisory firm while developing the discipline required of a larger professional organisation. That is not always easy. But neither is building a sustainable SME—which is precisely why KPL understands the clients sitting on the other side of the table.   The Question After the Numbers KPL’s next phase is centred on becoming recognised less as a company businesses visit because they have to file something and more as one they speak to because they are about to make an important decision. Taxation, accounting and audit will remain fundamental. The opportunity is what happens after them. Because when a business owner receives a set of financial statements, the most valuable conversation should not end with: “Here are your numbers.” It should begin with: “So, what are you going to do next?”  

Growth is one of the most celebrated words in business. More customers, bigger contracts, higher revenues and wider market reach are typically seen as signs that a company is moving in the right direction. But after almost three decades in business, Kimal Awning & Iron Works has learned that growth presents a different challenge: becoming bigger without becoming less dependable. Founder and Head of Kimal Awning & Iron Works Sdn Bhd – Chin Mee Yoke. Established in 1998 and incorporated as a private limited company in 2012, Kimal has accumulated more than 28 years of experience in Malaysia’s construction and metal fabrication industry. Today, the company specialises in awning systems, structural steel, stainless steel works, aluminium products, gates, railings, fencing and customised metal solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and government clients throughout Malaysia. What began as a business centred on fabrication and installation has gradually evolved into something more comprehensive. Kimal now manages projects from design and technical consultation through fabrication, installation and after-sales support, supported by its own factory, specialised machinery, transportation fleet and experienced technical team. That evolution has taught the company that longevity is not simply about staying in business. It is about continually adapting the way the business operates while protecting the standards that established its reputation.   The Market Doesn’t Stand Still When Kimal entered the industry, customers faced a relatively straightforward problem. Quality could be inconsistent, customisation was limited and dependable after-sales service was not always easy to find. The company saw an opportunity to provide greater control over the finished product by investing in its own manufacturing capabilities, equipment and quality processes. But the definition of good service has changed considerably since 1998. Today’s clients expect more than workmanship. They want faster turnaround times, greater design flexibility, stronger safety standards, regulatory compliance and clear communication throughout a project. They also expect suppliers to coordinate effectively with other stakeholders and solve problems rather than simply manufacture what appears on a drawing. Kimal has consequently shifted from thinking primarily as a product supplier to operating as a project partner. Its work increasingly begins with understanding the problem a customer is trying to solve. An awning may be required to protect a commercial space from Malaysia’s weather. A steel structure may need to improve an industrial facility’s functionality. Custom metalwork might be required to increase safety, create additional usable space or improve the long-term value of a property. The finished structure matters, but so does everything required to deliver it correctly.   Not All Revenue Is Good Revenue Perhaps one of the most valuable lessons accumulated over 28 years is knowing when an opportunity is worth pursuing. Kimal’s current strategy is deliberately focused on long-term sustainability rather than expansion for expansion’s sake. Investment is concentrated on improving manufacturing efficiency through technology and modern equipment, developing employees, strengthening digital systems and pursuing higher-value projects that make use of the company’s customised engineering capabilities. Every significant investment is considered against three practical measures: whether it improves customer value, strengthens operational capability and contributes to sustainable profitability. The same discipline applies to projects. Kimal does not believe in competing through unsustainably low prices simply to secure more work. Nor does it intentionally pursue projects that could compromise quality, safety or profitability. Expansion into unfamiliar sectors purely to increase turnover is approached with similar caution. It is a philosophy that places reputation ahead of short-term numbers. Recognition including SME Corp Malaysia’s 4-Star SCORE rating, Golden Eagle Award 2018, Golden Bull Award 2019 and SME100 Award 2025 reflects the business foundation Kimal has established along the way.   The Hard Part Starts When You Get Bigger Interestingly, Kimal does not identify winning projects as the hardest part of scaling. It is maintaining consistency. As projects become larger, more departments become involved. Sales needs to communicate effectively with design. Procurement must align with production. Production affects logistics. Logistics needs to coordinate with installation, while customer service must remain informed throughout the process. What might once have been managed through direct conversations now requires structured systems. This has forced leadership itself to change. Instead of senior management being involved in every operational detail, Kimal has invested in standard operating procedures, digital management tools, production planning, inventory management and structured reporting. The objective is to give teams clearer responsibilities while providing management with better visibility across the organisation. Leadership increasingly becomes less about solving every problem personally and more about developing people capable of solving those problems themselves. For an established SME, that transition can be just as important as investing in new machinery.   Reputation Compounds After 28 years, Kimal’s definition of growth has therefore become considerably broader than revenue. Productivity matters. Technical capabilities matter. Developing employees matters. But repeat customers, long-term partnerships and a reputation for delivering what was promised have become equally important measures of progress. That may explain why the company continues to emphasise quality control and end-to-end project management despite operating in a market where price competition can be intense. A cheaper project can win business once. Reliability can win it repeatedly. The structures Kimal fabricates are designed to endure weather, daily use and the demands of the environments around them. There is an obvious parallel with the company itself. Twenty-eight years in business has taught Kimal that growth does not always mean moving faster or becoming bigger. Sometimes, the strongest form of growth is having the discipline to know what to improve, what opportunities to pursue—and what standards should never be compromised.  

