Malaysia Retailer|Vol 7|No 3|2019|UMR

Vol 7 No 3 2019

MIRF Exhibition 2019

Platform Platform to to Generate Generate New New Businesses Businesses MRCA MRCA Delegation Delegation Visits Visits Johor Johor

The Perfect Middle Man

WM RM9 / EM RM11

Alvin Lee, Managing Director of UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd

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Malaysia Retailer Vol 7 No 3

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Tel: 603-5882 4333 Fax: 1 700 810 950 Website: www.mrca.org.my PRESIDENT Datuk Seri Garry K.S. Chua ROTOL FOOD-CHAIN (M) SDN BHD

FOUNDER PRESIDENT Dato’ Eddie Choon POH KONG HOLDINGS BHD

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PRESIDENT COUNCIL Dato’ Eddie Choon POH KONG HOLDINGS BHD Datuk Albert Chiang BONIA CORPORATION BHD Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng SINMA JEWELLERY CENTRE SDN BHD Dato’ Tay Sim Kim OSIM (M) SDN BHD H.E. Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok, JP HONORARY CONSUL OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE TO MALAYSIA NELSON’S FRANCHISE (M) SDN BHD Dato’ Liaw Choon Liang, JP FOCUS POINT HOLDINGS BHD Datuk Seri Garry K.S. Chua ROTOL FOOD-CHAIN (M) SDN BHD

DEPUTY PRESIDENT Dato’ Vincent Choo Kok Leong URBAN IDEA SDN BHD VICE PRESIDENTS Dato’ Liew Bin BRILLIANT MERCHANDISING SDN BHD Valerie Choo Yoke Shiem SIMPLY AWESOME SDN BHD Shirley Tay Bee Koo SUNRIDER INTERNATIONAL (M) SDN BHD Datuk Seri Dr. Chai Kee Kan KK SUPERMART & SUPERSTORE SDN BHD SECRETARY GENERAL Ken Phua Cheng Chuen BENTLEY MUSIC SDN BHD DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL Dato’ Bruce Lim Aun Choong SKILLS JOHOR SDN BHD TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Alex Wong Che Sing HAP SENG STAR SDN BHD DEPUTY TREASURER GENERAL Dato’ Winnie Lim Yoke Chin SOLUTION RISK CONSULTANTS SDN BHD COUNCIL MEMBERS Seak Thean Pow BAGUS CURTAIN SDN BHD Dato’ Choi Wei Yee SUNLIGHT TAXI SDN BHD Dato’ Syed Kamarulzaman Dato’ Syed Zainol Khodki Shahabudin PERBADANAN NASIONAL BERHAD Dato’ Dr Edmund Lee Kim Hock KLUANG STATION F & B SDN BHD Datin Flora Tan Joo Hua TRANSTEL TECHNOLOGY (M) SDN BHD William Tang Chee Weng THE STORE CORPORATION BERHAD Brian Tham Jee Ping WATATIME (M) SDN BHD Nicholas Chong Kah Yean YFS CORPORATE (M) SDN BHD Jeff Yong Chun Loong KIMMA SDN BHD Raymond Woo Hai Siang ARORI (M) SDN BHD Sharan Valiram VALIRAM TRADING SDN BHD Jason Woo Wee Yoong CLARA INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY GROUP SDN BHD Malaysia Retailer Vol 4 No1

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President’s Message Dear esteemed members,

Datuk Seri Garry KS Chua, President, 2016-Present, Malaysia Retail Chain Association

I’m very proud to share that we just had the most successful edition of the Malaysia International Retail and Franchise (MIRF). This year, we had 380 booths, a massive jump from the 285 we had last year.

We also had 18,000 visitors and an expected RM90 million revenue.

I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate and thank MIRF 2019 Organising Chairman Raymond Woo and Vice-President Datuk Liew Bin for their tireless efforts to ensure the success of the exhibition.

I would also like to express my gratitude to our VVIPs for making time to grace our exhibition. First was Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who presented an excellent keynote address at the MIRF Opening Ceremony.

Meanwhile, MIRF’s Hatchery Zone was launched by Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof. This programme is set up to assist in the establishment and development of new businesses by providing an avenue for start-ups to exhibit products and services to the mass market.

Held alongside MIRF 2019 is the MRCA Retail Conference. I’m ecstatic to note that we had a full house of 500 participants, who turned up to hear from some of the most innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs in our region.

The panels of speakers had provided business owners valuable insights, tips and strategies to embrace in order to compete in today’s dynamic marketplace.

I’d also like to record my sincere thanks to Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen for opening the conference and Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Dr. Ong Kian Ming for gracing our closing ceremony. My congratulations also go to organising committee led by Dato’ Bruce Lim and Nicholas Chong.

Another successful event I’d like to highlight is our trip to Johor, where more MRCA members got to explore the numerous opportunities in the state. Many thanks to IKEA Malaysia, KSL Holdings Bhd, Sunway Iskandar, Tea Garden, Iskandar Regional Development Authority, Souper Tang Restaurant, and BCB Bhd for hosting our delegates at every step of the trip.

In addition, MRCA Academy is doing well with many members sending their employees for industry talks to enhance their knowledge and skills.

MRCA is also looking forward to a mission trip to Shanghai, China in Aug 20 to 25. We hope to extend our business cooperation in China’s crown jewel and explore other opportunities as well as experience the city’s culture.

Lastly, I’d like to wish all our members Selamat Hari Raya Haji and a Happy Merdeka Day.

“ENRICHING MEMBERS FOR THE FUTURE”

Malaysia Retailer Vol 7 No 3

CONTENTS / VOL. 7 NO. 3

12 MIRF 2019, the Platform to Generate New Businesses

DEPARTMENTS 3 President’s Note

EVENTS 36 Hari Raya Charity Visit

37 MRCA in the News

ON THE COVER

Alvin Lee, Managing Director of UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd Photography: YC Chu

Malaysia Retailer Vol 4 No 1

COVER STORY 6 Alvin Lee, The Perfect Middle Man

The Managing Director of UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd has made it his business to supply the right workers to his clients. He says it is not only entrepreneurs who want peace of mind but migrant workers too. As such, honestly and integrity from the middle man is crucial.

FEATURES 12 MIRF 2019, the Platform to Generate New Businesses 18 MIRF Exhibitors Feted At Networking Dinner 20 MRCA Delegation Visits Johor 26 Toppen Looks Forward to a ‘Topp’ Opening 28 MRCA Youth Learn from Penang F&B Retailers 30 Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Visits AmBank Group’s Booth at the 37th MAJECA-JAMECA Joint Conference

20 MRCA Delegation Visits Johor

30 Birthday Bash for Founder 31 32 33 34

President & Past President KK Mart Opens its First Concept Store Malton And Qatar Investment Authority to Develop Iconic Pavilion Bukit Jalil Mall 2019 Shopper Trends Intelligent Retail Solutions from Checkpoint

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Cover Story

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Alvin Lee,

The

Perfect Middle

Man

n the 19 years that UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd has been in business it has brought in a staggering 30,000 migrant workers, providing them with secure employment in the retail, security, service and hospitality, food and beverage, and manufacturing industries.

Managing Director Alvin Lee takes pride in the fact that he is able to provide his clients with “the right people” in terms of suitability for the job, diligent and reliable workers who are quick learners. How does he know “the right” from the wrong?

This, he said, is thanks to his years of experience in the industry which has taught him a few things.

