OMESTI partner Microimage HCM Asia has extended its presence in the South East Asia region, this time to Myanmar, through an exclusive partnership with local corporate services firm VDB Loi.

Companies based in the newly emerging Myanmar market will now be able to access the Microimage Human Capital Management (HCM) technology, which has been customised for the local market using VDB Loi’s expertise.

VDB Loi currently offers outsourced payroll services using the Microimage Payroll module, services which are already being utilised by several major global organisations based in Myanmar. Following the launch of the new solution, local companies will now be able to access the full suite of HCM modules.

Microimage HCM Asia Director Harsha Purasinghe said, “We are delighted to be entering the Myanmar market through our exclusive partnership with VDB Loi. Their expertise and experience has been critical in preparing the solution for local adoption.

“For 20 years now, we have been developing technology that helps companies to streamline their people management systems and establish HR as the game changing enterprise-wide function. As we mark our 20th anniversary, we are proud to now bring this latest technology in HCM solutions to Myanmar enterprises.”

VDB Loi’s Managing Partner Jean Loi said, “The Myanmar market is dynamic and constantly evolving, particularly with regard to human resources. Managing and retaining staff here can be challenging, so we’re pleased to be able to offer these cutting-edge services to our clients in partnership with Microimage HCM Asia.

“Having customised the product for Myanmar based on our knowledge of the laws and working environment here means that our clients have the best of both worlds – access to international best practices for human resources management with the technology to match, while still meeting the specific regulatory and practical needs for operating in Myanmar.”

The Microimage HCM solution is available via three delivery models: on-premise, managed and cloud. The enterprise solution comprises a suite of 14 interrelated modules designed to help facilitate HR planning, recruitment, retention and development. The integrated platform enables a streamlined enterprise approach to payroll administration, employee records, benefits management, time management and more. The solution is also available as a kiosk-based system that is ideally suited to manufacturing and factory environments.

Recognising the specific needs of SMEs, the portfolio is also available on an as-a-service basis via an online, cloud-based HR management platform that offers the same features as the enterprise version but tailored to SME operations.

Microimage of Sri Lanka, the company that began life as a high-school start-up, celebrated its 20th anniversary recently along with clients and partners, many of whom paid tribute to the firm’s innovative achievements.

Over the last two decades, Microimage has clocked up a number of firsts in the industry along with its game-changing Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions, Broadcast Automation Solutions and Sri Lanka’s first ever Disaster Early Warning System following the 2004 Tsunami.

Microimage CEO Harsha Purasinghe said, “Our journey so far has been a roller-coaster ride of exciting developments. With determination and passion, we have turned challenges into opportunities and built a successful business. We are now proud to service a large and growing client base across the region.”

In 2014, Microimage teamed up with the Omesti Group to bring its HCM solutions to the wider Asian market including Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia. Known as MIHCM (Microimage HCM) Asia, the venture is based in Kuala Lumpur and has already secured major successes in delivering its HCM solutions to the country’s leading financial institutions and accounting firms.

Omesti Executive Director Mah Xian-Zhen said, “Over the last few years, we have made it our development strategy to identify technology partners with cutting-edge solutions across a variety of disciplines. In Microimage we have clearly found a rare combination of innovation and determination to help us grow our product portfolio. Congratulations to you and your team for your achievements and here’s to the next 20 years!”

The anniversary celebrations also saw the launch of the latest version of the Microimage HCM platform, HCM15 and mStudio 3.0 which is poised to revolutionise the broadcast industry.

The disposal of backlogged cases before the Court of Appeal has been expedited from 10,760 pending cases in 2010 to 2,850 cases as at October 1 this year.

Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif (pic) said the move to reduce the backlogged cases to more manageable numbers was due to judiciary transformation initiatives, which were introduced in 2007.

“The judicial transformation continues to the present Chief of Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria, who took over from Tun Zaki Tun Azmi,” he said when delivering the keynote address at the two-day Malaysian Legal and Corporate Conference (MLCC) 2015 in Kuala Lumpur today.

The transformation initiatives among others include a total and comprehensive reorganisation of all file rooms and registries across the judicial system; establishment of a single registry case tracking system and establishment of timelines and performance measurements for disposal of cases.

It also entails the establishment of dedicated specialised commercial courts, Islamic banking courts, intellectual property courts and admiralty courts; the introduction of seamless on-line “e-Court” administration which computerises key processes and expedited appeals through special panels.

Raus said that under the transformation initiatives, the commercial cases for the new commercial court and those cases for the specialised court were given priority.

