Air Selangor Pioneers Sustainable Water Financing with the issuance of the World’s First Blue Sukuk and Malaysia’s First Blue Bond/Sukuk Issuance

KUALA LUMPUR, July 30 (Bernama) -- Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (“Air Selangor”) has successfully priced the world’s first Blue Sukuk and Malaysia’s first Blue Bond/Sukuk issuance (“Blue SRI Sukuk Kelestarian” or “Blue Sukuk”) of RM200.0 million in nominal value to be issued pursuant to its RM20.0 billion Islamic Medium Term Notes Programme.

The landmark issuance, which has a 15-year tenor, represents a significant milestone in the evolution of sustainable water financing in the Malaysian capital market and reflects Air Selangor’s commitment to mobilising sustainable financing to support projects that deliver measurable environmental impact. CIMB Investment Bank Berhad (“CIMB”) acted as Sole Sustainability Structuring Adviser and Sole Lead Manager for the transaction, supporting Air Selangor in enhancing its Framework and facilitating the successful execution of the issuance.

Accordingly, the issuance supports blue finance — an emerging segment of sustainable finance that channels investment towards sustainable management, protection, restoration and efficient utilisation of water resources and water-related ecosystems, while supporting long-term water security, climate resilience, pollution prevention and environmental sustainability outcomes. This is also aligned with Air Selangor's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, through initiatives that promote sustainable water resource management and strengthen water security for the communities it serves.

Adam Saffian Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of Air Selangor said “We recognise that building resilient water infrastructure requires long-term investment supported by sustainable financing. This world’s first Blue Sukuk reflects our commitment to advancing innovative financing solutions that strengthen water security, protect natural resources and create long-term value for the communities we serve.”

As both the world’s first Blue Sukuk issuance and Malaysia’s first Blue Bond/Sukuk issuance, it establishes an important precedent for blue labelled financing instruments in Malaysia’s debt capital market and demonstrates how sustainable financing can strengthen essential water infrastructure.

Nor Masliza Sulaiman, Chief Executive Officer of CIMB Investment Bank said, “CIMB is pleased to have played a key role in the successful issuance and to have advised Air Selangor on the enhancement of its Sustainable Development Sukuk Kelestarian Framework. This milestone demonstrates CIMB’s strength not only as a capital markets arranger, but as a trusted sustainability partner capable of delivering end-to-end advisory in innovative sustainable finance solutions. We hope this landmark issuance will accelerate the adoption of blue finance across Malaysia and the region, supporting greater mobilisation of capital towards water security, environmental resilience and sustainable development.”

The Blue Sukuk is structured under Air Selangor’s revised Sustainable Development Sukuk Kelestarian Framework Version 2.0 (“Framework”), reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to integrating sustainability into its financing strategy. The Framework aligns with the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA) Green Bond Principles 2025, Social Bond Principles 2025 and Sustainability Bond Guidelines 2021, and integrates IFC’s Guidelines for Blue Finance Version 2.0. The Framework also includes expanded eligibility to support blue, green, social and sustainability Sukuk issuances under a single platform.

Key enhancements made to the Framework include the introduction of Blue Sukuk to finance sustainable water and wastewater management, resource protection and long-term water security. The Framework also expands the number of eligible project categories from four to eight, covering climate adaptation, energy efficiency, clean transportation and social initiatives.

To reinforce the credibility of the Framework, Air Selangor has secured a Preliminary Assessment letter from RAM Sustainability Sdn Bhd (“RAM Sustainability”), which outlines RAM Sustainability’s view that the Framework’s Eligible Blue Projects are eligible blue projects under IFC’s Guidelines for Blue Finance Version 2.0.

About CIMB

CIMB is one of ASEAN’s leading banking groups and Malaysia’s second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM81.6 billion as at 31 March 2026. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present across ASEAN in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in China, Hong Kong and UK. CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 545 branches and over 33,000 employees as at 31 March 2026. CIMB’s investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group’s leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 91.45% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.83% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand.

About Air Selangor

Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) is the largest water services provider in Malaysia, providing clean and safe treated water to 9.62 million consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. To date, Air Selangor operates 34 water treatment plants located in 10 regions and has over 5,000 employees with a breadth of experience in various fields in the industry. Staying true to its mission and vision, Air Selangor aspires to deliver the best experience to customers as well as become the leading water services provider in Asia by 2030. Air Selangor is the first water services provider in Malaysia to be inducted into the Leading Utilities of the World (LUOW) global network.

