21 Oct 2020
Funding Societies and TMIM team up to provide digital financing access and support to MSMEs
Financial assistance for underserved local MSMEs from Funding Societies utilising Yellow Pages digital advertising solutions to help with business expansion and sustainability during these challenging times.
Funding Societies Malaysia, the largest peer-to-peer (P2P) financing platform in the country and Southeast Asia recently collaborated with TM Info-Media Sdn Bhd (TMIM), a subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) to offer business financing solutions for the underserved and unserved local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The mission kicks off into high gear with the prime utilisation of Yellow Pages' digital platform, a product of TMIM and also the leading digital business directory in Malaysia.
The collaboration will provide MSMEs with greater access to digital financing solutions. The solutions will facilitate business expansions as well as ensure sustainability of the MSMEs. It provides vital financing options to existing MSMEs and serves as a launch pad to aspiring entrepreneurs. The synergistic collaboration takes momentous steps towards Funding Societies' mission to improve the livelihoods of MSMEs and TM's role as the enabler of Digital Malaysia.
It also opens the door for as many as 70,000 MSMEs under the Yellow Pages listings to a variety of tailor-made financing products. With the aim of bringing game-changing revolutions to their customers, Yellow Pages Malaysia is no stranger to making innovative transformations in order to stay current in the digital age.
Wong Kah Meng, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Funding Societies Malaysia, commented on the partnership: "Digital financing is becoming more prevalent in Malaysia given its ability to promote financial inclusion, particularly benefiting the MSMEs that are either unserved or underserved by traditional financing avenues by providing easy access to financing solutions. As the largest P2P financing platform in the region, our partnership with TMIM will serve to accelerate our reach in providing the financing support that is much needed by our local MSME players. This is especially relevant given MSMEs are among the most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic."
Meanwhile, Sean Koh Chin Soon, Chief Executive Officer, TMIM said: "Our Malaysia Yellow Pages platform which has evolved from print to digital, interactive website and mobile app, is the perfect avenue to bridge the MSMEs out there with the resources they require. We are excited to collaborate with Funding Societies Malaysia in empowering local businesses through financial solutions. This will enable them to further expand their potentials thus supporting the sustainability of the businesses, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. This is also in line with the Government's efforts to boost the growth of Malaysian economy and to propel local businesses. This initiative is befitting of TM Group's unique role in nation building and as the enabler of Malaysia's Digital Nation aspirations."
P2P financing is a digital financing solution that has been gaining traction in recent years. Its modern approach and speedy process makes pain points of traditional financing a thing of the past. Such setbacks including collateral requirement, onerous documentation, slow turnaround time, and high minimum requirements, all posed as hurdles for smaller businesses to obtain quick financing assistance. Through this collaboration, eligible businesses on the Yellow Pages platform can apply for the financing from Funding Societies without even needing to visit a physical branch.
Eligible MSMEs stand to enjoy the following financing benefits from Funding Societies:
- Discount on processing fee
- Fast disbursement with quick approval within five (5) working days
- Flexible tenure of up to 18 months
- No collateral requirement
- Minimal documentation requirement
Besides the collaboration with Funding Societies, TM through its consumer and SME product brand, unifi has also been continuously assisting businesses to stay productive in this emerging digital economy. Via unifi Business Club (uBC) specifically for its SME customers, unifi enables access to complete business solutions which include digital marketing tools, productivity boosters and financial solutions. By allowing businesses to leverage on its strategic partnerships, unifi aims to expedite its customers' recovery and enhance sustainability.
Interested MSMEs can apply for financing from Funding Societies on Yellow Pages website starting 5 October 2020. For more information on the partnership between Funding Societies and TMIM, please visit https://biz.yp.my/solutions/yellowpagesfinancing/.
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TM ONE PARTNERS MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO ELEVATE DIGITAL SKILLS THROUGH TVET PROGRAMS
KUALA LUMPUR, 30 October 2024 – TM One, TM’s enterprise and Government sector business solutions arm, has announced a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to enhance Malaysia’s digital competencies, equipping students and educators from vocational colleges and secondary schools with essential digital skills that align with industry standards. The partnership, which was recently formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MOE’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Division, targets critical areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, cybersecurity, and smart agriculture solutions. These initiatives will benefit both students and educators, ensuring Malaysia’s future workforce is ready to meet the demands of the digital economy. Shazurawati Abd Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One said, “We are pleased to collaborate with MOE to deliver industry expertise and digital infrastructures to uplift Malaysia’s TVET ecosystem. TM One will facilitate education and practical training on advanced technologies to the students and educators, preparing them for emerging digital trends and career opportunities. This aligns with the country’s transformation agenda and TM’s Digital Powerhouse aspiration to revitalise Malaysia’s talent and innovation ecosystem for a digitally enabled and globally competitive workforce.” This collaborative effort includes industry placements for educators to develop their digital expertise as well as co-creation of learning modules, syllabi, and curricula revolving technology and telecommunications education, creating a sustainable skills development framework for the future. Leveraging TM’s extensive nationwide connectivity, TM One will also enhance MOE’s digital infrastructure at TVET institutions, fostering a modern learning environment through network enhancements and relevant digital solutions. This collaboration is expected to produce a highly skilled and digitally proficient workforce, positioning Malaysia as a leader across various sectors. Through this initiative, TM One and MOE are ensuring TVET students and educators are well-prepared with the right skills and certifications, providing greater digital access to students from all backgrounds and shaping a dynamic and digitally empowered Malaysia.
