CIMB Bank Berhad has introduced a pioneering salary account that includes complimentary Takaful protection, aiming to bolster financial resilience among Malaysia’s workforce. This innovative offering, part of the CIMB@Work programme, provides salaried individuals with up to RM200,000 in Takaful coverage for 36 critical illnesses, including cancer and heart attack, without additional costs or administrative hurdles.

The Takaful protection, underwritten by Sun Life Malaysia Takaful Berhad, also covers death and total and permanent disability. Account holders must maintain a monthly average balance of at least $530 (RM2,500) to qualify and sustain coverage. Notably, no health screening is required, except for pre-existing conditions.

Steven Sim Chee Keong, Malaysia’s Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, highlighted the initiative’s potential impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which employ nearly half of Malaysia’s workforce. “The CIMB@Work programme is expected to benefit SMEs and their employees by providing accessible and practical financial protection,” he stated.

CIMB’s Group Consumer Banking CEO, Haniz Nazlan, emphasised the bank’s commitment to customer-centric innovation. “The CIMB Salary Account empowers Malaysian employees to build structured financial protection through their salary accounts in a simple, affordable, and transparent way,” he said.

In addition to Takaful coverage, eligible users can enjoy lower credit card qualification requirements and reduced financing rates. The launch includes a limited-time promotion doubling Takaful coverage for critical illnesses from May to July 2026.

The Sabah Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STTOS) is reinforcing Sabah’s status as a key regional hub for trade, tourism, and investment through strategic initiatives and collaborations with Singapore. These efforts, spanning from 2022 to early 2026, aim to position Sabah as a gateway to the BIMP-EAGA region and a destination for sustainable economic growth.

Over the past year, STTOS has spearheaded several initiatives to bolster bilateral ties. Notable milestones include the Sabah Fest Singapore Edition, which highlighted Sabah’s cultural and trade potential, and the Market Readiness Seminar in Sandakan, designed to help Sabahan businesses enter the Singapore market. Additionally, Sabah’s participation in regional platforms such as SEMICON SEA and SMEICC has further positioned it as an emerging investment destination.

STTOS is actively promoting Sabah as a destination for high-value, low-impact investments, particularly in sectors like manufacturing, the blue economy, and eco-tourism. This focus aligns with global trends towards sustainability and resilience, offering a unique value proposition for investors.

The office continues to facilitate business matching, market entry support, and investment engagement, strengthening economic ties between Sabah and Singapore. Recent collaborations with the Singapore Business Federation and government agencies highlight the growing interest of Singaporean companies in expanding into Sabah, underscoring the region’s appeal as a sustainable investment destination.

Activate, North America’s fastest-growing interactive gaming experience, has launched its first Malaysian location in Kuala Lumpur. The venue, situated inside Pavilion Bukit Jalil, is a collaboration with Kara Holdings, a Southeast Asia-based entertainment group.

The 1,300 m² facility boasts 12 game rooms and over 800 levels, offering players a mix of physical and mental challenges. Teams of two to five players navigate through rooms, using reflexes, intelligence, and teamwork to conquer each game. “We’re bringing Activate to Malaysia for the first time,” said Robin Lim, CEO of Kara Holdings. “Players in Kuala Lumpur will run, think fast, and win together. Every session feels like a workout and a party.”

Since its inception in Canada in 2019, Activate has gained popularity by combining physical activity with gaming. The venue uses RFID tracking to monitor player progress, allowing guests to level up, unlock achievements, and compare scores globally. Adam Schmidt, Co-Founder and CEO of Activate, remarked, “Activate brings a new kind of energy to the market. From the moment players step in, they’ll feel the pace, the challenge, and the rush of the game.”

Currently operating over 70 locations worldwide, Activate plans to open 30 more in 2026, with further expansion across Southeast Asia, including future sites in Singapore.

Encik Tan, a brand under the Fei Siong Group, has launched its first outlet in Malaysia at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang SkyPark. This move signifies the brand’s regional expansion, following its presence in Singapore and Jakarta. The new outlet aims to bring Singapore’s hawker culture to a broader audience, offering familiar Chinese hawker dishes prepared with Halal-certified ingredients.

The strategic location at Subang SkyPark places Encik Tan in a high-traffic area, catering to travellers, airport staff, and the local community. The brand’s entry into Malaysia is supported by a partnership with Bake With Yen, setting the stage for further expansion into key cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor. The outlet is currently in the process of obtaining Halal certification from Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM).