SOURCE: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name: Anis Azharuddin / Kelvin Jude Muthu
Group Corporate Communications
CIMB Group Holdings Berhad
Email: anis.azharuddin@cimb.com / kelvinjude.muthu@cimb.com

--BERNAMA

AGC Biologics Lands Commercial Manufacturing Agreement for Yokohama Site Worth Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

 

• Commercial long-term deal with a large pharmaceutical company pursuing manufacturing and commercial regulatory approvals in major markets
• Customer commits to AGC Biologics’ new site in Yokohama for five commercial biologics programs
• Highlights growing demand for geopolitically stable supply chains, positioning Japan as an allied hub for global supply of biopharmaceuticals

YOKOHAMA, Japan, July 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ahead of the official opening of AGC Biologics’ Yokohama site, an international biopharmaceutical company has already secured half of the facility’s mammalian manufacturing capacity with a multi-year commercial contract expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars in total value. The Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) will leverage its new Yokohama facility to manufacture a minimum of 35 batches per year of five biopharmaceutical products for the undisclosed customer, securing a reliable global supply chain for patients worldwide.

The agreement includes process transfer, scale-up, regulatory validation, and future commercial production. The customer will pursue multiple regulatory approvals with the EMA, FDA, MHRA, and PMDA. The aggressive manufacturing timeline includes four process performance qualifications (PPQ) campaigns in the first two years. 

Securing commercial production in Japan reflects a broader industry shift toward supply chain resilience, as global biopharmaceutical developers increasingly prioritize established, geopolitically stable manufacturing partners with locations that mitigate geopolitical, regulatory and trade risks.

“AGC Biologics has the largest global network of single-use manufacturing capacity by volume outside of China, but that’s not the full story,” said Alberto Santagostino, President and CEO of AGC Biologics. “The market is demanding capable, reliable manufacturing partners with global quality standards and geographic flexibility. This agreement reflects the strength of our network, our single-use expertise, and the strategic role Japan can play in resilient biologics supply chains. Our newest Japan site in Yokohama synthesizes all our network learning in a location of increasing interest, and that carries the intrinsic cultural value of manufacturing quality and effective delivery.”

Once operational in 2027, the Yokohama site will deploy four 2,000-liter Cytiva single-use bioreactors and two 5,000-liter Thermo Fisher Scientific DynaDrive single-use bioreactors, adding 18,000 liters to AGC Biologics’ existing capacity of single-use technology for biologics manufacturing. Select customers and guests are scheduled to be provided with the opportunity to visit the new site in December 2026, when construction is completed.

“Securing a major commercial partner for Yokohama before the site is operational is a strong signal of confidence in what this facility will offer,” said Tadashi Murano, President of AGC Life Science Company. “With the site located adjacent to the AGC Yokohama Technical Center, biopharmaceutical developers are understanding that choosing a CDMO with an established innovation ecosystem in Japan is a smart outsourcing strategy.”

The AGC Biologics’ Yokohama site was part of the biomanufacturing investments made by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2022. These strategic investments are designed to expand domestic production and reinforce Japan’s position as a highly trusted, long-term biologics partner for life sciences industries within allied nations.

Services available in Yokohama starting in 2027 will include:

• Mammalian development and GMP manufacturing, with two downstream lines and flexible single-use bag capacity of 18,000 liters.
• Cell therapy services with six clean rooms.
• Messenger RNA (mRNA) development and manufacturing with 2 IVT, two purification lines, and two LNP lines. 

With existing cGMP manufacturing locations in the U.S., Japan, and Europe, AGC Biologics’ track record will help kick off the manufacturing operation in Yokohama, utilizing the experience of:

• More than three decades of GMP experience.
• 100 successful regulatory inspections.
• More than 30 commercial products launched, which received more than 100 separate regulatory agency approvals.
• More than 400 products developed and manufactured for over 250 different customers.

About AGC Biologics

AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners, to provide friendly and expert services. We provide world-class development and manufacturing of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with locations in Seattle, Washington; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba and Yokohama, Japan. AGC Biologics is a part of AGC Inc.’s Life Science Business. The Life Science Business runs eight facilities focused on biopharmaceuticals, advanced therapies, small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, and agrochemicals. To learn more, visit www.agcbio.com.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4834252b-9e14-45c2-987f-d437e07479e4

AGC Inc. corporate contact: info-pr@agc.com

AGC Biologics media contact: kati.sills@agc.com

SOURCE: AGC Biologics, Inc.

