New tread, not threads

New tread, not threads

by | Jan 10, 2017 | Auto, Branded Content, sports

New tread, not threads
for Chinese New Year

Chinese New year sees every increasing road traffic accidents, don’t become another statistic, make sure your vehicle is in top condition before heading home.

January will see the annual exodus of more than a million vehicles filled with people leaving the cities to return to their hometowns during the Chinese New Year.

With the increased traffic on Malaysian highways during cultural and religious holidays, we also expect to see an increase in the number of road accidents. In 2013, 158 fatalities were recorded, while the total number of accidents was 11,788 compared to 13,550 in 2014. 2015’s holiday season saw 17,632 accidents, resulting in 199 deaths.

Accidents in 2013

Accidents in 2014

Accidents in 2015

It isn’t just the festive seasons that see road accidents, of the year 2015 in total, authorities recorded 489,606 road accidents. Out of which 6,193 were fatal accidents.
While a large number of these accidents are attributed to human factors such as:

Driving faster than the speed limit

Racing

Running red lights

Changing lanes without signaling

Using mobile phones while driving

and some are due to the neglect of the driver leading to mechanical failure of the vehicles.

The most commonly neglected parts of a car are often some of the most important components, for example, the tyres. The tyres are the only thing between the main body of the vehicle and the road, they travel thousands of kilometers a year and are in contact with the ground all of the time, all year round, they are in control of your steering, braking, acceleration and absorbing all the bumps that the road may throw at you, so it makes sense that they should be regularly checked and changed.

Research by the AA has revealed the alarming risks motorists are taking, it found that  1 in 10 road traffic accidents could have been prevented by decreasing braking distance with new tyres.

Improperly maintained tyres can reduce the performance of your car, increase the risk of skidding, and lesser known, increase fuel consumption, leading to a corresponding increase in CO2 emissions.

Under-inflated tyres can reduce the braking distance by a huge amount, which is dangerous because even a few centimeters can mean the difference between getting away scot-free and ending up in a fatal accident.

Malaysian weather is wet, and when it rains and roads are slippery, braking distance severely increases. To prevent this, road users must ensure that tread depth is at least 1.6mm thick so that braking distance isn’t compromised.  If you can only afford to replace to tyres, put them on the rear axle, this is because it’s harder to control a skidding car when the tyres of the rear axle is compromised.

Road users should also carry a spare tyre with them at all times. Not only because it’s safe, but also because failing to do so can affect insurance breakdown coverage if they don’t.

Malaysia hopes to cut its accident numbers in half by the year 2020, and just like the years before, road safety measures will be stepped up just prior to the balik kampung high-times and the authorities will be deployed to the accident-prone hot-zones.

Despite this, Malaysians must be vigilant and ensure that their cars are properly maintained and do not pose a risk not only to themselves, but to others.

Keep your treads thick and your family safe this Chinese New Year with Michelin CNY promotion!

Michelin is giving out a free travel organizer with a purchase of two tyres or two travel organizers with a purchase of 4! The promotion lasts until the 27th of January 2017 and is available at all TYREPLUS and Michelin outlets.

For more information

It’s a Clean Sweep for APU!

It’s a Clean Sweep for APU!

by | Jan 10, 2017 | Branded Content, learn

It’s Clean Sweep for APU!

APU bags all three academic awards at National Big Data Challenge

Kuala Lumpur,
21 December 2016

3 student teams from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) attained all of the top 3 awards, as they emerged as the Champion, 1st Runner-Up and 2nd Runner Up award winners of the Academic Track of Big App Challenge 3.0. The results were announced at the awards ceremony, which was held at Hilton KL Sentral on the 9th of December 2016.

The competition was organized by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), in line with its efforts to encourage and increase the adoption of Big Data Analytics across all sectors in the country. Through the challenge, MDEC provided a platform for the nation’s brightest application developers to tap into the power of Big Data to solve socio-economic problems.