He said a pervasive programme of reform was undertaken by the judiciary working collaboratively with Pemudah, a special task force to facilitate clearing the backlogged commercial cases.

He said in 2009, there were 6,490 old commercial cases, most of which were pending for more than five years in the Commercial Court of Kuala Lumpur.

“According to them (Pemudah) the delay of the commercial cases is not good for business and the business community,” he said.

Hence, as a result of collaboration between the judiciary and Permudah, the New Commercial Court (NCC) was established in the Kuala Lumpur High Court in September 2009 to handle new commercial cases after Sept1, 2009.

He said the NCC had set a timeline to clear cases within nine months from the date of filing.

The conference is organised by the Bar Council and Malaysian Current Law Journal. It aims to highlight the latest development in law and corporate practices.

Among the prominent speakers are Judge of the Federal Court Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Embong and Air Asia X chairperson Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.

Fiber@Home City Networks Sdn Bhd, a member of the OMESTI Group, has been selected by Penang State Government as one of the partners in the Penang Fibre Forward Plan, a ground-breaking initiative designed to provide state-of-the-art communications infrastructure and freedom of choice for users. Fiber@Home’s innovative open access network concept has already been adopted by the leading developers across the country and will now form a key component of the fibre infrastructure for the island state.

The partnership initiative, which includes a number of telco service providers, was confirmed at a signing ceremony witnessed by Penang Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng along with several other dignitaries and industry leaders. Fiber@Home has also been appointed as a representative on the Local Council for State Telecommunications, established by Penang State Government, where it will advise on high speed broadband and telecommunications infrastructure planning.

Fiber@Home Co-Founder & CEO Shaharin Saman said, “We are delighted to have been appointed as one of the official infrastructure providers in Penang’s Fibre Forward Plan. Our open access network concept dovetails well with the Penang “One Dig” policy where multiple service providers utilise shared ultra-fast fibre infra to offer their services across several categories. This flexibility adds value to a community and gives the customer much greater freedom of choice.”

The Fiber@Home Open Access Infrastructure network is a true open access network that segregates ownership of the infrastructure from service platforms. As a result, multiple service providers can cost effectively distribute their services over a shared infrastructure. With this type of network, each connection is capable of handling several concurrent TV channels, HD telephony streams, and internet connections – plus additional services such as cloud storage, gaming, software on demand and video conferencing – all at the same time and without loss of quality.

All users – whether residential or business – have access to ultra-high speed broadband of up to 1,000 Mbps, delivered over an all-IP, open access infrastructure, while subscribers have the ability to decide which services they want – at their preferred price point – on the spot via an online service portal

Fiber@Home is currently implementing a series of contracts for fibre-connected home installation based on its open network access infrastructure concept for property developers around the country. Among its clients are Malaysia’s top ten developers including SP Setia Berhad, Mah Sing Group, Sunway Property, UMLand, Tropicana Properties, Emkay Group and BCB Berhad.

“Malaysia’s leading developers are rapidly embracing the Open Access Infrastructure concept as they recognise the value it brings to their projects,” notes Shaharin. Among the major developments currently in progress is the Setia EcoGlades community in Cyberjaya where Fiber@Home is installing Gigabit Fibre infrastructure with speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps throughout the neighbourhood.

The open access network is already live at seven sites around the country in Kuala Lumpur/Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Johor Bahru, providing immediate access for 5,000 homes. A further 10,000 homes across the country will be connected to the open access network community by the year end. A range of internet, phone, TV and entertainment packages from multiple providers is currently available via the dedicated online portal. Additional packages for security services and gaming are being incorporated in the near future.

The open access network infrastructure can also be made available to brownfield community developments adds Shaharin. “Existing communities can also benefit from this open access network infrastructure. Once the high speed broadband infrastructure is in place, we set up a metro network to provide coverage to other communities in the area.”

Malaysian retail businesses will now be able to leverage business and security intelligence derived from video footage to generate higher revenue and optimise operational costs. With the launch of VIDA – Omesti Video Analytics, the product of a partnership between Omesti Group (Omesti) and KAI Square (KAI), retailers can monitor shoppers’ behaviour in real time and produce analytics reports on shopping trends, at any time from any device.

The solution is a new addition to Omesti’s portfolio of cloud-based offerings, specifically designed to help businesses improve performance. VIDA not only addresses the needs of established global and regional retailers, but is also well suited for Small Medium Enterprises by allowing them to leverage innovative technology without requiring significant capital investment.

