SMEs are always looking for ways to make their budgets go further and minimise capital outlay. OMESTI Group and its fibre broadband provider OHANA are responding to these requirements with a range of business-friendly As-A-Service solutions.

OMESTI Executive Director Ms Mah Xian-Zhen, says, “OMESTI is all about bringing together ideas and solutions that help organisations maximise performance – no matter what size they are. As companies grow, owners need efficient systems that help them run their operations in a cost-effective manner, leaving them free to focus on winning new business and taking care of customers. The ability to access these systems on a subscription pay-as-you go basis helps companies, and particularly SMEs, manage their expenditure without requiring large capital investment.”

The Group’s user-friendly suite of solutions was showcased to a large audience of business owners at the Selangor International Expo 2016. Ranging from Fibre Business Broadband and VoIP to HCM Cloud [Human Capital Management], VIDA Intelligent Video Analytics, Account365 Accounting & Inventory and BPO Payroll, the suite is available on a stand-alone or modular basis.

OHANA is a community broadband provider with a range of packages to suit all usage requirements. “At OHANA, we believe that businesses deserve to receive the very best in customer service. As a young, dynamic telco, we are focussed on being friendly and responsive in order to provide customers with a seamless experience that helps make life easier,” adds Xian-Zhen.

HCM Cloud, developed by OMESTI technology partner Microimage, is helping HR professionals and management alike take the entire HR lifecycle into the digital era. The HCM Cloud platform, which is also accessible over mobile, provides an intuitive experience for management to understand the talent dynamics of the organisation via a powerful analytics capability. Automated workflow processes eliminate much of the routine administrative tasks associated with traditional HR, enabling HR teams to play a more strategic role.

Businesses looking to leverage the data from their operations, such as retailers, mall operators/owners and public facilities/transport hubs, are now able to do so with OMESTI’s Intelligent Video Analytics platform VIDA. Video footage is analysed based on a set of criteria to assist business owners assess customer behaviour patterns and plan tenant mix, store layouts, marketing campaigns and more. VIDA also serves as a powerful analytical tool for security purposes.

Also present at the Expo was OMESTI Group member Diversified Gateway to showcase its Digital Signage technology. This combines cloud services with digital media broadcasting, blending traditional network, outdoor and mobile media to form a common Digital Signage platform. The solution is available for sustained and on-demand use and is compatible with a range of multimedia and mobile broadcasting terminals, such as digital signage, TV screens, mobile phone, digital pad, and so on. This provides cost-effective, easy-to-manage, rich service broadcasting and operating solutions. These serve as a valuable tool for SMEs, Corporates and Media Operators to easily provide content to digital display screens at multiple physical locations.

DGB COO Robin Lim says, “The market for visible digital media advertising is growing and offers significant opportunities for advertisers. The return on investment is attractive with positive earnings potential and brand effect. We believe the space is set to become the mainstream media distribution channel, superseding national TV. Digital media content is now reaching an increasing number of people with the rate of coverage currently expanding at its fastest. This makes it currently the most interesting broadcast platform in the commercial media advertising sector.”

The worlds of sport and technology have come together to launch the inaugural OHANA-SRAM Squash League which will kick off in January 2017. The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia [SRAM] has partnered with OHANA Communications, a member of OMESTI Group, to provide a new lease of life for the League.

The original idea was first mooted by SRAM Director of Coaching Mej (R) S. Maniam. A former national squash champion himself, he recalls the League being very popular during his playing days but which had sadly lapsed since 10 years ago. “I grew up playing in the League. It not only helps you to improve your game but it also enables you to make many friends. It is vital to revive the League as it creates greater awareness amongst the public,” said Maniam, adding that it will also increase the base of people playing squash socially.

Maniam also highlighted that while SRAM mainly focused on elite players, there was a need to broaden the base and provide a platform for identifying upcoming talent. This prompted him to approach his former prodigy and National Junior Champion Gerard Monteiro, now Executive Director of OMESTI Berhad. Monteiro represented the country in the late 1980s to early 1990s.

