PERKESO and Pepper Labs partner to upskill unemployed graduates through Google Career Certificates Scholarships
In line with the Ministry of Human Resources’ mission to address youth unemployment and accelerate digital inclusion, the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) and homegrown social impact enterprise Pepper Labs have joined forces under the Google Gemilang initiative. This pioneering collaboration marks another significant stride in Pepper Labs’ decade-long journey of impact and nation-building through technology, innovation and strategic partnerships.
Having empowered over 300,000 Malaysians with AI fluency and future-ready digital skills, Pepper Labs now works closely with public sector stakeholders to integrate AI solutions into the transformation of governance and service delivery. This partnership exemplifies Pepper Labs’ unique positioning as a trusted enabler of Malaysia’s digital and socioeconomic agenda.
Under the scholarship, unemployed Malaysian youth are offered fully sponsored scholarships to access globally recognised certifications in high-demand areas such as AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, project management and digital marketing, curated by Google and delivered via www.coursera.org/google-career-certificates. The programme bridges the education-to-employment gap and supports the national goal to build a future-ready, digitally skilled workforce.
PERKESO, under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Human Resources, facilitates candidate identification through its MYFutureJobs platform and career fairs, while Pepper Labs, as the lead implementation partner, delivers end-to-end support, ranging from technical skills, 21st century skills, soft and living skills, future of works related skills to job placement support, ensuring graduates are well-positioned to secure meaningful employment.
“The Ministry of Human Resources is committed to empowering our youth with skills that match the demands of tomorrow’s economy. Through this partnership between PERKESO and Pepper Labs, we are ensuring that unemployed graduates are not left behind in the digital transition. This initiative is a testament to our belief in the potential of our young talent and our resolve to uplift them with meaningful, globally recognised opportunities,” said Steven Sim, Minister of Human Resources.
Farhan Qureshi, Director of Google Malaysia said “Today, we are proud to expand our Google Gemilang to benefit more Malaysians, by working with forward-thinking partners like PERKESO and Pepper Labs. The endeavour reflects the commitment of Google to playing a vital role in order to ensure the growth of the country’s digital ecosystem, advancing Malaysia together. The certification program will provide new opportunities, allowing unemployment graduates to find new opportunities”.
As an entity recognised by the Government for its consistent impact-driven innovation, Pepper Labs was most recently recognised by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim under Budget 2025, with a national commitment to establish community cloud kitchens across underserved communities, further expanding its role in inclusive job creation and local enterprise development.
This tripartite collaboration reflects a shared commitment to nation-building, digital empowerment and inclusive economic recovery. By investing in human capital and fostering public-private partnerships, Malaysia moves one step closer to achieving its digital aspirations under the Malaysia MADANI vision. This pilot initiative sets the foundation for a scalable model that could benefit even more Malaysian youth in the future.
The first group of participants began their training on 26 May 2025, with candidates identified through PERKESO’s outreach efforts. While enrolment is currently by invitation, interested graduates may reach out to Pepper Labs at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to express interest and learn about future opportunities under this initiative.
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PGMAll COMMEMORATES 8TH ANNIVERSARY BY LAUNCHING INAUGURAL SUMMIT
A TRULY MALAYSIAN PLATFORM BUILT ON TRUST, FAIRNESS, AND SUSTAINABILITY
PGMall, the e-commerce arm of Public Gold Group and Malaysia’s leading homegrown online shopping platform, celebrated its 8th anniversary with a major milestone event – the inaugural PGMall Summit 2025 held here at Pullman KLCC, today.
Themed “From Malaysia, For Malaysians,” the summit brought together more than 350 sellers and ConsuMerchants, underscoring the platform’s growing role in empowering local businesses, digital entrepreneurs, and grassroots commerce. The event was officiated by YBhg Dato’ Seri Louis Ng, Founder and Executive Chairman of Public Gold Group; YBhg Datin Seri Yvonne Lim, Director of PGMall; and Mr. Jerry Ng, Chief Operating Officer of PGMall.
Founded in 2017, PGMall has established itself as a seller-centric platform rooted in transparency, sustainability, and fairness. Its flat 5% transaction fee—one of the lowest in the country—offers sellers a simple, predictable cost structure. In contrast to platforms with layered commission models or hidden charges, PGMall enables sellers to retain more earnings and grow their businesses sustainably.
“PGMall is more than just an online marketplace. Our mission has always been about empowering sellers and consumers alike with tools to succeed in the digital economy —without the burden of high commissions on sellers,” said Dato’ Seri Louis Ng.
