Two Lao men were arrested on 26 August for attempting to smuggle protected wildlife to the Lao-Vietnam border.
Two Lao Men Arrested for Attempting to Smuggle Protected Wildlife
Futurise Lead RegTalk 2025: AI Medical Devices in Malaysia – Balancing Innovation and Safety
CYBERJAYA, Malaysia, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Futurise Sdn Bhd (Futurise), in collaboration with the Medical Device Authority (MDA), hosted the latest edition of RegTalk at the Siemens Healthineers Experience Center, focusing on “AI Medical Devices in Malaysia – Balancing Innovation & Safety.”
Panelists sharing their expertise during the RegTalk session held in Kuala Lumpur
The session brought together regulators, industry leaders, and policy experts to explore the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in healthcare. The discussion highlighted the critical balance between fostering innovation and ensuring patient safety, clinical validation and ethical data use.
Shafinaz Salim, Acting CEO of Futurise, delivered the welcome address, underscoring Malaysia’s pivotal moment in digital health. “The convergence of AI and medical technology presents extraordinary opportunities from predictive diagnostics to real-time patient monitoring. Yet, these advancements also introduce new complexities that must be navigated carefully especially when it comes to public safety, clinical validation, and ethical data use,” said Shafinaz.
She also announced plans to collaborate with MDA in establishing Malaysia’s first regulatory sandbox for medical devices. “This proposed regulatory sandbox is more than a testing mechanism. It is a strategic platform to accelerate responsible innovation, by allowing innovators to safely trial AI-driven medical technologies within a controlled environment under the oversight of MDA. Our aim is clear and that is to support industry growth while safeguarding public health, in full alignment with MDA’s mandate,” she added.
Shafinaz further emphasised the importance of enabling innovation through progressive regulatory frameworks. “To achieve this vision, we must address a crucial challenge: regulation. Innovation thrives in environments that allow experimentation, and this is where regulatory sandboxes can play a transformative role. The sandbox framework allows industries to experiment with new ideas without the immediate constraints of existing regulations, enabling rapid prototyping and faster scaling. As Futurise is mandated by the Government to drive the National Regulatory Sandbox, we believe the regulatory sandbox is the perfect enabler and plays a crucial role in this.”
A regulatory sandbox for medical devices would allow Malaysia to pilot and validate AI-driven medical technologies in a risk-managed environment, enable regulatory bodies to observe and respond to real-time challenges, build confidence among innovators, clinicians, and the public, and ultimately fast-track the adoption of safe, patient-centric innovations into the healthcare ecosystem.
The keynote was delivered by Aidahwaty M. Olaybal, Senior Director of the Pre-Market Control Division, Medical Device Authority (MDA), who emphasised the importance of regulatory frameworks in ensuring innovation is aligned with patient safety and trust. She highlighted that as AI-driven technologies continue to evolve, regulatory oversight must remain adaptive and forward-looking to address emerging risks. Aidahwaty also stressed that collaboration between regulators, industry, and healthcare professionals is essential to build a resilient ecosystem that balances innovation with public confidence.
“Striking the right balance between innovation and safety requires centring collaboration, bringing together developers, clinicians, ethicists, and regulators in a shared space of co-creation. It also demands rigorous real-world validation, beyond lab environments, to ensure AI devices perform reliably in diverse clinical settings. Regulatory sandboxes offer the ideal environment to test and iterate safely. And importantly, education must remain continuous for developers, users, and decision-makers alike, so that we evolve alongside our technology,” said Aidahwaty.
The panel discussion was moderated by Deepak Pillai, Partner at Christopher & Lee Ong Malaysia, and featured Idamazura Idris @ Harun, Senior Director of the Policy and Strategic Planning Division at the Medical Device Authority (MDA), Dr. Ylu-Cho Chung, Head of Research Collaboration at Siemens Healthcare Singapore, and Ella Al-Hakim, Associate at Asia Group Advisors.
The panel explored key issues such as regulatory harmonisation, international best practices, ethical considerations in AI deployment, and strategies to accelerate the adoption of AI-powered medical devices responsibly.
The event reaffirmed the importance of public-private collaboration to ensure Malaysia strengthens its position as a leader in digital health innovation, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and trust.
Looking ahead, Futurise highlighted that building an enabling ecosystem will require active participation from stakeholders across the healthcare value chain including regulators, clinicians, innovators, investors, and patients. By fostering open dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building, Malaysia can establish a strong foundation for AI-driven medical technologies to thrive.
