AM BEST AFFIRMS TAIWAN’S UNION EXCELLENT CREDIT RATINGS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Global credit rating agency, AM Best has affirmed the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and the long-term issuer credit rating of “a-” (Excellent) of Taiwan’s Union Insurance Company Limited (Union).

The outlook of these credit ratings (ratings) is stable, reflecting Union’s very strong balance sheet strength, adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

AM Best said Union’s balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its risk-adjusted capitalisation, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio, which was at the strongest level at the end of 2025.

Union’s risk-adjusted capitalisation is expected to remain at the strongest level over the intermediate term, supported by partial retention of positive operating earnings, while its regulatory solvency capital to maintain a healthy capital buffer above minimum requirements.

Other supporting factors include a comprehensive reinsurance programme, favourable financial flexibility, and a consistent investment strategy, according to AM Best in a statement.

A medium-sized insurer in Taiwan’s non-life market, Union reported stable operating results in 2025, with a return on adjusted capital and surplus of 11.8 per cent, based on AM Best’s calculations.

The company’s top-line performance has remained stable, despite a slightly lower-than-average premium growth rate in its voluntary motor segment. Union has refined its underwriting strategy to improve profitability while expanding its accident and health, as well as commercial liability, businesses.

AM Best said underwriting profitability improved consistently, with a record low net combined ratio of 91.1 per cent in 2025, while net investment yield stood at 3.0 per cent, including capital gains and losses.

Union’s underwriting portfolio remains moderately diversified but slightly skewed toward motor insurance, with other key business lines including commercial fire, liability, and accident and health insurance.

-- BERNAMA

INTERSYSTEMS AI-NATIVE EHR EARNS EU MEDICAL DEVICE REGULATION CERTIFICATION

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- InterSystems announced that its electronic health record (EHR) solutions have received Class IIa Medical Devices certification under the European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) 2017/745.

The company said the approval marks what it believes is the first fully unified artificial intelligence (AI)-native EHR to achieve MDR Class IIa certification in the EU.

The certification covers InterSystems IntelliCare and InterSystems TrakCare, validating that the platforms meet stringent EU safety, quality and regulatory standards for medical technologies.

In a statement, the creative data technology provider said the milestone strengthens healthcare organisations’ ability to responsibly scale AI capabilities while maintaining confidence among clinicians, providers and regulators.

“Healthcare organisations are rightfully demanding that AI be more than just an experimental add-on. By securing the EU’s first MDR certification for an AI-native EHR, we are establishing a standard that AI should be at the core of all healthcare applications,” said InterSystems President, Don Woodlock.

Built on TrakCare’s interoperability foundation, IntelliCare integrates AI directly into the platform’s data architecture rather than relying on standalone third-party applications.

The company said the system is designed to streamline governance, reduce clinician workloads and support safer clinical decision-making through embedded "human-in-the-loop" safeguards.

InterSystems IntelliCare includes features such as AI-generated patient summaries, clinical documentation support, conversational interfaces, and intelligent workflows.

The platform also has features such as ambient clinical orchestration capabilities that automatically capture, structure and save clinical data in real time while suggesting clinical documentation and orders for clinician approval.

The company said IntelliCare is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare information technology systems, leveraging InterSystems’ longstanding expertise in interoperability, integration and healthcare data management.

-- BERNAMA

The Growth Story is Coming Together. Engineering Was Never the Destination.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s energy transition is underway, but the harder question has never been whether to transition. It is how to fund it without weakening the economics that make it viable.

As the country works towards its 2050 net-zero target, the energy sector must deploy substantial upfront capital while preserving return thresholds required by investors, lenders and project owners. At the same time, decarbonisation, energy security and infrastructure modernisation remain national priorities.

For Kinergy Advancement Berhad (“Kinergy”), the issue is not cost versus sustainability. The real test is whether both can be integrated in a way that is technically executable and commercially defensible.

This is where engineering discipline matters.

