Uncategorized

KUALA LUMPUR: Without the materials called “rare earths” and “critical minerals,” electric cars wouldn’t run, laptops wouldn’t boot up, solar panels and wind turbines wouldn’t generate power, and mobile phones wouldn’t make a single call. The shift to green energy is supercharging the demand for critical minerals, and Malaysians stand to benefit, according to analysis released today by IQI. IQI Co-Founder and Group CEO Kashif Ansari explained, “Rare earths are called that because they are usually found only in low concentrations, making mining less viable. They also require separation and purification to make them usable. A Trillion Ringgit Opportunity Ansari added, “The market is worth RM1.4 trillion. That is already massive, but it’s just the beginning. By 2040, this market will swell to RM3.4 trillion, fuelled by the need for materials that power electric cars, wind turbines, and solar panels. “Malaysia is home to one of the largest critical mineral refining facilities in the world, owned by Australian company Lynas. The plant is a testament to Malaysia’s growing influence in a world where green technology is becoming increasingly important. “You can see how much rare earths and critical minerals could add to Malaysian’s wealth when you realise that the Lynas plant, just by itself, has contributed RM3 billion in foreign direct investment, RM1.5 billion in exports, RM9.4 million in taxes paid, and RM65 million in wages paid to local workers. “The average income of Lynas employees is four-times larger than the local average in Pahang. Why the Green Transition Can Make Malaysians Richer “For Malaysia, the trend means an opportunity to build a stronger economy. The country’s rich reserves of critical minerals, combined with its strategic location and industrial strength, position it perfectly to take advantage of this demand. “Malaysia’s reserves of what are called “rare earth elements” can create more high-paying jobs and export income. Companies around the world are eager to find new suppliers. “For everyday Malaysians, this opportunity translates into real benefits. By expanding its role in processing and manufacturing these minerals, Malaysia can create new jobs, drive economic growth, and ensure that the country remains competitive on the global stage. “Government initiatives like the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 are helping make this promise into reality. “Malaysia has a total of RM4.1 trillion worth of mineral resources, including RM745 billion worth of rare earths. The estimated value of Malaysia’s metallic minerals alone is RM1 trillion. Risks to Avoid “Becoming a larger exporter or critical minerals also has risks, including the risk of environmental damage if the industry is not managed sustainability. “With smart investments and a focus on sustainability, we believe Malaysia has the potential to help lead the global green energy revolution. That will create a brighter, wealthier future for all its citizens. Impact on Real Estate “Juwai IQI is a real estate and technology company, so we look at the critical-minerals opportunity from the perspective of its impact on the real estate market. “The critical minerals boom will have a significant impact on Malaysia’s real estate market, increasing demand for industrial space and land where mineral reserves are present, driving new residential and commercial development, and helping push up property demand and the values of the homes Malaysians own. “The increased need for industrial space is the most direct real estate impact. As Malaysia ramps up its role in refining and processing critical minerals, companies will need factories, warehouses, and logistics hubs. “The new mining and processing investment will also spur residential and commercial real estate development in key regions. We especially expect this in Pahang, Perak, and Kedah, because they have rich deposits of critical minerals. The Lynas plant I mentioned is located in Pahang, for example. “Nearly all homeowners will also benefit as the regions involved in the critical minerals supply chain see their economies boom. This will create local wealth and boost incomes and opportunities nationwide by enriching the national accounts. “Expect to see a direct impact on property values. When Malaysian families find they have more money in the bank, they will want to buy bigger and more convenient homes. Conclusion “So, in general, we believe that the critical minerals opportunity will drive real estate development and boost property values. That will be a win for Malaysians. “I want to emphasise that this is especially good for households in the B40, especially those who take some of the high-paid jobs in this growing industry. They should see the biggest impact in terms of increasing household income and better housing affordability. “The opportunity for Malaysia to become a leader in the global green energy market is not just about national pride and sustainability. It’s about tangible benefits for every Malaysian. It means more jobs, better wages, and new industries that can drive economic growth for years to come. “This is a chance for Malaysia to improve everyone’s future and leave a legacy of innovation, resilience, wealth, and sustainability.”

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd managing director Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad has joined Malaysia Aviation Group Bhd (MAG) as a non-executive director effective Aug 12. According to MAG’s updated board of directors on its website, Bashir had served Malaysia Airlines for 29 years, starting as a management trainee in 1972 and working in various areas of the airline before becoming executive vice president. He is also Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd’s non-executive chairman. — Bernama

The Indonesian Women’s Business Association (IWAPI) is proudly hosting the yearly working event IWAPI RAKERNAS III in Kuala Lumpur from

KUALA LUMPUR: ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), the AI platform for business transformation, and Boomi, a leader in intelligent integration and automation, today announced a strategic commitment to jointly elevate customer experiences through AI-powered self-service with solutions including ServiceNow Technology Provider Service Management (TPSM). In addition, as a key customer of ServiceNow, Boomi will use ServiceNow App Engine to deliver streamlined customer support and improved self-service. ServiceNow will also integrate Boomi’s next-generation and industry-leading Application Programming Interface (API) Management capabilities with Automation Engine for complete visibility across a user’s API landscape and enhanced governance. Enterprises today struggle with time-consuming manual processes and a patchwork of isolated systems, creating data silos, slowing down innovation, and impacting customer experiences. According to IDC, only 12 percent of organizations connect customer data between departments; however, AI is proving to be a catalyst of connection and collaboration to improve and accelerate operational efficiency at scale. Boomi’s use of the Now Platform and ServiceNow’s AI-powered TPSM offering will transform its customer support and expand self-service. Through ServiceNow’s unified platform, Boomi will eliminate silos and simplify internal processes to drive better, faster, and more efficient collaboration while helping reduce manual work through intelligent automation. Boomi will also use ServiceNow’s App Engine to build workflows into its Master Data Hub, its cloud-native data management platform, for a simplified, more intuitive user experience. “As customer expectations evolve, businesses require simple, agile, and easy to use solutions to meet those needs,” said Paul Fipps, president, global industries and strategic growth at ServiceNow. “We’re thrilled to be working with Boomi to help them revolutionize their customer experience with the Now Platform and to collaborate on innovations that will advance business automation. By combining Boomi’s industry-leading API Management with ServiceNow’s suite of intelligent automation solutions, we’re also bringing an even more robust toolset to creators and app developers.” “Simplifying and streamlining complex business processes is at the core of what Boomi aims to achieve for our customers,” said Steve Lucas, CEO at Boomi. “By integrating our intelligent Integration and Data Hub platform with ServiceNow’s powerful automation solutions, we’re able to deliver self-service workflows, eliminate silos, enhance collaboration, and drive operational efficiency. This collaboration not only empowers Boomi and ServiceNow customers to harness the full potential of AI and automation but also sets the stage for a new era of seamless, personalized business transformation, all built on reliable and trusted data.” ServiceNow will also bring Boomi’s advanced, lightweight API Management (APIM) solution to its customers, to help deepen ServiceNow’s suite of intelligent automation solutions. Purpose-built to streamline experiences for application creators, Boomi’s modern APIM platform provides a centralized view across a user’s API landscape, empowering creators with complete visibility to quickly discover, provision, and secure their APIs no matter where they reside. The new offerings are expected to be available later this year.