Over 300 Animals Confiscated in Wildlife Trafficking Crackdown in Dak Cheung District (photo: KPL)
In a two-day operation supported by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Laos last week, authorities in Dak Cheung District, Sekong Province, seized over 300 animals as part of efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and the sale of endangered and protected species.
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, foreground, greets as he heads back to Royal Palace, in front of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, 21 August 2023. Cambodian king on Monday presided over the opening of the first session of National Assembly in Phnom Penh. (Photo: AP)
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s king congratulated the country’s new lawmakers on Monday, urging them in his traditional speech to the National Assembly on its first day following elections to promote economic growth and equality.
To Represent Malaysia at the ASEAN Energy Awards 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 21 August 2023 – Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is proud to announce that it has been named ‘Winner’ in Energy-Efficient Building in Retrofitted Building, at the prestigious National Energy Awards (NEA). The award recognises initiatives that adopt sustainable energy practices in either new or retrofitted buildings.
Initiated by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change and the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation, the NEA has been held on a yearly basis since 2018. Its purpose is to identify and honour leading Malaysian corporations and institutions that adopt revolutionary sustainability initiatives, aligning seamlessly with the nation’s pursuit of a Just Energy Transition, Net Zero goals, and the advancement of sustainable development.
From a pool of 114 submissions encompassing Malaysian residents, businesses, and organisations, Kenanga Investment Bank has been selected together with 22 other entries from various categories, to proudly go on to represent Malaysia at the forthcoming ASEAN Energy Awards 2023.
Datuk Chay Wai Leong, Group Managing Director of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad said, “We are proud to be part of the line-up of winners at this coveted event and to have the opportunity to represent the country for such a meaningful and crucial agenda. Central to Kenanga’s decarbonising programme is the deployment of innovative technology, and we are pleased that through piloting an AI-powered predictive cooling control solution, we are able to leapfrog the energy efficiency of our headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. We are guided by the urgent need to step up climate action and will continue to prioritise and promote sustainable practices throughout the organisation.”
The implementation of a cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) solution within the centralised air conditioning system – the most significant contributor to Kenanga Tower’s energy usage – had yielded approximately 50% reduction in its air conditioning energy consumption.
The successful transformation of its Air Conditioning (‘AC’) system and Air Handling Unit (‘AHU’), was complemented by the installation of energy-efficient lighting solutions throughout its premises, resulting in overall energy reduction of 25% at the end of December 2022, and continues to achieve substantial reduction into this year.
YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change of Malaysia stated, “Aligning with Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable economic growth, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change organises NEA annually to raise awareness, acceptance and adoption of sustainable energy practices across all industries. I applaud the strong participation by the entrants this year and believe they are all truly winners for championing sustainable energy practices.”
The collection of the 114 submissions showcased an impressive combined energy reduction of over 1.34 GW, resulting in significant electricity savings. This achievement translates to a substantial reduction of carbon emissions, equivalent to more than 23,000 metric tonnes per annum.
Hashtag: #KenangaInvestmentBank
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad (197301002193 (15678-H))
Established for almost 50 years, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad (“The Group“) is a financial group in Malaysia with extensive experience in equity broking, investment banking, treasury, Islamic banking, listed derivatives, investment management, wealth management, structured lending and trade financing.
An innovative and established home-grown brand, the Group’s digital ambition includes building a robust digital ecosystem that meets the needs of its clients and businesses. Some of its game-changing products include Malaysia’s fully online digital stockbroking platform Rakuten Trade and a fully A.I. robo-advisor, Kenanga Digital Investing. The Group also launched Malaysia’s first securities broking e-wallet, Kenanga Money, paved the way in AI-led Quan and algorithmic trading, kick-started a revolutionary supply chain financing solution for SMEs and made inroads into the digital assets space through its investment in Tokenize Technology (M) Sdn.Bhd.
