This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 14, 2025 - July 20, 2025

Measat Global Bhd has received authorisation from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre to offer satellite services in India through its local partner, NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL). The authorisation, effective from June 30, enables Measat to provide space-based communications and broadcasting services in compliance with India’s space policy for foreign satellite operators.

The collaboration was formalised at a signing ceremony in Bengaluru, attended by Measat chief operating officer Yau Chyong Lim and NSIL’s then chairman and managing director Radhakrishnan Durairaj. Also present were Measat chief commercial officer Ganendra Selvaraj and NSIL strategy and technical director A Arunachalam.

NSIL, India’s government-owned satellite operator, serves both public and private sector clients and delivers satellite capacity and space-based services globally.

Through the partnership, Measat will offer satellite capacity to pay-TV operators and broadcasters, supporting more than 600 TV channels and reaching more than 11 million Direct-to-Home customers in India. Measat’s services also extend to video content distribution across Asia, Australia, Africa and Southern Europe.

Measat currently serves more than 20 million viewers in the region and has provided high-speed internet to more than 500,000 people in Malaysia’s remote areas through its CONNECTme service.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Association (Samenta) has called for urgent government support following the US’ decision to impose a 25% tariff on Malaysian exports, effective from Aug 1, 2025. The association warned that the move posed a significant threat to Malaysia’s trade competitiveness and could severely impact export-oriented SMEs.

“For SMEs that are significantly exposed to the US market, this is the equivalent of an economic earthquake,” said Samenta national president Datuk William Ng, stressing that immediate action is needed to mitigate the fallout.

He added that the association supports the government’s pursuit of a “balanced and mutually beneficial” trade resolution but stressed the need for quick deployment of previously announced support measures.

These include the RM1 billion increase in government guarantee schemes (SJPP), RM500 million in soft loans via development financial institutions and an additional RM50 million for the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade). Ng said these initiatives must be rolled out swiftly and without bureaucratic delays.

The association also called for relief to be extended to non-exporting SMEs in the services sector, warning of broader economic impact from weakened exports. It further asked the government to ease foreign worker hiring restrictions in critical sectors and to halt planned cost increases on SMEs.

Ng said the tariffs highlight “deeper structural weaknesses” in Malaysia’s SME ecosystem and called for economic recalibration.

Curlec by Razorpay has partnered with ShopBack to enable ShopBack Pay on Curlec-powered online checkouts, giving businesses access to more than six million ShopBack users in Malaysia. The collaboration is aimed at delivering a value-driven, reward-focused checkout experience for digital-savvy, cost-conscious consumers.

“By integrating our powerful payment infrastructure with ShopBack’s large and engaged user base, we are enabling businesses to reach more customers and deliver a seamless, secure and value-packed checkout experience,” said Kevin Lee, Curlec by Razorpay’s country head for Malaysia.

The partnership enables merchants to run targeted campaigns and exclusive promotions, improve conversion rates and attract new customers. ShopBack Pay users also benefit from RM15 off with no minimum spend when checking out at any Curlec-powered online store.

“By going online through Curlec, we’re expanding our value proposition, helping businesses drive conversions while giving users more ways to unlock value at checkout. I believe this partnership will be a step forward in redefining how businesses connect with today’s value-conscious shoppers — through smarter, tech-enabled experiences that convert better and build long-term loyalty,” said Vincent Wong, general manager of ShopBack Malaysia.

Real-time location-sharing app iSharing has reported more than 40,000 daily users in Malaysia, reflecting heightened demand for digital safety tools among families concerned about child and elderly security. The app’s surge in popularity comes amid rising cases of missing persons, with nearly 14,000 children reported missing in Malaysia since 2014 and dementia cases expected to triple by 2050.

Founded in 2010, iSharing has become a household name in several markets, including South Korea (808,000+ daily users), Japan (470,000+) and the US (150,000+). Year to date, iSharing has recorded a 182.32% year-on-year increase in user acquisition and a 194.36% rise in App Store downloads.

The app provides a suite of family-friendly safety features, including live GPS tracking, SOS panic button, Place and Inactivity Alerts, automatic notifications and low battery usage. It allows users to stay connected and respond swiftly in emergencies.

As the tracking system market is projected to reach US$19.5 billion by 2033, iSharing aims to solidify its position as a trusted tool for digital safety and peace of mind. The app can be used on iOS and Android and comes with optional premium upgrades.

Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has issued a warning on a surge in online scams taking advantage of the global release of F1: The Movie starring Brad Pitt. Scammers are using the film’s popularity to lure victims with fake movie streaming offers and bogus race-car toy giveaways tied to a real McDonald’s and Apple promotion.

One scam involves a fraudulent website offering a “free subscription” to stream the movie. Users are tricked into registering by linking a bank card — only to have their funds stolen without gaining access to the film.

Another scam targets fans of the F1-themed McMenu promotion in Latin America. Fraudsters set up a fake site in Portuguese offering free miniature race cars after a quiz is completed. Victims are asked to pay for delivery, during which both their payment and personal data are harvested for potential use in future scams or sale on the dark web.

Kaspersky says these scam pages are convincingly designed, using authentic-looking promotional images and quizzes based on the film’s plot. According to the scammers, users are only required to pay for delivery after completing the quiz — but that is when both the payment and personal data submitted for “delivery” are stolen.

Kaspersky experts have so far found the site only in Portuguese, but given the global popularity of the film and the enthusiasm of collectors worldwide, the scheme could easily spread to other regions. The company advises users to verify website URLs, avoid sharing sensitive data on unfamiliar platforms and use trusted cybersecurity solutions to prevent falling prey to phishing attempts and malware.