“Firstly, we offer basic training to everyone we bring into the country. It is like an induction course to introduce them to the Malaysian culture, how to

I

UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd Managing Director Alvin Lee has made it his business to supply the right workers to his clients. He tells RACHAEL PHILIP it is not only entrepreneurs who want peace of mind but migrant workers too. As such, honestly and integrity from the middle man is crucial.

behave around customers, even how to send money home to their families.

We tell them that if they work hard they will be given salary increments,” explained Alvin.

IT DOES NOT STOP HERE A one-stop centre, UMR continues to look out for the workers. This is also in the interest of his clients. For the 2000 workers under his payroll, he provides them accommodation in hostels and transportation, making sure their basic needs are met and that they are well taken care of. He said if there are issues such as a worker being taken ill they will be sent to the doctor.

“Most importantly, we meet up with the workers once a month and have a heart-to-heart talk. I want to be able to stay in touch with my workers and to communicate with them,” said Alvin. In this way, he said,

both clients and the workers have peace of mind.

“You must be committed in this industry. With this kind of commitment from me and my team, I can see some results. Our workers are eager to extend their three-year contract to 10.

This is great because we don’t have to train a new set of workers every now and then.”

UMR has 2000 contract workers, and by the end of the year, UMR is expected to have 2,500 contact workers. The company itself has 45 staff including 15 who are on the service team. If there are general issues, health issues accidents, scuffles, illness or damages caused by the foreign workers the dedicated group from the service team will move into action. From the 15, eight – three Nepalese, four Bangladeshis and one Myanmar – play the role of translators.

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MANPOWER INDUSTRY

Cover Story

By next year he will grow his team to 55 in order to improve communication with the workers and to manage a bigger pool of workers. By end 2020 he hopes to increase the workers under his contract to 3,000, reflecting the needs of the country for migrant workers.

The years 2017 and 2018 were exceptionally strong years where UMR brought in some 3000 non-skilled general workers from Bangladeshi, Nepal and Myanmar per year. On average the company brings in roughly 2000 workers per year.

According to Alvin factories take up the biggest slice of manpower, some 70%, followed by retail and F&B. But going forward Alvin said he would like to turn his attention to the hotel and F&B industries. These industries make it easier to manage the manpower.

“The demand for migrant worker in Malaysia is growing. The country is currently facing a 20% shortage of workers,” he reckons.

There are about two million foreigners with proper documentation working in Malaysia. Industry sources estimate that for every legal migrant worker another one is illegal. That makes four million migrant workers. But some say this is a conservative figure, that there are actually almost seven million migrant workers in Malaysia doing our 3D jobs – the dirty, dangerous and difficult or demanding work.

Despite this, there is still a shortfall of roughly 500,000 workers in the country. The government’s move to encourage automation and digitalisation is bearing fruit but at a slow pace.

“In the long run, Malaysia’s intake of foreign workers will reduce due to automation and digitalisation but service industries such as hotel and F&B will still need people. You need that human touch. UMR is confident that we can grow into a strong supplier of foreign workers,” said Alvin.

“Foreign labour is a tough issue, but we have no choice, the country needs workers to fill the gap for 3D jobs.”

Where middle men are concerned, he foresees the manpower recruiting companies to shrink in the coming years as agents with no solid foundation, some even one-man shows, will drop off.

“In one year I estimate about 30% of agents to leave the industry. Indirectly,

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“Foreign labour is a tough issue, but we have no choice, the country needs workers to fill the gap for 3D jobs.”

– UMR Solutions Sdn Bhd Managing Director Alvin Lee

my share will grow. With more staff I will be able to deal with the increase in foreign workers.”

GRADUAL GROWTH Alvin said his business grew step-bystep over the last 19 years. During this time he has learned a lot about the recruitment industry, managing migrant workers as well as documentation and government approvals, boosting his confidence in the market.

Early on in the business he had the sense to open a recruiting office in Nepal, a popular source country. The Nepalese are easy to work with, they are committed, fast learning, many of them know and speak English.

Today the company is ranked as the 7th best foreign manpower consultancy

in Nepal out of 1000 recruiters. In Malaysia, it has the distinction of being an MNC-preferred recruiter. Some 85% of its clients choose to recruit from UMR again. From their clients, 65% are public-listed companies and multinational corporations.

Top Glove, Carlsberg, Mr DIY, Popular, Subway, Din Tai Fung, Grand Hyatt Hotel and Le Meridien Hotel are some of UMR’s clients. Currently UMR serves only the Klang Valley but would venture out of town if their clients request for their assistance.

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY Alvin said the government is transparent in handling inbound migrant workers.

At the same time it is also stricter in approving workers. This is a good move

as it reduces human trafficking, forced labour and other crimes.

“To me, as long as there is no hanky-panky on the side of the clients and recruiters, the law is working with you. So it is important for our industry to be as transparent as possible.

Recruiters must assess our clients and their needs well to separate the chaff from the wheat.

“Every industry out there is our potential customer. The pond is big. We have to select customers that live up to our expectations, who are easy to work with. I only want to deal with clients who have good attitude. I meet them personally and learn about their plans and expectations.

“Regarding the government’s move to convert illegal workers to legal workers, I would like to suggest that the government make the process simpler.

Right now there are too many steps.”

One common issue with recruiters are runaways. Although Alvin hadn’t come across many of these incidents, he concedes that “running away” is a normal human characteristic.

“If you and I do not like working for a

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Cover Story

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company, we stop showing up at work, we move on. But in the case of foreign workers, because they are foreigners in our country, it is not so straight forward.

It becomes a runaway case. So the question is not so much how we deal with runaways but how we can reduce runaways. We can do this by building a relationship with each and every one of them,” he explained.

Malaysia Retailer Vol 7 No 3

“But even before that, it is important that I convey the truth to the migrant workers before they arrive here. I tell them exactly what they will be doing – if they will be in the F&B industry or working in a factory – you must be honest and upfront.”

SENSE OF SATISFACTION Over the years Alvin said he has come

to love the recruitment industry, both its ups and downs.

“I am very hands on. Furthermore our team is honest and committed, some working long hours, from 8am to 11pm, if there are issues. We treat our foreign workers like our brothers and sisters. With this kind of system in place, the office environment is often very peaceful. I don’t have foreign workers coming here and creating a ruckus,” he said.

Instead he feels a sense of satisfaction. At the end of the day, when they return for good, they fulfill their dreams by starting a business, buying a mini bus and operating a transporting service. With the money they send home, their children become educated. The years spent working in Malaysia relieve thousands of families from the vicious cycle of poverty and debt back home.

“This gives us the ooommpphh to work. Some of them still keep in touch with our translators. One guy said he wanted to save RM20,000 in the three years that he worked here. He did it.

Back home, he opened a small shop.

My former driver was a Nepalese. When he returned home he bought a minibus..

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“I estimate about 30% of agents to leave the industry.

Indirectly, my share will grow. With more staff I will be able to deal with the increase in foreign workers.”

I hire many translators who are educated and, after their contract has expired in Malaysia, some of them go on to further their studies,” said Alvin.

Thursdays are a special day at the UMR office. It is the day the company celebrates the birthdays of the contract workers that fall in the week.

“They come in, we get a cake and the birthday boy gets an ang pow. I am committed to this. If you look at this as a yearly expenditure it is a lot of money spent for my 2000 contract workers but at the end of the day, they feel appreciated and special, especially since they are so far from home. It is also part of the relationship-building process with my workers.”