In business, longevity is often celebrated. Staying relevant, however, is the greater achievement. Consumer tastes change, lifestyles become faster, retail channels evolve and new brands continuously enter the market. For a family business built around something as deeply personal as food, surviving across generations requires more than preserving old recipes. It requires knowing what should change—and what should never change. For Rajas Flour Mill Sdn. Bhd., that balance has been more than 70 years in the making. Established in 1952 as a humble spice and flour mill, Rajas began by serving local communities with freshly ground spices, curry powders and flour. Three generations later, it has developed into a Malaysian food manufacturer serving households, retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, caterers, food manufacturers, OEM customers and increasingly, international buyers. Yet at the heart of the company remains something remarkably familiar: taste. Rajas has built its identity around what it calls the “Royal Taste of Tradition”—flavours shaped by generations of knowledge, carefully selected ingredients, traditional roasting techniques and consistent blending. Its portfolio today ranges from meat and seafood curry powders to sambar, rasam, briyani and kurma blends, alongside pure spices, flour products and other food solutions. For consumers, these may appear to be everyday kitchen staples. For the family behind Rajas, they represent decades of accumulated knowledge. Understanding how spices respond to roasting, recognising differences in raw ingredients and preserving a familiar aroma from one batch to another are skills developed over time. This “taste memory” has become one of the company’s less visible competitive advantages—particularly in a food industry increasingly shaped by mass production.   Tradition Meets the Modern Kitchen The modern consumer, however, lives very differently from the customer Rajas served in 1952. Time has become a luxury. Families cook differently, convenience matters more and younger consumers may not possess the same knowledge of traditional food preparation as previous generations. For Rajas, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. The company is currently researching ready-to-cook products and convenient premixes that make traditional dishes easier to prepare while retaining familiar flavours. Existing and developing solutions span products such as Chicken 65, briyani, fish fry and payasam mixes. The objective is not to replace traditional cooking, but to make it easier to carry forward. In that sense, Rajas is solving a distinctly modern lifestyle problem: how do you preserve the taste of one generation within the lifestyle of another? Its answer lies in combining heritage recipes with convenience, consistency and modern food manufacturing standards. Products are also positioned around changing expectations for food safety, with the company highlighting products certified as free from preservatives, colouring and MSG while strengthening its Halal, hygiene and quality-control practices.   Taking a Family Business Further Behind the products, an equally significant transformation is happening within the company itself. Moving from a traditional family operation towards a structured manufacturer has required changes in systems, people and mindset. Processes that may once have relied heavily on experience increasingly require formal SOPs, documentation, quality controls and clearly defined responsibilities. Rajas has consequently directed investment towards production automation, machinery, certification, laboratory testing, packaging, branding and digital tools. At the same time, employees are being trained to embrace greater discipline around hygiene, food safety and consistent manufacturing. Leadership has evolved too. The challenge for the current generation is not simply to inherit the business, but to prepare it for a marketplace dramatically different from the one their predecessors knew. That means becoming more comfortable with corporate buyers, exhibitions, digital commerce, distributors, OEM opportunities and international markets while protecting the authenticity that made the brand valuable in the first place. It is a transformation many multigenerational businesses eventually confront: professionalising without becoming impersonal.   