'Jobs of the now': The jobs of the future have arrived early - here are the top 10

    

By: Robert Brown

Vice-President, Center for the Future of Work, Cognizant

Which jobs will top the post-pandemic jobs list and which roles are likely to emerge as top contenders in the post-COVID future?

From Work-from-Home Facilitator to Fitness Commitment Counsellor and Algorithm Bias Auditor to Cyber Calamity Forecaster, the future of jobs is already upon us.

As some countries begin to pull out of pandemic-induced lockdown, and the corporate engines of “return to the office” begin to whir, an open question hangs: What kind of jobs will people return to following months of work-from-home exile in “Remotopia”?

Will the online “big-bang” of the 2020s (when everything that could go online did go online) accelerate digitally enabled jobs? And which jobs will top the post-pandemic jobs list, in the next, new future of work?

Over the past several years, the Cognizant Center for the Future of Work has published a series of reports on the Jobs of the Future that propose new roles which will emerge over the next decade and be central to businesses and employees everywhere. Because of the virus, time has compressed, resulting in a handful of these jobs of the future becoming ‘jobs of the now’.

The following is a top-ten summary of professions emerging in the wake of the pandemic.

1. Work from Home Facilitator – Prior to 2020, it’s estimated that less than 5% of companies had remote policies. Now, with the full post-pandemic expectation that remote work remains the norm, companies want to apply lessons learned to optimize the work-from-home experience. Far from being a futuristic job of tomorrow, WFH facilitators have become undeniable “jobs of the now.”

2. Fitness Commitment Counsellor – We cringe at the extra kilos, pounds and stones packed-on during months of pandemic-induced lockdown. To remedy the situation, predictive and preventative approaches to counselling, paired with digital wearables like Apple Watches and FitBit dashboards couple human accountability to maintaining fitness. And per the Cognizant Jobs of the Future (CJoF) Index, it’s a role that grew 28.7% in Q1 '21.

3. Smart Home Design Manager

– A lasting lesson of the virus for many will be that “everyone’s home is their castle.” The rise of smart home design managers will boom as homes are built – or retrofitted – with dedicated home office spaces, replete with routers in the right place, soundproofing, separate voice-driven entrances, and even Gorilla Glass wall screens.

4. XR Immersion Counsellor – As Zoom-intensive “Remotopia” inexorably gives way to 3D realms of virtual space, XR immersion counselors will work with technical artists and software engineering, training and workforce collaboration leads to massively scale the rollout of best-in-class AR and VR for learn-by-doing workforce training and collaboration (using platforms like Strivr) or apprenticeships (such as Mursion, for example) to get employees productive – fast.

5. Workplace Environment Architect – Everything from health screenings to “elevator commutes” in post-pandemic office architecture is about to go through a major rethink. The importance of employee well-being, and how human-centered design of a company’s real estate holdings can impact it, are now crucial to the future of work.

6. Algorithm Bias Auditor – “All online, all the time” lifestyles for work and leisure accelerated the competitive advantage derived from algorithms by digital firms everywhere. But from Brussels to Washington, given the increasing statutory scrutiny on data, it’s a near certainty that when it comes to how they’re built, verification through audits will help ensure the future workforce is also the fair workforce.

7. Data Detective – Openings for data scientists remain the fastest growing job in the tech-heavy “Algorithms, Automation and AI” family of the CJoF Index since its inception, and continued to see 42% growth in Q1 ’21. Given this high demand, they’re also scarce; that’s where data detectives help bridge the gap to get companies to investigate the mysteries in big data.

8. Cyber Calamity Forecaster – Aside from COVID-19, it’s arguable that the other, big catastrophe of 2020 was the continued onslaught of both massive state-sponsored cyberattacks like Solar Winds, down to individual bad actors promulgating ransomware exploits. The ability to forecast events like these is critical to forewarn of culture events. The CJoF Index bears this out: growth in openings for Cyber Calamity Forecasters grew 28% in Q1 ’21.