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MIRF 2019 The Platform To Generate New Businesses

The latest edition of the Malaysia International Retail and Franchise exhibition saw 18,000 visitors and is expected rake in a revenue of RM90 million. Also lauded was the addition of the Hatchery Zone to help entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level.

hemed Franchise Forward, the MRCA’s 2019 Malaysia International Retail and Franchise (MIFR) exhibition, is the perfect platform to explore readymade businesses, and should become Malaysia’s destination of choice for businesses.

This was expressed by Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail before launching the three-day exhibition on July 18 at the KLCC. “Today we celebrate MIRF’s highest number of participation in the history of this event. The first edition in 2016 saw 230 booths, subsequently we saw 260 (2017), 285 (2018) and today 380 booths and kiosks. This demonstrates the

T

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overwhelming confidence of retailers in the association,” he said.

He added that Malaysia has a dedicated Act to govern the industry.

The Franchise Act 1998 governs and regulates the franchise industry in Malaysia, and standardises the operations and regulations of industry.

It also offers protection within the Malaysian franchise fraternity.

He revealed that there are 877 franchises in Malaysia. Some 65% are Malaysian companies while 35% are foreign franchisors. Some 570 of the Malaysian companies have expanded to 66 countries, opening 4200 outlets of Malaysian brands abroad.

“By 2020 the franchise industry will rake in RM35 billion to the Malaysian

GDP. This is a realistic goal as Malaysia aims to establish itself as a franchise hub in Asia. The government is committed to working hand-in-hand with the retail community to drive growth. Malaysia makes an excellent choice as a hub. This is the platform to launch your products.”

He said the retail industry contributed RM30 billion to the 2018 GDP. He is confident of reaching the target of RM35 billion next year.

“This exhibition demonstrates that MRCA and the ministry has a good working relationship. I commend the organising committee for putting up a well-organised and quality show. The business community must take on the call of entrepreneurship and utilise business matching events such as this.”

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Besides launching MIRF 2019, the minister also launched the MY World Prepaid Mastercard and witnessed the signing of two important MOUs. The first was between the MRCA and the Business Events Council of Malaysia, while the second was between the MRCA and the Malaysian Bumiputera Designers Association.

Meanwhile, in his speech, MIRF 2019 Organising Chairman Raymond Woo said he was thrilled that all the 380 booths and kiosks at the Hatchery Zone was taken up. The Hatchery Zone is to help startups and budding retailers get their businesses to a good footing, take it online or offline. He is confident it will bear good fruit. “The MRCA would like to help bussing entrepreneurs. The 102 kiosks were given out gratis. The Ministry has indicated that it would like to also help out in this venture next year,� he said.

MRCA president Datuk Seri Garry Chua concurred. He said the MIRF is a good platform for the retail industry to explore opportunities, both within the country and globally. The Hatchery Zone will assist in the establishment and development of new businesses.

It will provide an avenue for start-ups

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to exhibit products and services to the mass market “MIRF is a platform for all retailers not only members. As such this year’s event sees participation from 15 countries, such as China, India, Taiwan, Indonesia, US, Australia, German, Poland. We would like to encourage more bumiputera retailers to be part of the event,” he said.

Also at the MIRF 2019 was the Minister of Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusuf who officially declared open the Hatchery Zone.

Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP), Chong Chieng Jen, also visited the exhibition. Earlier, he had officially launched the MRCA Retail Conference 2019 at Pavilion Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

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BAN ON FOREIGN WORKERS LIFTED

The freeze on migrant workers’ intake in the wholesale and retail sector imposed 10 years ago has been lifted to address the difficulties faced by the sector. Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced this during the launch of the 2019 Malaysia International Retail and Franchise in KLCC in July.

The move, however, comes with certain conditions.

The stakeholders must take a certain percentage of local workers for every foreign worker employed.

“They are also required to come up with a long-term exit strategy to gradually reduce dependence on foreign workforce. We want them to come up with an exit strategy, so that there would be no crash landing (when the foreign worker intake into the sector is frozen again),” he said.

The wholesale and retail sector had contributed RM110.8 billion until May this year.

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FRANCHISE SPRINGS FORWARD

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Visitors and potential franchisees were introduced to a host of quality exhibitors and innovative businesses at the 2019 Malaysia International Retail and Franchise.

The good business environment in Malaysia has made it easy for franchisors to develop their business models, secure a good footing in their respective industries and create strong brands.

The businesses are ready now to move forward with franchise opportunities to potential entrepreneurs. At MIRF potential investors had an array of franchise opportunities to choose from, they ranged from businesses that were easy to operate and easy to set up, with low cost of entry to well established brands with multiple revenue streams and minimised risks.

• Ayam Penyet Bagus After nine years in business Ayam Penyet Bagus Sdn Bhd has 20 restaurants and by the end of the year it hopes to open another five restaurants.

At the MIRF exhibition the company launched a new format to the business called Best Express. These kiosks have can bet set up at malls, airports and even colleges.

“This format targets especially the youngsters,” said founder and director Mark Ng. Together with him were Director Andrew Teh and operations manager Faridah Isa. Besides this the brand is launching a completely new product – Rice Balls.

It has five versions, including the best seller Cheesy Rica Balls. It will soon add another five versions – Sambal Ikan Bilis, Black Pepper Chicken, Rasa Ayam Penyet, Sweet and Sour and Korean Sauce Rice Balls.

• Eco Cafe

Eco Café, launched in June 2019, is a micro café serving coffee and food.

“We find that young entrepreneurs have many challenges when setting up their business, such as high rental, manpower and high turnover,” said CT

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their services. By end 2020 he hopes to have 200 lockers locations such as condominiums, shopping malls as well as self-service laundries.

F&B Holdings Sdn Bhd founder and CEO Christine Tan. Her solution, in the form of Eco Café aims to fix all this with zero rental, minimal manpower, halal and HACCP-certified food and outlet fitouts that is volume based and relocatable.

Entrepreneurs can expect ROI within the first year of business.

“Our food is ready-to-eat and readyto cook. This ensures the quality of our food,” she said. The business is avoids or reduces the use of cashless. The company has collaborated with budget hotels and universities.”

• eziPOD eziPOD is a 24-hour laundry locker that is hassle-free and is convenient. Just download the app, scan, and drop off and pick up your laundry at their 31 lockers located in the Klang Valley.

“We are a Malaysian-based company using technology from Thailand. We offers a fast turnaround time. If your laundry is dropped off before 9.30am, our customers can collect their garments in two working days,” said Ezipod Sdn Bhd Project Sales Manager Calvin Lee. Also on site was marketing manager Tan Jia Jun. “Unlike the laundry bars the lockers remove the waiting time of our customers. With eziPOD they can drive the nearest locker, drop their garments there and return at any time of the day to do a pick up.”

He targets young working adults from the upper income group to use

• Coco

Coco is a Taiwanese company offering classic bubble tea, fresh fruit tea and brown sugar milk tea. It has been in the market for 22 years. In the last five years it has expanded abroad to countries like the US, Canada and recently to Australia, Japan, southeast Asia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines.

“We are here today to look for franchise opportunities in the country.

One franchisee will operate three stores,” said Ococo International Co Ltd junior manager Rita Cheng.

“Bubble tea is very competitive in Malaysia. It would be very important for us to stand out in this market by offering customers excellent customer service. Our staff will undergo a long training programme on preparing the beverages, on the formulations and on customer service.”

• Big Apple Taska and Tadika The Big Apple kindergarten started out of a 200 sq ft house in Ipoh. Today it has 200 branches in Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor.

