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Thai Hotel Chain Koko Global Hospitality Sets Sights on Laos

Thai Hotel Chain Koko Global Hospitality Sets Sights on Laos
Outside one of Kokotel's Hotel properties.

As the Thai Bed and Cafe chain plans to expand further in Laos and Thailand, they intend to capitalize on the emerging tourism market, boosted by low-cost carriers.

FWD Greater Bay Area’s survey on healthcare protection reveals 75% of respondents in Hong Kong are concerned about an anticipated increase in medical expenditure in the next decade

Passive in health protection planning, nearly 40% of respondents in Hong Kong might give up the best medical options

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 20 February 2023 – A recent survey on “Healthcare Protection in the Greater Bay Area (GBA)” (note 1) conducted by FWD Hong Kong (“FWD”) has found that Hong Kongers anticipate a huge increase in medical expenditure in the future which would impose financial burden on them. However, unlike the respondents in GBA, fewer Hongkongers are prepared to make use of medical or critical illness insurance to build reserve. Unable to shoulder the hefty medical expenses, 40% of Hong Kongers admitted that they might have to consider giving up the best treatment options as a result.

The survey was conducted in September 2022 in 11 cities (note 1) with a view to understand respondents’ views on healthcare protection plans for individuals and their families, in particular their budget for expenses on medical and critical illnesses. A total of 2,410 GBA residents aged between 18 and 60 were polled, including 500 from Hong Kong, 102 from Macau and 1,808 from nine other Mainland cities. Key survey findings are as follows:

1) Considerable pressure coping with future medical expenses in general, some might just relinquish treatment

  • Huge healthcare expenditure anticipated in the future: Around 60 to 75% of respondents in Hong Kong, Macau and the Mainland expected medical expenditure for both individuals and family members would likely be increased by over 20% in 10 years’ time, the costliest being treatment for critical/serious illnesses (such as cancer, cardiac diseases and stroke).
  • Heavy financial burden brought by healthcare expenditure: Around 70% of respondents said that medical expenses for themselves and their families would create a “very heavy” or “rather heavy” financial burden within the next 10 years. The ratios of respondents from Hong Kong (76%) and Macau (78%) were higher than that from the Mainland (65%).
  • Hong Kongers passive in response, some even considered giving up medical treatment: In spite of the financial burden they faced, many Hongkongers were still passive in dealing with the insufficient health insurance coverage issue, such as choosing to cut down other daily spendings (82%) or cash in their savings (73%) instead. Nearly 40% of Hongkongers (37%) said they would opt to give up medical treatment or the best medical solutions, the highest among respondents in three regions.


2) Hong Kong: lowest rate of health insurance coverage in GBA

  • Hong Kong has the lowest health insurance penetration rate in GBA: Even though 95% of Hong Kongers considered healthcare protection as “rather important” or “very important”, only around half have medical insurance plans (including Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme – VHIS) or critical illness insurance (56% and 49% respectively). The ratios were considerably lower than those from Macau (71%, 46%) and the Mainland (80%, 70%)

  • Health insurance spending relatively low among Hongkongers: The survey also indicated that 70% Hongkongers spent no more than 20% of their household income annually on medical insurance or critical illness insurance (76% and 75% respectively), presenting an obvious disparity with Macau where about half of the respondents (49%, 62%) allocated over 20% of their household income on insurance protection.


3) Hongkongers tend to overlook the importance of mental health protection:

  • As compared with others surveyed, Hong Kongers considered mental health protection less important as 75% of them believed that mental health insurance (covering depression, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, etc.) was “rather important” or “very important”, while the figures for respondents in Macau and the Mainland stood at 87% and 90% respectively.

Plan for future healthcare protection needs early for oneself and family

Kelvin Yu, Chief Product Officer of FWD Hong Kong & Macau, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic in the past few years has highlighted the importance of physical and mental wellness. Medical and critical illness insurance will not only provide individuals with a reserve that caters for their future healthcare needs, but also help them ease their psychological burden associated with unexpected future medical spendings, allowing them to worry less and enjoy a healthier life.”

