15/01/2026

BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | JAN 15, 2026

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MAG set to operate more than 2,400 flights for CNY SEPANG: As Malaysians prepare to reunite with loved ones for one of the year’s most meaningful celebrations, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) is reinforcing its commitment to festive connectivity by operating more than 2,400 flights during the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY) travel period, including up to 198 additional services operated by Malaysia Airlines and Firefly. The festive schedule will operate across the CNY travel window between Feb 11 to 23. During this period, Malaysia Airlines will operate up to 1,498 flights, with an additional 130 services to support heightened festive travel demand while Firefly will operate up to 962 flights between Feb 13 and 23, with up to 68 additional services. The expanded operations will support key domestic routes between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, and Sandakan. Together, Malaysia Airlines and Firefly will operate an expanded domestic network throughout the festive season. In support of the government’s festive travel initiatives, Malaysia Airlines and Firefly will also offer all-in one-way subsidised fares from Kuala Lumpur to selected East Malaysia destinations during the Chinese New Year peak period from Feb 13 to 16. Malaysia Airlines will offer subsidised fares of up to RM569 all-in one-way from Kuala Lumpur to destinations including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Sandakan, Labuan, Kuching, Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. Meanwhile, Firefly will offer subsidised fares of up to RM548 all-in one-way from Kuala Lumpur to selected destinations in East Malaysia, including Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Kuching, and Sibu. For travellers seeking adventure beyond Malaysia, the Global New Year campaign remains available until Jan 20 for travel up to Nov 30, offering all-in-return fares from RM159, with Enrich members enjoying an additional 5% discount on the promotional fares. TP-Link, Freshtel seal WiFi 7 Tri-Band tie-up KUALA LUMPUR: TP-Link Malaysia has entered into a strategic partnership with Freshtel Internet through the signing of a MoU, marking a joint effort to strengthen home connectivity offerings in response to growing demand for reliable, high-performance in-home WiFi. Under the collaboration, Freshtel Internet will integrate TP-Link’s HB610 WiFi 7 Tri-Band Whole Home Mesh into its service offerings, positioning Freshtel as one of the first internet service providers in Malaysia to adopt TP-Link’s WiFi 7 tri band solution for home connectivity. Unlike standard WiFi 7 solutions, the HB610’s tri-band architecture includes an additional 6GHz band, helping to reduce network congestion and support smoother performance in homes with multiple connected devices. This enables more stable and consistent in-home connectivity in high-usage, multi-device environments. “WiFi performance within the home has become just as important as access speed,” said TP-Link Malaysia enterprises & ISP business head Alvin Ou, adding that through this collaboration with Freshtel Internet, they are supporting service providers with tri-band WiFi 7 solutions designed to deliver a more reliable and consistent home connectivity experience. Freshtel Internet CEO Steve Choo said that providing a dependable in-home WiFi experience is a key priority for them and by working with TP-Link, they are strengthening their service offerings with WiFi 7 tri-band solutions while preparing for future connectivity demands as household usage continues to evolve. Beyond residential connectivity, the collaboration also lays the groundwork for future opportunities in centrally managed networking environments.

From the H6 HEV driving hybrid demand to the arrival of the WEY G9, GWM Malaysia’s lineup continues to grow across key segments.

GWM Malaysia sees 177% growth, hybrids lead o Strong demand for efficient EVs cements brand’s rising influence in the local automotive space

on-year growth for the month. Supported by its global base of over 16 million users, 1,400 outlets overseas and 2 million cumulative overseas sales, GWM’s global momentum continues to strengthen its hybrid leadership in Malaysia, reinforcing the brand’s credibility and long-term value for customers. Building on its 2025 achievements, GWM Malaysia enters 2026 with a solid foundation and a clear focus on strengthening its presence in the local market. The company said it remains committed to advancing its hybrid and electrified offerings, while continuing to elevate the overall ownership experience through product quality, innovation and customer support. As part of this next chapter, GWM Malaysia is preparing for the introduction of the WEY G9, the Intelligent Luxury MPV that reflects the brand’s evolving capabilities in design, comfort and advanced technology. Set to arrive end of January, the WEY G9 is expected to play a strategic role in elevating brand aspiration and reinforcing confidence in GWM’s ability to deliver refined, high-quality mobility solutions across segments. Looking ahead, GWM Malaysia managing director Cui Anqi said, “Our performance in 2025 reflects the confidence Malaysian consumers have placed in GWM as a brand. As we look to 2026, our focus remains on building sustainably on this momentum, strengthening our hybrid leadership and delivering meaningful value to our customers. We are committed to growing with the market and contributing positively to Malaysia’s evolving mobility landscape.” expertise, and capital strength. Our long standing partnership with Atome reflects this commitment. We appreciate their continued trust and the opportunity to support them on this milestone transaction. We look forward to more shared successes in the years to come.” “DBS is pleased to support Atome as Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner, reaffirming our commitment to catalysing innovative and responsible growth in the digital economy. Atome continues to successfully leverage technology to scale accessible, transparent, and flexible credit solutions for underserved consumers in Southeast Asia within a robust risk framework – supporting DBS’ commitment to creating meaningful impact across the region,“ said DBS digital economy group head Chua Shih Guan.