Futurise remains committed to advancing a safe and progressive digital health ecosystem. By working hand-in-hand with government and industry partners, the organisation aims to shape a regulatory landscape that not only empowers businesses and drives innovation, but also positions Malaysia as a leader in global digital health and industrial growth.
As Futurise and MDA move forward with the development of the regulatory sandbox framework, the priority will be to align innovation with patient-centric outcomes, ensuring that Malaysia’s healthcare system remains both progressive and trustworthy in the age of artificial intelligence. This outcome of RegTalk 2025 sets the stage for a broader roadmap where regulatory sandboxes will serve as a key mechanism to test and refine breakthrough innovations in a structured environment, supporting Malaysia’s ambitions in digital health while contributing to ASEAN’s collective effort in shaping safe and sustainable healthcare solutions powered by technology.
For more information, please visit www.futurise.com.my.
About Futurise
Futurise is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cyberview Sdn Bhd under the Ministry of Finance. It is mandated by the Government of Malaysia to manage the National Regulatory Sandbox, providing public policy advisory and acting as a key enabler of regulatory solutions to expedite innovation and future-proof Malaysia’s economy.
About Medical Device Authority (MDA)
MDA is the government agency entrusted to serve the Malaysia medical device industry. It is a federal statutory agency under the Ministry of Health Malaysia to implement and enforce the Medical Device Act 2012 (Act 737). The main objectives of the Act are to address public health and safety issues related to medical devices and to facilitate medical device trade and industry.
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HKPC Debuts Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2025 for the First Time As a Technical Partner Leveraging AI and 3D Printing to Drive Future Manufacturing
Empowering Businesses Expand Globally and Foster New Productivity Forces
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2025 – The Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2025 (exhibition) was held from 26 to 28 August at the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center. This year’s exhibition, themed “Shaping a new era of manufacturing in China,” brought together 265 renowned technology companies and industry leaders, becoming a bellwether for Asia’s additive manufacturing industry. As a key driver of 3D printing technology development in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) participated in the exhibition for the first time as a technical partner, showcasing innovative achievements across the entire industry value chain, including materials, equipment and application solutions. The participation aims to enable businesses in seizing regional economic growth opportunities and promoting technological innovation and industrial upgrades.
The future manufacturing market offers immense potential, particularly in smart manufacturing, green technology, and emerging industries such as biotechnology and robotics. As a key enabler for accelerating future manufacturing, 3D printing technology facilitates highly customised and flexible manufacturing, for small-batch production of diverse products that can rapidly meet personalised market demands. The mold-free nature of 3D printing significantly reduces upfront costs of small-batch production, empowering companies to shorten lead times, stand out in the global marketplace, and improve pricing competitiveness. Future manufacturing models will integrate technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things, creating smart production systems that boost efficiency and reduce costs while driving the application of lightweight and intelligent materials —ultimately accelerating innovation and market development.
From Innovation to Application: Demonstrating Cutting-Edge Technology
As a leading international research institute, HKPC brings nearly 30 years of extensive expertise in 3D printing technology and industrial application. Dedicated in technology application research and providing comprehensive professional services, HKPC empowers various industries to meet specific market needs and manufacture high-value, customised products. This approach facilitates businesses diversification and fosters the development of high-value strategic industry chains.
At the exhibition, HKPC featured research and development (R&D) breakthroughs from the “HKPC-HP 3D Printing Technology Centre”, the first in Asia equipped with both HP’s research version of “Metal Jet” and “Multi Jet Fusion” industrial 3D printers. The showcases highlighted the diverse applications of 3D printing technology and advanced manufacturing processes across sectors, from industrial components to fashion accessories. Furthermore, HKPC displays a series of advanced materials technology applications, designed to empowering emerging industries such as the low-altitude economy, healthcare, and humanoid robotics.
Combining AI and 3D Printing to Drive Innovation and Promote New Productivity Forces
Mr Edmond LAI, Chief Digital Officer, and Chief Executive Officer of Mainland Business of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, attended the opening ceremony on the first day of the exhibition and participated in the “China Additive Manufacturing Globalisation Seminar”. He delivered a speech titled “Powering Innovation: Going Global with Emerging 3D Printing Technologies to Advance New Productive Forces”, discussing the future development blueprint of the innovative 3D printing industry with industry leaders.
Mr Edmond LAI said, “Leveraging our extensive industry experience, HKPC has established comprehensive support and implementation capabilities, from technology R&D to industrial application. We are delighted to participate in this exhibition and showcase Hong Kong’s leading achievements and strengths in 3D printing, as a pivotal engine for driving new productivity forces and shaping the future of manufacturing. The integration with AI will unlock more efficient and flexible production models to meet market demands for lightweighting, customisation, and smart manufacturing. HKPC will continue to strengthen collaborative innovation partnerships. Through ‘The Cradle – Going Global Service Centre’, we will faciliate more manufacturing companies in Hong Kong and the mainland to go global and building a more competitive and resilient industrial system.”