9. Tidewater Architect – The global challenge of climate change and sea level rise will remain an omnipresent challenge. Tidewater architects will work with nature – not against it – in some of the biggest civil engineering projects of the 21st century. And per the CJoF Index, openings for these jobs grew 37% in Q1 ’21.

10. Human-Machine Teaming Manager – Pandemic or no, the unceasing rise of robots in the workplace continues unabated. Human-Machine Teaming Managers will operate at the intersection of people and robots and create seamless collaborations. Already, openings for forerunner roles like robotics technicians grew 50% in the Q1 ’21 CJoF Index.

Dream jobs

While it is impossible to predict exactly how global labour markets will rebound in the wake of the virus, leaders can and should use the future of work as a prism for their own organizations to plan ahead. If there’s one lesson the pandemic has taught us, it’s to anticipate change.

Leaders need to see how the future of work will play out in real time through leading indicators that reveal how the jobs market is adapting in the face of technology-based innovation and disruption. The CJoF Index uses real data on US job openings to see the imagined possibilities of jobs of the future starting to emerge.

By combining strategic planning resources like “21 Jobs of the Future” and the CJoF Index, it’s possible to get a look into the not-too-distant future to see which roles are the top contenders in the post-COVID future.

2021 will be a reset moment, a period where more examples of the theoretical become “jobs-made-real”. Before they can be built, however, jobs of the future have to be dreamed - and this requires vision and some imagination.

SOURCE: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

ZOOM ANNOUNCES $100 MILLION ZOOM APPS FUND

New Venture Fund to Stimulate Innovation in the Zoom Apps Ecosystem

SAN JOSE, Calif. Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) today announced the Zoom Apps Fund, a new $100 million venture fund created to stimulate growth of Zoom’s ecosystem of Zoom Apps, integrations, developer platform, and hardware. 

Portfolio companies will receive initial investments between $250,000 and $2.5 million to build solutions that will become core to how Zoom customers meet, communicate, and collaborate. 

Zoom Apps, announced at Zoomtopia 2020, are leading applications that will bring productivity and engaging experiences directly into the Zoom platform.

Dozens of Zoom Apps are currently in development and are an important component in building the future of video communications. The Zoom Apps Fund will invest in developer partners with viable products and early market traction that will provide valuable and engaging experiences to our customers.

“I founded Zoom in 2011, nearly ten years ago. Without the support of early investors, Zoom 

would not be what it is today,” said Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom. “What I’ve learned over the past year is that we need to keep meetings productive and fun. 

My hope is that the Zoom Apps Fund will help our customers meet happier and collaborate even more seamlessly, and at the same time help entrepreneurs build new businesses as our platform evolves.”

To learn more about the Zoom Apps Fund visit zoom.com/fund and read our recent blog post.

About Zoom:

Zoom is for you. We help you express ideas, connect to others, and build toward a future limited only by your imagination. Our frictionless communications platform is the only one that started with video as its foundation, and we have set the standard for innovation ever since. 

That is why we are an intuitive, scalable, and secure choice for individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises alike. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Visit zoom.com and follow @zoom.

Zoom Press Contact

Colleen Rodriguez

Global PR Lead

press@zoom.us

SOURCE: Zoom Video Communications, Inc.

Kesesakan Terusan Suez – Dunia Rugi RM1.6 bilion Sejam

    Foto Sumber: RT NEWS

INSIDEN kapal kontena besar milik Panama, Ever Given yang tersadai dan mengakibatkan kesesakan lalu lintas marin yang teruk di Terusan Suez semenjak 23 Mac lalu mengakibatkan kerugian besar kepada dunia.

Menurut laporan jurnal berita Lloyd’s List, gangguan perjalanan itu itu mengakibatkan kerugian mencecah AS$400 juta (RM1.6 bilion) sejam.

Tambah Lloyd’s List, anggaran nilai barang yang dibawa kapal kargo itu mencecah AS$9.7 bilion (RM40 bilion) sehari.