PGMall’s strength lies not only in its commitment to fairness, but also in its innovative ConsuMerchant® Sharing Economy model, which has drawn over 2 million active shoppers and 30,000 sellers nationwide.
ConsuMerchant®, referred to as Consumer-Merchant, is a term Dato’ Seri Louis created by combining the words ‘consumer’ and ‘merchant’ and blending the “m-e-r” into a single identity. The term captures his core philosophy of every consumer can be a merchant.
Under the Sharing Economy model, PGMall introduces the “Forever Cashback” program, a unique referral-based rewards system that enables shoppers to earn 0.5% cashback from each transaction, not only from their own purchases, but also from those made by the people they referred and earn up to 3.5% Cashback. Every registered user will be automatically enrolled in the Shop, Share & Earn campaign, so they could continuously earn as they shop and share, making every purchase rewarding.
“Our sellers and ConsuMerchants are the foundation of this platform,” said Mr. Jerry Ng. “This summit is a celebration of their vital role and a step toward deepening our collaboration for the future.”
In recognition of the exceptional performance and contributions by sellers and ConsuMerchants, six prestigious awards were presented during the summit. Under the Seller Awards category, awardees were honoured with the Top Growth Seller Award, Top Preferred Seller Award, and Top Choice Seller Award. Meanwhile, under the ConsuMerchant Awards category, awardees were presented with the Top Personal Sales ConsuMerchant Award, Top Group Sales ConsuMerchant Award, and Top Active Frontline ConsuMerchant Award.
As a proud Malaysian-born e-commerce platform, PGMall continues to champion local entrepreneurship through a long-term, inclusive vision that values shared growth over short-term profit. Its people-first approach fosters a healthy and supportive ecosystem—one where sellers are empowered, not overburdened by excessive fees or rigid platform rules.
Sellers benefit from access to a large, engaged customer base, the flexibility to choose logistics partners, and dedicated account support to optimise their operations. The ConsuMerchant network further amplifies their reach through a trusted, referral-based community built on personal connections.
Moving forward, PGMall continues to expand its footprint, nationally and regionally. With its clear business concept, transparent operations, and vibrant buyer-seller ecosystem, PGMall invites more Malaysians to be part of this movement, where buying and selling go beyond transactions—to become a shared journey of growth, empowerment, and prosperity.
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Lazada, a leading eCommerce platform in Southeast Asia, reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating digital entrepreneurship and enabling local business success at the Lazada Seller Summit 2025. Drawing over 1,000 sellers nationwide, the summit served as a strategic platform to share insights, unveil new tools and explore the future of Malaysia’s digital economy.
Now in its second year, the summit spotlighted Lazada’s next-phase innovations, including AI-powered solutions, platform-exclusive offerings and creator-led commerce strategies. This cements the platform’s role as a partner in seller growth and digital transformation. In addition to spotlighting AI-powered solutions, brand differentiation and the rise of social commerce, the event also celebrated seller excellence through dedicated award segments, recognising top-performing and high-growth sellers who have achieved outstanding success on the platform.
“By equipping entrepreneurs with practical tools and structured guidance, Lazada has helped accelerate our national shift toward a more agile and future-ready economy. We look forward to more efforts by Lazada to encourage sellers, especially those in remote and non-urban areas, to come online and leverage these digital tools, in line with the vision set out in the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13)," said Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Minister of Communications at the event. "As a key player in digital commerce, Lazada is well-positioned to support this national agenda by collaborating with initiatives such as National Information Dissemination Center, under the Cashless Society drive. Such partnerships can help bridge the digital divide and ensure that no community is left behind as Malaysia accelerates toward an inclusive digital future."
“Seller Summit 2025 reflects our ongoing investment in innovation and our strong belief in the power of local entrepreneurs to shape the future of digital trade,” said Kaya Qin, Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia. "At Lazada, we are committed to creating a more intelligent and inclusive eCommerce ecosystem - one where every seller, regardless of size or background, has access to the tools, insights and opportunities needed to grow.”
Among the major announcements at the summit was the rollout of AI-powered seller tools, further underscoring Lazada’s commitment to tech-driven empowerment. These innovations are designed to simplify the seller journey at every stage, from onboarding and operations to campaign execution and business growth. By automating routine tasks and delivering real-time insights, the new tools aim to help sellers “break zero” faster and stay agile amid shifting market dynamics. Complementing these advancements was the showcase of Lazada’s expanded support ecosystem, which includes strategic subsidies, advanced analytics and enhanced fulfillment solutions, giving sellers the firepower to drive conversions and scale sustainably.