While shaped by financing structures and offtake agreements, capital discipline is equally embedded in technology choices. Run-of-river mini hydropower, where site conditions permit, can reduce capital intensity by avoiding large-scale civil works while delivering reliable renewable generation. Waste Heat Recovery (“WHR”) using Organic Rankine Cycle (“ORC”) technology, as deployed at Safran Landing Systems Malaysia, takes a different route — unlocking value from energy already available in industrial processes.

For clients, this improves cost efficiency and operational performance. For Kinergy, it creates recurring income through long-term contractual arrangements.

Malaysia’s energy transition also faces a trilemma: grid reliability, cost efficiency and decarbonisation. Solar capacity remains important, but it cannot solve every part of the equation on its own. Kinergy has built a diversified platform across mini hydro, biogas, waste heat recovery and solar, while strengthening its role in gas-fired transition assets.

Dato’ Lai Keng Onn, Kinergy’s founder, Executive Deputy Chairman and Group Managing Director, said:

“The energy transition is not about sacrificing cost efficiency for sustainability, or the other way around. It is about engineering solutions that deliver both.”

That approach is increasingly visible in Kinergy’s numbers. Its Sustainable Energy Solutions (“SES”) segment grew from MYR107.8 million, or 49% of Group revenue in FY2024, to MYR328.2 million, or 69% of Group revenue in FY2025. The increase of more than MYR200 million shows that the shift is now being reflected commercially.

Kinergy’s credibility is also supported by its relationship with PETRONAS-related entities, including three awarded projects and two gas-fired power plants that serve as transition-enabling infrastructure. These projects bridge Malaysia’s current energy mix and long-term decarbonisation ambitions.

For industrial businesses, energy strategy is no longer a utility decision. It shapes cost structures, competitiveness and compliance outcomes. Companies need solutions that reduce emissions without compromising reliability or financial discipline.

Kinergy’s evolution from an engineering-led business into a diversified energy platform is therefore not a reinvention. It is the natural extension of its engineering foundation.

“Our entry into the Independent Power Producer space and our technical alliance with B.Grimm mark the next deliberate step in that journey. They are the natural progression of a strategy that was never only about engineering.”

Malaysia’s transition will require companies that can balance capital intensity, technical execution and long-term returns. For Kinergy, engineering was never the destination. It was the beginning.

SOURCE : Aegis Communication

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Jason Fong
Tel: +6012-8631134
Email: jason@aegiscomm.com.my

--BERNAMA

JENFI CROSSES US$100 MLN IN SME FINANCING ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Jenfi announced it has surpassed US$100 million in cumulative financing originations across Southeast Asia, marking a key milestone in the company’s expansion in Singapore and Vietnam. (US$1 = RM3.97)

The Southeast Asia-focused small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) credit platform provides growth financing and working capital solutions to underserved businesses through proprietary underwriting infrastructure, alternative data models and institutional capital partnerships.

“Southeast Asia continues to face a significant SME credit gap, particularly for businesses underserved by traditional collateral-based lending.

“Crossing the US$100 million milestone reflects the underwriting infrastructure, operational discipline, and institutional partnerships we have built over time,” said Jenfi Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Liu in a statement.

Since inception, Jenfi has evaluated over 30,000 SME financing enquiries across Southeast Asia while continuing to expand its underwriting and portfolio monitoring infrastructure to support scalable credit deployment and faster financing turnaround times.

The company has also expanded beyond its initial revenue-based financing model into a broader SME credit platform supporting growth financing, working capital and supply-chain financing structures.

Jenfi continues to invest in AI-assisted underwriting automation and operational infrastructure designed to improve capital efficiency and credit decisioning capabilities. The platform currently delivers same-day underwriting decisions for qualified applicants and maintains a portfolio generating gross internal rates of return above 40 per cent.

To date, the company has completed more than 2,400 financings across Southeast Asia and reported strong repeat utilisation among eligible borrowers, reflecting sustained demand for flexible SME financing solutions.

Looking ahead, Jenfi plans to continue expanding its institutional funding relationships, embedded financing capabilities, and underwriting infrastructure as it continues building a broader SME credit platform for Southeast Asia.