TM AND SINGTEL’S NXERA BREAK GROUND FOR SUSTAINABLE, HYPER-CONNECTED DATA CENTRE CAMPUS IN JOHOR
ISKANDAR PUTERI, 25 JULY 2024 – TM and Nxera, the regional data centre arm of Singtel’s Digital InfraCo unit, held a groundbreaking ceremony for their data centre campus in Iskandar Puteri, Johor. The groundbreaking comes one month after the announcement for a joint venture to develop data centres in Malaysia and uplift Johor’s digital hub status. This 64MW state-of-the-art, sustainable, hyper-connected, AI-ready data centre campus reinforces Malaysia’s high quality digital infrastructure. It also supports the government's efforts to drive the digital economy and transform the country into a hub for industrial growth, AI development and innovation. Malaysia's Digital Minister YB Gobind Singh Deo; YB Lee Ting Han, Chairman, Johor State Investment, Trade, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee; and Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and Culture, Community and Youth Low Yen Ling graced the groundbreaking event as the Guests-of-Honour. Minister YB Gobind said, "This investment by TM and Nxera reinforces Malaysia's position as the digital hub in Southeast Asia, further advancing the nation's economic growth. Based on advance estimates, Malaysia's economy expanded 5.8% in the second quarter of 2024, and such investments are in line with projections that Malaysia's digital economy will contribute 25.5% to the nation's GDP by the end of the year. The relationship between TM and Nxera expands to Malaysia and Singapore, with both nations being a good case study of a productive working partnership between two ASEAN member states." YAB Dato Onn Hafiz Ghazi, Menteri Besar, Johor said, “TM-Nxera’s upcoming data centre campus, located right here in Iskandar Puteri, holds particular significance as one of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone’s first investment projects. We welcome the comprehensive scope of their investment with respect to high quality infrastructure, sustainability as well as employment and skilling opportunities which supports our emphasis on talent development, green technology and renewable energy. This data centre campus will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and enable businesses to harness the power of cloud computing and AI. We hope this will set the stage to shape a vibrant business ecosystem where more high-tech and high-value content companies will be attracted to locate their operations within the special economic zone and give a further boost to Johor’s digital economy.” Senior Minister of State Low said, “Data centres are important enablers of our digital economy, powering our economy’s data-driven needs. As technology advances, robust, next-generation digital infrastructure like the TM-Nxera Data Centre will be essential to support AI advancements and foster value creation. Today’s groundbreaking marks a milestone in the deepening economic relations between Singapore and Malaysia, and I look forward to the outcomes we can achieve through close collaboration.” Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM’s Group CEO, said, “Today marks a pivotal milestone in our journey to becoming a digital powerhouse as we break ground on this cutting-edge AI-ready data centre. This facility exemplifies our commitment to fostering industry growth, driving innovation, and enhancing socio-economic development. With support from the Federal Government, and Johor state agencies and authorities, we are confident that this AI-ready data centre will equip businesses with unparalleled computing power, AI capabilities, and other cutting-edge technologies. We are excited to lead the way into a future where AI and data analytics drive transformative solutions, revolutionising industries and enriching both our nation and the world.” Bill Chang, CEO of Nxera and Singtel’s Digital InfraCo unit, said, “As one of the largest investments in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, this state-of-the-art data centre campus is an integral part of our mission to empower digital economies and communities in the region while ensuring energy and water resources are deployed responsibly and efficiently. It expands our regional data centre platform’s strategic presence in this fast-growing Asia region. With Malaysia embracing AI to drive competitiveness and innovation, our campus will spur economic growth by helping companies leverage AIs and cloud computing to drive efficiencies and accelerate their business transformation. Our investment isn’t just about the campus, it is about bringing benefits to the local economy through digitalisation, developing local talent, creating employment opportunities and enhancing international connectivity. We would like to express our gratitude to the Johor State Executive Council, Invest Johor, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation and Malaysian Investment Development Authority for their support.” Scheduled to begin commercial operations in 2026, this cloud-enabled Tier 3 data centre campus will use liquid cooling to handle higher power density AI workloads. The facility will be designed, built and certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, incorporating energy and water-efficient solutions to optimise the use of resources. This underscores the joint venture's commitment to long-term sustainability goals. 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As announced in Bursa, this joint venture is conditional upon receiving approval from TM shareholders in the upcoming EGM.
