12/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 12, 2025

15

BIZ & FINANCE

Exabytes, Stradaverse roll out credit scheme for SMEs

Natural rubber output in October up 11% from previous month KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s natural rubber (NR) production rose 11.4% to 29,673 tonnes in October 2025 from 26,647 tonnes in September, disclosed the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) yesterday . Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the improvement was driven mainly by the smallholders’ sector, which accounted for 86.5% of output, compared with 13.5% from estates. “Year-on-year (y-o-y) comparison showed that the production of NR decreased by 22.7% (October 2024: 38,400 tonnes),” he said. DoSM said total NR stocks fell 8.9% to 145,438 tonnes in October from 159,646 tonnes in September. Rubber processors’ factories held 80.1% of the inventories, followed by rubber consumers’ factories (19.8%) and rubber estates (0.1%). Exports of NR rose 57.8% to 52,932 tonnes in October from 33,549 tonnes in September. China remained the largest market, taking 55.3% of total shipments, followed by Germany (9.4%), the UAE (8.7%), the US (8%) and Egypt (2.7%). Gloves were the leading rubber-based product export, valued at RM1.2 billion in October, up 12.4% from RM1.1 billion a month earlier. Average monthly prices weakened, with concentrated latex down 1.4% (October: 569.84 sen per kg; September: 577.89 sen per kg) and scrap rubber down 0.7% (October: 600.44 sen per kg; September: 604.53 sen per kg). Prices for all Standard Malaysian Rubber grades fell between 0.4% and 1.9%. – Bernama

SMEs a launchpad to transform into intelligent, data-driven businesses capable of scaling with confidence.” Stradaverse CEO Abel Saw highlighted, “AI driven ERP like Kingde give businesses a level of operational intelligence they’ve never had before, from AI agents that reduce operational surprises to intelligent controls that have cut unauthorised transactions by up to 90%. Our goal is to ensure SMEs gain access to the same class of technologies powering global industrial leaders. When we uplift the digital backbone of SMEs, we uplift entire value chains.” Beyond the MoU, Exabytes and Stradaverse are exploring an expanded suite of enterprise solutions, including integrated ERP deployments bundled with cloud infrastructure, backup and disaster recovery and enterprise-grade cybersecurity. Both parties are also working towards developing a Unified Intelligence Stack, an SME-ready platform where Kingdee ERP functions as the Intelligent Data Core, enhanced by an Adaptive AI Layer that activates predictive automation and real-time insights. This collaboration marks a meaningful milestone for Malaysia’s digital economy, demonstrating how industry-led initiatives can complement national efforts to uplift SMEs and strengthen digital competitiveness.

Early deployments have shown SMEs achieving up to 40% improvements in inventory accuracy through AI forecasting and 15–30% revenue uplift driven by better data clarity and guided decision-making without headcount growth. These capabilities position SMEs to operate with enterprise-level clarity, control and competitiveness. Pikom (The National Tech Association of Malaysia) chairman adjunct professor Alex Liew said, “Malaysia’s digital competitiveness will depend on how quickly our SMEs deepen their capabilities beyond basic tools and into integrated, intelligent systems. Pikom’s latest outlook shows that while digital adoption rates are rising, the ‘digital depth gap’ among SMEs remains one of the biggest barriers to productivity and export growth and this investment directly tackles that gap. When SMEs gain operational intelligence, Malaysia’s entire digital economy becomes stronger, more competitive and better aligned with the demands of the global supply chain.” Exabytes Group deputy CEO Eric Foo emphasised, “In today’s landscape, ERP is no longer a ‘nice-to-have.’ It is the operating backbone of every competitive organisation. SMEs that still rely on manual processes face rising risks and shrinking margins. Through this partnership, we are removing one of the biggest barriers – cost – and giving Malaysian

o RM10m initiative to support up to 100 firms in digital adoption

KUALA LUMPUR: Exabytes Network Sdn Bhd, a cloud and digital solutions provider, has launched a RM10 million Investment Credit in partnership with Stradaverse Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned IT subsidiary of Chin Hin Group. This initiative is designed to accelerate digital adoption among Malaysian SMEs by reducing the upfront cost of enterprise digitalisation, with an initial focus on the manufacturing and retail sectors. The RM10 million credit will support the onboarding of up to 100 mid-to-large SMEs by subsidising adoption costs for cloud-based enterprise systems. The Exabytes–Stradaverse collaboration aims to close this gap by providing SMEs with a structured pathway to adopt modern, cloud native ERP and AI-enabled platforms. Through a single integrated system, businesses can consolidate financial data, streamline operational workflows, strengthen inventory accuracy and enable real-time decision making supported by intelligent automation.

Otafuku Sauce Malaysia opens halal-certified plant in Negeri Sembilan NEGERI SEMBILAN: Otafuku Sauce Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Japan’s Otafuku Sauce Co Ltd (Japan) and Sushi King Holdings Sdn Bhd opened its newly constructed halal-certified office and factory in Sendayan TechValley, Negeri Sembilan. small-pack filling machines, the new halal certified facility offers a production capacity approximately eight times greater than the previous plant. authentic Japanese culinary culture also brings valuable food technology know-how to Malaysia and further deepens the longstanding partnership between our two nations.” Currently, Otafuku Sauce Malaysia and Europe through participation in trade exhibitions and leveraging e-commerce platforms.

Otafuku Holdings Co Ltd president and CEO Naoyoshi Sasaki stated, “Otafuku Sauce Malaysia will continue to produce a diverse range of halal seasonings under stringent quality control, utilising the expertise and recipes cultivated over decades as a Japanese seasoning manufacturer. As the Southeast Asia hub of the Otafuku Group, we aim to deliver safe and reliable halal products to Muslim markets and beyond, while promoting the appeal of Japanese cuisine such as Okonomiyaki to dining tables worldwide.” Moving forward, the company will continue incorporating consumer feedback into product development, including exploring flavours that complement Malaysian culinary culture.

Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) CEO Datuk Sikh Shamsul Ibrahim Sikh Abdul Majid, said, “We are delighted to welcome Otafuku Sauce Malaysia’s additional RM50 million investment into this new state-of-the-art facility in Sendayan, Negeri Sembilan, a decision that powerfully affirms Malaysia’s role as the central hub for the global halal industry. This project perfectly aligns with our national agenda to attract high-value, quality investments, showcasing how a renowned Japanese company can leverage Malaysia’s rigorous halal ecosystem to serve both its 85% Malaysian sales and expanding export markets. This commitment to

manufactures over 100 halal-compliant products including Okonomi Sauce, spicy seasonings such as Kimchi Sauce, soy-sauce based seasonings like Teriyaki Sauce, and vinegar products such as Sushi Rice Seasoning. The product portfolio comprises 40% NB (our own brand) and 60% ODM (contract manufacturing). Approximately 85% of Otafuku Sauce Malaysia’s sales come from the Malaysian market, with exports to Indonesia, Singapore, the UK, the UAE, Japan, and other markets. Indonesia remains a key growth market. The company plans to further expand its presence into the Middle East

The facility, which commenced operations in July 2025 marks a significant expansion in the company’s capacity to serve Malaysia’s growing appetite for Japanese cuisine and export markets across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Established in April 2016 in Selangor, Otafuku Sauce Malaysia aims to manufacture and distribute halal-compliant seasonings. To meet rising demand and strengthen production capacity, the company invested RM50 million to construct and expand its new factory. Equipped with semi-automatic filling systems and

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