“OHANA means family and we are all about connecting people and communities,” said Monteiro. The discipline and commitment I learned during my playing days have continued to serve me well throughout my business career. With this initiative, we are delighted to be able to give back to the sport and play a part in helping to bring back the League.”

The 2017 OHANA-SRAM League takes the theme “Squash For Life” and will kick off in January next year at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil. It will be held over a period of four to six months depending on the number of entries and will be divided into various divisions. “We are looking at signing up 50-70 teams from around the Klang Valley. They can be from private clubs, universities, colleges and schools. We are not gender nor age biased for this competition,” said Maniam. “We are open to all.” Each division will be divided into 8 teams with each allowed to register six players including one National player. Entry fee per team is RM300. Closing date for registration is December 15th 2016.

OHANA provides integrated communications solutions including Fibre Broadband, Voice, Web Presence and Security, specifically tailored to SMEs, as well as enterprise-scale Metro E and Network Services. www.ohana.com.my

The SQUASH RACQUETS ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA or SRAM is the governing body for the game of Squash in Malaysia. Founded in 1972, SRAM has a continuous commitment to growing the game in the country. SRAM is active in running tournaments at junior, university, senior and professional levels that attract top international players to Malaysia. The National Squads are trained by SRAM coaches who are some of the best in the world. SRAM also continues to certify coaches and referees to the standards of the World Squash Federation. www.malaysia-squash.org

Businesses that generate large volumes of bulk documents are faced with a number of challenges which not only impact the bottom line but also place a significant risk on business continuity. Technology solutions provider Microlink has addressed these challenges with the introduction of ORION, a cloud-based, highly secure environment in which to store, search, retrieve and share critical documents.

“ORION provides companies with a seamless solution for storage and retrieval of key documents without the costs and inherent risks of conventional warehousing and storage options,” says Jude Lopez, CEO of Enterprise Solutions at Microlink. “We have developed ORION with specific industry sectors in mind, such as the legal profession, government departments and healthcare, all of whom generate and need easy access to large volumes of sizeable documents.”

One of the most significant advantages of the ORION solution is that an organisation’s critical documentation is no longer at risk from a range of physical threats including theft, damage or destruction by fire, flood or vermin and general deterioration. “In addition to this companies do not have go through the arduous process, not to mention cost, of cataloguing, packing and transporting their documents to a warehouse. Neither do they need conduct time-consuming searches for key documents that might be inadequately recorded and filed,” says Mr Lopez.

Microlink, which is a member of the OMESTI Group, selected the International Malaysian Law Conference held from 21-23rd September in Kuala Lumpur to showcase the new platform, which has direct application for law firms.

With ORION, scanned documents are tagged and indexed then uploaded to a highly secure auto-encrypted cloud platform. Authorised users can then easily perform intuitive searches, share and collaborate on specific documents. The solution uses Microsoft’s Sharepoint as the base infrastructure platform interfaced with a dedicated application development specifically designed to handle intuitive search criteria and bulk volume.

ORION is available on an affordable monthly subscription basis with entry level option for five users with an entitlement of 20 million pages. Companies are provided with a dedicated branded portal where users can securely log in and retrieve the documents they need. The platform can be accessed from any location over desktop, laptop or mobile devices.

Microlink Group CEO Chia Yong Wei adds that ORION is one of a series of new future-ready solutions being developed by the new Enterprise Solutions business segment of the Group. “We are working to help enterprises navigate and integrate the options available in the cloud. Recognising industry needs, we have taken strong steps to create new solutions to address gaps in the market. This includes creating subscription-based applications, riding on cloud technology, such as ORION, to enable organisations of all sizes to take advantage of flexible cost structures while adding value.“

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Omesti Bhd’s partner Microimage HCM Asia wants to take the traditional human resource platform into the digital era. Founder and CEO Harsha Purasinghe tells Charlotte Chong how.