Growth Without Losing the Recipe That philosophy influences how Rajas approaches expansion. The company’s ambition is to become a more structured, scalable and export-ready Malaysian heritage brand, strengthening its presence across retail while pursuing HoReCa, B2B, OEM, private-label and international opportunities. But growth is not being defined purely by sales. For Rajas, it also means better systems, stronger people, improved manufacturing capability and greater confidence to enter new markets. Modernisation must strengthen the business without diluting the recipes, relationships and family values accumulated since 1952. Sustainability forms part of that transition. Solar panels have been installed at its facility to support cleaner energy use, while automation and improved process controls are intended to reduce production errors, packaging mistakes and material waste. The company is also strengthening responsible sourcing, food safety and community initiatives, including food-related contributions during festive periods. These may appear to be very different priorities, but together they point towards the same objective: ensuring the business is strong enough to be handed to another generation. Perhaps that is the most interesting aspect of the Rajas story. The company began in an era before e-commerce, social media, modern supermarkets or today’s sophisticated food manufacturing systems. Seven decades later, the tools of the business may have changed considerably, but the product still ultimately faces the same test it did in 1952. Someone opens the packet. Someone cooks with it. A family sits down to eat. And the taste has to feel right. As Rajas itself puts it: “Grinding spices may be easy, but growing with spices is what defines us.” For a three-generation business preparing itself for the next chapter, preserving that connection between yesterday’s recipes and tomorrow’s consumer may prove to be its most valuable ingredient of all.  

ADTEC (Advanced Technology Centre), under the Manpower Department (JTM), and Asian Supply Base Sdn Bhd (ASB) have formalised a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening technical talent development and expanding industry exposure for trainees. In a recent Facebook post, ASB said the collaboration, sealed through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), is expected to pave the way for joint initiatives covering technical and professional training, competency development, expertise sharing, and industrial exposure in line with current industry needs. The MoU was signed at Wisma Asian Supply Base by JTM director-general Datuk Rospiagos Taha and ASB chief executive officer Datuk Japar Esteban. “The partnership represents a strategic initiative to strengthen linkages between industry and technical education and skills training institutions, particularly in developing a workforce equipped with relevant technical competencies. It also reflects the commitment of both ASB and ADTEC JTM to producing highly skilled, competent and competitive human capital capable of meeting evolving industry needs,” the statement said. ASB said the collaboration is expected to give trainees greater exposure to real industry practices, while knowledge and expertise sharing between industry practitioners and training institutions will help keep training programmes aligned with workplace demands. The partnership is also expected to support the development of local talent and strengthen the pipeline of skilled workers needed by industries in Labuan and the wider region, it added. The signing was witnessed by ASB Human Resources Department head Zulainahwaty Sulaiman, along with senior representatives from JTM and ADTEC campuses. Among those present were JTM Research and Planning Division director Alina A. Rahman@Othman, ADTEC JTM Labuan Campus director Imalistyahusnanjaya Mat Hussin, ADTEC JTM Kota Kinabalu Campus director Sudirman Hammade, ADTEC JTM Sandakan Campus deputy director Suhaidi Mustar, and JTM Industry Relations Unit head Ganesan V. Murugesu.