“We started franchising last year.

We have 11 franchisees, and we want to grow. We want to recruit people with the same kind of passion for teaching,” said CEO Kingsley Ting.

“Our approach to education is more

balanced. Both play and academic are important and we try to strike a balance.

Our approach to education incorporates STEAM, that is science, technology, engineering, art and maths,” he said.

Franchisees can look forward to training, operational and marketing support as well as regular consultation.

Kingsley said it takes just 25 students to break even, while some 90% of their branches are profitable.

order to update themselves businesses will have to reprint their catalogues a number of times a year. CatTHIS is a more sustainable way of reaching out to customers. It is green and saves costs. catTHIS is a digital catalogue management platform which allows sharing of news and events in the form of pictures, text and videos. Followers will then receive instant notification.

“Our users can upload the latest version of their catalogue using a permanent QR code. Besides this, they can also gather data analytics via instant notification on how many times a page was viewed and carry out live chats on our platforms,” said catTHIS Pte Ltd senior executive of Marcom Ashroff H.

• Malaysia Bumiputera Designer

Association While the Malaysia Bumiputera Designer Association (MBDA) currently houses members who are into fashion designing, end 2019 open its doors to other entrepreneurs in the designing business such as the textile, beadwork, shoes, architecture and interior designing.

On the MOU signed earlier in the day between MBDA and MRCA, Rasta Rashid, vice president of MBDA, said the association will help provide content for the retailer association.

“Working together will benefit both MRCA and MBDA. MIRF, for instance is good for upcoming entrepreneurs. Our members have taken up a number of booths and kiosks at this exhibition.

This collaboration is just the beginning.

We look forward to working together on other platforms,” she said.

MBDA is led by Bon Fashion Legacy Sdn Bhd CEO Bon Zainal, who is also the president of MBDA.

dresses, fancy skirts, exclusive party wear as well as designer accessories and clutches.

“My garments can be worn from work to party. I only use natural fabric and natural dye. By taking part in this exhibition I hope to take my brand abroad,” said Sanmugaselvi, also known as Maya.

Her designs carry a particular theme every quarter, either in type of fabric or colour. This season’s theme is indigo and scores of her tops and suits are on display at her kiosks.

• JK Homme

During a trip to east Malaysia, Jayakumar found inspiration in Borneo Art. He took part in last year’s Borneo Fashion Week and emerged Designer of the Year. He received an award and a scholarship from Limkokwing University.

“I like Borneo elements originating from the Penan, Iban and Orang Ulu tribes, and I feature this in my garments,” said the designer. His men’s shirts are only made from top quality cotton and Sarawak silk.

“My designs are different from what you see in Kuching, where these designs are carried in full print. This can be monotonous. Instead I use elements of the designs in a modern way in my clothings,” said the designer who is under the Asian Designer’s Guild and whose work is carried in Metrojaya.

“I am here to showcase Borneo design to the world. These are very old designs but fresh to the eyes of many people.”

• Desiglam • catTHIS Imagine the number of catalogues businesses print and distribute a year. In

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Sanmugaselvi Rajagopal has a fashion outlet in Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya, which carries her own label Desiglam as well as casual and fancy sarees, the latest Ararkali suits, trendy cotton

• Jeiwa Global

Johor Empowerment of Intellectual Women Association, or Jeiwa, is the NGO that runs the Jeiwa Power House community project with a café, craft and community centre. These endeavours are powered by charity works, volunteerism, empowerment, assistance and CSR programmes.

“We support women who are from mid- to high-income groups who are victims of domestic abuse. Our NGO has been around for four years now.

The Jeiwa Power House is a company focused on social enterprise. Our craft segment produces hand-painted tiffin carriers and food containers made from stainless steel. They are non-toxic and food safe,” said founder and president Fadilah Nizar.

“Each season we only produce 10 designs in 10 pieces. Our volunteers take four months to produce 600 tiffin carriers. We not only want to help shelter victims of domestic abuse but through Jeiwa we can give back to the community.”

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Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs Director General, Department of Commerce, May Lee.

Datuk Seri Garry Chua.

From left, Dato Liew Bin, Richard Li and Raymond Woo.

Exhibitors Feted at Networking Dinner he first day of the 2019 Malaysian International Retail and Franchise exhibition ended with a networking dinner for all exhibitors, sponsors and supporters. They enjoyed the night in a casual way conversing with new and potential business associates.

Among the foreign guests of honour at the event were head of Perhimpunan Waralaba dan Lisensi Indonesia (WALI) Levita Supit Ginting, Chairman of the Taiwan Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion Richard Li and Taiwan’s Commerce Development Research Institute (CDRI) deputy director general commerce development and policy research division Alex Ju. MRCA president Datuk Seri Garry Chua said he hoped the exhibition and the conference would help in the growth and development of the retail and franchise industries in Malaysia.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners, sponsors, the retail industry, the public and the media for their support over the years,” he said.

Besides good food and camaraderie, there was a live band playing songs in Malay, Chinese and English. MRCA’s top brass vice president Dato’ Liew Bin, past presidents Dato’ Tay Sim Kim and Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok together with Richard Li belted out a number in Mandarin.

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From left: Datuk Seri Nelson Kwok, Dato’Liew Bin, Richard Li and Dato’ Tay belting out a song in Mandarin.

At the VIP table guests from Indonesiaand Taiwan graced the event with the presence.

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Guests with talent serenade the crowd.

Hats off to yet another successful exhibition.

Lucky prize winner.

One for the album.

Thumbs up for a well-planned event.

Good food, good entertainment and good friends.

Cheers!

A hearty meal for exhibitors.

All smiles for the camera.

Business associates and potential partners mingle.

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MRCA Delegation Visits Johor There is no slowing down Johor Bahru. The city is bustling with a thriving retail and property scene, and overall good prospects, members learn during their recent trip.

une 17th started at the break of day for about 44 MRCA members, led by its president Datuk Seri Garry Chua, who embarked on a four-hour journey to Johor Bahru.

Also in the team were Vice Presidents Shirley Tay, Valerie Choo and Dato’Liew Bin, Deputy Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim, Council members Datin Flora, Seak Thean Pow and Raymond Woo. The team was on a corporate two-pronged mission, namely, to visit member retailers in the southern-most state of Malaysia and learn about their growth plans and operations as well as investment opportunities. The second undertaking of the group was to encourage more retailers to join the MRCA Johor Chapter.

JB is the second-largest city in the country with more than 2.7 million people. It is an industrial, tourism and

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Toppen IKEA

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commercial hub for southern Malaysia and of the biggest industrial centres of the country. The city receives about 16 million tourists annually. Connected by two bridges to neighbouring country Singapore, many Singaporeans crossover to JB for affordable shopping.

These factors place JB on the radar of the MRCA. Recognising its importance, an MRCA chapter was established in the city two years ago. MRCA’s other chapters are in Klang, Penang, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

The trip to Johor was planned and coordinated by MRCA Southern Chapter Head Michael Liew and his committee.

First stop for the team from KL was a corporate visit to the Toppen Mall in Taman Desa Tebrau. Swedish furniture maker Ikea announced the development of the mall early last year, and it will be one of its main anchors. The mall is in its final stages of completion and is slated to open end 2019.

Ikea Southeast Asia Head of Leasing, Arnoud Bakker, gave the group a tour of the site while briefing them on the project. This was followed by lunch at a café at the Toppen office.