Participants in the semi-finals of the challenge came from various hackathons nationwide, which were organized by educational institutions and members of the industry. In August, the Asia Pacific Center for Analytics (APCA) organized the APU Data Science Week & the APU Big Data Week Hackathon at its campus in Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil.

The multi-level challenge took place over several months, in which participants gained advancement into the Semi Finals and Grand Finals after several rounds of ideas and prototype presentations, workshops and debate sessions from the panel of judges, who were appointed by MDEC.

The winning team from APU stood out among all participants with the project, Affinity Analysis and Prediction (AAP), which aims to reduce university drop-out rates by identifying students’ strengths and interests through data analytics.

1st runner-up for academia track

2nd runner-up for academia track

The team comprises Chin Koh Shian, Dickson Pang Yee Sheng, Hiew Ming An and Manigandran Raamanathan; they walked away with a cash prize of RM10,000.00.

In addition, two more projects from APU teams, WG – Movie Theatre Advertising System using Analytics, and Superlon – Analytics System that reduces the risk of underweight babies bagged the 1st Runner Up and 2nd Runner Up awards of the Academic Track at the Big App Challenge 3.0 respectively.

“We are delighted to know about our victory; but what overwhelmed us the most was the moment when we knew that our friends from other teams also won the two other awards! It’s all three awards for us – it’s amazing!”

said the winning team, as they received the award from Dr. Karl Ng Kah Hou, MDEC Innovation Capital Director.

The winning team from APU developed the Affinity Analysis and Prediction (AAP) project to reduce universities’ drop-out rate. From left: Hiew Ming An, Chin Koh Shian, Dr. Karl Ng Kah Hou, MDEC Innovation Capital Director, Manigandan Raamanathan and Dickson Pang Yee Sheng

The Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) is amongst Malaysia’s Premier Private Universities. APU offers a wide range of degree programs in collaboration with Staffordshire University, UK with Technology as a common core. These programs nurture students into professionals and prepare them for challenging careers and roles in business and society globally. Professionalism, problem-solving skills, and creativity & innovation are some of the key attributes of APU graduates. The multi-cultural student community comprises both Malaysian students as well as International students from over 110 countries. APU was also Rated No.1 in Asia and Malaysia for Multicultural Learning Experience by the Student Barometer Wave 2015, ‘Studying with people from other cultures’.

APU has earned an enviable reputation as an award-winning University through its achievements in winning a host of prestigious awards at national and international levels. It was announced as among the Highest Rated Universities in Malaysia, being rated at TIER 5 (EXCELLENT) under the SETARA 2013 Ratings by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) on 1st November 2012 and has maintained this Excellent rating in the latest SETARA 2013 Ratings announced on 17th November 2014.

By enrolling at APU you will gain invaluable insight into the world of opportunities and to be better equipped towards positioning yourself for the lucrative career you seek.

For more information and full course listings

Please call

03-8996 1000

or visit APU website

Visit Now

Breathe better with cleaner air

Breathe better with cleaner air

by | Jan 6, 2017 | Branded Content, Lifestyle, Tech

Breathe better with cleaner air

The transboundary haze plaguing Malaysia annually has raised the public’s awareness on the importance of good air quality. Consequently, there are now a plethora of air purifiers in the market. As such, shopping for one can be a daunting task.

We surveyed the market to give you a brief review of what is available in Malaysia. Below, we compare the attributes of air purifiers from five popular brands – Coway, Cuckoo, Dyson, Panasonic and Sharp.

A good air purifier is effective in both removing airborne particles and improving indoor air quality. The objective of the air purifiers is to minimize the hazardous health effect of polluted indoor air in a user friendly manner by continuously reducing the concentration of particles in the air to a minimum, especially the smallest particles (nano particles, below 0,1micron) as these are considered causing the most severe health problems.

Coway has four air purifiers available in Malaysia. The Dolomities has a 4-step filtration, the Indicator and Tuba have 5, and the Lombok II has 6. All of them feature Coway’s Anti-Flu HEPA™ Filter that eliminates cigarette smoke, micro dust, bacteria, viruses and germs. Indicator and Lombok II have a resistive barrier discharge (RBD) plasma and filtration system that generates charged ions that capture airborne particles and sterilise moulds and germs like Aspergillus, Nigermand and E.Coli and decompose harmful gases like formaldehyde. All but Dolomities have a deodorisation filter.