The Group has garnered a host of awards and accolades reflecting its strong market position. It was awarded Highest Returns to Shareholder Over Three Years, Highest Growth in Profit After Tax Over Three Years and Highest Return on Equity Over Three Years by The Edge Malaysia Centurion Club in the Financial Services Category, Best Overall Equities Participating Organisation (Champion), Best Retail Equities Participating Organisation (Champion), and Best Online Retail Participating Organisation (Champion), as well as Best Institutional Derivatives Trading Participant (Champion) and Best Overall Derivatives Trading Participant (1st Runner Up) in the Bursa Excellence Awards 2022. The Group was also accorded the title of Best House, South and Southeast Asia Award in the SRP Asia Pacific Awards 2022.
The Group continues to be a regular and repeat recipient of distinguished industry accolades, such as the Lipper, Fundsupermart and Morningstar awards. Rakuten Trade, Malaysia’s first fully digital securities broker in 2017 via a joint venture with Japanese fintech giant Rakuten Securities Inc was also named Malaysia’s Digital Experience of the Year – Brokerage at the Asian Experience Awards 2022. For its continued efforts towards community outreach and employee volunteerism, the Group was awarded the coveted Bank of the Year Award for Environmental, Social & Governance Excellence, as well as Long-Standing Excellence in Sustainability at Sustainability & CSR Malaysia Awards 2022. The Group is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principle-based approach to responsible business.
Today, Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is an award-winning leading independent investment bank in the country with a continuous commitment towards driving collaboration, innovation, digitalisation and sustainability in the marketplace.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 21 August 2023 – Respond.io, a pioneering customer conversation management software provider, has relocated its headquarters to Permata Sapura Tower in Kuala Lumpur’s central business district to support its rapid growth.
Respond.io’s new office comprises spaces for deep work, collaboration and leisure.
Since its inception in 2017, respond.io has quickly established itself as a key industry player with 10,000 companies from 86 countries using the software. In the last two years, the company’s workforce has grown by 300%, prompting the decision to move from WeWork’s co-working space to its own dedicated office in Permata Sapura Tower.
The location is no coincidence. The tower’s architectural design, inspired by the peak of Mount Kinabalu, mirrors respond.io‘s scaling to new heights.
By setting up its headquarters in central Kuala Lumpur, with a view overlooking the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, respond.io demonstrates its commitment to strengthening its presence in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
The strategic move to the heart of the city’s dynamic business hub also empowers respond.io to attract top-tier talent from around the world, including the nation’s best and brightest minds.
“This marks a significant milestone in our journey. With our rapid growth, we’ve come to understand the importance of having a workspace that allows our team to thrive. That’s why we’ve invested in creating an exceptional environment that encourages innovation and creativity.”— Gerardo Salandra, CEO of respond.io
Respond.io partnered with award-winning luxury coworking operator Colony to create a workspace that fosters productivity, collaboration and growth. Designed to embody respond.io‘s youthful, vibrant and diverse culture while prioritizing employee well-being, the office facilities strike a perfect balance between work and leisure.
Within the workspace, ergonomic furniture, intelligently designed meeting rooms and private call booths create a conducive environment for deep work and collaboration.
Meanwhile, a dedicated leisure area offers amenities such as a pool table, game consoles, massage chairs, snacks and free-flowing coffee, inviting employees to unwind, socialize and recharge. Hashtag: #respondio #techstartup #workspace
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About respond.io
Respond.io is a customer conversation management software that enables companies to respond to messages from any channel from one centralized dashboard by teams of all sizes, thus making communication with customers easier, faster and more satisfactory.
Over 10,000 companies from 86 countries, including British Airways, Klook, Decathlon, Roche and Bigo use respond.io. The platform processes 120 million messages per month, beating three of its main competitors combined.
In 2022, respond.io raised $7 million in Series A funding, led by Headline Asia with participation from AltaIR Capital, Smart Partnership Capital, Sterling Oak Group and Calendula Ventures. In April 2023, the company achieved the prestigious status of a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP). The company is headquartered in Malaysia.
About Colony
Colony is a luxury coworking space and serviced office provider with plans and pricing curated to eliminate hefty set-up costs, maintenance hassle and long-term rental contracts.
With 12 locations and over 160k sqft under its operation, each Colony location carries a different concept in the interior with distinctive design elements giving each a unique personality of its own. Some of these spaces have also been accredited as one of the best office interiors in the Asia Pacific by the renowned International Property Award (IPA).