SME Corp Malaysia has allocated RM1.5 million under its Next Level CEO Programme to strengthen the leadership and management skills of senior executives from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The programme aims to train 90 CEOs, managing directors and founders of high-growth and high-value MSMEs, helping them strengthen their businesses and contribute to Malaysia’s economic growth. The initiative is part of the Programme for Enhancement of Strategic Industry and High Growth Enterprise 2.0 (Prestige 2.0) and focuses on improving leadership, strategic planning and business competitiveness. SME Corp said the programme will equip MSME leaders with stronger strategic knowledge, leadership capabilities, innovative thinking and a broader global perspective. These skills are intended to help business leaders transform their organisations, improve productivity and compete more effectively in international markets. Participants will also receive practical executive learning through a combination of training, coaching, mentoring and exposure to industry best practices. To deliver the programme, SME Corp has appointed Heriot-Watt University Malaysia Sdn Bhd, ASB Management Sdn Bhd and Efficient Frontier Consulting Sdn Bhd as implementation partners. The programme under Heriot-Watt University Malaysia was officially launched on Friday by SME Corp CEO Rizal Nainy, together with the university’s Provost and CEO, Prof Dr Mushtak Al-Atabi. The appointed partners will be responsible for developing training modules, conducting leadership and coaching sessions, carrying out the SME Competitiveness Rating for Enhancement and monitoring the programme’s overall impact. Rizal said the initiative represents a strategic investment in leadership development, as strong organisational transformation begins with business leaders who have the vision and ability to drive change. He said Malaysia needs more MSMEs that can move beyond resilience and develop into high-value businesses capable of competing globally. Through the programme, SME Corp hopes to develop more capable business leaders who can expand their companies, improve productivity, capture new opportunities and contribute to Malaysia’s wider economic development. The ASB Management component of the programme is scheduled to launch in mid-August, while the programme with Efficient Frontier Consulting is expected to begin in September.

Malaysian food and beverage (F&B) café chain operator Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd is expanding its international footprint into Indonesia and Mauritius, marking another step in its strategy to grow the Oriental Kopi brand across regional markets. The company said its wholly owned subsidiary, Oriental Coffee International Sdn Bhd, has entered into a strategic joint venture with PT Era Boga Nusantara (EBN) to establish and operate Oriental Kopi cafés in Indonesia. EBN, also known as Erajaya Food & Nourishment, is part of Indonesian retail conglomerate PT Erajaya Swasembada Tbk, providing Oriental Kopi with an established local partner to support its expansion into one of Southeast Asia’s largest consumer markets. Under the joint venture, EBN will hold a 60% stake in PT Era Oriental Kopi, while Oriental Coffee International will own the remaining 40%. The new company will be responsible for developing and operating Oriental Kopi outlets across Indonesia, with its initial expansion focused on the Greater Jakarta area, also known as Jabodetabek. The first Oriental Kopi outlet in Indonesia is targeted to open by the end of 2026 at Central Park Mall in West Jakarta. The mall is one of Jakarta’s prominent shopping and lifestyle destinations and forms part of the wider Podomoro City development. Beyond Indonesia, Oriental Coffee International has also signed a Territory Franchise Agreement with Coffee Time Ltd, an integrated F&B operator based in Mauritius, to introduce and develop the Oriental Kopi brand in the island nation. The move gives Oriental Kopi an opportunity to establish its presence in another international market while working with local partners who understand the respective consumer and F&B landscapes. The overseas expansion comes after the group previously entered the Singapore market, reflecting its broader strategy of taking its Malaysian café concept beyond the domestic market and building a stronger regional presence. With Indonesia, Mauritius and Singapore forming part of its international expansion plans, Oriental Kopi is positioning itself to grow its network of cafés while bringing its Malaysian-inspired food and beverage offering to a wider customer base across different markets.

