Who says you can’t have it all? HSBC Malaysia just launched a new lifestyle credit card that will surely give your everyday lifestyle experiences a major upgrade!

In partnership with Visa, the HSBC Live+ credit card is specially designed for internationally-minded customers, offering tailored cashback to benefit them from various spending in dining, shopping, and entertainment.

Enabling customers to enjoy and indulge in the best things life has to offer, Live+ cardholders can receive up to 8% cashback on spending in those three categories. Furthermore, they automatically gain access to one of Asia’s most comprehensive dining programs and can get 15% off on their total bill at over 200 restaurants locally and across Asia.

“According to the spend data by HSBC-Visa cardholders, spending on food is a top priority for Asians, with restaurants and food-related expenses ranking in the top three spend categories in seven out of eight markets,” HSBC Malaysia wealth and personal banking country head Linda Yip shared. “This underscores the significance of dining in the region and the value that the HSBC Live+ credit card brings to its cardholders."

But wait, there’s more! As a Visa Signature card holder, you’ll also be able to enjoy a range of other privileges such as 24/7 Visa concierge service, 7% off on AGODA hotel bookings, 20% off at Accor hotels in the Greater China region, and 15% off on airport transfers in major cities globally.

Visa country manager for Malaysia, Ng Kong Boon, shared his excitement in joining forces with HSBC and stated, “Our aim is to provide a personalized, rewarding journey that simplifies and enriches their lifestyle, whether they’re dining out at a new restaurant, shopping for the latest trends, or seeking the best in entertainment. At Visa, we are not merely facilitating transactions; we're enhancing their everyday moments.”

What are you waiting for? Make the most out of life by applying for your own HSBC Live+ credit card today.

For more details, click here.

Nik Suzila “Suzy” Binti Nik Hassan and Sarahah “Sarah” Binti Hj Kedah are two friends who dreamt of changing the world. Now, having spent over ten years as entrepreneurs for the sustainable social enterprise, Kloth Circularity, Suzy and Sarah have realized that it is possible.

What started out as an organization aimed at contributing to circular economy efforts has boomed into an international movement that involves people in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They own an umbrella of brands that include Kloth Wear, where loose plastic bottles have been recycled into rPET textiles and made into clothing and merchandise, Kloth Cares, which sees the recycling of both plastic and textiles, and Kloth Woman Up, a movement that empowers marginalized women to produce upcycled merchandise for sale.

Kloth Circularity has even collaborated with production engineer, Sangeeta Mohan Das, to produce an innovative plastic reverse vending machine. Called the Crush-It, this incredible contraption facilitates effective plastic and aluminum collection, gathers data, and ensures that waste is maintained at its highest quality.

Today, The Beat Asia speaks to both Suzy and Sarah on the realization of both their dreams and their community.

What were your backgrounds before you established Kloth Circularity in 2013? How did you meet and come up with the idea?

Suzy: We were both studying at the same university pursuing Bachelor of Accounting degrees and we've been good friends since we were 19 years old.

Since our late 20s, both of us have been questioning ourselves regarding our employment life. While we were happy, we were not content. We felt the urge to explore something more exciting such as entrepreneurship. It only happened when both of us attended the World Marketing Summit 2013 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. We were inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda, especially sustainable textiles and recycling clothing, and wanted to be part of the ecosystem.

Sarah: Inspired by the speakers and by the event, we established a social enterprise dedicated to balancing people, planet, and profit through the principles of the circular economy. We discovered that plastic waste can be recycled into stunning fabrics and clothing, creating a sustainable solution to a global problem.

Was it difficult breaking into the Malaysian market at this time? If so, what were the hurdles and how did you overcome it?

Sarah: Fabric waste and recycling in Malaysia have rarely been highlighted and are almost unheard of, with textile waste accounting for only 5% of landfill content compared to food, plastic, and paper waste. Acknowledging the risks, we created the Kloth Cares Fabric Recycling Movement with the tagline 'Join the Movement and Keep Fabric Out of Incinerators and Landfills’ setting a target to collect 188,000 kg of unwanted textiles within 18 months. Surprisingly, we achieved this goal within 11 months, and we realized it was just the beginning.