HKPC is actively pursuing 3D printing solutions integrated with AI, including:
- Collaborating with Nanjing ZhongKe ShenGuang Science&Technology Co., ltd, a R&D arm of National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE), to develop an AI-assisted high-entropy alloy 3D printing system. The collaboration aims to efficiently design complex high-entropy alloy materials and optimize printing parameters, effectively eliminating the current time-consuming and tedious experimental processes and enhancing work efficiency.
- The HKPC is also in discussions with the Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing in Germany to develop an AI model to optimize the design of metal bonded parts. By inputting material natures and process parameters, the model accelerates sintering predictions for 3D printed models, shortening product development cycles and design time, and reducing R&D costs.
Furthermore, HKPC is actively empowering businesses to adopt 3D printing technology and establish microfactories overseas, maximising production efficiency within limited spaces. By integrating advanced intelligent technologies, companies can respond with agility to market demands. Emphasizing “hyperlocalisation,” microfactories leverages local resources and talent to build resilient manufacturing ecosystems, enhance operational flexibility, and strengthen international competitiveness.
Bringing Together Industry Experts to Explore the Future of Smart Manufacturing
During the exhibition, HKPC hosted a series of forward-thinking “Tech Talk” seminars. Technical experts covered the application of green materials in smart manufacturing and the cross-sector potential of industrial 3D printing for customised production. They also explored how machine vision and smart manufacturing enhance production quality control and boost productivity across various industries. These seminars fostered interaction between HKPC and members of the Hong Kong 3D Printing Association, strengthening industry collaboration and advancing an innovative ecosystem.
For a brief introduction to the highlight exhibits, please click here to see the appendix.
Hashtag: #HKPC
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Hong Kong Productivity Council
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organisation established by statute in 1967, to promote productivity excellence through relentless drive of world-class advanced technologies and innovative service offerings to support Hong Kong enterprises. As a nationwide leader in innovative, market-driven research and development (R&D) internationally, specialising in leading technologies and all-rounded manufacturing services, HKPC promotes new industrialisation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and facilitates the development of new productive forces, leveraging innovation and technology (I&T), as well as bolstering Hong Kong to be an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city. The Council offers comprehensive innovative solutions for Hong Kong industries and enterprises, enabling them to achieve resources and productivity utilisation, effectiveness and cost reduction, and enhance competitiveness in both local and overseas marketplace. The Council partners and collaborates with local industries and enterprises and world-class R&D institutes to develop applied technology solutions for value creation. It also benefits a variety of sectors through product innovation, technology transfer, and commercialisation, bringing enormous business opportunities ahead. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades.
In addition, HKPC offers SMEs and startups immediate and timely assistance in coping with the ever-changing business environment, and strengthens talent nurturing and Hong Kong’s competitiveness with FutureSkills training for enterprises and academia to enhance digital capabilities and STEM competencies.
For more information, please visit HKPC’s website: 
www.hkpc.org/en .
Lao Sets September Priorities to Strengthen Economy, Infrastructure
The Lao government has outlined its key priorities for September, focusing on stabilizing the economy, improving infrastructure, and maintaining national stability.
SUS ENVIRONMENT Officially Joins the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
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SHANGHAI, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Recently, SUS ENVIRONMENT officially joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), committing to support the UNGC’s ten principles in four areas: human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. As an enterprise dedicated to global sustainability, SUS ENVIRONMENT consistently upholds long-termism and social value creation, actively implements sustainability strategies, diligently fulfills its social responsibility, and contributes to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Established in 2000 under the United Nations Secretariat, the UN Global Compact stands as the world’s largest international organization advancing corporate social responsibility and sustainability. It brings together over 40,000 corporate and non-business members from more than 170 countries, aiming to promote global sustainability by advocating for businesses to adhere to ten universal principles in areas.
As a globally leading environmental and solid waste enterprise, SUS ENVIRONMENT actively implements the concept of sustainability across all aspects of corporate development. Driving ecological transformation with low-carbon Eco-industrial Parks; Enhancing waste incineration and carbon emission management with advanced technology, achieving an annual GHG reduction of approximately 5.84 million tonnes per year; Establishing the “SUS ENVIRONMENT Fund” dedicated to ecological education, collaborative development, environmental infrastructure, and ecological restoration; Supporting community development in project locations by creating employment opportunities and promoting environmental awareness; Building a fair and transparent supply chain ecosystem, generating 2 million direct or indirect employment opportunities for society; Cultivating a global corporate culture of DEI, advancing employee health, safety, and career development.