The summit also spotlighted the growing influence of creator-led commerce, with a dedicated session featuring a prominent influencer and a panel of top Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). These leading digital voices shared actionable insights on crafting high-impact campaigns, interpreting evolving consumer behaviour and building authentic collaborations that drive meaningful engagement with today’s audiences.
“Winning this award is a proud moment for our team. Lazada's support ranging from AI insights to priority delivery, has helped us scale faster than we imagined,” said Mr Lee Jia Wei, Founder, GAIAS Bedding & Bath, recipient of the The Local Brand of the Year Award.
“We are truly honoured to receive this award. It reflects the unwavering support from our customers and the dedicated efforts of our team. Lazada has empowered us to grow while staying close to the communities we serve,” said Mr Khairul Idham Ramdzan, COO, Siti Khadijah Apparel Sdn Bhd, also a winner of the Local Brand of the Year Award.
The Lazada Seller Summit continues to serve as a critical platform for knowledge sharing, upskilling and community building among sellers. As part of the one-day agenda, sellers were introduced to a comprehensive ecosystem of tools, programs and strategic support to accelerate business growth. Some other business accelerating features include smart subsidies, advanced data analytics and priority delivery services, all of which ensure both new and established sellers can thrive in a competitive eCommerce landscape.
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LEGOLAND® MALAYSIA CELEBRATES SG60 WITH A REVAMPED MINILAND SINGAPORE -A LEGO® TRIBUTE TO THE LION CITY
LEGOLAND® Malaysia has unveiled its reimagined MINILAND Singapore, a spectacular LEGO® tribute to the Lion City, just in time for Singapore’s 60th anniversary.
First introduced in 2012, MINILAND Singapore has been transformed into a more vibrant and interactive experience that celebrates the nation's most beloved icons like never before. The attraction took over 16,000 hours to build and features more than 1.5 million LEGO bricks. Spanning over 240m², it now showcases 16 large models, 10 boats, 80 vehicles, and over 100 intricate scenes, brought to life by more than 1,600 Minilanders — tiny LEGO figures brimming with personality.
From misting waterfalls and moving vehicles to interactive games and immersive soundscapes, MINILAND Singapore seamlessly blends intricate LEGO craftsmanship with light, sound, and motion. Guests are invited on a multi-sensory journey through architectural marvels, hidden LEGO surprises, and playful nods to everyday life in Singapore.
Step Into a Mini Singapore – Big on Detail, Built for Wonder
Some highlights of the reimagined MINILAND Singapore are brand-new builds that stand out for both their scale and interactivity:
“The refreshed MINILAND Singapore is a love letter to one of Southeast Asia’s most iconic countries,” said Cs Lim, Vice President of LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort. “With every build, we’ve captured the energy, diversity and charm of the Lion City, all while giving families more ways to interact, explore and be inspired.”
An Immersive Experience for All Ages
Pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with LEGO® bricks, MINILAND Singapore combines creative engineering with playful storytelling. Guests can interact with select scenes like the Merlion Shooting Water and the One-Table-Left Race, where a simple button push brings these models to life.
Beyond guest-triggered animations, the experience is enriched with realistic interior cutaways, cultural displays, moving vehicles, and delightful hidden LEGO® surprises, inviting explorers of all ages to pause, play, and discover.
Whether you’re a LEGO lover, a nostalgic Singaporean, or curious traveller from across the causeway, MINILAND Singapore promises fun, discovery, and plenty of Instagram-worthy moments at every turn. There’s something for everyone to enjoy!
Unlock the Full LEGOLAND Malaysia Experience with an Annual Pass
In celebration of Singapore’s 60th birthday, LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort is offering Singapore residents an exclusive SG60 deal: Save SG$60 when you purchase 3 or more Triple Park Annual Passes. That’s SG$20 off each pass, making it the perfect time for families and friends to unlock a full year of LEGO® adventures together.
Annual Pass holders enjoy unlimited visits to all 3 Parks — including the newly launched MINILAND Singapore, the crowd-favourite Brickfest Big Build, and festive must-visits like Brick-or-Treat Monster Party, Bricktacular Holidays, and a high-speed racing adventure zooming in soon.
For more information, visit the LEGOLAND Malaysia homepage or visit our Facebook and Instagram for details and tickets.
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