Source: Coway

Cuckoo only has one air purifier in the market, simply named B Model, which is certified with the Clean Air Mark by the Korean Air Cleaning Association. It features an 8-level filtration, which consists of 5 filters – “Pre-Filter, Allergen Plus, Harmful Gas Relax, Deodorixing, 4-in-1 HEPA” – and a plasma ionizer. Cuckoo boasts of filters that are 1.5x larger than those of regular air purifiers (300×465).

Dyson, meanwhile, boasts of filters capable of capturing pollutants as small as 0.1 microns. Moreover, Dyson’s 360° Glass HEPA filter is engineered to draw air from all around, allowing free positioning of the machine. A layer of activated carbon granules captures odours and potentially harmful toxins like paint fumes.

Dyson’s patented Air Multiplier™ technology draw air through the filter and accelerate it through the machine, creating a long-range stream of smooth air. It’s the same technology used in Dyson’s bladeless fans.

The Dyson Pure Cool™ and Pure Cool™ Link are also low maintenance. Some purifiers rely on you changing, washing and drying your filters every month or so. Waiting for the filters to dry can result in up to six hours without a purifier. It takes fewer than 60 seconds to replace Dyson’s filter, and only after using it for 12 hours every day for a year.

Dyson’s 360° Glass HEPA filter is engineered to draw air from all angles

Panasonic, meanwhile, feature long-lasting filters (other than the pre-filters). The filters of the F-VK655A last 5 years while those of F-VXK70A lasts 10 years.

The key technology in Panasonic air purifiers is nanoe™ – it claims that this technology inhibits 99.9% of viruses and bacteria, reduces 90% of odour after 30 minutes, and even restores moisture back to your skin! A nanoe™ is a fine (5-20nm) and weak acidic water particle with a reactive substance and an electric charge. nanoe™ possesses the characteristics of removing hydrogen from viruses, bacteria, odours and allergens. It has a lifespan 6x of normal ions. The nanoe™ dimension is one-billionth parts of vapour, which enables it to easily penetrate textile fibres and eliminate bacteria and odour.

Sharp has a similar technology, which it calls Plasmacluster Ion technology, that powerfully and quickly removes airborne particles.

Mechanism for removing bacteria from the air using Plasmacluster (for illustration purpose only)

Source: Sharp

Filtration aside, there are other unique characteristics that may sway you to consider them.

Sharp, for example, has two air purifier models that can also double as a mosquito catcher! Some of the Panasonic and Sharp models are also humidifiers. Cuckoo has voice guide enabled — you can choose between English, Malay and Mandarin.

Dyson air purifiers double as fans and arguably the most aesthetically-pleasant air purifiers in the market. Not that because they are fans, they tend to be louder than others when on higher fan speeds. Nonetheless, they are quieter than regular blade fans. Moreover, while other air purifiers rely on big AC motors and large filters to purify the air, taking up valuable space in your home, Dyson purifier fans use a small efficient DC motor. Its compact footprint makes it smaller than conventional purifiers.

Dyson purifiers can be set to automatically monitor, react and purify the air — multiple sensors  detect changes in conditions, before automatically adjusting airflow to maintain your target air quality. Live air quality metrics are then sent straight to your Dyson Link app (for Pure Cool™ Link machines). You can also control your purifier remotely via the app.