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Tech entrepreneur Harsha Purasinghe (above left) of OMESTI’s technology partner Microimage HCM Asia showed an exclusive group of top HR professionals from Malaysia how to overcome growing challenges using the first-of-its-kind HCM Cloud solution. “Cloud, Social, Mobile and Analytics are completely disrupting the way businesses are run. Change is essential to meet these challenges head on and connect with the next generation of talent.”

This sentiment was echoed strongly by Dinesh Nair, Director of Developer Experience and Evangelism of Microsoft Malaysia (above right), which is in partnership with Microimage to provide its Azure Cloud service for the new platform. “Organisations of all sizes looking for speed and agility in cloud computing will be able to turn to Microimage to leverage 21st century innovations borne from the cloud itself.”

Harsha Purasinghe, Director of Microimage HCM Asia, showcased the main features of the HCM Cloud platform, saying, “Companies need to rapidly respond and transform in order to attract the best talent, keep employees engaged, enable smoother collaboration across the organisation and manage performance. Taking HR into the digital era is the only way organisations will be able to keep pace.” By 2020, more than 50 percent of the global workforce will constitute millennials, a generation that associates with digital technology, he added.

Microimage has been in the HR solutions business for over 15 years, transforming the HR space through technology, from personnel management to human resource management to integrated talent management with an evolving HCM platform. “Now we have come to an era which calls for a digital transformation,” said Purasinghe. “We have wiped the slate clean and come up with a fully interactive and visually appealing platform, which leverages the power of key digital technology drivers.”

Moving to digital platforms via cloud, mobile, social and analytics will facilitate more open communication, instant feedback and recognition, more frequent assessments and social collaboration towards reinventing the performance review process. Organisations can leverage video, social and mobile to drive on-demand learning anytime anywhere on any device. Knowledge sharing and continuous learning for employees will also become far more streamlined.

The all-new Microimage HCM Cloud, which was first launched to audiences in Asia last month, enables companies to maximise the full potential of digital while receiving a consumer grade user experience that is intuitive and interactive. The solution works seamlessly across all devices including mobile. “HCM Cloud enables seamless scaling across functionalities, where organisations can further innovate and deliver compelling services to all their stakeholders. This is true digital transformation of HR,” he said.

The solution offers a comprehensive platform from Core HR to talent management. Features include advanced organisation set-up for multi-country/group structures, advanced workflows, configurable business rules, smart search query and people analytics across all functions. Apps for iOS and Android provide fully mobile functionality. HCM Cloud can integrate with existing HR systems with data migration from current systems also possible.

HCM Cloud runs on Microsoft Azure Cloud service, selected for the performance, security and efficiency that it offers, key considerations for deploying a solution in the HR space where confidentiality of sensitive data is paramount.

Dinesh Nair, one of the speakers at the Launch, said: “In an increasingly mobile-first, cloud-first world, cloud computing continues to change the way businesses reach their customers, and in today’s hyper-competitive environment, ISVs are on the leading edge of this change, by lending the necessary expertise to help ready customers make the necessary transition to cloud.

“For this reason, we are very excited to be working with Microimage to bring their world-class solutions to the global marketplace. With this partnership, organisations of all sizes looking for speed and agility in cloud computing will be able to turn to Microimage to leverage 21st century innovations borne from the cloud itself.”

Microimage was first identified by OMESTI in 2014 as an innovative technology partner in the HR space. Microimage HCM Asia was subsequently established in Malaysia to bring cutting-edge HCM solutions to South East Asia and beyond. Ms Mah Xian-Zhen, OMESTI Group Executive Director, said, “This new solution brings an entirely new level of sophistication and intuitive working for HR professionals that will help them engage with the talent of tomorrow. We are delighted to be able to bring HCM Cloud to organisations across Malaysia and beyond.”

Kuala Lumpur: March 2016: Phase 2 of Malaysia’s eCOURTS Court Digitisation Project was officially launched at a ceremony attended by Guest of Honour YAA Tun Arifin bin Zakaria, Chief Justice of Malaysia, along with senior members of the Malaysian Judiciary, Mahkamah Persekutuan Malaysia and Bahagian Hak Ehwal Undang Undang [BHEUU].

