MetLife’s October 2022 hackathon gives techies in M’sia a chance to code their way to a job
[Written in partnership with PubliCT.io, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]
It comes as no surprise in this rapidly developing world that roles in IT and software development are the most in-demand jobs in Malaysia this year, according to a report by JobStreet.
For those who want a piece of the pie, hackathons are typically a great way to impress industry leaders and kickstart a tech career.
One such hackathon that’s happening in Malaysia is Hack4Job 2022 Virtual Hackathon, organised by MetLife, a global insurance company. Hack4Job 2022 will start on Friday, October 14, at 8PM.
It’ll run until 4PM Saturday, October 15. Before then, there’ll also be a pre-hack briefing on October 11 at 7PM.
Through this hackathon, MetLife hopes to seek and hire top talent in Malaysia, recognising the country’s potential as a tech hub.
After all, MetLife established its technology Center of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur 15 years ago to access the local workforce.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Participants of this hackathon have to select one of the eight available roles: Full Stack Engineer, React Engineer, SDET Engineer, Cloud Engineer, DevSecOps Engineer, Solution Architect, Scrum Master, and Cloud Infra Engineer.
MetLife will group shortlisted candidates based on the selected roles into tables of six or eight.
The specific tech challenges and problem statements for the hackathon will be announced during the kick-off on Friday, October 14. Groups will then choose a tech challenge to resolve.
Only one solution may be submitted per team.
The judging criteria include creativity, completeness of solution, ability to scale, robustness of functionality, intuitive user interface, teamwork and presentation quality.
“Judges will observe and evaluate each team member, and joint feedback will be the key factor in shortlisting candidates for interviews regardless of whether the team wins,” said Siew Choo Soh, MetLife’s Asia Chief Information Officer.
Eyes on the prize
While a good performance will secure a job interview with MetLife, there are also other prizes to be won. Each member on the winning team will receive an Apple iPhone SE, first runners-up will receive Apple iPads, and second runners-up get Apple Watch SEs.
There are also two consolation categories that will receive third-generation Apple AirPods.
Participants selected for the interview stage will be notified on October 15, with the virtual interview scheduled to be on October 16.
The team expects 160 to 200 entries for this Hackathon.
Participants can sign up for the hackathon through the MetLife Hack4Job registration page. Registrations close at 6PM on October 10, 2022.
- Register for and learn more about MetLife’s Hack4Job virtual hackathon here.
Also Read: Health is no laughing matter, so Harith Iskander & wife Dr Jezamine launched a wellness line
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post
Indonesian unicorn Kopi Kenangan is now in M’sia, here are 9 bits of trivia about it
Editor’s Update: This article was written before Kopi Kenangan officially launched in Malaysia, and we’ve updated the article of this title accordingly to reflect the current situation, but will leave the following content intact the way it was originally written.
Opening its doors in 2017, Indonesian grab-and-go coffee chain Kopi Kenangan has quickly become one of the nation’s most recognisable brands. It claims to have over 600 stores in 45 Indonesian cities, employing a 3,000-member workforce.
According to an article by Tech In Asia, the coffee tech startup was planning to kickstart its overseas expansions by Q4 this year, starting with Malaysia. The article reported that the coffee brand aimed to open five to 10 stores in Kuala Lumpur and Bandar Sunway.
Now that we’ve eased into the fourth quarter, our eyes are definitely peeled for any sightings of Kopi Kenangan locally.
An obvious tell-tale sign of its arrival to Malaysian shores is the fact that they’re already looking for manpower to staff its stores. A month ago, the brand’s LinkedIn page posted that it was “urgently hiring” for locations in KLCC, Sunway Pyramid, Pavilion, NU Sentral, and MyTown.
Considering this urgency, it’s safe to assume that Kenangan Coffee will be opening its stores in Malaysia anytime soon.
With that in mind, we wanted to learn more about the coffee brand ahead of its Malaysian launch. Here’s what we found.
1. It’s Southeast Asia’s first new F&B retail unicorn
Much like the mythical creature that it’s named after, unicorns in business are rather special and rare. Typically, we see more tech-inclined startups achieving unicorn status, i.e. reaching a valuation of US$1 billion, but Kopi Kenangan is one of the companies that has broken that mould.
Of course, like most other brands today, the Jakarta-based company does incorporate tech elements, such as having its own app.
Joining the billion-dollar valuation club in January 2022, Kopi Kenangan is considered the first “new retail” F&B unicorn from Southeast Asia.
2. There may be a name change for its Malaysian launch
For those who don’t know, Kopi Kenangan directly translates to “Coffee Memories” in both the Indonesian language as well as Bahasa Malaysia.
Any Malaysian would know that “kopi” is an easily recognisable and well-understood word in our country, but according to Marketing Interactive, the brand will be introduced as Kenangan Coffee in Malaysia and in other countries outside of Indonesia.
3. It has raised funds from Jay Z and Serena Williams
To get to a billion-dollar valuation, Kopi Kenangan has received funds from big-name venture capitalists such as Sequoia Capital.
Interestingly, its portfolio of investors also includes icons such as Jay Z and Serena Williams. Well, their companies, at least.
Now-retired tennis star, Serena Williams founded Serena Ventures in 2014 and is a managing partner for it. Jay Z is the man behind Roc Nation, the parent company of Arrive Opportunities Fund, which invested in Kopi Kenangan.