Brand Model Power Consumption Airflow Rate Noise Level (dB) Pollution Indicator Weight (kg)

Indicator

 5.6 – 38.0W 1.9 – 5.1 m³/min 21.1 – 48.0 Colour Indicator 7.9

Lombok II

 13 – 72W 1.6 – 7.1 m³/min 20.0 – 70.5 Colour Indicator 12.0

Tuba

 106W Max 4.2 – 16.8 m³/min 31.2 – 52.5 Colour Indicator 25.0

B Model

 16.4 – 33W n/a n/a -Colour indicator

-Contamination figure

-Voice Guide

 11.4

Pure Cool™

 56W 33.4 litres/s 63dBA
(Max Setting)		 Colour indicator. Detailed reported shown via Dyson Link App. 3.03 (desk)

—

3.2 (tower)

Pure Cool™ Link

 56W 418 litres/s 63dBA
(Max Setting)		 Colour indicator. Detailed reported shown via Dyson Link App. 3.03 (desk)

—

3.2 (tower)

F-VK655A

 12 – 54W 1-5.5m³/min 10 – 58 Colour indicator 11.9

F-VXK70A

 n/a 1.1-6.7m³/min 18 – 54 Colour indicator 10.2

 

Brand & Model Power Consumption
—
Airflow Rate		 Noise Level
—
Pollution Indicator		 Weight (kg)

Indicator

 5.6 – 38.0W

—

1.9 – 5.1 m³/min

 21.1 – 48.0

—

Colour Indicator

 7.9

Lombok II		 13 – 72W

—

1.6 – 7.1 m³/ min

 20.0 – 70.5

—

Colour Indicator

 12.0

Tuba		 106W Max

—

4.2 – 16.8 m³/ min

 31.2 – 52.5

—

Colour Indicator

 25.0

B Model

 16.4 – 33W

—

n/a

 n/a

—

Colour indicator, contamination figure, voice Guide

 11.4

Pure Cool™

 56W

—

33.4 litres/s

 63dBA
(Max Setting)—Colour indicator. Detailed report shown via Dyson Link App.		 3.03 (Desk)

—
3.2 (Tower)

V6 Entry

 56W

—

418 litres/s

 63dBA
(Max Setting)—Colour indicator. Detailed report shown via Dyson Link App.		 3.03 (Desk)

—

3.2 (Tower)

F-VK665A

 12 – 54W

—

1 – 5.5 m³/min

 10 – 58

—

Colour Indicator

 11.9

F-VXK70A

 n/a

—

1.1 – 6.7 m³/min

 18 – 54

—

Colour Indicator

  

10.2

Decent air purifiers are not cheap. Coway and Cuckoo air purifiers can also be rented if you prefer not to buy them outright.

Coways range from RM2,500 to RM4,500 or RM85-150/month to rent. The Cuckoo B Model is RM2,988 or RM120/month to rent. Dyson’s Pure Cool™ Link tower costs RM3,399 while the desk model costs RM2,599. Panasonic models range from RM599 for the entry level F-PXJ30A with 20m2 coverage, to RM2,999 for the F-VK655A. Sharp air purifiers range from RM549 to RM2,619, with the two mosquito catcher models costing RM769 and RM1,049.

Dyson's Trade in Campaign

If Dyson tickles your fancy, you may want to take advantage of its trade-in campaign running from 10 Dec 2016 to 29 Jan 2017. Enjoy 15% off all Dyson technology (vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans and purifier fans). When you trade-in any vacuum cleaner, desk/floor standing fans or air purifiers. Terms and conditions apply.

Trade-in now

Gout: More common in men than in women?

Gout: More common in men than in women?

by | Jan 3, 2017 | Branded Content, Gout, Health

Gout: More common in men than in women?

According to statistics by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) of the United States, 275 in every 100,000 people suffer from gout. It is predicted that in the year 2021, there would be 17.7 million people suffer from gout globally. This alarming figure truly warrants a call for increased health awareness!

When it comes to gout, we should remember the Chinese idiom: “illness enters by the mouth”. One of the main culprits is excessive eating and drinking habits. Excessive consumption of foods high in purines such as seafood, meat, alcohol and beans, significantly increase the density of uric acid in the body. Making it worse, lack of exercise also causes uric acid remain in the body instead of being properly excreted. Over a long period of time, excessive uric acid build-up can lead to the formation of uric acid crystal deposits, which are the “culprits” of gout.