Encik Tan has a proven track record of demand, having sold over 10 million bowls of Fishball Noodles and 1.5 million plates of Chicken Cutlet Curry Rice since 2014. The menu also includes staples like Prawn Hokkien Mee and Claypot Chicken Rice, reinforcing its reputation for comforting, familiar meals.

To celebrate the opening, Encik Tan is offering a complimentary drink with every meal purchase from 7 to 8 May 2026. This promotion is available to passengers with a valid boarding pass and airport staff, limited to one redemption per person whilst stocks last.

IBPO Group Berhad, a leading fintech and financing solutions provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Afsha Shariah Advisory Sdn Bhd, appointing them as the official Shariah adviser. This strategic move aims to bolster IBPO’s commitment to offering Shariah-compliant financial solutions amidst rising demand for ethical and responsible financing.

The collaboration will see Afsha support IBPO’s Islamic financing programmes, including iPersonal Financing, iBridge Financing, and Payday Financing, ensuring they adhere to Shariah principles. Andy Lim, Founder and Group Managing Director of IBPO, expressed pride in the partnership, stating, “This further reinforces our ongoing commitment to delivering an inclusive, ethical, and comprehensive Islamic financial ecosystem.”

Afsha’s Managing Director, M Aminuddin Bin Ismail, highlighted the firm’s mission to guide clients in structuring ethical and transparent Shariah-compliant financing solutions. “We look forward to guiding IBPO in structuring ethical and transparent Shariah-compliant financing solutions that meet the growing demand in Malaysia’s Islamic financial ecosystem,” he said.

The partnership aligns with Bank Negara Malaysia’s report indicating that Islamic financing accounts for 48% of Malaysia’s total financing, reflecting a significant demand for Shariah-compliant offerings. IBPO’s new iPersonal Financing programme offers flexible payment options and is accessible via their Online Customer Financial AI Portal, which provides AI-driven insights for better financial management.

This initiative is part of IBPO’s efforts to leverage AI capabilities, aiming to create an integrated financial ecosystem across its subsidiaries.

Singapore-based fintech company Aleta Planet has announced it has secured Money Services Business Class B and E-Money Issuer licences from Bank Negara Malaysia. These licences will enable the company to provide remittance and e-money services in Malaysia, marking the country as its second ASEAN hub.

The newly acquired licences complement Aleta Planet’s existing merchant acquirer licence, which allows the company to process credit and debit card payments. Founder and Group Chairman Ryan Gwee highlighted the significance of this development, stating, “Securing this approval from Bank Negara Malaysia is a key milestone for Aleta Planet as we expand our footprint in the region.”

Malaysia’s digital payments landscape is rapidly evolving, with the total transaction value projected to reach RM1.13t in 2026. This growth is driven by robust trade activity, with the country’s total trade value surpassing RM3t in 2025. Non-bank e-remittance volumes have also increased by 11%, reaching RM14.1b annually.

Aleta Planet aims to support Malaysia’s economic growth by facilitating high-value trade and payment flows, particularly for Chinese investors and tourists, as well as Malaysian exporters in sectors like machinery, technology, and agriculture. The company’s expansion strategy focuses on scaling trade and travel sectors between Malaysia and Singapore, enhancing cross-border payments, and supporting remittance and investment flows within ASEAN.

Founded in 2014, Aleta Planet is a global payments technology company operating across multiple regions, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Malaysia, and Canada.

OCBC Group has extended its coaching programme to Malaysia and Hong Kong, aiming to train 100 senior leaders to achieve the International Coaching Federation Associate Certified Coach (ICF-ACC) accreditation by the end of 2027. This initiative, launched in April 2026, builds on OCBC’s commitment to fostering a coaching culture across its operations.

The programme, initially announced in 2025 through a partnership with the ICF Singapore Chapter, requires participants to complete 60 hours of coaching education, 100 hours of practice, and 10 hours of mentor coaching. Currently, 25 senior leaders from Malaysia and Hong Kong are joining 62 colleagues in Singapore, expanding OCBC’s internal coaching pool to over 85 leaders.

Employees across the Group can engage in one-on-one coaching sessions, which provide a confidential environment to discuss career goals and resilience. Since its inception, nearly 300 employees in Singapore have benefited from the programme. The expansion allows for cross-border coach-coachee pairings, offering broader perspectives and opportunities.