Joining the UNGC marks another significant milestone in SUS sustainability journey. The company will further deepen the sustainability strategy, leveraging technology innovation and international collaboration to help more countries and regions improve living environments, contributing strength to building a better world.
About SUS
SUS ENVIRONMENT is the global leading comprehensive environment provider.* As of June 2025, SUS ENVIRONMENT has established 11 management centers worldwide, providing environmental and energy services to over 100 million people. It has invested in and constructed 90 waste-to-energy projects (low-carbon Eco-industrial parks), with a daily processing capacity nearly 120,000 tons of municipal solid waste and annual green power generation of approximately 18,000 GWh. Its equipment and technology are applied in 300 waste-to-energy plants across the world, with a daily capacity over 300,000 tons of municipal solid waste.*
* Data sourced from the Environmental Sanitation Net Of China and public data, covering total design scale, with data as of June 30, 2025.
Landslides Triggered by Typhoon Kajiki Kill Two in Thailand
AFP – Landslides caused by heavy rain from Typhoon Kajiki killed two people and injured 10 in Thailand on Wednesday, provincial officials said, as authorities warned of more torrential rain and flash floods.
SG60 Financial Future Poll: Half of Gen Zs believe they can retire well but 72 per cent have no plan
Baby Boomers wish they started planning 12 years earlier
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 August 2025 – As Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence, Gen Zs (aged 16-28) are optimistic about their financial future in the next 60 years ahead. Half (51 per cent) of them are confident they will be able to retire well and pay for their daily necessities, healthcare and other expenses. This young cohort displays slightly more optimism than Millennials (45 per cent) and Gen Xs (38 per cent).
However, 72 per cent of Gen Zs say that they do not have a retirement plan. As they are mostly students and new entrants to the workforce, they are focused on growing their earning power and prefer to begin saving for retirement when they have more disposable income later in life.
Gen Zs have unique work/life preferences that need to be considered in developing their retirement plans. They are focused on earning multiple income streams (41 per cent). In addition, 60 per cent do not value work-life balance over career advancement, more so than older generations. About 32 per cent hope to find remote work opportunities so they can balance work and travel, and 22 per cent are keen on having multiple “micro-retirements”. Half (54 per cent) expect to retire by the age of 60, and 20 per cent aim to do so by 50.
These insights are from the SG60 Financial Future Poll[1] commissioned by Prudential Singapore (“Prudential”), which surveyed 1,000 Singapore residents aged 17 to 76 in July 2025. It explores how ready Singaporeans are for retirement over the next 60 years and asks Baby Boomers (aged 55 and above) about the financial decisions that they might have made differently.
Mr Jeff Ang, CEO of Prudential Financial Advisers Singapore, said: “Gen Zs are confident about the next 60 years because they have grown up in a nation that has flourished and provided them with the opportunities to thrive. They are go-getters who are willing to work hard while they are young to cultivate multiple income streams, but they want to do so on their own terms, with frequent travel and breaks.
“While it is easy to delay retirement planning when you are focused on earning, it is important to boost your financial power by seeking financial advice early. You don’t need a large sum to begin—starting small and staying consistent can go a long way, especially with the power of compounding. Optimism and hustle are great, and when paired with financial planning, they will set you up for long-term success.”
Baby Boomers wish they had started financial planning 12 years earlier
Gen Zs could do well from listening to the advice of Baby Boomers who have decades of experience in managing their money. Almost all Baby Boomers (94 per cent) said they would have changed their approach to financial planning. They wish they had started financial planning 12 years earlier – at age[2] 28, rather than 40. On average, Singaporeans across all ages said they should have started five years earlier.
Reflecting on their life journey, Baby Boomers’ top regrets for delaying retirement planning include:
- 61 per cent wish they built stronger financial habits sooner
- 49 per cent think they could have retired much earlier with timely financial planning
- 45 per cent feel they would have experienced less stress about retirement savings
- 35 per cent wish they had begun investing earlier
- 28 per cent regret unnecessary spending
Said Mdm Sherafina Tan, 62: “In hindsight, I wish I had started planning for retirement much earlier. Now that I’m retired, I’m more aware of how quickly expenses can add up, especially as the cost of living continues to rise and healthcare becomes more expensive. Although I have supportive children, I don’t want to be a financial burden to them. I was thinking I’ll spend 10-20 years in retirement, but it may be 30 years or more since we are living longer. I should have done more with my spare cash by investing the money.”