You may not be aware that gout, obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease and diabetes are all closely related. For example, patients with hypertension commonly use diuretics to control their blood pressure levels, but which leads to extracellular fluid loss. This in turn increases the reabsorption of urates by kidney tubules. Chronic hypertension triggers atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which results in renal function deterioration (kidney failure) and decreases uric acid excretion. This simply translates into the increase of uric acid concentration, which leading to gout attacks.

For overweight people, the major culprit is overeating, which leads to the accumulation excess fats in the subcutaneous, abdominal and visceral parts of the body. When the body is tired or hungry, it burns the stored fat to generate energy (calories) to support the body movement. The problem is that whenever the body burns fat for energy, it also produces ketones which prevents the excretion of uric acid. This causes the hyperuricemia levels that triggers gout attacks.

Statistically speaking, Malaysia is the most obese country in Southeast Asia. Out of 30.3 million Malaysians, 12 million people (40%) are overweight, with more than 5.1 million (17% to 18%) suffering from human obesity. This obviously makes Malaysia the fattest country in Southeast Asia. This number increases yearly, meaning that more and more people are becoming vulnerable to metabolic problems such as gout.

Most gout patients are men over the age of 30. However, due to unhealthy lifestyles and bad eating habits, gout victims are getting younger and younger, with clinical studies showing that there are now gout patients as young as 20. The proportion of men and women suffering from gout is around 9: 1, though postmenopausal women are more vulnerable. In any case, the risk of gout occurring will increase with higher uric acid concentration, which is something that affects both men and women.

In order to prevent gout, according to doctor’s health tips, we should do our best to have a healthy lifestyle and diet. Avoid food that is high in purine (organ meats, beer, etc.), drink plenty of water daily, and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight.

Get RM12 off Sornado Tea Bags!

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Sornado Tea Bag assists in control of uric acid level and reducing inflammation and pain associated with gout. With this promo code <MKGOUT12>, readers can get a discount of RM12/box when purchasing on LogOn.

 

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Freedom from pesky cords

Freedom from pesky cords

by | Dec 29, 2016 | Branded Content, Tech

Freedom From Pesky Cords

Hassle-free cordless vacuum cleaners is what you should really consider.

Freedom From

Pesky Cords

Hassle-free cordless vacuum cleaners is what you should really consider.

Vacuuming can be such a chore. If the thought of having to lug around a big heavy machine turns you off, you might want to consider a cordless vacuum cleaner.

The freedom that comes from cutting the cord is awesome– you can reach higher, lower and further without a pesky cable holding you back. Cordless vacuum cleaners tend to be smaller and lighter, making it easier to whip them out for a quick clean. The best ones are light and easy to manoeuvre, sucks up dust and dirt just as well as an ordinary vacuum, and still have enough juice for a full-home clean.

We surveyed the market to give you a quick review of what is available in Malaysia. Below, we compare the attributes of cordless vacuum cleaners from three popular brands: Dyson, LG and Electrolux.

Power to go the distance

With cordless, power is a concern. After all, you wouldn’t want the machine to run out of juice before you’ve finished cleaning. Most cordless vacuum cleaners today are powered by a lithium-ion battery, or two, in the case of LG’s VS8400SCW and VS8401SCW which come with two swappable power packs to last twice as long — 2x 30 minutes in regular mode or 2x 20 minutes in power mode.

The Electrolux ZB5021 has the longest working time of 50 minutes, according to its specs, but this is on the lowest setting. On normal power, it can run for 26 minutes before needing a recharge, and 14 minutes for max suction power of 16W.

LG's VS8400SCW, come with two swappable power packs.

Source: LG

minutes of "fade-free" powerful suction

Dyson boasts of “fade-free” powerful suction of up to 20 minutes for V6 and V6 Fluffy, and 40 minutes for V8 Fluffy and V8 Absolute, or about 25 minutes when using the power-guzzling motorised head and 7 minutes of higher suction for more difficult tasks. V8 Absolute’s operational time will feel substantially longer too as the vacuum cleaner only powers up when you pull its trigger, it’s using up the battery only when you specifically need it to. Very nifty!