Next, the group travelled to Taman Abad on Jalan Sedang for a visit to KSL Properties’ brand new headquarters where they were welcomed by KSL executive director Datin Wendy Ku and complex manager Dovey Ku. KSL Holdings Bhd is a well-known property player in Johor. Over the years, the 30-year-old company has diversified its operations to include ventures into the Klang Valley besides nurturing a strong presence within the Iskandar Region. Moving with the times, KSL has evolved from a conventional developer to a lifestyle and boutique-centric developer, meeting the needs and the expectations of current market trends.

Besides a tour of the new facility,

the highlight of the two-hour visit saw a presentation on KSL Esplanade Mall development by Assistant Leasing Manager Vincent Lau who said that the new mall, to be completed in Q2 2020, is situated within a land area of 18 acres and is located next to KSL’s 400room hotel, which will be completed in Q4 2021.

The 650,000 sq ft mall will have 2908 parking bays and four floors of shopping. It can house about 350 units of retail.

A short drive away took the team to Sunway Iskandar Sales Gallery. Here, they were warmly greeted by Sunway Group Chief Operating Officer Kevin Tan. Later, the team was given a tour of the project followed by a comprehensive briefing on the company’s plans which included a whole range of development from housing to commercial properties.

Sunway Iskandar has 1800 acres of land bank in Johor of which 700 acres are in Medini, Iskandar Puteri, Johor.

About half of the 700 acres are in development stages.

After the briefing, the team adjourned for dinner at the venue hosted by Sunway Iskandar where Gerard Soosay, CEO of Sunway Iskandar Sdn Bhd welcomed the delegation. He

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KSL

said that Sunway Iskandar in Medini is the largest township created by Sunway Property. It is made up of six precincts – The Lakeview, Parkview, Seafront, Riverside, Marketplace and The Capital.

Sunway Citrine encompasses retail, office and residences. The Citrine Hub offices is fully sold out while the Citrine retail already has a 95% occupancy rate.

The Sunway Emerald Residence is the company’s first premium landed series. It comprises 222 units of linked and semi-detached houses. Sunway Citrine Lakehomes has 361 units of affordable landed homes. Phase 1 and 2 of the project is almost sold out while phase 3 will be launched later this year.

Meanwhile, Sunway Grid is a mixed development project comprising retail, office and residential units. About 6070% of the project has been taken up.

Tagged Nature’s Capital City, Sunway Iskandar is aligned with Sunway’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and aims to build a sustainable integrated township. The township will maintain 40% greenery to ensure that the

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Sunway City

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community within the township is always connected to nature.

Where amenities are concerned, Sunway Iskandar benefits being close to major amenities such as Legoland Malaysia Resort, Gleneagles Hospital, EduCity and Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia. Other amenities include educational institutions, entertainment as well as recreation and leisure amenities.

Datuk Seri Garry Chua took the opportunity to address the gathering.

He said although it was a busy schedule he was pleased to see the development taking place in the city and looked forward to another day of briefings and visits. He added that the potential for MRCA members in the city is undeniable.

MRCA Southern Chapter Head, Michael Liew, thanked Sunway for hosting the dinner and he also thanked his team for successfully organising and coordinating the event. All guests were given goodie bags which contained MRCA membership details while Sunway’s goodie bags had brochures with details of their projects. There was also a video presentation by Sunway Iskandar. The night ended with a networking session.

Breakfast the next morning was at Tea Garden café. Tan Soo Hui, the Business Support Director said that besides local favourites, the café also serves traditional Nan Yang food and beverages. In trying to preserve the origin of these delicacies, the café is keen to promote traditional Nan Yang dishes to the public and pass down this heritage to the future generations. The F&B business has expanded overseas with two outlets in Shenyang and Anshan, in China, and in Perth, Australia.

The group then moved to Danga Bay where they visited the Iskandar

Regional Development Authority, the body responsible for the direction, policies and strategies in relation to development within the Iskandar Malaysia. Its Vice President of Business Eco-System, Prakash Nagarajan, was on hand to receive the MRCA delegates from Kuala Lumpur.

Established in 2006, it is the main southern development corridor in Johor and Iskandar Regional Development Authority is the administrator of the project. The authority is on a continuous task to attract investors such as multinational corporations, manufacturing companies and retailers to Iskandar Malaysia.

In February the Federal Government doubled the size of the economic growth corridor to 4,749sq km from 2,217sq km previously to include parts of Kluang in central Johor, Kota Tinggi in the east and Pontian in the west.

Iskandar Malaysia received RM293 billion in total cumulative investments from 2006 until March this year, with 56% or RM166 billion implemented.

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Tea Garden

Iskandar

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Souper Tang Restaurant & MRCA members’ outlets at Southkey Midvalley mall.

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Local investors, meanwhile, had contributed 62% to the total cumulative committed investments in the economic corridor.

Recently, an enhanced version of the Comprehensive Development Plan called Iskandar Malaysia Comprehensive Development Plan II was launched. This plan adopts the elements from the Circle of Sustainability which is a holistic and resilient ecosystem anchored by core elements comprising wealth generation, wealth sharing inclusiveness, and resource optimisation, and low carbon in a continuous cycle.

Besides targeting equal individual wealth for the community living in Iskandar Malaysia, the projects also place importance on resource optimisation with natural and manmade resources. This ensures balanced growth, protection and enhancement of the ecology and green areas, and urban connectivity and mobility.

The information garnered at the visit to Iskandar Regional Development Authority sparked the interest of its visitors. The group then adjourned for lunch at Souper Tang Restaurant at Southkey Midvalley. Headquartered in Nusajaya, Johor, Souper Tang is owned

BCB at Medini

by YS Master Group Sdn Bhd. The restaurant was previously known as Taang Shifu but underwent an exercise to improve its brand perception in the market.

The results were impressive. The restaurant, which predominantly is located in shopping malls where competition is stiff, now has better focus and a stronger identity. Besides Johor, the company has outlets in Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and Ipoh. It recently opened its first outlet in the heart of Orchard Road in Singapore.

The final visit of the trip was to BCB Bhd in Iskandar Puteri, the largest property developer in Batu Pahat and Kluang towns. The group was received

by Tan Sri Dato Tan Seng Leong, Vice President of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry

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of Malaysia, and founder and Group MD of BCB Bhd. He encouraged MRCA members to train their sights on Johor as a location with many potential for entrepreneurs.

He said the state has much to offer, thanks to the Iskandar Malaysia project, its proximity to Singapore and the upand-coming development projects. He was honoured with a plaque for hosting the MRCA group. Datuk Seri Garry Chua acknowledged that BCB Berhad, under the leadership of Tan Sri Tan Seng Leong, is one of the most successful property developers in Johor.

The delegates were also greeted by executive directors Tan Lindy and Tan Vin Sern. Lindy gave an in depth presentation on the company’s latest projects – Versis Boulevard and Versis Batu Pahat.

Versis Boulevard is located in the

heart of Kluang town, between Kluang Parade and Kluang Mall. It features a unique solution to bring in higher rental opportunities, namely a double frontage and a double ground-floor making it a better investment. The common area, on the other hand, is equipped with an escalator and a gentle ramp making it a stroller friendly commercial project.

Versis Batu Pahat is a cleverly crafted business hub with a modern façade and generous floor space. The dual frontage shop office is now made more desirable with a triple-volume canopy height plaza, excellent as a public area with alfresco dining.

Its seven blocks have been carefully laid out so that the buildings have a good view of both incoming and outgoing traffic on Jalan Bakau Condong and Jalan Penjaja.