We are truly amazed by the public’s response, and we can confidently say that the Kloth Cares Fabric Recycling Movement has successfully changed the mindset from merely donating fabrics to actively recycling them.

Kloth Circularity has a lot of different arms under its umbrella – how do you manage it all?

Sarah: At Kloth, the success of managing its various arms under one umbrella is supported by our strong teamwork and collaborative partnerships. We believe in leveraging each other's strengths and complementing each other's skills to drive the organization forward. Suzy and I prioritize clear communication, regular strategic meetings, and a shared vision to ensure all team members are aligned with Kloth’s goals.

Suzy: Two years ago, we formed Kloth Singapore and currently are expanding our business and sustainable partners’ network. It is exciting but can be challenging and nerve-wracking too. I learned that I need to get enough sleep because when we sleep well, we manage ourselves and our responsibilities better.

How were you able to grow so quickly in the 2020s considering there was a pandemic?

Suzy: Prior to the pandemic, we only had 3 brands, Kloth Textile, Kloth Wear, and Kloth Cares. During the pandemic, we saw an opportunity to further our environmental and social impact through the launch of Kloth Woman Up. This initiative aims to help women from marginalized communities generate additional income by empowering them to sew upcycled products. Our first upcycled product, the Kloth Face Mask, saw the production and sale of over 15,000 reusable face masks. In 2022, we registered Kloth Singapore and Australia too, with the hope we can broaden our advocacy and social enterprise business into different markets.

All founders need to be bold to try something new. I believe that if you want different results, you must do things differently or try new things. Discuss with your partner and team. It always seems to be the case that the founders want expansion, but they don't acknowledge the staffing issues.

Are there different attitudes to plastic/recycling/sustainability in MY, SG, AUS, and UAE? If so, what are they?

Suzy: By and large, there is no difference between MY, SG, and UAE citizens. People know they have to recycle and mostly want to. However, the challenge is fabric bin or pick service accessibility or availability.

Moreover, most people presume that unwanted clothing will be donated to marginalized and struggling communities, without taking into consideration factors such as quality, style, cultural sensitivity, size, etc. It’s remarkable that people want to “do good” through fabric donations, However, a lot of them recycle without having in-depth knowledge of how the recycling industry works.

Sarah: Convenience is a key factor for the community when it comes to recycling. This means having easy access to fabric recycling bins and the ability to mix clothing items so long as they are clean. Recycling textiles and clothing is perceived as easier than recycling food and plastic waste because these items often come from clothes that are no longer wearable or from overfilled closets, making them readily available for recycling.

Community members are more likely to engage in recycling efforts if they know that their items will go through textile recycling streams such as reuse, repurpose, and upcycle, with recycling being the last resort.

Kloth is involved in a lot of record-setting achievements. What inspires you guys to push the envelope? What records are you looking forward to setting in the coming future?

Suzy: Thank you! Firstly, I enjoy and believe what we do at Kloth, both for the environment and social sustainability. Looking back, I tried many things, studied accounting, worked in an audit firm, and then a stockbroking firm and joined the media industry. At 33, I found Kloth and found my purpose too. I know what I like and don’t like. I like the circular economy and entrepreneurship and it moves me.

For Kloth Cares, we pledge to collect 4,000,000 kg of unwanted textiles and clothing on a yearly basis. Last year, we only managed to collect 3.1 million kg. We want to fulfill our pledge of 4 million kg this year and perhaps in 2025, it will be 5 million kg and more.

Sarah: Firstly, we aim to expand our textile recycling efforts, setting a record of 4,000,000 kg of fabric waste diverted from landfills and repurposed into new products. We also aspire to set records in community engagement, particularly with local marginalized women, empowering them through our collaborative partnerships and initiatives.