The project, awarded to OMESTI in early January this year, involves the design, development and deployment of an enhanced court infrastructure platform with additional capabilities and footprint. The new solution, which is due to be rolled out over the next 15 months, will bring about a significant step change in in terms of scale, functionality, integration and user experience.

OMESTI Group Executive Director Ms Mah Xian-Zhen said, “The first phase of the eCOURTS project, in place since 2009, has already helped transform the court infrastructure and judicial operations to deliver some major improvements. However, technology has evolved significantly, even in the last five years. This means that there is now the scope and capacity for systems to be further enhanced and deliver a more comprehensive solution.”

Nurman Rummel Sanusi, COO of the OMESTI eCOURTS development team, said, “This Project involves the development of an entirely new platform. This is being designed to deliver the optimum user experience and bring greater efficiency for thousands of additional users. We are delighted to be working alongside the teams at Mahkamah and BHEUU to bring about this next generation of court digitisation.”

The scope of work includes new Case Management and eFILING modules for civil and criminal cases, as well as a revamped public portal.

One of the key components of the enhanced system will be a mobile app enabling lawyers to perform filing activities at any time from any location. “We recognise that mobility is a fundamental aspect of everyday business and court operations are no exception. The new mobile app will transform the way lawyers can interact with the system,” added Mah Xian-Zhen.

YAA Tun Arifin said the Phase Two Project would also bring the court bidding system online. “Having bidding online would increase its integrity and transparency, and expedite the debt recovery process, as well improving the Form C application process,” he said.

The system will also be linked with various external government agencies including PDRM, JPJ and the Land Office.

Work has already begun and completion of the project, scheduled for July 2017, will see the new eCOURTS system in operation at 20 locations across Peninsular Malaysia.

Malaysia’s Digital Court Infrastructure was in the spotlight recently when senior judges from Japan came to experience first-hand how OMESTI’s eCOURTS system provides a seamless user experience for judges, lawyers and court staff. Senior Technical Consultant Deric Chong [pic] of the eCOURTS team, led a live demo at the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex. “Everyone was very impressed with the level of automation that has been achieved here and how easy it is to use the case management and eFILING modules.”

The OMESTI Group has been awarded a key project that will see continued technology enhancements to the Court Infrastructure of Peninsular Malaysia. The project, valued in the order of RM31 million, will bring about a significant step change in the level of court digitisation and the scope of capabilities offered by the platform.

OMESTI Group Executive Director Ms Mah Xian-Zhen said, “We are absolutely delighted to have received this award and we see this as a significant opportunity to continue our commitment to deliver a world-class digital courts platform for Malaysia, creating a simple, accurate and transparent mechanism for all stakeholders.”

Nurman Rummel Sanusi, COO of the OMESTI eCOURTS development team, said, “Our ultimate aim is to develop a platform that provides the best user experience possible, extending and expanding the facility to new user groups across Malaysia.” The technology footprint will be enhanced to provide enhanced features and functions and serve additional user communities. “The new platform will also help further enhance Malaysia’s global ranking for court efficiency and transparency,” he added.

One of the key components of the enhanced system will be a new mobile app allowing lawyers to be able to perform filing activities at any time from any location. “We recognise that mobility is a fundamental aspect of everyday business and court operations are no exception. The new mobile app will transform the way lawyers can interact with the system,” said Chia Yong Wei, OMESTI Group Chief Technology Officer. Enhanced protocols will be introduced to ensure the utmost security of the platform, while still ensuring operation of the system remains at optimum levels.

Other new modules being introduced include eBidding and a revamped public portal to further increase transparency of operations and build more open relationships with Malaysian citizens. eFILING for criminal cases is a key capability that will be deployed.

The existing eFiling and Case Management modules are also to be reconfigured and streamlined, to deliver the optimum user experience and bring greater efficiency for thousands of system users.

An additional 15 Government agencies will be linked to the new platform via an integration layer that controls all transactions, helping to streamline operations between the different authorities.