The survey revealed that Hong Kongers are the most passive among other regions in terms of healthcare protection planning with less coverage and spendings on health insurance. Their awareness of mental health protection was also found to be lower than respondents in Macau and other GBA cities.

Yu added: “The survey provides a timely update of healthcare protection and concerns among Hongkongers. This enables us to plan for further enhancements of our healthcare protection and related promotional strategies to support customers. FWD has recently incorporated mental health into its medical protection scope, which is a first-in-Hong Kong initiative (note 2). Through providing accessible mental health protection, we hope to support individuals to plan for the holistic well-being for self and family, as well as to open up conversations about mental health issues.”

In November 2022, FWD launched a mental health-focused medical protection plan (note 3), which includes preliminary diagnosis, referral, out-patient counselling, hospitalisation treatment and post-hospitalisation care, as well as tailor-made family support.

Note 1: Market research company Kantar Hong Kong Limited was engaged to conduct the survey in which a total of 2,410 adults from Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong Province (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing) were polled. This survey was conducted through online survey, except for street interviews in Macau.

Note 2: Per a comparison made by FWD on 30 September 2022 among the medical insurance plans of key insurers available in Hong Kong, FWD is the first insurance company in Hong Kong to launch Out-Patient Psychiatrist Consultation/ Clinical Psychologist Consultation Benefit, Daily Hospital Income Benefit, Post Hospitalisation Out-Patient Psychiatrist Consultation/ Clinical Psychologist Consultation Benefit, Retreat Benefit and Monthly Income Support Benefit (optional benefit).

Note 3: The mentioned protection plan, “Mind Strength Protection Plan”, is underwritten by FWD Life Insurance Company (Bermuda) Limited (incorporated in Bermuda with limited liability). The above information is for reference only and does not contain the full terms and conditions, key product risks and full list of exclusions of the policy. For the details of benefits and key product risks, please refer to the product brochure downloadable at https://www.fwd.com.hk/-/media/documents/product/medical/fwd-mind-strength-en-18oct-update.pdf?rev=c58038e0494e43cd9a2f7fb5da7dcedb; and for exact terms and conditions and the full list of exclusions, please refer to the policy provisions of the plan.

Hashtag: #FWD #KelvinYu #ChiefProductOfficerofFWDHongKongandMacau #HealthcareProtectionintheGreaterBayArea #GreaterBayArea #medicalexpenditure #medicalinsurance #criticalillnessinsurance

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About FWD Hong Kong & Macau

FWD Hong Kong & Macau are part of the FWD Group, a Pan-Asian life insurance business with approximately 10 million customers across ten markets, including some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world.

It offers life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning. FWD Macau provides a suite of life and medical insurance.

FWD is focused on making the insurance journey simpler, faster and smoother, with innovative propositions and easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD is committed to changing the way people feel about insurance.

For more information about FWD Hong Kong & Macau, please visit WWW.FWD.COM.HK and WWW.FWD.COM.MO.

CHEP accredited as a Top Employer in Malaysia

Awarded Top Employer certification in 25 countries and recognised as a Global Top Employer in 2023

SELANGOR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 20 February 2023 – CHEP, a global leader in supply chain solutions, has been certified as a Top Employer in Malaysia for the first time by the Top Employers Institute, a global certifier recognising excellence in employee conditions.

This year, CHEP, as part of the Brambles Group, was among only 15 organisations to receive the Global Top Employer certification, which is awarded to companies demonstrating outstanding HR policies and practices worldwide.

Human Resources Vice President for CHEP Asia Pacific, India, Middle East, Tὓrkiye and Africa, Victoria Pickles, says “We are immensely proud to have achieved global recognition for the first time from Top Employer. We create a working environment that supports our employees and rewards excellence, honesty, mutual respect, and fairness. We thank all our employees for their significant efforts and engagement in building CHEP into the organisation it is today. It is through the collective efforts of our teams working every day towards creating the best possible employee experience for our people that has made this possible. The certification recognises the ongoing efforts we are applying to building a safe, inclusive and respectful workplace that offers employees a purposeful and fulfilling experience. Our people first policies are creating an environment where innovation, diversity and growth are encouraged and we are proud to be on this journey together.”