Daripada jumlah tersebut, sebanyak AS$5.1 bilion (RM2.1 bilion) dibawa oleh kepal dari timur ke barat dan AS$4.6 bilion (RM19 bilion) dibawa oleh kapal dari barat ke timur.

Kesesakan itu juga memaksa hampir 300 buah kapal kargo lain untuk menukar laluan melalui Afrika dengan perjalanan yang lebih jauh, kos yang tinggi dan juga berbahaya.

Ia juga memberi kesan kepada bekalan global yang meningkat naik dalam pandemik Covid-19.

Ketika ini, usaha mengapungkan semula kapal Ever Given yang tersekat itu masih giat diteruskan.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif syarikat perkapalan Belanda Boskalis, Peter Berdowski berkata pihaknya telah mencuba pelbagai usaha untuk mengalihkan kapal itu daripada sekatan namun tempoh yang diperlukan untuk berbuat demikian tidak dijelaskan.

Terusan Suez merupakan salah satu laluan air terpenting di dunia yang menghubungkan Mediterranean dengan Laut Merah serta merupakan laluan perkapalan ke Asia.

Ia meliputi sepanjang 190 kilometer, sedalam 24 meter dan seluas 205 meter yang boleh mengendalikan puluhan kapal kontena besar dalam masa sehari.-Agensi

Kapal tunda, korek berusaha apungkan kontena sekat Terusan Suez

KAHERAH: Kapal tunda dan korek pada 27 Mac meneruskan operasi hari keempat untuk mengapungkan kapal kontena yang menghalang Terusan Suez di Mesir, hingga memaksa syarikat perkapalan mengubah laluan penting kapal dagang di sekitar Afrika.

MV Ever Given, yang lebih panjang daripada empat padang bola sepak, tersekat secara menyerong merintangi terusan itu sejak Selasa lalu, menutup laluan air kedua-dua arah.

Ia menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas ke atas lebih 200 kapal di kedua-dua hujung terusan sepanjang 193 kilometer (km) dan menyebabkan kelewatan penghantaran minyak dan produk lain.

Pegawai dari Shoei Kisen Kaisha, syarikat Jepun yang memiliki Ever Given, hari ini berkata, kru sedang berusaha mengapungkan kapal terbabit.

Katanya, 'kapal tunda dan korek digunakan untuk menghancurkan batu' dalam usaha mengapungkan kapal itu, selain tidak mempunyai maklumat berkaitan kerosakan kapal terbabit.

Krew dilihat bekerja sepanjang malam, menggunakan mesin pengorek sambil dibantu penggunaan lampu limpah.

Bagaimanapun, kapal dengan berat kasar 219,000 tan dan berat muatan 199,000 tan itu masih belum bergerak, memaksa syarikat gergasi perkapalan global Maersk dan Hapag-Lloyd dari Jerman mengubah laluan sekitar hujung benua Afrika.

"Terusan Suez masih tersekat sekurang-kurangnya satu atau dua hari lagi, syarikat perkapalan terpaksa mengambil laluan lebih jauh di sekitar Tanjung Harapan untuk pergi ke Eropah atau pantai timur Amerika Utara," kata Lloyd's List, syarikat data dan berita perkapalan.

"Kapal kontena pertama melakukannya ialah kapal Evergreen, Ever Greet selain laluan memerlukan tambahan 12 hari," katanya. 

SUMBER: AGENSI/AFP

27 MAC 2021

NASA Sasar Penerbangan Pertama di Marikh Awal April 2021

WASHINGTON: Pentadbiran Aeronautik dan Angkasa Lepas Amerika Syarikat (NASA) menyasarkan awal April untuk melancarkan percubaan penerbangan pertama helikopter robotik Ingenuity yang dikawal ke planet lain.

Buat masa ini, helikopter ultra ringan itu masih terlekat di perut kenderaan jelajah Perseverance rover, yang mendarat di Planet Marikh pada 18 Februari lalu.