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Toppen Looks Forward To A ‘Topp’ Opening The Toppen Shopping Centre is set open in Johor Bahru end 2019. Striving to be the heart and hub of the community, the mall hopes to create a friendly community space where everyone can explore, hangout and unwind. opp”, part of the name of Johor-Bahru’s soon-toopen shopping centre, means great or awesome in Swedish, making it a fitting description for the Toppen Shopping Centre.

The shopping centre offering ‘retailtainment’, will feature a unique rooftop offering, the first of its kind in the country. The Swedish-inspired Rooftop Garden will see vertical gardens and late-night restaurants, suited for those who are more inclined to a relaxing day or night out.

“The Topp is a one-of-a-kind rooftop hub that embodies all of Toppen’s brand attributes, namely convenient, caring for the many, fun and inspiration,” said Ikano Centre, Head of Leasing Arnoud Bakker.

The Rooftop Garden is one of four zones, namely the Active Zone, Family Zone and Event Piazza, all catering to the Johoreans’ diverse interests and influences, added Bakker.

At the Active Zone shoppers who enjoy an energetic and sporty lifestyle are able to use the sporting facilities that include a vibrant skate park, rock climbing wall, and a multipurpose court.

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Surrounded by bespoke F&B outlets, shoppers will truly be spoilt for choice when deciding on the offerings available.

The Family Zone, meanwhile, is designed to provide a wholesome experience for every household.

Complete with a kids’ play area and water play area, the little ones can enjoy themselves while their parents keep a close eye from the scores of convenient cafes in the zone.

The Event Piazza has a multitude of choices from alfresco dining and themed eateries to a full multiplex

by TGV Cinemas. This spacious zone is equipped with a weather-proof area positioned to be one of the community’s foremost gathering hubs.

The four-storey shopping centre offers over 300 leasable units in its 1.1 million square feet space that guarantees vast retail market opportunities for Johoreans as well as visitors from across the causeway.

Some of the confirmed tenants include Ikea, Ben’s Independent Grocer, TGV Cinemas, Harvey Norman, Sports Direct, Concept Haus, The Pantheon, Parenthood and Olymkids.

KEY FACTS AND FIGURES

• Centre to open in November 2019 • 4 levels of retail space with over 300 shop units

• Over 1 million square feet of leasable space

• 15 million visitors projected in 2020

• 2 levels of parking with 4,600 parking bays

KEY CONSUMER DATA

• Close to 2 million potential

shoppers and growing 1.96 million potential shoppers • are able to reach us with a short drive Surrounding population • projected to grow at more than 2% annually Projected to attract 15 million • visitors by 2020 • Singaporeans and other tourists predicted to contribute 10% of the total retail sales to boost weekend retail

“We created Toppen Shopping Centre to be a place not just for shopping but a friendly community space where everyone can explore, hangout and unwind. Whether you are looking to run errands, window shopping or just to be with friends and family, Toppen has something for everyone.”

Updates

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MRCA Youth Learn From Penang F&B Retailers Penang is known the world over as a destination for food. Restaurants in various sizes, serving a variety of food abound on the island. This makes it an ideal study area for our MRCA youths. n late March, 21 young retailers from KL travelled north to Penang as part of the MRCA Youth Xrossover Penang F&B Trip 2019. The venue – EcoWorld Gallery at Eco Horizon – proved to be an ideal location for a weekend F&B meeting between eager participants and speakers, learners and teachers.

The organisers arranged an exciting programme for the weekend. The highlight was the panelist discussion and Q&A session. Nicholas Chong, chief of MRCA Youth Division, and MD of YFS Corp, was the moderator while the panellists were Ch’ng Huck Theng, Executive Director of Ghee Hiang,

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President of CHTNetwork Australia and Malaysia and international artist and sculptor, and Tan Yong Jen, founder and MD of Idealite Restaurant, president of the Meatless Monday Association and 2016 JCI Creative Young Entrepreneur Award winner.

To kick start the session Ch’ng conceded that Penang is a good market, however, business owners must understand their businesses, services and employees thoroughly. “One wrong move and a competitor can emerge that might replace your business and do a better job at it.”

One of the main challenges faced by business owners is the lack of talents.

“Most talented Penangites will not stay in Penang. But my advice to all Penangites is that you will be successful regardless of where you are including in Penang. There are many listed companies that started in Penang and are successful today,” he said.

Ch’ng, for example, publishes the EZ Magazine, which grew from Penang and now has a footprint in Australia too.

Tan sees Penang as a potential market. He has opened 10 Idealite Restaurants in Penang and last year recorded a 20% increase in sales.

This prompted him to open outlets in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. He was looking forward to operating restaurants in these two locations but it turned out that these markets were very competitive and had restrictions on raw material supply compared to Penang.

“Restaurant operators must have a clear vision of their business. They need to know what they are getting themselves into. They need to target the locals because tourists have a preference for hawker food. But if you can compete with the traditional hawker food operators then you may make it,

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even then you have to search for your [unique selling point],” said Tan. On predictions and trends, Tan said business owners must be quick to adopt technologies that are relevant for the F&B sector, such as e-wallets.

“In the past it was only Groupon and Fave, but now they have Fave, e-wallet. This attracts more customers so retailers must get up to date in adopting these systems.”

Another trend in the market is C2C, or Competition to Collaboration. Here, business owners collaborate in order to organise promotions or do price increase together.

Tan also advises business owners to consider their competitors from other business sectors from convenience store operator Family Mart to food delivery service DahMakan, the many e-commerce platforms, and part time or home-prepared meals.

Ch’ng observed that restaurant operators are keen on running social media marketing campaigns, however, most of them are not localised, and

not specific to their target market and location.

“Social Media is just a platform but real marketing is being neglected. In Penang, the face-to-face approach is always an effective marketing method.

When one opens a shop in Penang, you do not need a marketing approach that targets the whole world but you need a marketing plan just to target the Penangites.

“Another thing that is neglected is brand positioning. Penang customers or investors are loyal. They may try new things because it is new but will soon switch back to their preferred choice.

Likewise if you can create your loyalty to them, they will choose your brand regardless of where they are in the world,” said Ch’ng.

One participant asked the panellists if they would feel threatened if big brands such as Hai Di Lao came their way. Both Ch’ng and Tan concurred that if their businesses offer quality products and services, and never stops improving on these, and cater to consumers’

needs, there is nothing to be afraid of.

In fact, they agreed that, competition is good for improving one’s business.

On bank loans, Tan said retailers today can look beyond banks to crowd funding investors and other funding sources. Ch’ng added that borrowing from banks would reduce one’s net worth.

One participants wanted to know what the panellists would do during times of slow market growth. Ch’ng said the slowdown is actually the best time for restaurant operators to conquer the market.

“Because everyone else is slashing their budget, it is time for you to shine.

But this must be planned out carefully.

It is also a good time to expand because competitors are slowing down.”

In closing, the panellists offered their priceless tips to the participants.

“Penangites are not stingy but they are calculative. They do not want to pay for what they think is not worth the price.”

And “you can conquer the world if you can conquer Penang.”

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Tun Mahathir Visits AmBank Group’s booth at the 37th MAJECAJAMECA Joint Conference

Birthday Bash for Founder President & Past President

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Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia paid a brief visit to AmBank Group’s booth at the 37th MAJECAJAMECA Joint Conference. Also present were Tan Sri Azman Hashim, Chairman, AmBank Group, who is also the President of MAJECA (center), Syed Anuar Syed Ali, Executive Vice President, Group Corporate Communications & Marketing, AmBank Group (far right), Zalina Shaheed Ali, Senior Manager, Marketing & Value Proposition, Retail Distribution, AmBank (M) Berhad (far left) and Low Poey Poey, Assistant Manager, Sales Event, Retail Distribution, AmBank (M) Berhad (2nd from left).