Dyson’s machines have the most powerful suction in the market – up 100AW for the V6 variants and 115AW for V8. One airwatt (AW) equals to 0.9983 watts (W). By comparison, the most powerful Electrolux only clocks up 16W. We could not find information on LG’s suction power but playing around with one, we find the suction power stronger than the Electrolux machines but weaker than Dyson’s.

Dyson also has the fastest charging time of 3.5 hours* versus Electrolux’s 4 hours and LG’s 4.5 hours.

 

*Disclaimer: Charge time is based on model variant.

Brand Model Power Suction Power Working Time Charging Time

ZB5021

 21.6V 16W Booster(14min),

Normal (26min),

Low (50min)

 4 Hours

ZB3107

 14V 10W High (15mins),

Low (30mins)

ZB3114AK

 18.8V 14W High (16mins),

Low (45mins)

VS8400SCW

 18V n/a 60min in regular mode (2 x 30min)

40min in power mode (2 x 20min)

 4.5 Hours

VS8401SCW

V6 Entry

 21.6V Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 100AW 20min, 16min with motorised cleaner head, 6min in Boost mode. 3.5 Hours

V8

 21.6V Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 115AW 40min, 30min with motorised cleaner head, 7min in Boost mode. 5 Hours
Brand & Model Power / Suction Power Working Time / Charging Time

ZB5021

 21.6V

/

16W

 Booster (14min)
Normal (26min)
Low (50min)/4 Hours

ZB3107

 14V

/

10W

 High (15min)
Low (30min)/4 Hours

ZB3114AK

 18.8V

/

14W

 High (16mins)
Low (45mins)/4 Hours

VS8400SCW

 18V

/

n/a

 60min in regular mode (2 x 30min)
40min in power mode (2 x 20min)/4.5 Hours

VS8401SCW

 18V

/

n/a

 60min in regular mode (2 x 30min)
40min in power mode (2 x 20min)/4.5 Hours

V6 Entry

 21.6V

/

Standard Mode: 28AW
Max Mode: 100AW

 20min, 16min with motorised cleaner head, 6min in Boost Mode.

/

3.5 Hours

V8

 21.6V

/

Standard Mode: 28AW, Max Mode: 115AW

 40min, 30min with motorised cleaner head, 7min in Boost Mode.

/

5 Hours

Sound

Given its power, Dyson should be the noisiest of the lot, right? On the contrary, Dyson seems to emit the least noise. Technically, Dyson and LG both boosts of relatively low noise emission of only 70dB. The decibel range for a normal human conversational voice is around 60dB. LG machines sound louder for some reason. This is perhaps due to Dyson’s acoustic engineers who are constantly looking at how to dampen or reduce the noise emission on their machines.

Meanwhile, the Electroluxes are loud — 81dB for ZB5021, and 79dB for ZB3107, ZB3113 and ZB3114AK.

Dyson V8 is able to muffle the sound to reduce its loudness.

Source: Dyson

Weight and ease of use

On the surface, the weights of the cordless vacuum cleaners from the three brands do not seem to differ very much. Electrolux machines weigh between 2.5kg (ZB3107) to 2.8kg (ZB5021). The LGs weigh 2.8kg each. Dyson’s V8 Fluffy and V8 Absolute each weigh 2.55kg and the Dyson V6 Fluffy weigh only 2.34kg. However, with extended usage, every extra gram matters. As does the design.

We find Dyson’s design most ergonomically. With the centre of gravity located towards the grip, handling is easier and causes the least strain with extended use, especially when you do a lot of reaching upwards to the ceiling. Balance, then, becomes of utmost importance. We also like the look of a Dyson best as it looks more futuristic.

Source: Dyson

Technology

In terms of technology, Dyson leads the pack.

Dyson has been continually refining vacuum cyclone technology since inventing it more than 20 years ago. Dyson’s patented Root Cyclone™ technology captures more dirt than any other and very importantly, without the loss of suction. 15 cyclones, arranged across two tiers, work in parallel to increase airflow and capture fine dust and allergens such as pollen and dust mite faeces, and expels cleaner air. The technology is approved by both the British Allergy Foundation and Service Allergie Suisse.