INTERSYSTEMS LAUNCHES AI ASSISTANT FOR ENTERPRISE DATA ACCESS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- InterSystems, a creative data technology provider, has announced the general availability of InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant, a new generative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered extension for InterSystems Data Studio.

InterSystems Senior Vice President, Data Platforms, Scott Gnau in a statement said organisations are increasingly looking for ways to turn their data into actionable intelligence without adding complexity.

“InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant brings generative AI directly to a trusted data foundation, enabling users to interact with information more naturally while maintaining the governance, security, and controls enterprises require,” he added.

As organisations move from AI experimentation to production deployments, many are discovering that the greatest challenge is not the AI model itself, but providing AI systems with access to trusted, current, and business-ready information.

Enterprise data is often fragmented across applications, databases, cloud services, files, data warehouses, and departmental silos, making it difficult for users and AI systems to generate reliable insights.

InterSystems Data Studio AI Assistant is embedded within the broader InterSystems Data Studio platform, enabling organisations to combine AI capabilities with a common, integrated data layer that supports consistent access to trusted information across users, applications, analytics platforms, and AI systems.

Built as an optional extension for InterSystems Data Studio and available as a fully managed service, the AI Assistant provides interactive assistants and agents that help users explore both structured and unstructured data, discover available information assets, generate visualisations, and accelerate data analysis.

InterSystems added that the solution includes out-of-the-box agents as well as a flexible multi-agent framework that enables organisations to create custom assistants tailored to specific business requirements.

-- BERNAMA

ARTEL OPENS PRE-ORDERS FOR PTP ETHERNET SWITCH

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Bernama) -- Artel Video Systems, a Patton company and provider of media transport and broadcast networking solutions, has announced the availability for pre-order of its Quarra PTP-10GSE12SFP 10-gigabits-per-second (Gbps) Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) Ethernet Switch.

Purpose-built for Pro AV, media broadcasting, factory automation and 4G/5G mobile backhaul, the latest member of the Quarra switch family delivers nanosecond-accurate timing for mission-critical networks.

According to a statement, four models are now available for pre-order with single or dual DC and AC power supply options.

“We designed this switch with broadcast and Pro AV in mind. The option for DC or AC, single or dual power supplies, Sync-E, 1PPS input/output ports, and 12 SFP+ ports make this a uniquely powerful and versatile part of any timing-sensitive media transport network,” said Artel Video Systems Director, Media Transport Systems, Tim Godby.

The Quarra is a carrier-class managed Ethernet switch that combines 12 10G SFP+ fibre ports with eight Gigabit Ethernet (RJ-45) copper ports. It supports both Leaf and Spine switch functions in a single ruggedised unit.

Designed for live broadcast environments, the new device supports IEEE 1588 PTPv2 with all clocking modes to help eliminate timing errors. Every port can be individually configured for SyncE or PTP timestamp delivery.


-- BERNAMA

Architecture's Inscriptions Opened at TANK Shanghai, Bringing Together Architects, Artists, and Scholars Across Two Days of Academic Programs

SHANGHAI, July 27 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Architecture's Inscriptions, a major scholarly exhibition curated by K Michael Hays and Sun Shi Ning, opened at TANK Shanghai on 8 July 2026. The opening was followed by an international symposium at the West Bund Museum on 9 July, where participating architects, artists, and scholars expanded upon the exhibition's central themes through a series of public conversations. The exhibition remains on view through 7 October 2026.

Bringing together works by leading contemporary Chinese architects and artists alongside ancient Chinese manuscripts, ink rubbings, scholar's rocks, paintings, and calligraphic works, Architecture's Inscriptions presents architecture as part of a broader tradition of inscriptions that unfolds across materials, media, and historical periods.

The opening ceremony was attended by the curators; exhibition designer Yung Ho Chang; participating architects such as Huang Wenjing, Li Hu, Liu Jiakun, Liu Yichun, Zhang Ke, Zhu Xiaofeng, and Zhuang Shen; participating artists such as Ding Yi, Xu Bing, and Zhan Wang; and several hundred guests from the fields of architecture, art, and culture.