Mr. Paul Kelly, Australian Ambassador to the Laos, handed over 13 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies to Mr Leepao Yang, Vice Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, at Wattay International Airport On Monday 21 August. (Photo: Chono Lapuekou)
On Monday, 21 August, Mr. Paul Kelly, Australian Ambassador to Laos, handed over 13 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies to Mr. Leepao Yang, Lao Vice Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, at Wattay International Airport.
Lao Kip . (File photo from Nouthaphone Simmavong).
The government of Laos has rolled out a credit policy of about LAK 2.5 trillion (USD 128 million) for some industries to enhance the economy and promote the use of domestic products in the country from 2023 to 2025.
Keen on digitally transforming the country’s economy and banking systems, the Bank of Lao PDR (BOL) successfully trialed the “Digital Lao Kip,” and implemented Cambodia’s ACLEDA Bank cross-border QR payment last week.
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 21 August 2023 – DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited (“DBS Hong Kong”) and HSH Financial Services Limited (“HSH Financial Services”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (“HSH”), have finalised a three-year HK$800 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility to facilitate HSH’s general corporate purposes, including the refinancing of its existing indebtedness.
Wallace Lam, Managing Director and Head of Institutional Banking Group of DBS Hong Kong (left) and Clement Kwok, Managing Director and CEO of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (right) finalised a three-year HK$800 million sustainability-linked revolving credit facility to facilitate HSH’s general corporate purposes, including the refinancing of its existing indebtedness.
This facility marks the first bilateral sustainability-linked loan between DBS Hong Kong and HSH Financial Services, for which the bank will serve as sole lender. The Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) set by HSH Financial Services include reduction in carbon intensity and energy intensity, increase in waste diversion rate, and increase in number of hotels receiving sustainability certification by EarthCheck.
Last year, DBS was among one of the nine banks who signed a GBP£675 million (HK$5.95 billion) three-year term green loan facility with HSH Financial Services, which will continue to fund the construction and operating cost of The Peninsula London project.
Clement Kwok, Managing Director and CEO of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited, commented: “We are delighted to partner with DBS on this new sustainability-linked revolving credit facility. This reflects our company’s strong commitment to incorporate sustainability elements in our business and financing strategy, as set out in our Sustainable Luxury Vision 2030. We appreciate the knowledge and expertise of our partner DBS and look forward to working closely with them to create long-term value for our stakeholders.”
Wallace Lam, Managing Director and Head of Institutional Banking Group of DBS Hong Kong, said, “We are pleased to support HSH Financial Services with our first bilateral sustainability-linked loan. As a purpose-driven bank, DBS is committed to promoting responsible banking practices that align with our sustainability mission. We look forward to continuing our partnership with HSH and supporting them in their future developments.”
DBS has an established track record in supporting our real estate clients to meet their financing needs and has been active in structuring, leading and executing landmark and complex real estate financing transactions. As the best bank in real estate[1], DBS Hong Kong had inked first social performance guarantee for Hong Kong public housing development with Gammon Construction Limited, and had secured sustainability-linked financings with Yuexiu REIT and Prosperity REIT in the past 12 months.
[1]DBS was named as Best Bank for Real Estate globally, in Asia Pacific and Hong Kong at Euromoney Real Estate Awards 2022
Hashtag: #DBS #HSH
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank’s “AA-” and “Aa1” credit ratings are among the highest in the world.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, as it banks the Asian way. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting social enterprises: businesses with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping communities with future-ready skills and building food resilience.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
About The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels
Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00045), The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the holding company of a Group which is engaged in the ownership, development, and management of prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo, The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Peninsula London, The Peninsula Paris, The Peninsula Istanbul, The Peninsula Bangkok and The Peninsula Manila. The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong; The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and 21 avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The clubs and services portfolio of the Group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.
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Respond.io is a customer conversation management software that enables companies to respond to messages from any channel from one centralized dashboard by teams of all sizes, thus making communication with customers easier, faster and more satisfactory. 
World’s Best Bank” by Global Finance, “