Ahad lalu, Perseverance menjatuhkan sisa-sisa perisai yang melindungi Ingenuity ketika berlakunya pendaratan, dan ia sedang menuju ke tapak penerbangan di mana Ingenuity akan dilancarkan.

Apabila tiba di sana, ia akan mempunyai tempoh 30 sol Marikh yang bersamaan dengan 31 hari Bumi untuk menjalankan misinya.

"Tekaan kami ialah 8 April untuk penerbangan pertama," kata Bob Balaram, Ketua Jurutera Helikopter Marikh di Makmal Pendorong Jet sambil menambah ia kemungkinan beberapa hari awal atau lewat.

Balaram berkata, buat pertama kalinya Ingenuity membawa sehelai kain kecil yang menutupi salah satu sayap pesawat pertama saudara Wright yang dilancarkan melalui penerbangan berkuasa pertama di bumi Kitty Hawk pada tahun 1903, untuk memberi penghormatan kepada pencapaian itu.

Ingenuity akan terbang di atmosfera dengan satu peratus ketumpatan Bumi, yang menjadikan data angkatan lebih sukar tetapi akan dibantu oleh graviti satu pertiga planet Bumi.

Penerbangan pertama akan membabitkan pendakian dengan kecepatan sekitar satu meter sesaat hingga mencapai ketinggian tiga meter, berlegar-legar selama 30 saat, kemudian turun kembali ke permukaan.

Ia akan mengambil fotografi resolusi tinggi ketika terbang.

Sebelum itu, Ingenuity perlu ditempatkan di tapak pelancarannya, dan diletakkan secara menegak, satu proses yang akan memakan masa selama beberapa hari lagi.

Selepas Perseverance menurunkan helikopter itu, ia perlu beredar sejauh lima meter dalam masa 25 jam supaya tidak membayangi Ingenuity.

Itulah tempoh masa bateri Ingenuity dapat menjalankan pemanasnya tanpa perlu dikuasakan semula melalui panel solarnya.

Bahagian itu sangat penting untuk bertahan pada suhu waktu malam yang boleh turun serendah minus 90 darjah Celsius. 

SUMBER: AFP/24 MAC 2021

10 MUST-VISIT SELANGOR’S NEW TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

 

 Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor

Selangor Strengthens Its Status as the Preferred Travel Destination in Malaysia with a Selection of Exciting New Tourism Products

The State of Selangor certainly is home to unique tourism attractions offering serenity of nature and elements of local cultures, urban areas boasting modern lifestyle, and a variety of food options; - from stalls to lavish restaurants. Amidst struggling tourism industry bearing the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, Selangor strengthens its status as the preferred travel destination in Malaysia with a selection of exciting new tourism products with high potential of attracting tourists as follows:

1) Singgah Santai Resort, Hulu Langat

Singgah Santai Resort is one of the newest accommodation providers with resort-like theme in Hulu Langat District of Selangor. The resort offers a selection of room types, according to the needs of the guests. 

They will also enjoy the many resting areas around the resort. Travel enthusiasts, backpackers, or simply guests with family and children would certainly enjoy their time here as the place offers peaceful and serene stay; a bit distant from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Address: Kg Batu 14, Jalan Felcra Semungkis, Hulu Langat, Selangor.

2) “Sidek Brothers” Monument, Banting

In the town  of Banting, a new monument now stands tall; built to remember the contributions of the Sidek Brothers who made Malaysia proud in the arena of badminton; domestic and international. Sidek Brothers also used to be featured in animation and comic series which were the talk of the town back in the day. 

One fun fact; “Sidek Brothers” Monument is built within the grounds of the house of Tuan Haji Sidek, where the Sidek Brothers grew up in. Now, the house and the most recent; the Monument have become one of Selangor’s attractions with historic values in Banting town, Kuala Langat.

Address: Jalan Sultan Alam Shah, Kampung Kanchong Darat, 42700 Banting, Kuala Langat, Selangor.