KUALA LUMPUR: GWM Malaysia marked a strong close to 2025, recording an impressive 177% year-on-year growth in commercial performance. In a statement, the company said, that this showcases growing consumer confidence in the brand and reinforcing its position in Malaysia’s rapidly growing automotive landscape. GWM achieved strong performance amid Malaysia’s growing hybrid segment, ranking third with a 15.5% market share in 2025. The robust growth was driven primarily by the GWM Haval H6 HEV, which continued to drive the brand’s performance throughout the year and emerged as one of the best-selling hybrid vehicles in Malaysia, ranking second and taking up 14.9% of the market share among other HEVs in 2025. GWM Malaysia said their 2025 performance reflects a broader shift in consumer preference towards hybrid vehicles that offer a balance of efficiency, performance and usability. GWM Malaysia is also laying the groundwork for the next phase of its hybrid journey through Hi4, GWM’s next-generation hybrid architecture. More than a technological upgrade, Hi4 represents the brand’s long-term direction, integrating efficiency, performance and intelligent energy management into a unified hybrid ecosystem. As GWM continues to evolve its electrification strategy, Hi4 signals a future ready approach that will shape the next chapter

of hybrid mobility for the brand in Malaysia. Beyond the Haval H6 HEV, GWM Malaysia said it maintained a diversified portfolio in 2025, catering to different customer needs across electrified and lifestyle-driven segments. This included sustained interest in its electric and off road offerings, alongside ongoing brand building initiatives aimed at strengthening awareness and trust in the Malaysian market. GWM Malaysia chief operating officer Roslan Abdullah said, “This diversified portfolio will further expand with the upcoming launch of the WEY G9 Intelligent Luxury MPV, scheduled for end-January, marking GWM Malaysia’s next step in premium and intelligent mobility.” He added, “At the heart of this success was the GWM Haval H6 HEV, further demonstrating that Malaysians are ready to embrace efficient, practical and well-rounded hybrid solutions. We are encouraged by this momentum and remain focused on delivering products that meet real world needs.” Globally, in 2025, GWM achieved record sales of 1,323,672 vehicles, up 7.33% year-on year, with overseas deliveries reaching 506,066 units, an 11.68% increase from 2024. New energy vehicles (NEVs) were a major driver globally, with sales of 403,653 units, up 25.44%, reflecting the company’s leadership in hybrid and electrified mobility. In December alone, 124,020 vehicles were sold globally, including 57,418 units overseas, a 39.05% year

Atome gets US$345m boost for regional expansion KUALA LUMPUR: Southeast Asia’s digital finance platform Atome closed the renewal and upsized US$345 million (RM1.4 billion) syndicated debt facility, a significant increase from the US$200 million secured in 2024. later (BNPL), digital lending, insurance and the Atome (Pay Later Anywhere) Card across key Southeast Asian markets like Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

“We’re pleased to welcome our new lending partners and grateful for the continued support from our returning lenders. This facility has grown significantly within a year. We’re now even better positioned to support a rapidly growing, healthy and profitable loan book, while scaling transparent and flexible credit solutions to serve both merchants and consumers,”said Atome chief commercial officer Andy Tan. Meanwhile, HSBC Singapore banking, corporate and institutional banking head Gilbert Ng said,“At HSBC, we support businesses by leveraging our global network, deep sector

The latest upsized facility sees HSBC continuing its support to Atome, reprising its roles as Structuring Bank and Mandated Lead Arranger and Bookrunner (MLAB), with DBS joining the ranks as MLAB. Other returning lenders include Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Singapore branch, Brunei’s Baiduri Bank and Cathay United Bank. New participating banks include Fubon Bank and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. The expanded facility will accelerate the expansion of Atome’s profitable regional portfolio and products such as buy now pay