Hew Hein Hwei, Country Director for CHEP Malaysia & Singapore adds, “We are honoured to be recognised as a global Top Employer while also earning the Top Employer seal in Asia Pacific and Malaysia for the first time. This recognition confirms CHEP as a future focused company, that has created an environment where our employees are motivated to adapt and innovate. Our employees are the driving force of our business and our most valued assets. Their passion, dedication and enthusiasm form a major part of our company culture and we thank them for making CHEP an employer of choice in Malaysia.”

The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more.

In 2022, CHEP achieved 33% of women in management roles globally and reached 40% female representation on its Board. Following an increased focus employee health, safety and wellbeing, the company recorded an 18% improvement in its Brambles Injury Frequency Rate (BIFR) performance, reflecting the targeted efforts to reach Zero Harm across global operations with the rollout of its Safety-First roadmap.

Top Employers Institute CEO, David Plink, said: “Exceptional times bring out the best in people and organisations. And we have witnessed this in our Top Employers Certification Programme this year: an exceptional performance from the certified Top Employers 2023. Amongst this community of outstanding organisations, CHEP has proven its commitment to employees on a global scale. This consistency in people practices across the globe characterises an exclusive group of companies that have achieved a global certification through the Top Employers Programme. We are proud to announce and celebrate these companies and their achievement in 2023.”

Globally, CHEP has been recognised as a Top Employer in 25 countries including Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Thailand, Zimbabwe, United Kingdom and United States, while also earning the regional Top Employer seal in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America.Hashtag: #CHEP

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About CHEP

CHEP helps move more goods to more people, in more places than any other organisation on earth. Its pallets, crates and containers form the invisible backbone of the global supply chain and the world’s biggest brands trust CHEP to help them transport their goods more efficiently, sustainably and safely. As pioneers of the sharing economy, CHEP created one of the world’s most sustainable logistics businesses through the share and reuse of its platforms under a model known as ‘pooling’. CHEP primarily serves the fast-moving consumer goods (e.g., dry food, grocery, and health and personal care), fresh produce, beverage, retail and general manufacturing industries. CHEP employs approximately 11,500 people and believes in the power of collective intelligence through diversity, inclusion and teamwork. CHEP owns approximately 345 million pallets, crates and containers through a network of more than 750 service centres, supporting more than 500,000 customer touch-points for global brands such as Procter & Gamble, Sysco and Nestlé. CHEP is part of the Brambles Group and operates in approximately 60 countries with its largest operations in North America and Western Europe.

For more information on CHEP, visit
For information on the Brambles Group, visit

About Top Employers Institute

Top Employers Institute is the global authority on recognising excellence in People Practices. We help accelerate these practices to enrich the world of work. Through the Top Employers Institute Certification Programme, participating companies can be validated, certified, and recognised as an employer of choice. Established over 30 years ago, Top Employers Institute has certified 2 052 organisations in 121 countries/regions. These certified Top Employers positively impact the lives of over 9.5 million employees globally.

Top Employers Institute. For a better world of work.

Oliver Healthcare Packaging to set-up 122,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Malaysia to meet growing demand for pharmaceutical and medical device products in Asia-Pacific

Company breaks ground on its largest regional facility

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 20 February 2023 – Oliver Healthcare Packaging (Oliver), a leading healthcare company driving quality and innovation in medical packaging, has announced that it will establish a new manufacturing facility in the southern state of Johor in Malaysia, its largest regional plant. The company broke ground on the 122,000-square foot facility today, which is located within the i-Tech Valley, an integrated industrial park in the established economic zone of Iskandar Puteri, Johor. The plant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2024 and will supply its rapidly growing Asia-Pacific customer base.