3) Sungai Lepoh Waterfall, Hulu Langat

Sungai Lepoh waterfall is one of the newest nature attractions in Hulu Langat. Also known as Sungai Lopo or Sungai Lepok, this serene waterfall area is also a perfect place for a picnic with family and friends. 

The place also attracts nature lovers and hikers, especially those residing in Klang Valley, during weekends and public holidays. 

Address: Lot 3461, KM22 Sungai Lepoh, Kampung Kuala 43100, 43100 Hulu Langat, Selangor.

4) Anjung Spotter, KLIA Plane Spotting

Anjung Spotter is one of the latest additions to country’s proud Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang. Now open to public, the place is perfect for photographers or simply anyone who love the airplanes. 

At Anjung Spotter, they are able to capture taking-off or landing airplanes from various interesting angles; the closest they may be too! The open concept gives an exceptional experience to the visitors, especially to children; creating one-of-a-kind memories.

Address: Jalan Pekeliling , Kuala Lumpur International Airport, 64000 Sepang, Selangor.

5) Ardence Labs @ Eco Ardence, Setia Alam

Amidst the avidity of Selangor’s housing and property developers in introducing new places with tourism  appeal within the compounds of their development projects, some of these really turn out to be a success. 

For instance, Ardence Labs @ Eco Ardence is Setia Alam’s newest attraction where visitors get to enjoy the ambience and take beautiful pictures every now and then, with bold and vibrant 2D, 3D and graffiti art backgrounds.

Address: Eco Ardance Sales Gallery PT 8, Persiaran Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor.

6) Elmina Central Park, Shah Alam

The greens within a modern concept; Elmina Central Park is a new recreational area with a jogging track which is also roller-blading and cycling-friendly. Meanwhile, the Elmina Iconic Bridge is a grand structure, perfect for pictures.

With bright red colour that seems to light up when the sun sets, this bridge really is a stunner at night.

Address: Seksyen U16 City of Elmina, 40160, Selangor.

7) HL Dragon Fruit Eco Farm, Sepang

HL Dragon Fruit Eco Farm is a huge dragon fruit farm in Sepang District which offers various activities to its visitors; not limited to only fresh dragon fruit plucking and tasting. 

Visitors also get to experience a guided tour around the farm, as well as get to plant their own dragon fruits and learn on the fruits’ pollination process during the visit.

Address: Lot 7608, Jalan Besar, Baru Satu, 43900, Sepang, Selangor.

8) Sungai Serai Hot Spring, Hulu Langat

Selangor is well-known as being the home to various hot spring attractions; which Sungai Serai Hot Spring, Hulu Langat has made its way into the list. 

Preferred by many lovers of nature regardless of age, this hot spring with high concentration of sulphur within its soils is a perfect destination after a trip to one of the many waterfalls located along the whole stretch of Hulu Langat District.

Address: Lot 769, Jalan Sentosa 11/A, Taman Desa Sentosa, Hulu Langat, Daerah Hulu Langat, selangor.

9) Woodhouse KKB IO Home, Tinggian, Kuala Kubu Bharu

Woodhouse KKB IO Home offers a stay in unique tree houses, with emphasis on privacy. With mesmerising views of the peak of Kuala Kubu Bharu Hill, Woodhouse KKB IO Home is equipped with modern furniture and facilities for that luxurious stay. 

It has a private pool, two spacious bedrooms with en suites, outdoor kitchen equipped with appliances, balcony dining area, barbeque equipment, a washing machine and cable TV, studio tables, and more.

Address: Jalan Harmonian 2, Off Jalan Padang Golf, Tinggian, 44000 Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor

10) Chenuang Hill, Hulu Langat

Chenuang Hill, Hulu Langat poses a high potential in becoming the preferred hiking destination after the widely-known Broga Hill as its track from the entrance of Sungai Chongkak Tropical Forest is well-marked with clear directions and sign boards. 

There are also several rivers along the way, allowing hikers to have some breaks in between, before reaching the peak of Chenuang Hill, approximately in 2-3 hours, depending on their speed and skills.