TM reports operational improvement for 3Q 2019 amidst challenging environment
Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) today announced its financial results for the quarter ended 30 September 2019. Financial and Operational Highlights as at Year-to-Date (YTD) September 2019 vs YTD September 2018: Group Revenue of RM8.40 billion, 3.8% lower against YTD September 2018 – in line with guidance- mainly due to lower contribution from all lines of products except data and non-telecommunication related services. Group Reported Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) for YTD September 2019 increased to RM1.20 billion, from Loss Before Interest and Tax (LBIT) of RM187.3 million over the corresponding nine (9) months period last year, on the back of lower operating cost, from the Group's various cost optimisation initiatives. Group Reported Profit After Tax and Non-controlling Interests (PATAMI) showed significant improvement with a 718.9% growth YTD to RM683.8 million, from RM83.5 million in the corresponding period last year. Stripping off non-operational items, Normalised PATAMI stood at RM810.9 million, higher by 53.7% against the same period last year. The total capital expenditure (CAPEX) was within guidance at 8.8% of revenue or RM736.0 million. Out of the amount spent, 16% was made for Core Network, 58% for Access and the balance 26% was made for Support System. unifi updates: Increased YTD convergence penetration to 55% of TM Households compared to 48% in 30 September 2018. Total broadband customers as at 30 September 2019 was more than 2.15 million. #khabarbaik customer experience related initiatives in 3Q2019: Streamlined all Streamyx packages to a new unifi Lite plan at RM69/month for existing Streamyx customers. Introduced unifi Air to elevate the internet experience of existing Streamyx customers residing in TM's LTE coverage areas. Launched an all-in-one app; myunifi for an easy experience in managing unifi account. TM ONE updates: Signed a series of MoUs and cross-industry strategic digital collaborations with Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Ministry of Rural Development, Global Health, UMW Corporation Sdn. Bhd. (UMW), Open University Malaysia (OUM), Bintang Urusjuta (M) Sdn Bhd and Digital Perak Corporation Holdings (DigitalPerak). TM ONE further demonstrated its capability to enable digital businesses and government with ten (10) smart solutions and end-to-end Hyperconnected Ecosystem. Held its annual flagship event LEAP Summit 2019 themed "Creative Disruption – Get Ready for It!" to share the successes and lessons from global creative disruptors and provide in-depth insights on industry trends towards Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0). TM GLOBAL updates: TM as the National Telecommunication Infrastructure Provider continues to serve as the industry backbone - serving and collaborating with all other licensed operators in Malaysia as the strategic enabler of the Government's National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) towards reaching more underserved areas nationwide and supporting 5G requirements with its ready and upgraded network infrastructure. Dato' Noor Kamarul Anuar Nuruddin, Group Chief Executive Officer, TM, commenting on the results: "Overall, in 3Q 2019 we saw continued improvements in our fundamentals. I'm pleased to report that our cost management initiatives under our performance improvement plan carried out since last year continues to yield results with profitability improvement. We have managed to keep a closer eye on our operational efficiencies to deliver sustained profitability with lower YTD OPEX/revenue. However, in line with sector contraction, our revenue challenges still persist on the retail front, in line with our expectations and 2019 market guidance. Our CAPEX for YTD September 2019 is well within guidance, totalling 8.8% of revenue, and on track as we continue our targeted investments to ensure we deliver better service experience for all our customers. We continue to offer attractive unifi products and promotions to acquire more customers, whilst addressing Streamyx customers and coverage pain points with price adjustments and our wireless offerings. Over the last three months, we have expressed our intention to be the key driver for Malaysia's Digital Nation aspirations. TM is ready to propel the nation into Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) with our proposal to be the nation's infrastructure provider in both the fixed and mobile space. This commitment is reinforced with our participation in the 5G demonstration projects and our preliminary moves toward building infrastructure readiness. In the next few months, we will be showcasing our 5G use cases in SS15, Subang Jaya, Selangor and Langkawi, Kedah in collaboration with local municipal councils and other potential partners. The use cases will cover Big Data Analytics, Smart City, Smart Tourism and Smart Agriculture clusters. The deployment of our tested and proven 5G-enabled smart solutions for the showcase are testament of our commitment in humanising technology towards making life easier, and enriching the quality of life for all Malaysians." Prospects for the Financial Year Ending 31 December 2019 The Group's performance improvement initiatives and efficient cost management continue to improve our profitability. Our focus remains toward our customers, and to strengthen the Group's performance by investing to improve customer experience across segments to grow our revenue.
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