[From Left to Right] Dr. Aldin Velic, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Oliver Healthcare Packaging; Ms. Rozita Ibrahim, Director of Building Technology & Lifestyle Division, Malaysian Investment Development Authority; Yang Berhormat Tuan Lee Ting Han, Chairman of Johor State Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee; Mr. Michael Benevento, Chief Executive Office, Oliver Healthcare Packaging; Mr. Kelvin Lee, Group Managing Director, AME Elite Consortium Bhd

[From Left to Right] Dr. Aldin Velic, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Oliver Healthcare Packaging; Ms. Rozita Ibrahim, Director of Building Technology & Lifestyle Division, Malaysian Investment Development Authority; Yang Berhormat Tuan Lee Ting Han, Chairman of Johor State Investment, Trade and Consumer Affairs Committee; Mr. Michael Benevento, Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Healthcare Packaging; Mr. Kelvin Lee, Group Managing Director, AME Elite Consortium Bhd

The new manufacturing facility will have the latest state-of-the-art equipment, operating ISO-7 and ISO-8 clean rooms, while meeting growing regulatory standards for medical packaging. The plant will produce pouches, lids, CleanCut cards, and roll stock, and will boast the latest in printing technology with an emphasis on supporting its growing medical device and pharmaceutical customers in the region.

“Southeast Asia is an important region for us, and this site was strategically chosen to serve the large concentration of pharmaceutical and medical device companies that currently operate in Singapore and Malaysia. It will also help us strengthen our regional position and address any future supply-chain challenges and gaps in expertise that may impact the healthcare industry,” said Michael Benevento, President and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver.

In line with the company’s commitment to embed corporate responsibility and stewardship into its business practices, the Johor plant will also emphasize sustainability throughout its manufacturing process. To help mitigate its environmental impact within the healthcare industry, plans for the facility include the installation of solar panels to supplement and reduce dependability on local utilities. Additionally, some of the materials used in the production process will be 100% recyclable, and recycling programs will be implemented to not only reduce the amount of scrap material generated during the manufacturing process, but also the amount of waste sent to landfills.

“As healthcare demands continue to increase, our customers in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries have witnessed impressive sales growth across the region. Driven by our unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and service excellence, we look forward to better serving our customers’ needs and truly redefining the healthcare and packing landscape in Asia,” added Dr. Aldin Velic, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Oliver.

Oliver also has a Technical Centre in Singapore where its research and development takes place, as well as manufacturing plants in the United States, Europe, and China.

Hashtag: #OliverHealthcarePackaging

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Oliver Healthcare Packaging Company

Oliver Healthcare Packaging Company is a leading supplier of sterile barrier packaging solutions. Oliver offers medical-grade die-cut lid, roll stock, HDPE card, and pouch products to the medical device and pharmaceutical markets. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, Oliver has additional manufacturing operations in Feasterville, PA; New Britain, PA; Hamilton, OH; Anaheim, CA; Venray, Netherlands; and Suzhou, China; and has sales offices and technical centers throughout the United States, Europe, China, and Singapore. More information about Oliver is available at or follow us on .

Facebook Launches Paid Verification Service for Users

Facebook to Launch Meta Verified to Help User Establish Their Presence
Representational image (photo: surveysparrow)

The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed on Sunday that the company will begin rolling out a new service called “Meta Verified,” a subscription program that lets Facebook and Instagram users verify themselves with a blue badge for a fee.

China, Myanmar to Start Economic Cooperation in Post Covid-19 Era

Sule Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar. ( Photo: Unsplash).

The province of Yunnan, China, and Myanmar will promote economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Starbucks Amplifies its Expansion Efforts in Asia-Pacific Region

Starbucks Amplifies its Expansion Efforts in Asia-Pacific Region
Staff at the Starbucks outlet that recently opened in South Korea. (Photo : Starbucks Asia Website)

Intending to leverage from Asia’s reopening after the Covid-19 pandemic, Starbucks has launched its biggest expansion drive in five years.

Jebsen & Jessen Acquires Industrial Products Business from Konecranes

The acquisition will see MHE-Demag’s Industrial Products (IPD) Business, a member of Konecranes Group, transfer to Jebsen & Jessen Group to form the Group’s material handling division

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 20 February 2023 – Diversified industrial group Jebsen & Jessen today announces the acquisition of MHE-Demag’s Industrial Products (IPD) Business, a member of Konecranes Group – a move which will expand the family enterprise’s portfolio and position it to meet the need for engineered mechanical solutions in the rapidly urbanising South East Asia region. The deal is expected to close in April 2023.