Themed “Expanding Trade & Investments between Malaysia and Japan in the Innovative Technologies Sectors”, MAJECA and its Japanese counterpart, Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA), have played a dynamic role to help Malaysia achieve its economic industrialisation goals, as evident by more than 1,500 Japanese companies in many industrial sectors locating their businesses in Malaysia.

With the fast-changing business landscape, MAJECA takes cognizance that businesses need to adopt marketdriven technological innovations to be able to compete effectively in the global marketplace. The conference was held on 1 July in Kuala Lumpur.

Several members of MRCA led by its President Datuk Seri Garry Chua recently held a surprise birthday cake cutting celebration for MRCA Founder President Dato’ Eddie Choon and Datuk Tay Sim Kim, Past President.

Among those who attended were Deputy President Dato’ Vincent Choo, Past Presidents Datuk Albert Chiang, Datuk Lee Hwa Cheng and Datuk Liaw Choon Liang, and Vice Presidents Dato’ Liew Bin and Valerie Choo and Shirley Tay, Secretary General Ken Phua, Treasurer General Dato’ Alex Wong, Deputy Treasurer General Dato’ Winnie Lim, as well as council members Datin Flora, Dato’ Choi Wei Yee, Jeff Yong, Brian Tham and Jason Woo, among others.

The concept store offers over 100 food choices of ready-to-eat and fresh food and aims to offer exclusivity, convenience, affordability as well as quality service. esponding to modernisation and current lifestyle trends, the KK Group of Companies launched its first concept store in Kuala Lumpur recently. Located along the row of shop lots opposite Plaza Low Yat in Jalan Bulan, off Jalan Bukit Bintang, the KK concept store offers over 100 food choices of ready-toeat and fresh food. The prices are value for money and there is an assortment of merchandise to cater to every consumer.

Those who prefer healthier meal options can personalise their meal with a range of fresh ingredients to choose from at the Sandwich & Salad bar.

There is also a wide variety of bakery items, such as buns, cakes, cookies and muffins which are sold at all hours of the day. The KK Concept Store could even be another trending BB tea spot where consumers can enjoy QQ Jelly and Red Beans as toppings served in freshly made milk tea. Ice-cream lovers will be tempted to try a range of delicious ice-cream treats with popular flavours such as chocolate, strawberry and mango and innovative flavours and frozen yoghurt with over 15 toppings to choose from.

The range includes Premium Sate Sauce with Kangkung, Asam Pedas Oden (with a Japanese twist), Hainanese Chicken Chop, Chicken Rendang Bento Rice, Pao and Siew Mai. For dessert lovers, there is even Gelateria Musang King, among others.

On the second floor is the B Café

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Founder & Group Executive Chairman of KK Group of Companies, Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai (in orange top, wearing glasses) and KK Group of Companies Management team at the launch of the first KK Concept Store.

which offers freshly brewed coffee and an assortment of food items.

With a built-up area of 1,000 square feet occupying the upper floor, the cosy space designed café exudes a relaxed atmosphere, thanks to the wide windows which draws in natural light natural light, making it suitable for anyone who wants to relax, converse and work at ease.

Founder & Group Executive Chairman of KK Group of Companies, Datuk Seri Dr KK Chai said that the KK Concept Store is a game changer for the company and also for the convenience store market in Malaysia.

“We aim to provide an exclusive food menu that is convenient to get and is value for money. We also want to offer a unique experience of shopping

and dining and quality service to every customer be it families with young children, working adults, late night customers and even seniors that walks into our store.”

He added that 40 more KK Concept Stores are expected to be opened by 2020 and each of the outlet will be strategically placed in both residential and high traffic areas. “We will also continue to redefine our concept and offering to meet the demands of our consumers,” he added.

In conjunction with the opening of the Concept Store, customers will enjoy 20% off on all Bento sets from 23rd July till 11th August 2019. The promotion continues with 20% off on all make-toorder sandwiches from 12th August till 31st August 2019.

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Opening of KK Concept Store

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Malton And Qatar Investment Authority To Develop Iconic Pavilion Bukit Jalil Mall Participation to enhance Malaysia’s position as a world-class shopping hub. atar Investment Authority (QIA) and Non-executive Chairman and the major shareholder of Malton Berhad, Tan Sri Desmond Lim, have joined forces in the development and ownership of the iconic Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall, one of the largest regional shopping malls in the country.

Malton’s wholly-owned subsidiary Khuan Choo Realty Sdn Bhd (KCR), QIA’s wholly owned subsidiary Q PBJ Sdn Bhd, and Tan Sri Desmond Lim via his private vehicle Jelang Tegas Sdn Bhd (Jelang Tegas) had inked a Subscription Agreement on 28 May 2019 with Regal Path Sdn Bhd (Regal Path) to partake in the development of the mall.

Regal Path is the special purpose vehicle which will retain the ownership of Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall under this transaction. It signed a sale and purchase agreement with the developer of the retail mall, Pioneer Haven Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malton, for a purchase consideration of RM1.48 billion on 28 May 2019.

In addition, KCR and Jelang Tegas will also be the joint owner of Regal Path, holding 51% and 49% equity interest respectively. Regal Path will issue RM830 million redeemable preference shares of which QIA, Jelang Tegas and

Q

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KCR will invest RM407 million, RM207 million and RM216 million respectively.

Announcing this recently, Malton said that Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall, with an estimated net lettable area of 1.8 million square feet, will be one of the country’s largest regional shopping hub that will rejuvenate Bukit Jalil into a vibrant destination for business, bestin-class shopping experience, dining, leisure and entertainment hub to both locals and tourists alike.

“We are very happy to have QIA onboard and their participation in the Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall project is indeed a testimony of QIA’s confidence not just in the projects managed under the “Pavilion” brand, but Malaysia as a stable and high-potential investment destination,” said Tan Sri Desmond Lim. He added that the solid and longterm partnership signifies Malton’s overall efforts to drive the nation’s economy forward. “We hope and look forward to forging further partnerships together and continue to play a major role in Malaysia’s economic development,” he stated.

Malton added that the deal is subject to the approvals of the regulatory authorities in Malaysia and the shareholders of Malton.

Sitting on a 28-acre freehold land, the Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall façade which stretches up to 560 metres along the road is catered to give maximum visibility to retailers’ brands.

The regional mall will house five levels of retail space, two levels of basement parking with 4,717 car park bays and a centralised green area measuring about 3.69 acres. It is part of the 50-acre Bukit Jalil City integrated lifestyle development comprising Signature Shop Offices, The Park Sky Residence and The Park 2.

Slated for completion by March 2021, Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall being the crown jewel of Bukit Jalil City is poised to be an entertainment and retail hub in the southern corridor of Klang Valley.

Tapping into the retail expertise of the retail management team from Pavilion KL, an award-winning and one of Malaysia’s most successful malls, the Pavilion Bukit Jalil mall will feature a mix of retailers attracting a steady pool of local and international visitors.

The regional shopping mall will differ not only in terms of scale and concept, but also the entertainment and shopping experience offered for all age groups under one roof.