Malaysia’s first digital bank, GXBank, has joined hands with insurance company Zurich Malaysia through a 10-year exclusive bancassurance tripartite partnership, with the aim of co-creating “simple, user-friendly, and affordable” digital insurance products in the country.

According to a joint press statement, the partnership's first offering will be micro-insurance solutions for underserved individuals, aimed at protecting them from scams and cybercrimes, set to be rolled out by the third quarter of 2024.

This is in response to the rising number of cybercrimes in Malaysia, with an estimate of RM1.3 billion loss due to online fraud cases in 2023 as reported by the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department.

In the statement, Pei-Si Lai, Chief Executive Office at GXBank said that the partnership will help them in safeguarding Malaysians against “life and financial uncertainties.”

Junior Cho, Country CEO and Head of Zurich Malaysia, added, “Together, we look forward to instilling confidence and empower Malaysians to take charge of their financial future, and support Malaysians in caring for what truly matters in their lives.”

GXBank and Zurich Malaysia also assured the public that they will continue to roll out affordable insurance products for Malaysians in the coming years.

Danish multinational brewer Carlsberg Asia and ride-hailing service app Grab have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), securing a strategic partnership with the goal of changing the way people consume their beer in Asia.

Carlsberg Asia specialises in crafting beer and alcohol-free brews, while Grab serves as a one-stop app for all your everyday needs in Asia. Both companies have shown a strong presence in Asia.

Carlsberg will be utilising the Grab ecosystem with promotional campaigns through GrabAds and a football season campaign featuring the Liverpool Football Club, all while promoting safe alcohol consumption.

In this partnership, Grab aims to leverage its platform with hyperlocal insights and an enhanced digital footprint to give more access to its portfolio and product offerings.

The partnership is set to take effect by the second quarter of the year with the exclusive football season campaign, which will be followed by more collaborative campaigns later this year.

“As part of Carlsberg Group’s Accelerate SAIL strategy, this exciting partnership will help us drive digital transformation and growth in the region by going beyond traditional retail channels,” said Arindam Varanasi, Vice President, Commercial Asia, Carlsberg in a press release.

“With our joint forces, we will be able to introduce more drinking moments to consumers and make it easier and safer for them to access Carlsberg’s portfolio of local and international beers and Beyond Beer brands at their doorstep. This will also be a strong initiative to Carlsberg’s continuous efforts in driving responsibility drinking.”

Turn your love for LEGO into a full-time job! If your childhood memories include building LEGOs for hours, you might want to consider applying for the Master Model Builder opening at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort.

Perfect for someone with a passion for creativity, a knack for building, and a love for all things LEGO, you’ll not only have an enviable task of playing with LEGO bricks and minifigures all day but also be an inspiration for young builders and enthusiasts alike.

As a Master Model Builder, you will play a big role in inspiring visitors by crafting cool LEGO displays and shaping their experience. You’ll also be responsible for maintaining the life-size LEGO models that make the resort iconic!

To make your dreams come true, start by submitting your resume and a three-minute landscape video showcasing your LEGO Building ideas, based on one of these themes: LEGO Building Technique (Building Tips), Skyline Build, Musical Instruments, Space Exploration, or Vehicles.

Interested? You have until March 31 to showcase your skills! Find out more about the job here.

Amplifying the voice of students, the Graduate Choice Awards (GCA) has released its list of the top employers voted by university students to gauge the pulse of future professionals once they embark on the industry.

Voted by more than 24,000 students in over 26 industries, GCA has listed all the most preferred employers, with Maybank topping this year’s list.

Here are the Top 10 winners:

• Maybank
• Petronas
• Shopee
• Google
• Microsoft
• Ernst & Young (EY)
• Shell
• Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG)
• Commerce International Merchant Bankers Berhad (CIMB)
• Maxis

GCA has proven to be a vital link for aspiring professionals, fostering connections and enhancing the appeal of future employers in the market.

Launched in 2018 by award-winning career discovery platform Talentbank, GCA aims to serve as an instrument to empower students and help them make employment decisions.

See the full list here.