What it will cost you

Technology comes at a price. Dyson, being the most advanced, is also the most expensive. The flagship V8 Absolute is retailed at RM4,500, the V8 Fluffy slightly cheaper at RM3,999 and the V6 at RM3,229. Electrolux machines are the cheapest, ranging from less than RM350 for the Dynamica ZS-320 to RM1,119 for the ZB5021. LG’s VS8400SCW and VS8401SC are around RM1,899 a pop. The VK94070NCAG, which looks just like a conventional vacuum cleaner (rather than a stick) but cordless, comes at RM3,799.

Dyson's Trade in Campaign

If Dyson tickles your fancy, you may want to take advantage of its trade-in campaign running from 10 Dec 2016 to 29 Jan 2017. Enjoy 15% off all Dyson technology (vacuum cleaners, bladeless fans and purifier fans). When you trade-in any vacuum cleaner, desk/floor standing fans or air purifiers. Terms and conditions apply.

Trade-in now

Selangor Smart City International Conference sees massive turnout

Selangor Smart City International Conference sees massive turnout

by | Dec 19, 2016 | Branded Content, Business

Reporting by Xavier Kong and Zameen Datta

Shah Alam, December 8 –The inaugural Selangor Smart City International Conference 2016 welcomed participants to an exciting start on the morning of Dec 6 at the Saujana Hotel, Shah Alam. The packed conference hall saw a massive turnout of over 500 people for the conference on Day 1, comprising a vibrant and healthy mix of local and international representatives and individuals running the gamut from service providers in Smart City/Smart Tech, tech companies, GLCs, municipals, government agencies, academics and more.

The conference was organised by Menteri Besar Incorporated Selangor (MBI), the Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU) and the Selangor Information Technology and E-Commerce Council (SITEC), with the support of the Selangor State Government, and is a part of the state government’s plans to transform Selangor into a “Smart State” by 2025.

Day 1: YM Raja Shahreen, CEO of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated (MBI) declares the conference open

Speakers from the first session convene on stage for a Q&A Session with Session Moderator Dr. Fahmi Ngah.

Technology key driver of Smart Cities

In his opening speech, Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated CEO YM Raja Shahreen Bin YM Raja Othman announced that Selangor would be “developing a caring, smart state” that saw its citizens as the state’s “greatest asset”.

“Technology will be the driver of smart cities.” he added. “The Smart City Concept is not just about filling the city with sensors, WiFi, beacons and green buildings, but also about how to encourage citizen participation, using the open data concept… to improve the quality of life and essentially make the people happy.”

The two day conference was split into four sessions. The first three sessions took place on Day 1 (Dec 6), and saw international and local speakers from Barcelona, Amsterdam, Taipei and Cyberjaya as well as tech giants Microsoft, Huawei and IBM in Session 1: Smart City Knowledge Exchange and Session 2: Smart Solutions for Smarter Cities respectively.

Just before lunch, the conference segued into the launch of the Smart Selangor Blueprint that sets forth a concerted implementation plan to stage the co-creation of a smart state driven by a strong digital economy and sustainable liveability by 2025.

Realising Selangor’s Smart State aspirations

Launched by the Selangor Education, Human Capital Development, Science, Technology and Innovation Exco, Y.B Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad on behalf of Y.A.B Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, the blueprint is a roadmap for driving a more sustainable economic growth for Selangor. The blueprint is a ‘living’ implementation framework which will be reviewed periodically to adapt to fast moving smart city dynamics, technologies, the evolving needs of citizens, businesses and investors.

This strategic pivot will bring about key transformational outcomes to realize Selangor’s Smart State aspirations by 2025 and place Selangor as the premier business, travel and living destination in ASEAN.

SSDU Program Director, Y.M. Raja Shahreen shared, “In mobilising the full development of a Smart Selangor, the key is to evolve at a more rapid pace to establish a new industrial landscape for Selangor SMEs and the manufacturing sector, and at the same time, preserve the current environment. We are taking these challenges head-on, as there are viable moving economic opportunities to be leveraged in the near future. Therefore, we must act in a timely manner to capture these interests.”