-- BERNAMA

BAISE HOSTS CROSS-BORDER CULTURAL PROGRAMME TO STRENGTHEN CHINA-VIETNAM TIES

China-Vietnam ethnic costume display and interactive singing performance by singers.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Baise City in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has held a series of cross-border cultural and people-to-people exchange activities with Vietnam under the 2026 Guangxi March 3rd · Bagui Carnival, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and regional cultural integration.

Leveraging its border location, Baise organised programmes spanning sports, intangible cultural heritage, literature, music and folk traditions, including football and basketball friendly matches, cultural performances, reading exchanges and community-based folk activities involving participants from both sides of the China-Vietnam border.

The initiatives featured participation from Chinese and Vietnamese athletes, artists, writers and youth representatives, with events designed to promote cultural understanding and grassroots connectivity, according to a statement.

Key highlights included the China-Vietnam Border Staff Football Invitational Tournament in Napo County and a basketball friendly match in Jingxi, alongside an intangible cultural heritage exchange gala showcasing Zhuang opera, traditional crafts and joint performances by Chinese and Vietnamese troupes.

Youth engagement was further strengthened through a joint reading event and a cross-border new folk song concert blending traditional and modern musical styles.

The programme also included community-based folk activities at Jingxi Equan Scenic Area, where residents from both countries participated in cultural demonstrations, handicraft-making and traditional food experiences such as five-colour glutinous rice.

Baise authorities said the series of events reflects ongoing efforts to deepen cross-border cultural exchange, enhance mutual understanding and consolidate long-standing friendship between China and Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA

MOBIX LABS TARGETS CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CHAIN WITH SPD DEAL

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Mobix Labs has unveiled plans to expand into the strategic rare earth and critical minerals sector through a proposed acquisition of Special Project Delivery LLC (SPD), a United States (US)-based supply chain platform.

According to a statement, the proposed acquisition would expand Mobix Labs’ national security operations into the supply chain supporting modern defence, aerospace, and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Mobix Labs currently supplies technologies for US and allied fighter jets, missiles, submarines, and satellites.

The company said the Letter of Intent is non-binding, and there can be no assurance that a definitive agreement will be executed or the proposed transaction completed.

-- BERNAMA

MARY KAY LAUNCHES GLOBAL SOCIAL SQUAD PILOT PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

The Global Social Squad ignites a diverse and talented group of 73 Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants with representation across 15 markets in four regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe. These digital leaders create engaging, high-quality content, participate in global campaign activations, and share practical social media strategies with their communities and other Independent Beauty Consultants, fuelling both brand relevance and business growth. (Image Courtesy: Mary Kay Inc.)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) -- Mary Kay Inc has launched its Global Social Squad (GSS) Pilot Program, an initiative aimed at strengthening digital engagement by empowering Independent Beauty Consultants (IBCs) as brand advocates and social media content creators.

The programme, which will be introduced in selected markets worldwide in 2026, is part of the company’s broader strategy to expand its presence in an increasingly social-first business environment and enhance engagement with consumers across digital platforms.

According to Mary Kay, the GSS brings together IBCs who are recognised for their creativity, authenticity and social media capabilities to produce digital content, participate in global campaigns, and share social media strategies with their communities and fellow consultants.

Mary Kay Chief Opportunity and Sales Officer, Tara Eustace said the programme is intended to help consultants strengthen digital storytelling and consumer engagement in a social-first business environment.

In a statement, the company said the initiative is also expected to support brand visibility, increase product discovery through user-generated content, and strengthen peer-to-peer learning within the Mary Kay community.

A total of 73 members have been selected for the pilot programme, representing 15 markets across North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe.

Participants will receive exclusive merchandise, take part in content-based challenges, and gain access to training and development opportunities throughout the year.

Mary Kay said the pilot programme will allow the company to evaluate and refine the initiative ahead of a potential wider rollout beginning in 2027 and beyond.

The global leader in beauty and entrepreneurship added that the programme forms part of its efforts to develop a scalable business model that combines entrepreneurship, creativity, and personal connection.

-- BERNAMA