AEON CO. (M) BHD. or (AEON) announced its collaboration with Weixin Pay during an official launch at Centre Court, AEON Mall Alpha Angle, on 5 August 2026. Chinese travellers can now use Weixin Pay at all AEON stores nationwide. The collaboration is supported by Tourism Malaysia as part of efforts to promote Malaysia as a preferred destination for Chinese tourists. Through the integration of Weixin Pay, AEON stores will be able to provide Chinese travellers with a more seamless payment experience, while creating new opportunities to attract more customers and drive business growth.  Hidekazu Iwaoka (left), and David Chong, Assistant Regional Director, Weixin Pay Southeast Asia officiating the launch of the collaboration. The campaign will run for one year, from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027. As part of the collaboration, the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 logo will be featured on AEON’s campaign point-of-sale materials, reinforcing Malaysia’s tourism promotion alongside the payment initiative. Throughout the campaign, customers who pay with Weixin Pay at AEON stores nationwide will enjoy exclusive preferential exchange rates, making every purchase even more rewarding. In addition, Weixin Pay users who spend at participating merchants across Malaysia, including AEON, will stand a chance to win vouchers worth up to RMB288 through a lucky draw. Together, these offers provide Chinese tourists and other Weixin Pay users with a seamless and rewarding shopping experience while visiting Malaysia. The collaboration reinforces AEON’s commitment to delivering greater value to customers while supporting national efforts to strengthen tourism. Hidekazu Iwaoka, Deputy Managing Director of AEON CO. (M) BHD., said, “We are pleased to collaborate with Weixin Pay to provide our customers with greater payment convenience while enhancing the shopping experience for visitors to Malaysia. This collaboration supports our commitment to delivering greater value to our customers and aligns with national efforts to strengthen tourism, particularly by making shopping more accessible and rewarding for Chinese visitors. We look forward to welcoming more tourists to our stores and contributing to Malaysia’s position as a preferred shopping destination.” David Chong taking a tour of AEON Mall Alpha Angle following the launch event. Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Ben Yang, Managing Director for Southeast Asia and North America at Weixin Pay, said, “At Weixin Pay, we are dedicated to delivering a seamless and trustworthy payment experience for users wherever they travel. With Visit Malaysia Year 2026 set to attract more Chinese travellers, we strive to ensure that their daily payments in Malaysia remain simple, convenient and intuitive, just like back home.”  

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) is set to strengthen its position in the insurance and takaful sector after proposing to acquire Ageas Insurance International NV’s 30.95% stake in Maybank Ageas Holdings Bhd (MAHB) for RM4.83 billion. The proposed transaction will allow Maybank to move closer towards taking full ownership of MAHB, the holding company for Etiqa’s insurance and takaful businesses in Malaysia and Singapore. Maybank currently holds a majority 69.05% stake in MAHB. In a statement, Maybank said it had entered into an implementation agreement with Ageas as part of the proposed acquisition, which marks a significant step in consolidating its ownership of one of Malaysia’s leading insurance and takaful groups. Etiqa currently offers a comprehensive range of life and general conventional insurance products, as well as family and general takaful solutions, supported by multiple distribution channels including bancassurance, agents, digital platforms and other customer touchpoints. Maybank said the acquisition would further strengthen MAHB’s role as a leading national insurance and takaful champion, allowing the group to leverage Maybank’s extensive customer base, regional presence and integrated financial services ecosystem. The banking group added that full ownership of Etiqa would provide greater strategic flexibility to accelerate expansion across Southeast Asia, supported by Maybank’s established operations and market reach in the region. The proposed acquisition is also expected to deliver immediate financial benefits, including improvements in profit after tax and minority interest (PATAMI), earnings per share (EPS) and return on equity (ROE). Maybank said the transaction would contribute towards sustainable long-term value creation through stronger earnings growth and enhanced returns. Additionally, the acquisition is expected to improve capital management efficiency within Maybank’s insurance businesses, creating greater capacity to support sustainable dividend payouts as part of the group’s broader capital management strategy. Maybank President and Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Sri Khairussaleh Ramli said the proposed transaction represents a significant milestone in the group’s strategy to further develop its insurance and takaful business across Southeast Asia. He added that Maybank will continue investing in innovation and digital capabilities to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer experiences. The RM4.83 billion purchase consideration was determined based on a price-to-book multiple of 1.98 times and a price-to-earnings multiple of 15.3 times. Maybank said the valuation was calculated after taking into account an RM800 million dividend proposed to be paid by MAHB upon completion of the transaction. Of this amount, Ageas is entitled to receive approximately RM248 million, while the remaining RM552 million will be allocated to Maybank. The proposed acquisition remains subject to regulatory approval, with Maybank having submitted a formal application to Bank Negara Malaysia for consideration. For the transaction, Maybank Investment Bank is acting as financial adviser, while Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte has been appointed as international financial adviser. The acquisition highlights Maybank’s continued focus on expanding its integrated financial services ecosystem, while reinforcing Etiqa’s role as a key platform for the group’s future growth in insurance and takaful markets across the region.