Eg Kah Yee, Chairman of Key ASIC, speaking in Session 3 (Leveraging IoT & Big Data for Smart Cities)

RM 26 million set aside for more pilot programs

“Reaching these actionable outcomes, in turn, will further empower Selangor to be ASEAN’s premier business, travel and living destination. Essentially, we are reconciling the state, business and Selangor Rakyat’s interests by delivering leading major innovations that will place Selangor as an important economic location in Southeast Asia surpassing other neighboring cities in comparative advantage terms,” Y.M. Raja Shahreen added.

Pertinently, for 2017, the state had committed RM26 million for at least 10 more new pilot programs to be expedited under the initiative. In its net effect, as the nation’s economic powerhouse and the most progressive state in Malaysia, the Smart Selangor strategic action plans will further enhance Selangor’s economic outlook as a key driver of growth and prosperity as well as address urban challenges leveraging technology as a key enabler.

Session 2 continued post-lunch, after which Session 3: Leveraging IoT & Big Data for Smart Cities continued with speakers from the UK, Malaysia and Taiwan sharing their solutions and ideas on stage.

There were a wide variety of innovations shown – everything from large-scale systems to monitor traffic flow across an entire city, to smartphone apps to make it easier to do your shopping. However, despite their differences, all of these inventive ideas had a common theme: they were meant to help ordinary citizens live long, happy and productive lives. Throughout the event there was a strong emphasis on actively making use of technology to solve people’s problems.

Strong turnout rate on day 2

Over 200 delegates turned up for Day 2 of the Selangor Smart City International Conference, maintaining the strong turnout rate over the course of the conference. The second day saw 21 solutions providers showcasing what they bring to the table in the development and advancement of a Smart City, as well as business matching sessions for 26 companies that were looking to find partners or collaborators in projects.

Over 200 delegates attended the second day of the conference

Nabil Feisal of Malaysia introducing his startup company Dego

Glen Kuo, representing Internet Information Co Ltd (Taiwan)

Showcase session

The showcase session, which featured companies from Taiwan, Malaysia, and the UK, ranged in topics and applications, as well as sporting differing ideas for similar problems. Among the more common topics included IoT advances in agriculture and environment control, as well as the use of technology to simplify everyday matters such as grocery shopping and parking. There were also companies specialising in more than one field, though the focus remained on IoT. Also present were several firms which specialised in building management and disaster control.

The companies from Taiwan largely brought with them IoT solutions which look to energy efficiency, food quality, logistics, disaster management, building control, and management, among others, whereas the UK teams brought with them solutions centered around security and surveillance, through Aralia Systems and Reward Technology.

Solutions providers from Malaysia included HappyFresh and PasarTap as on-demand grocery services, WeStyleAsia and RecomN as platforms that connect services to customers, ParkEasy and MOPPS as parking solutions providers, Dego as a logistics player, and Tourplus as an e-Commerce tourism platform.

Dr Lau Cher Han and Eizzar Supiar of Cradle both offered comments after the showcase session, with Dr Lau noting that, while there would be those who will believe that some of the solutions providers were not connected to the Smart City concept, a Smart solution is ultimately one that helps people to live smarter and easier. He further noted that the providers were there with several unconventional methods but all sharing the common goal of helping people lead easier lives.

Eizzar noted that it was heartening that large corporations as well as startups were moving towards smarter solutions and offerings, with large corporations working together with startups to further customise solutions to fit their needs. More cooperation is always a good way forward, Eizzar noted.

Business matching sessions

The business matching sessions saw over 160 one-to-one sessions between companies, with discussions focused on the exchange of ideas, the search for collaborators, and offering talents and proposals.

With the end of the final business matching discussion, the inaugural Selangor Smart City International Conference was brought to a close.

The business matching sessions provided companies with a valuable opportunity to make contacts and increase their exposure