With VIDA – Omesti Video Analytics, customers are given access to a wide range of business intelligence features, including audience profiling, people counting, crowd density, human traffic flow and audience attention. With these tools, retailers are able to better understand their customers, optimise their staffing costs and product pricing, improve product placement and forecast merchandising, amongst other things. In addition, VIDA also serves as a smart surveillance solution.

Mei Chuen Thong, COO, VIDA – Omesti Video Analytics said, “With all segments of the retail sector becoming increasingly competitive, retailers are feeling the pinch and need to find new ways to boost sales and grow their market share. By applying intelligent video analytics, these retailers will be able to enhance their understanding of customer buying behaviour and manage security threats. VIDA is a complete solution that empowers retailers to sell more effectively, leading to higher profitability.”

VIDA video analytics solution is developed by KAI, a multiple award-winning technology-based solutions provider, recognised for its cutting-edge intelligent video analytics solutions. KAI products have helped transformed businesses across many industries in the private and public sectors in Asia. Currently, KAI assists retailers by implementing video analytics in six countries – Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Middle East Region and UK – covering over 10 retail sectors, and is expanding rapidly throughout Asia. Under this latest partnership, Omesti has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Malaysia.

Neo Shi Yong, co-founder and CEO of KAI says, “There are endless possibilities that can be fulfilled with intelligent video analytics solutions, with the ability to recognise, track and count. I believe this can create a bigger and more competitive eco-system in the surveillance domain, resulting in higher cost savings and returns on investment for the end user.”

The partnership between Omesti and KAI was facilitated by IDA International, a subsidiary of Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA). Through this strategic partnership, businesses in Malaysia are able to access and implement this innovative product at their premises by simply subscribing on a monthly subscription fee basis.

A large group of employees teamed up with Kechara Soup Kitchen one recent Saturday to go out into the community with basic essentials and supplies for those in need. Dividing into groups, the volunteers visited a number of families, many of them living in cramped, challenging conditions and several with health problems. In some cases, there is only one member of the family who is able enough to support their needs, which aside from food items include clothing and basic household equipment. It was an eye-opening experience for those who took part in the event to see the tough times that many Malaysians are enduring on a daily basis.

Kuala Lumpur, 28 April 2015 - The High Court Complex in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, is the latest location in the country to upgrade its court management systems with the expansion roll-out of the OMESTI eCOURTS solution, including eFILING, a digital online system for filing and tracking cases. The national expansion is part of the Federal Court of Malaysia programme to streamline court operations and deliver improved efficiency and productivity for the judiciary, court officers and legal practitioners.

The OMESTI eCOURTS team has been working closely with the Federal Court Chief Registrar’s Office and Tuan Nazri bin Ismail, Deputy Registrar for eKEHAKIMAN [eFILING], to help implement the eFILING system in the additional locations.

“One of the key benefits of full integration is that no matter where lawyers are located they can file online over a secure system. When fully rolled out to the rest of the locations throughout Peninsular Malaysia, the eCOURTS system will align court processes across the country and automate tracking of documents and cases, making it faster and easier for everyone,” he said. “Lawyers are able to do things by themselves rather than coming to the Court and Court Officers will be able to access the information they need from anywhere at anytime,” he added.

“This is a major milestone in the expansion roll-out of the eCOURTS system,” said Ms Mah Xian-Zhen, Executive Director of OMESTI Group. “Kota Bharu is the third location to go live in the current expansion roll-out and it is very encouraging to see that there has been such a positive response, particularly in Kota Bharu.” This milestone was marked at a special launch ceremony held at the Kota Bharu High Court in the presence of Guest of Honour Yang Amat Arif Tun Arifin Bin Zakaria, Chief Justice of Malaysia, together with members of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), dignitaries from the Kota Bharu Court and local officials.

Special briefing sessions organised by the eKEHAKIMAN team ahead of the roll-out were well-attended with more than 200 lawyers taking part to learn more about the registration process and the workings of the system.

eFILING is now in operation at eight Court Complexes across the country: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor, Penang, Johor Bharu, Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu and now Kota Bharu.

In addition to eFILING, the core of the eCOURTS solution is the Case Management System which allows court officials to track and monitor cases, as well as access past records and notes of proceedings. A Queue Management (QMS) module allows members of the public and legal practitioners to obtain up-to-date court schedules via kiosks available in court buildings. Lawyers can also apply for a hearing with a High Court Registrar in chambers through the QMS. A Court Recording & Transcription module facilitates easy capture of court proceedings and subsequent transcription and review.

The OMESTI eCOURTS solution was first introduced in Malaysia in 2009 with full integration achieved in 2011. Within the first 12 months alone, there was an 80 percent reduction in the number of pending cases and a 50 percent reduction in the time required for trial, judgment, filing and service. OMESTI has since been working with the eKEHAKIMAN team to help implement the roadmap for further digital integration across the country.