2019

SHOP

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Shopper Trends iVend Retail analysts uncovered some interesting shifts in consumer behaviour and shopping habits that reveal the importance of developing a highly seamless customer experience fuelled by an integrated omni-channel process. itiXsys iVend Retail 2019 Global Shopper Trends Report: Essential Insights for Retailers revealed that shoppers relied heavily on mobile devices. Shoppers are using smartphones to research products while in a store (86.2%) or to browse online before going into a store to make a purchase (92.9%). Also, more than three-quarters of shoppers (83.8%) want store associates to carry handheld mobile devices to provide customer service.

Streamlined checkout processes and loyalty programs emerged as big trends this year. Quick and easy checkouts are the most important part of a shopping experience for 83% of shoppers while 91.9% make purchases with the aim of earning loyalty rewards.

About 44.4% of global shoppers are motivated to shop with a retailer offering self-checkouts. Buy online pickup in store experienced an increase in usage of 30% over last year. The main motivators for this trend were saving money on shipping charges and saving time.

“This is the fourth year we’ve conducted our global research and the 2019 report uncovered some important shifts in consumer attitudes towards technology,” said Kamal Karmakar, CEO of CitiXsys. “We are focusing our resources and research for iVend Retail on areas that are most important to shoppers, like mobility, faster checkouts, and loyalty programs. Retailers should follow suit and invest in future-ready technology to connect with their shoppers in the digital age.”

Pauline Mathews, Channel Sales Manager - Asia Pacific, said that Southeast Asia is growing in prominence on the global retail stage – it is the world’s fastest growing internet region with eCommerce alone expecting to reach US$53billion by 2023. “By asking consumers around the world about their shopping behaviours and preferences, we found that evolving consumer behaviours driven by technological advancements is truly a worldwide phenomenon and many of the steps in the modern shopper’s journey are similar from country to country.”

The report was based on a survey of 2,750 shoppers in 11 countries around the world, which measured their attitudes and behaviours related to retail purchase decisions, along with global shopping trends.

For Asia, the report focused on the emerging markets of Indonesia and Philippines due to their sustained economic growth in 2018 and beyond. These two markets have many things in common such as valuing an easy, quick checkout process above all else. iVend Retail conducted the online survey from December 2018 to January 2019 and the respondents included both males and females, ages 18+.

Loyalty & Rewards Shoppers like to earn rewards and a loyalty program is highly beneficial to the bottom line.

93%

shop with a retailer because of a loyalty programme.

C

81%

use loyalty rewards to get discounts and freebies.

Digital Coupons Shoppers respond to digital passes when delivered at the right place and time.

90%

%

are likely to respond to geofenced advertisements.

80%

make purchases because of social media and online advertisements.

Check Out Shopper experiences at the checkout counter make or break retailers. Shoppers look for convenience.

BUY NOW

81%

BUY NOW

39%

value easy and quick checkout.

want to pay via mobile wallet.

In-store Mobile Devices Employees with tablets is a customer service win. 84% of consumers look for store associates with mobile technology. Why?

44% to check inventory product availability.

56%

for mobile checkouts.

Click & Collect Online shopping plus in-store pickup provides convenience and instant gratification.

78%

BUY

BUY

BUY

of shoppers have picked up an online order in a store.

46%

use click & collect to avoid shipping charges.

Mobile Commerce mCommerce is an omnichannel best practice.

87% shop on a mobile device while shopping in a store.

37%

prefer using retailer‘s mobile app.

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Feature

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Intelligent Retail Solutions From Checkpoint In what can best be described as a tumultuous time for brick and mortar, Checkpoint offers better profitability and consumer experience in six areas, namely, supply chain control, distribution centre, store inventory management, store operations, omni-channel retail and theft prevention. ith the acceleration in consumer demands driven by technology, Checkpoint Systems, a division of CCL Industries, a global specialty label and packaging solutions company with headquarters in Toronto, Canada, and Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, addresses two critical issues for its customers: improving profitability and improving customer experience.

The company, whose mission is to become the first choice for source to shopper solutions, provides its customers Intelligent Retail Solutions delivering clarity and efficiency into the retail environment anytime, anywhere.

Through a unique offering of software, hardware labels, tags and connected cloud based solutions, Checkpoint optimises operational efficiencies through analysis of real time data captured throughout the Supply Chain and in store then translating this to clear, concise actions and tasks.

‘The company also provides endto-end solutions enabling retailers to achieve accurate real-time inventory, accelerate the replenishment cycle, prevent out-of-stocks and reduce theft, thus improving merchandise availability and the shopper’s experience.

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Checkpoint’s solutions are built upon 50 years of radio frequency technology expertise, innovative hightheft and loss-prevention solutions, market-leading RFID hardware and software, and comprehensive labelling capabilities, to brand, secure and track merchandise from source to shelf.

By implementing merchandise availability solutions, customers benefit from increased sales and profits, and ensure that the right merchandise is available at the right place and time for the consumers.

It delivers intelligent solutions by bringing clarity and efficiency into the retail environment by focusing on six key areas.

• Supply Chain Control It has identified six areas in the retail landscape where a combination of its class leading consumables and hardware can be enhanced by intelligent software services.

• Distribution Centre RFID-based solutions can help retailers track and trace stock, improve their inventory accuracy, minimise loss and maximise capital investments.

• Store Inventory Management RFID-based solutions can help retailers improve their inventory accuracy at DC, support omnichannel and supply chain efficiencies, reducing losses and errors.

• Store Operations Real-time data capture from various sensor technologies around the store can deliver heightened customer service for improved shopping experiences and loss reductions.

• Omni-channel RFID-based solutions can reduce errors, improve efficiencies and deliver seamless omni-channel experiences for customers.

• Organised Retail Crime Prevention A combination of intelligence-led solutions, from tagging to real-time data analytics can deter, detect and displace organised retail crime type threats.

Globally, Checkpoint has 10 whollyowned manufacturing plants and 20 ticket centres. Its global sales and support team has 400 service engineers in more than 35 countries around the world, with 60,000 installations in the UK and US alone.

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Event

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Hari Raya Charity Visit The Malaysia Retail Chain Association’s Branding Education Charity Foundation donated a total of RM16,625 in cash and kind to 20 underprivileged cancerstricken children at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM) during a visit to the hospital in late May. Datuk Albert Chiang, Chairman of MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation, together with Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, Founder of MRCA Branding Education Charity Foundation, Dato’ Vincent Choo, MRCA Deputy President, Datin Flora Tan, MRCA Charity Project Organising Chairlady, Valerie Choo, MRCA Vice President, Dato’ Alex Wong, MRCA Treasurer General, MRCA council members, MRCA Youth and members attended this meaningful event which was held in conjunction with the Hari Raya festive season.

The children are from poor families and most of their parents are low

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income workers. Apart from cash, they also received groceries, goodie bags, stationery sets and bone marrow needles, among others. “We hope that these contributions will help to alleviate the burden of the families so that they can celebrate Hari Raya happily,” said Datuk Albert.

Additional sponsors for this charity event were: • Petronas Dagangan Berhad – Petronas Gift Cards • Transtel Technology Sdn Bhd – Soft toys • Mr. Aiden Koay – Tablet carriers The Foundation, which was set up in 2010 under the leadership of then MRCA President, Dato’ Tay Sim Kim, gives back to the community through visitations and donations to charitable organisations during annual festive seasons.

Through these charity works, MRCA hopes to promote awareness amongst the public about helping the less fortunate.

A MRC

MRCA NEWS THAT APPEARED IN THE MEDIA RECENTLY

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