Address: Pejabat Hutan Daerah Selangor Tengah, Tingkat 1, Blok B, Platinum Cheras, 43200 Cheras, Selangor

Selangor, is not exempted from having to face the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. While some tourism operators may have to shut their businesses down during these difficult times, some operators are opening their premises’ doors to visitors and tourists in 2021. 

Tourism Selangor has also been highlighting some of the State’s nature attractions.

However, it is to be reminded, new-norm practises based on SOPs should be emphasized at all times. Worry-free; almost all of Selangor’s tourism attractions have been practising Covid-19 precautionary measures. 

Tourists in Selangor should always register via “Selangkah:Langkah Masuk Dengan Selamat” mobile application, ensure social distancing, apply hand sanitizers regularly and wear face masks at all times, for the sake of many.

For more information, log on to TourismSelangor’s official website; Selangor.Travel.

By: Tourism Selangor

BMW's iDrive 8 helps drivers using machine learning and natural language processing

Two decades after its debut in the 2001 Series 7, BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is among the best on the market. It’s about to get even better — think, natural language processing, gesture control and cloud-based machine learning — with the release of its latest iteration, iDrive 8, aboard the upcoming BMW iX and i4.

BMW iDrive 8BMW

The system’s onboard AI, BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, will be the driver’s primary point of contact when interacting with the new iDrive 8. The driver will be able to give the IPA a personalized name and then cue up various in-vehicle functions and information streams using either verbal or non-verbal commands. 

The new iDrive 8 has also been issued a face of sorts, “spheres of light in differing sizes and brightness levels, giving the assistant more space and new ways of expressing itself,” per a BMW press release.

Drivers will also find the iDrive 8 offers more contextual functionality than its predecessors. The new system will take external conditions like traffic and road conditions into account before attempting to interact with the vehicle’s passengers. 

It will also “control functions such as climate control, ambient lighting, audio playback, opening and closing of the side windows, shading of the panoramic glass roof, switching between My Modes, and the driver assistance systems” so the driver won’t have to take their eyes off the road in heavy traffic conditions to find the front defrost controls on a touchscreen menu. 

What’s more, the IPA can also deliver vehicle status information and provide details on local points of interest.

“The future will be with less switches, BMW CTO Frank Weber said during an online roundtable on Monday. “But it won't be switchless.”

iDrive 8BMW

My Modes is another new feature to iDrive 8, replacing the older Driving Experience Controls. It enables the driver to personalize and activate up to ten vehicle parameters under a single command grouping. 

The preset Modes include Efficient, which prioritizes energy efficiency and a calming cabin interior; Sport, which boosts acceleration and handling; and Personal, which is whatever you want it to be. Additional modes will eventually be made available to the BMW community through future OTA updates using the vehicle’s onboard 5G connectivity.

The iDrive’s various monitors and gauges will appear on BMW’s new Curved Display which combines a 200 ppi 12.3-inch information display in lieu of the traditional control cluster, and a 14.9-inch control (read, infotainment) display. 

The all-electric iX will also include a HUD, whose projector is integrated within the steering column itself, showing the driver pertinent vehicle information directly on the windshield ahead of them. 

To ensure that the driver doesn’t become distracted with extraneous information, BMW has adopted a “Act, Locate and Inform” principle in which “pre-filtering ensures that only information relevant to the driving situation is presented to the driver, and always shown where they can absorb it as quickly and easily as possible,” per the company.

The iDrive’s graphics are similarly designed for minimal driver distraction. Like previous iterations, the iDrive 8 will allow drivers to personalize their various graphic displays and quickly swap between three preset menu layouts and a host of media widgets using tactile buttons mounted on the steering wheel. 

These presets include Drive, which offers “a dynamically changing area in the center of the information display to show individually selectable information;” Focus, which keeps the driving gauges front and center; and Gallery, which seems like a really bad idea as it minimizes the instrument cluster in favor of media widgets. There is also a Calm mode that shows the vehicle’s speed and nothing else.