Caption
Signing of the acquisition agreement between Jebsen & Jessen Pte. Ltd. and Konecranes at Jebsen & Jessen Group headquarters in Singapore.

The newly acquired IPD business will be known as “MHE”, retaining the existing MHE branding, and form the material handling equipment division of Jebsen & Jessen Technology. It will cover manufacturing, engineering, renting, trading, supplying and servicing of MHE’s complete range of industrial and material handling products, such as dock levellers and door systems; mechanical car park systems; building maintenance units; boom lifts and Aerial Work Platforms; warehouse trucks and lift systems, among others. The business spans Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

“We are excited to welcome the 300-people-strong MHE-Demag Industrial Products (IPD) team to the Jebsen & Jessen Group. The business is already the clear market leader in some segments, and our ambition is to attain market leadership across the portfolio. We are committed to investing in people and the business to achieve our growth ambitions,” said Per Magnusson, Group CEO, Jebsen & Jessen Group. “The acquisition aligns well with our Advance & Build strategy and builds upon our distinctive heritage as a trusted provider of quality industrial products and value-added solutions,” Per Magnusson continues.

The IPD business to be acquired by Jebsen & Jessen Group is part of MHE-Demag, a member of the Konecranes Group, which was previously a joint venture between Jebsen & Jessen and Demag. Jebsen & Jessen’s 50% stake in MHE-Demag was acquired by Konecranes in January 2020. Focusing on its core industrial service and lifting equipment business, Konecranes will, with this deal, be divesting its IPD business to Jebsen & Jessen Group. Since 1972, the business has provided systems for iconic buildings in the region, such as the Petronas Twin Tower, Merdeka 118 and KL Tower in Malaysia, Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, BNI 46 in Indonesia, Bitexco Financial Tower in Vietnam and Okada Manila in the Philippines. It also provided the mechanism for the retractable roof of the Singapore Sports Hub – the largest free-spanning dome stadium in the world.

“The divestment of our IPD business back to Jebsen & Jessen will allow Konecranes to fully focus on growth in our core businesses in the region and leverage the earlier acquisition of full ownership in MHE-Demag. During our strategic review, Jebsen & Jessen stood out as the right fit with a strong vision and strategy for the IPD business, and I am confident that the industrial product business will continue to flourish in its new home,” said Marko Tulokas, SVP, Industrial Service & Equipment, Region APAC, Konecranes.

Upon finalisation of the acquisition, approximately 300 highly-skilled Konecranes’ employees will join Jebsen & Jessen Group, alongside related assets including all MHE products and solutions. The acquired business will maintain its current commercial presence, and all operations and business will proceed as usual.

Hashtag: #JebsenandJessen

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Jebsen & Jessen Group

We are an ASEAN-focused industrial conglomerate with a diverse network of businesses spanning manufacturing, engineering, and distribution activities.

The five core business units – , , , and – are present in eight countries and deliver through various locations across China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Our nine manufacturing facilities are in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam. Our 2,550 people work as one to develop meaningful products and services for the 20,000 customers we serve.

For more information, visit .

About Jebsen & Jessen Technology
We bring together application, service and technology driven activities. Across the region we provide equipment and complete turn-key solutions through four divisions: Industrial Services, Pumps, Scientific Equipment and Turf & Irrigation. Drawing on our regional network of industry focused resources; we bring relevant global brands to key markets.

For more information, visit

About Konecranes
Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment of all makes. In 2022, Group sales totaled EUR 3.4 billion. The Group has approximately 16,500 employees in around 50 countries. Konecranes shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki (symbol: KCR)

For more information, visit us

About MHE-Demag
MHE-Demag is part of the global lifting leader Konecranes. Established in 1972 and based in Singapore, MHE-Demag has 11 factories and more than 70 service locations throughout Southeast Asia. MHE-Demag is the name for material handling. We engineer, manufacture and maintain a comprehensive range of industrial cranes and hoists, warehousing equipment such as lift trucks and dock levellers, aerial work platforms, building maintenance units for safe working at heights, compact construction equipment, as well as automated car parking systems.

For more information, visit