The high cost of living (75 per cent), healthcare costs (56 per cent), and insufficient income growth (50 per cent), were cited as key concerns among the respondents of the different age groups.
Added Mr Ang: “Older Singaporeans are now focusing on how to live well beyond 60 and into their golden years. They need lasting wealth streams to manage the inevitably increasing costs of living due to inflation and other factors. Your CPF and bank savings are a good start to achieving financial security. This should be complemented by a diversified wealth portfolio with the right investments to bring in passive income and adequate life and health insurance coverage to support your lifestyle over time.”
When asked how they would fund their retirement, the majority of respondents cited CPF savings (67 per cent) and bank savings (62 per cent) as their top sources of funding for retirement. They also intend to draw on other wealth generation options including stocks, index mutual funds/Exchange Trade Funds (“ETFs”) tracking indices such as S&P 500, bonds, insurance policies and investment-linked plans (ILPs).
Concludes Mr Ang: “Our survey shows that Gen Zs and Millennials are more likely to invest in index mutual funds and ETFs, while relying less on insurance for retirement compared to the older generations. They should also consider protection as part of their long-term financial strategy. Health insurance is best bought early while you are still in good health. Other types of insurance such as savings and wealth accumulation solutions can offer the growth and stability that Singaporeans look for as they manage rising costs and plan for life beyond 60.”
[1] Gen Zs (aged 16-28); Millennials (aged 29-44); Gen X (aged 45-55); Baby Boomers (aged 55+). There was equal representation across the four generational segments, with 250 respondents per group.
[2] Median age.
Hashtag: #Prudential #Prudential #FinancialFuturePoll #PrudentialFinancialFuturePoll
https://www.prudential.com.sg/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/prudential-assurance-company-singapore
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd (Prudential Singapore)
Prudential Assurance Company Singapore (Pte) Ltd is one of the top life and health insurance companies in Singapore, serving the financial and protection needs of the country’s citizens for 94 years. The company has an AA- financial strength rating from leading credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s, with S$57.7 billion funds under management as at 31 December 2024. It delivers a suite of well-rounded product offerings in Protection, Savings and Investment through multiple distribution channels including a network of more than 5,400 financial representatives.
“Leading the Way: Tonik Becomes First Digital Bank to Implement PhilSys ID Verification”
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MANILA, Philippines, Aug. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) is the government’s unified national ID program, designed to provide a single, secure, and standardized ID for all Filipinos. By creating a central database of verified identities, PhilSys aims to streamline access to government and financial services, reduce barriers to digital transactions, and advance financial inclusion across the country.
In a significant leap toward this vision, Tonik, the Philippines’ first digital-only bank, is the first in the country to implement PhilSys ID verification for account opening, self-service ID updates, account upgrades, and account reopening—all with speed, security, and simplicity.
A Comprehensive and User-Friendly Approach
Tonik accepts all ID formats: physical PVC cards, digital copies, and eGov app IDs. Customers can easily upload a photo directly from their phones—no extra devices needed—making the process seamless and convenient.
This upgrade also supports credit building by removing a major barrier for Filipinos who previously struggled to submit government-issued IDs. With valid identification, more customers can access Tonik’s services and begin building their credit history, a crucial step in promoting financial inclusion nationwide.
A Better API-Based KYC Process
Tonik’s integration with the PhilSys API delivers fast, reliable, and highly accurate identity verification. The API cross-checks data points including biometric matches and QR code information, eliminating the need for manual verification. IDs are verified in real-time—taking less than 10 seconds—so customers can gain full access to their accounts almost instantly.
This process not only accelerates onboarding but also enhances security, reduces fraud risk, and ensures a more efficient digital banking experience for all users.
Faster, Safer, and More Inclusive Banking
With the PhilSys API now publicly available as of August 19, 2025, Tonik is leading the way in digital banking innovation. This integration allows historically underserved Filipinos to access formal banking, build credit histories, and enjoy a fully digital, secure banking experience.
By leveraging new technology, Tonik strengthens customer trust and reinforces its commitment to making digital banking faster, safer, and more inclusive for all Filipinos.
About Tonik
Tonik is the Philippines’ first digital-only bank, focused on credit-led financial services. Through products like Shop Instalment Loans, Cash Loans, and Tendo loans (salary enabled loans), Tonik provides fast, affordable, and accessible financing. With a fully digital, customer-first approach, Tonik helps Filipinos across the country build their credit history and take control of their financial future.