Since initial roll-out of the system, Malaysia has risen from position No 60 in the World Bank’s Ranking for Enforcing Contracts to No 29.

OMESTI Group company Fibre at Home City Networks Sdn Bhd recently showcased its Connected Community concept to senior management of the SP Setia Group at its 2015 Annual CEO Dialogue. The event was attended by over 1,000 executives from the various SP Setia project teams, from across Malaysia and overseas.

The Fibre@Home Connected Community Concept is an open access platform for consumers to connect to a wide range of services through a single portal available online and via mobile. These services currently include super high speed fibre broadband, VoIP, Security, IPTV and electronic bill payments for utilities etc. Access is granted on a fast-track basis with connection available immediately following selection and confirmation.

Fibre@Home CEO Shaharin Saman says, “The Dialogue Event was an excellent opportunity to highlight the many benefits of our open access Connected Community Concept. We are delighted to have been selected by the SP Setia Group for our system to be deployed in a number of their upcoming projects. This will provide a high level of connectivity and convenience to community users.”

The Concept is already included for deployment at several SP Setia developments around Malaysia including SP Setia Eco Glade in Cyberjaya and Setia Sky88 in Johor Bahru.

The Concept has also been adopted by other leading developers in Penang, Johor and Selangor including Sunway Properties, Mah Sing Properties, Sunway Iskandar, Tropicana Properties, UMLand Properties and GSD Land.

OMESTI Group company Formis Network Services marked its 25th Anniversary recently with a celebration for employees and long service awards presentation. Formed in 1989 with a small team, the company has since built a strong reputation in the market place, specialising in projects for government organisations, telcos, utility firms and oil & gas producers.

General Manager Mohd Maaruf congratulated the team on the achievement saying, “We have built a good winning team as is reflected in the nature of the large, high profile projects we have secured. We are proud to celebrate 25 years of successful track record.”

Executive Director Ms Mah Xian-Zhen added, “In today’s world where we continue to see rapid changes within the global IT landscape, having a company endure beyond a single opportunity is an achievement. Building a good reputation is also a painstaking task, one that takes years of hard work, rigorous focus on customer satisfaction and strong emphasis on trust. Armed with this capability and experience, we must now strive even harder to propel the organisation to the next level.”

Several employees were presented with awards in recognition of their long service with the company.

Kuala Lumpur, 1 December 2014: Microimage HCM Asia (MIHCM Asia Sdn Bhd) and 8common Limited of Australia (ASX: 8CO) have confirmed a partnership where 8common will act as the channel partner for a suite of leading-edge HCM (human capital management] solutions from the Microimage portfolio.

Harshsa Purasinghe, CEO of Microimage said, “Our portfolio of HCM solutions helps organisations manage all aspects of their human capital management to deliver cost and operational efficiencies. We are delighted to enter the Australian Market in partnership with 8common and we look forward to working closely with the 8common team to extend their enterprise solutions offering with our leading-edge HR technology.”

Nic Lim, CEO of 8common Limited said, “HR solutions are very complex requiring strong methodology, deep experience and comprehensive support resources. The Microimage HCM solution suite demonstrates these qualities and has been delivered to clients globally since 1995. Combining the blue chip client base of Expense8 with the Microimage solution, we are confident that we can build a successful partnership in Australia.”

Microimage has extensive proven R&D expertise in designing comprehensive HCM solutions which help facilitate HR planning, recruitment, retention and development programmes. Rewards systems, training and performance management modules are also part of the portfolio. Over the years, it has implemented HR solutions for over 600 customers across many industry verticals and has more recently extended its product range to leverage the power of cloud, mobile and social technologies. The cloud-based Social Performance Management System Workswiftly.com is one example of this and serves as an informative and interactive social feed, capturing goals assigned to employees along with comments posted by peers and superiors on progress.

“Cloud adoption, disruptive technology and changing software pricing models are what we are seeing across all markets. The opportunities are significant and we are well-positioned to benefit from this.”

Since its IPO in late August 2014, 8common has moved quickly to form new partnerships to enhance its offering within its original Travel and Expense (Expense8) and Real Estate (Realtors8) product verticals. The entry into the HR space is in-line with its ambition to own and represent a suite of enterprise solutions which will facilitate cross-sell and efficient management of channel partners. This latest agreement marks the further expansion of 8common into the HR software solutions space following its recently announced proposed acquisition of an established SaaS delivered HR survey product.