BMW iDrive 8MANUEL_NAGEL

Drivers will also be able to take their personal settings with them with the new BMW ID feature, which is tied to either a PIN or the driver’s MyBMW app. 

Simply enter the PIN or entangle your app with any vehicle sporting an iDrive 7 or 8 to immediately port virtually every one of your preference settings to the new car — super helpful if you’ve just received a loaner from the dealership.

BMW is also leaning heavily on cloud-based machine learning to improve the IPA’s responsiveness as well as the iX’s navigation system. Rather than simply ingesting and regurgitating traffic data at the driver, the new iDrive 8 has learned to calculate probabilities. 

For example, it will leverage the traffic patterns around local points of interest to return more accurate ETAs. It can help drivers find open parking spaces near their destination. 

The same applies to the vehicle’s air conditioning. BMW taught the iDrive 8 to better anticipate the climate control needs of its drivers based on 440 million training trips from around the world. 

This allows the iDrive to automatically set the optimum cabin temperature based on not only the external environmental conditions but also the driver’s personal habits.

SOURCE: ENDGADGET

KWSP Lancar Skim Pengeluaran Baharu Akhir 2021, Beli Insurans - Takaful

Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) akan melancarkan skim pengeluaran baharu bagi membolehkan ahlinya membeli produk insurans atau Takaful pada akhir tahun ini, kata Pengerusinya, Tan Sri Ahmad Badri Mohd Zahir.

"KWSP akan memulakan skim pengeluaran baharu ini seperti yang diumumkan dalam Belanjawan 2021 pada akhir tahun ini," katanya.

Mengulas berkenaan prospek tahun 2021, Ahmad Badri berkata, meskipun pemberian vaksin telah dilancarkan pada tahun ini, KWSP tetap berjaga-jaga kerana terdapatnya strain COVID-19 yang baharu dan lebih mudah merebak.

"Bagaimanapun, kami percaya bahawa situasi kini sudah mula terkawal dengan kerajaan setiap negara berusaha memastikan rakyat mereka mendapat vaksin selancar mungkin.

"Bahkan di Malaysia juga, kelompok pertama vaksin telah pun sampai dan dalam proses pengedaran," katanya.

Beliau berkata, KWSP sudah menjangkau usia 70 tahun dan menjadi antara institusi dana persaraan tertua di dunia.

"Kami akan tetap memberi tumpuan kepada mandat kami iaitu membantu ahli mencapai simpanan yang mencukupi untuk persaraan yang mampan.

"Selain itu, KWSP juga menjadi pelabur institusi pertama yang mewujudkan mandat pelaburan langsung atau pelaburan bersama Ekuiti Persendirian patuh Syariah terbesar di dunia, dengan pelancaran Akaun Terurus Berasingan, bernilai AS$600 juta.

"Ini adalah berita baik untuk dana Simpanan Shariah KWSP, yang mana baki simpanan ahli telah melepasi nilai RM100 bilion dan terus berkembang secara berterusan," katanya.

Sehingga kini, terdapat 1.12 juta ahli KWSP yang telah memilih Simpanan Shariah sejak ia dilancarkan pada tahun 2016 untuk memenuhi permintaan ahli agar simpanan KWSP mereka diuruskan dan dilaburkan mengikut prinsip Syariah.

Ahmad Badri, COVID-19 telah memberikan satu pendedahan kepada semua tentang keperluan mencari penyelesaian dalam tempoh masa yang amat singkat.

"Dalam usaha KWSP untuk melindungi dan meningkatkan nilai simpanan persaraan ahli di sebalik turun naik pasaran dan persekitaran yang tidak menentu ini, penekanan terhadap pelaburan berlandaskan elemen Alam Sekitar, Sosial, dan Tadbir Urus (ESG).

"Ia akan berfungsi sebagai paksi dan kaedah mitigasi risiko yang berkesan, serta menjadi pemacu dalam menghasilkan dividen sosial yang dapat bertahan dan melangkaui pulangan kewangan," katanya.

SUMBER: BH ONLINE/27 FEB 2021