Since the 1990s, Professor Hays has pursued architecture's inscriptions as a sustained theoretical project, developed through his colloquia at Tongji University and advanced through joint research and a seminar with Dr. Sun at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. By bringing architecture in conversation with ancient and contemporary art practices, Architecture’s Inscriptions proposes a different approach to engaging with design discourses – one that is not bound by singular ideas, representation, or determination, but is instead the result of iterative processes and situational propensities.

The exhibition unfolds through four thematic sections – Allography, Unary Trait, Parataxis, and Earth Marks – tracing inscription from graphic notations and Shitao's "singular brushstroke" (yi hua), to the juxtaposition of heterogeneous forms, and finally to architecture as an inscription upon the earth. The symposium at the West Bund Museum further brought together the exhibition's curators, participating architects and artists, and invited scholars for a day of discussions organized around the themes "The Letter, the Line," "Technics | Poetics," and "Earth Marks." Together, the exhibition and symposium examined inscription as a productive framework for architecture, art, and cultural history, extending the exhibition beyond the gallery into a broader interdisciplinary conversation.

Press Photo:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcce0118-04fd-4c83-b9aa-9944194a1f88

Media Contact
Nicholas Chung
nicholas_chung@gsd.harvard.edu

SOURCE: TANK Shanghai

--BERNAMA

ITC Infotech Partners Google Cloud To Advance Agentic AI Transformation

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 (Bernama) -- ITC Infotech, a technology services and solutions provider, has partnered with Google Cloud to accelerate its internal transformation into an agentic-first enterprise and drive AI-powered growth for its global customers.

ITC Infotech will become its own “customer zero” for Gemini Enterprise by deploying, validating, and scaling Google's agentic AI platform across its organisation before bringing proven implementation methodologies and technical blueprints to its customers.

By embedding AI into its own operations first, ITC Infotech in a statement said it will offer customers implementation experience anchored on measurable business results.

“Our wall-to-wall deployment of Gemini Enterprise anchors our own agentic-first strategy, driving non-linear, AI-led progress for our business.

“It also ensures we build deep operational expertise and proprietary IP to deliver next-generation, AI-driven outcomes for our customers worldwide,” said ITC Infotech Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Manas Chakraborty.

The company’s enterprise-wide deployment of Gemini Enterprise spans multiple layers of its global operations, focusing significantly on driving internal speed and efficiency with accelerated software engineering, autonomous workflows, and corporate function automation.

Beyond internal productivity, the strategic partnership is designed to scale real-world agentic capabilities across the wider business ecosystem.

As ITC Infotech refines and validates these autonomous workflows internally, it will collaborate with Google Cloud to establish dedicated AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in different cities to broaden market access to Gemini Enterprise.

In addition, ITC Infotech will combine its firsthand deployment experience with its domain expertise to build custom AI blueprints tailored for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors.

-- BERNAMA

NIUSHOU MOUNTAIN OFFERS SUMMER CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

 

Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone

KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (Bernama) -- The Niushou Mountain Cultural Tourism Zone in Nanjing is promoting a range of summer cultural and wellness experiences, combining natural landscapes, heritage attractions and immersive night-time activities to attract domestic and international visitors.

The destination offers forest meditation programmes, singing bowl rituals and sound healing sessions, alongside cultural attractions such as the newly opened Cultural and History Museum and Nanjing Buddhist Culture Museum, which showcase the region's Buddhist heritage, the Niutou Chan School, Zheng He's maritime voyages and General Yue Fei's victory at Niutou Mountain.

According to a statement, the zone is also hosting the Maritime Silk Road Culture Week in July, bringing together cultural scholars to discuss exchanges along the ancient trade route. Visitors, including student groups, can participate in hands-on activities such as Dunhuang mural copying and Nanjing gold foil crafting.

During the summer, Niushou Mountain extends its attractions into the evening with a limited-time night tour centred on Buddha Top Palace, featuring illuminated architectural displays, interactive performances by artisans portraying intangible cultural heritage practitioners, and cultural-themed souvenir activities.

Night-time programmes also include lotus-themed performances, traditional Chinese music, a 3.6-kilometre light-and-shadow running trail and open-air live band performances, offering recreational activities for families and leisure travellers.

The summer programme combines cultural heritage, wellness, youth education and leisure experiences, positioning the destination as a retreat for visitors seeking nature, culture and relaxation in Nanjing.

-- BERNAMA