Ainul Yakin Binti Azizi from OCBC Malaysia highlighted the mutual growth aspect of the programme, stating, “Becoming a coach is a two-way journey that allows leaders to grow beyond their own roles.” Alfred Ho from OCBC Hong Kong added, “This programme has given me a structured path to develop practical coaching skills.”

Lee Hwee Boon, Head of Group Human Resources at OCBC, emphasised the shift in leadership focus towards people development, noting, “We have quickly expanded to Malaysia and Hong Kong to accelerate the build-up of our internal coaching pool.” This expansion marks a significant step in enhancing resilience and agility within the OCBC Group.

LONGPORT Whale, a provider of advanced securities trading infrastructure, has launched its services in Malaysia, marking its debut at the Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026. This move aligns with Malaysia’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 (CMP4), which aims to modernise local brokerages by enhancing investor experience, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience.

Malaysian brokerages face the challenge of updating legacy systems to meet the demands of digital-native investors, heightened cybersecurity standards, and multi-market expansion. Zhong Hua, CEO of LONGPORT Whale, emphasised the importance of evolving trading infrastructure, stating, “Core trading infrastructure must support continuous evolution — in investor experience, compliance, and AI readiness — without adding unnecessary complexity.”

LONGPORT Whale’s platform, trusted by over 100 institutional clients in Asia, is built on a cloud-native microservices architecture. It offers a robust trading experience, system resilience, global market connectivity, and an API-first architecture for AI adoption. The platform is designed to meet the needs of institutional clients with high system performance, real-time risk management, and low latency.

The company’s expansion into Malaysia draws on its experience in Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, where it serves online brokers and traditional banking firms. LONGPORT Whale aims to collaborate with local industry participants, contributing to the broader conversation on responsible modernisation under CMP4.

Global logistics provider Rhenus Group is set to expand its road freight operations across Asia Pacific, responding to the region’s increasing demand for efficient freight transportation. The company is enhancing cross-border trucking in Southeast Asia and key corridors between Greater China and Southeast Asia, integrating road with air and ocean freight, and leveraging free trade zone warehousing capabilities.

Rhenus is investing in local infrastructure, including a new office at the Bukit Kayu Hitam Border in Malaysia, to streamline customs processes and support cross-border movements. Prem Anand Anandaverl, Regional Director of Cross Border Trucking Asia at Rhenus Logistics, stated, “Our goal is to provide seamless connectivity to the global network by reinforcing a comprehensive road freight service.”

The Asia Pacific region is a significant growth driver for the global freight trucking market, projected to reach $370 trillion by 2032. This growth is fuelled by expanding industrial output, a large consumer base, and developing logistics infrastructure. Rhenus aims to integrate its road freight services with air and ocean solutions, offering flexible and customised logistics options.

With over 150 road freight locations in Europe, Rhenus is well-positioned to enhance its supply chain solutions in Asia Pacific. The company is also focusing on sustainable practices, such as improving CO₂ tracking and exploring alternative fuels. This expansion is part of Rhenus’s strategy to provide scalable and resilient supply chain solutions globally.

OceanBase has announced the establishment of a new global support centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of its international expansion strategy. Revealed at the INFINITY 2026 conference, this move aims to bolster the company’s localisation efforts by providing comprehensive services, including solution architecture and technical support, to clients across Southeast Asia and beyond.

The expansion is a significant step in OceanBase’s “GO GLOBAL GO” programme, initiated in October 2025, which focuses on the international growth of its products and services. The company now serves over 4,000 customers worldwide, with a strong presence in the fintech sector, supporting more than 100 fintech clients, including e-wallets like TNG Digital and GCash, as well as 50 payment services and 30 fintech firms. These clients collectively reach over 1.3 billion end-users.

OceanBase is also a key player in the banking and finance sectors, serving over 400 institutions, with more than 60% utilising its solutions for mission-critical systems. The company addresses operational challenges such as system stability, compliance, cost efficiency, and the integration of AI technologies.

Evan Yang, CEO of OceanBase, emphasised the company’s commitment to providing a “trusted foundation—stable, resilient, scalable, and always ready for whatever the next phase of fintech requires.” OceanBase’s multicloud native approach ensures seamless customer experiences across major cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Alibaba Cloud.

With a presence in over 16 countries and regions, OceanBase continues to contribute to the global open-source ecosystem, engaging with initiatives like Apache Flink and AWS Glue. This expansion underscores OceanBase’s dedication to supporting the evolving needs of fintech and banking industries worldwide.