A new study by Cisco has discovered that a significant shift in network infrastructure is underway as Malaysian businesses accelerate efforts to modernise their networks to support the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based operations.

According to the study, 96% of IT leaders in Malaysia see modernised networks as essential to deploying new digital technologies. In line with this, 91% plan to increase their networking budgets. The research also found that secure networking is seen as mission-critical, with 99% of respondents highlighting its importance to operations and growth and 97% saying improved infrastructure would enhance their cybersecurity posture.

Globally, an annual severe outage per business has cost companies up to US$160 billion, with most incidents linked to cyberattacks, congestion and software misconfigurations. In Malaysia, 97% of IT leaders say a resilient network is vital to business operations.

AI adoption is also exposing fissures in existing systems. While 98% believe autonomous, AI-powered networks are essential for future growth, only 45% have deployed intelligent capabilities such as segmentation and real-time visibility. In addition, 71% say their data centres cannot meet current AI demands, prompting 88% to plan for capacity expansion.

On the business front, IT leaders expect modern networks to drive tangible results, 91% anticipate revenue gains and 97% forecast cost savings. However, challenges such as siloed systems (59%), incomplete deployments (55%) and manual oversight (48%) could hinder progress.

The study also found alignment between IT leaders and corporate decision-makers, with 97% of CEOs expanding AI use and 78% relying on chief information officers or chief technology officers to guide infrastructure investment. However, 74% admit that outdated infrastructure is already limiting growth, underlining urgency in the transition.

TIME dotCom Bhd has named Loh Jenkim its new group CEO, effective from Sept 23, 2025. Loh, who currently serves as TIME’s chief commercial officer, has more than 25 years’ experience in telecommunications, energy and professional services. She joined the company in 2013 and has led several key initiatives that contributed to the group’s growth and regional expansion. Prior to joining TIME, she held leadership roles at Maxis, Talisman Energy and PwC.

The appointment follows the redesignation of Afzal Abdul Rahim as executive vice-chairman. Afzal, who has served as group CEO for 17 years, will continue to play a strategic role on the board of directors and support the management team.

TIME also announced new internal appointments to strengthen its leadership team as it transitions into an infrastructure investment company with autonomous business units. They include Ang Thing Jiun as CEO of the infrastructure unit, Timur Umetayev as CEO of retail, Ganesh John Sivasamboo as CEO of wholesale and Azhar Adnan as CEO of enterprise and public sector.

Executive directors Patrick Corso and Datuk Zainal Amanshah will continue to support the group CEO and leadership team in advancing international expansion and strategic projects.

A piece of cultured beef being grilled at the Osaka Kansai EXPO in Yumeshima on July 8, during an event to showcase the aroma of the artificial meat, which was cultivated from cattle cells.

The iconic Rubik’s Cube gets a digital upgrade with Rubik’s Connected, a Bluetooth-enabled, app-integrated speed cube designed to take you from beginner to pro. Compatible with smartphones and tablets, this smart cube connects to a free companion app that tracks moves in real time, teaches you to solve in just seven steps and lets you battle cubers around the world.

Perfect for all ages, it is a hands-on learning tool that sharpens memory, coordination and problem-solving skills. With interactive tutorials, mini-games and global leaderboards, Rubik’s Connected transforms screen time into educational play.

It is rechargeable, magnetic and user-friendly. Available on Amazon at RM212.13.

When AI expert and investigative journalist Karen Hao first began covering OpenAI in 2019, she thought they were the good guys. Founded as a non-profit with safety enshrined as its core mission, the organisation was meant, its leader Sam Altman told us, to act as a check against more purely mercantile, and potentially dangerous, forces. What could go wrong?

Over time, Hao began to wrestle ever more deeply with that question. Increasingly, she realised that the core truth of this massively disruptive sector is that its vision of success requires an almost unprecedented amount of resources: the “compute” power of high-end chips and the processing capacity to create massive large language models; the sheer volume of data that needs to be amassed at scale; the humans “cleaning up” that data for sweatshop wages throughout the Global South; and a truly alarming spike in the use of energy and water underlying it all.

The truth is that we have entered a new and ominous age of empire: Only a small handful of globally scaled companies can even enter the field of play. At the head of the pack with its ChatGPT breakthrough, how would OpenAI resist such temptations?

Spoiler alert: It didn’t. Armed with Microsoft’s billions, OpenAI is setting a breakneck pace, chased by a small group of the most valuable companies in human history — towards what end, not even they can define.

All this time, Hao has maintained her deep sourcing within the company and the industry, and so she was in intimate contact with the story that shocked the entire tech industry — Altman’s sudden firing and triumphant return. The behind-the-scenes story of what happened, told here in full for the first time, is revelatory of who the people controlling this technology really are.

But this isn’t just the story of a single company, however fascinating it is. The g forces pressing down on the people of OpenAI are deforming the judgement of everyone else too — as such forces do. Naked power finds the ideology to cloak itself; no one thinks they’re the bad guy.

But in the meantime, as Hao shows through intrepid reporting on the ground around the world, the enormous wheels of extraction grind on. By drawing on the viewpoints of Silicon Valley engineers, Kenyan data labourers and Chilean water activists, Hao presents the full picture of AI and its impact we’ve seen so far, alongside a trenchant analysis of where things are headed.

An astonishing eyewitness view from both up in the command capsule of the new economy and down where the real suffering happens, Empire of AI pierces the veil of the industry defining our era. — Amazon

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