The roll-out of the new system is to be phased over the course of the next 18 months, beginning with an initial release within the first quarter designed to address the current storage capacity and performance challenges currently faced by the courts, as a result of the rapidly rising number of users.

The new platform will then be deployed to two new sites – Ayer Keroh and Kuantan – followed by implementation at sites where the existing system is currently in operation: namely Palace of Justice, KMSA, KMKL, Ipoh, Penang, and Johor. The final release will see gradual deployment to 12 additional sites across the Peninsular in Penang, Kedah, Perak, Terengganu, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Kelantan, Johor and Perlis.

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 a 375 percent improvement in the number of pending cases and a 50 percent reduction in the time required for trial, judgment, filing and service.

Microlink Solutions Berhad has signed a services agreement with SAP® and joined its PartnerEdge® program. The intention is for Microlink to work together with SAP to deliver a next-generation Islamic banking solution that is customer-centric with faster go-to-market capabilities and that meets the requirements of the global Islamic banking community that Microlink and SAP serve.

Microlink will help SAP customers design, implement and integrate SAP banking solutions; optimise Islamic Banking business processes; and provide strategic business consultation. As an SAP partner, Microlink will take an active part in the support, customisation and deployment of SAP banking solution-based systems.

Peter Yong, Group Chief Executive Officer of Microlink Solutions Berhad, said, “It is a great honour for Microlink to be working alongside SAP, the market leader in enterprise application software. This agreement provides a unique opportunity to develop an Islamic Banking solution on the SAP platform leveraging Microlink’s in-depth expertise in conventional and non-conventional core banking processes.”

SAP’s Global Head of Financial Services Industries Ross Wainwright said, “The Islamic Finance space is a huge market. The agreement with Microlink, a Malaysian financial services technology provider, marks a step change for SAP to provide innovations to the Islamic finance space. We look forward to working with the Microlink team.”

Microlink and SAP have been working for the past 18 months in co-innovation activities to develop this new solution. A significant pipeline of prospective financial institutions has already been identified that the new Islamic banking platform can serve.

SAP PartnerEdge provides partners with access to resources, services and benefits that will help Microlink build and maintain a successful partnership with SAP, in turn helping it to optimise business results for clients. It provides a broad range of tools and resources that offer a strong foundation of support and collaboration that fosters unparalleled value and mutual business success for customers, partners and SAP.

More About Microlink
Microlink Solutions is part of the OMESTI Group of companies and a leader in global banking solutions catering to both conventional and Islamic Banking requirements. In addition to its core banking system, it offers a range of complementary modules that include ATM/Electronic Banking, Internet Banking, Trade Finance, Treasury, Risk Management, Branch Delivery System, Collection System, Phone Banking, Collateral Management and Cheque Management. The Microlink Group also specialises in systems integration and distribution of hardware on behalf of world-leading principals that include IBM, HP, EMC, Oracle and others.

Bancore Vietnam is leveraging the power of mobile and web technology to provide access to banking facilities with its SmartCash platform. SmartCash is an eWallet for web and mobile devices that enables P2P (Peer-to-Peer) transactions to take place just using the receiver’s mobile number as the account number. Users are issued with a Prepaid Virtual VISA card that is valid for online payments all over the world. Nearly 400,000 users have already registered with around 280,000 VISA cards issued to date.

SmartCash has engaged with a number of partners to offer sign-up and top-up facilities online, including Goldenkey (and its affiliates), VTC, Baokim, Ngan Luong and VPBank Internet banking. VNPost with 13,000 branches nationwide is also able to receive Smartcash pay-in and handle other related services.

Jorgen Hedegreen of Bancore Asia, pictured above left with Mr Binh, Marketing Director, Bancore Vietnam, said, “We are pleased with the progress so far in user registration and the steady increase in monthly pay-in totals. Our next move will be to leverage the very high SmartPhone penetration in Vietnam using a dedicated SmartCash App. We will also be looking to extend our agent programme and achieve further integration of the P2P programme.”

Earlier this year, SmartCash was awarded “Best New Bank Product” in Vietnam.

http://smartcash.vpbank.com.vn bit.ly/omesti1062