4. Before coffee, it was making tea
Prior to Kopi Kenangan, co-founder and CEO Edward Tirtanata had built a tea brand named Lewis & Carroll in 2015.
Oddly, the website for that brand seems to be empty. Yet, the brand is still running, if its active Instagram page is anything to go by, having just posted a picture today (at the time of writing).
However, it seems like Lewis & Carroll has rebranded to Bakery by Lewis & Carroll. Primarily a tea lounge serving artisanal tea, baked goods, and comfort foods, it has three locations in Indonesia.
According to the Jakarta Post, the co-founder also tried to enter various other industries such as coal mining and consultancy. In 2017, though, he realised that coffee was an “underpenetrated market”, leading to the founding of Kopi Kenangan.
Edward also told Tatler Asia that Kopi Kenangan was created to address the gap between instant and “third home” coffee brands. He said that affordable quality coffee was non-existent in Indonesia at the time.
5. Its coffee is made with high-quality local beans
Coffee lovers will know that Indonesia is one of the top coffee-producing coffees in the world. As such, it’s probably no surprise that Kopi Kenangan uses Indonesian coffee beans.
Indonesian coffee beans are known to have a full-bodied, bold, and rich flavour profile. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or coffee, really), Kopi Kenangan’s beverages might be up your alley.
6. The company sends “mystery shoppers” for quality control
In the same interview with Tatler Asia, Tirtanata revealed that Kopi Kenangan sends out mystery shoppers to control quality in every store.
As the name suggests, mystery shopping is a way to measure qualities such as sales and service, job performance, and regulatory compliance in a workplace. This process involves hiring an undercover person to pose as a customer.
We managed to find a mystery shopper of Kopi Kenangan on LinkedIn who described the job responsibilities to include testing the service standards and the taste of the products.
They also “make decisions for staff or baristas” who don’t comply with the protocols such as the dress code and standard introduction.
7. It was named as one of the winners of a global branding award
The World Branding Awards is an international award organised by the London-based World Branding Forum.
In both the 2020-2021 as well as the 2021-2022 edition of the award programme, Kopi Kenangan won in the Retailer – Coffee category.
8. Other than coffee, the team has brands for bread, snacks, and cookies
Scrolling through the news tab on Kopi Kenangan’s website, you’ll spot recurring names such as Cerita Roti, Chigo, and Kenangan Manis.
These are actually sister brands offered by Kenangan Brands.
Cerita Roti, a bread brand, offers products such as Roti Coklat Klassic, Roti Susu Manis, Roti Martabak, Roti Daging Asap Keju, and more.
Boasting 78 outlets across Jabodetabek and Medna, Chigo is a fried chicken snack brand that means “chicken on the go”.
It offers products such as boneless chicken, fries, and wings, with flavours including Mie Goreng Mantap, Louisiana Cajun, Garlic Parmigiano, and more.
A soft-cookie brand, Kenangan Manis was launched in October 2021 with sea salt soft-baked cookies. It has since expanded to include flavours such as Mr. Hazelnuts, Red Velvet Madness, Berry Funfetti, and more.
9. It’s not a franchise
If you’re an entrepreneur who’s interested in any business opportunities with Kopi Kenangan in terms of franchising, you might be somewhat disappointed to learn that it’s not a franchise.
In a 2020 interview with Channel News Asia, Tirtanata supposedly “stressed” that his coffee chain is not a franchise. Each outlet is owned by him and his partners.
One reason why brands don’t franchise is quality control. Considering the fact that Kopi Kenangan goes so far as to hire mystery shoppers, perhaps this might be the key reason for them too.
What to expect
Through the LinkedIn posts and previous announcements, Kopi Kenangan has essentially already revealed that its launch in Malaysia is imminent.
Its popularity in Indonesia cannot be ignored, but it might remain to be seen whether it’ll get the same love here. After all, Malaysia already has its fair share of well-loved local coffee chains such as Bask Bear Coffee, ZUS Coffee, and Gigi Coffee.
Paired with the presence of global names like The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf as well as Starbucks, we’re curious to see how Kopi Kenangan will establish itself within the Malaysian coffee culture.
Also Read: Health is no laughing matter, so Harith Iskander & wife Dr Jezamine launched a wellness line
Featured Image Credit: Kopi Kenangan
Believe it or not, the Galaxy Z Flip4’s camera & batt exceed expectations set by its specs
I’ve spent a month with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 now, and I must say, it’ll be difficult going back to my Z Flip3.
The new clamshell foldable is just noticeably better in terms of its camera performance and battery life, which are quite important to my daily usage.
Thus, I’ve dedicated this whole article to them, as I couldn’t give them the attention they deserved in my full review of the Z Flip4.
Software that works hard
As I’ve mainly dealt with old Samsung flagship models (anything lower than the Galaxy S20), along with the Z Flip3, I’m used to the passable photos they take. Photo editing apps come in to fill the gaps where I’d have to up the contrast and details of pictures taken.
With the Z Flip4, even raw photos look vibrant, with more depth, and sharper overall. Though it has the same specs as the Z Flip3 on paper, with a 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, and 10MP selfie camera, the upgrade appears to lie in its post-image processing.
To me, the Z Flip4 was able to get things just right, and using its pre-set photography functions was already pleasing to the eyes.
Its main camera captured good detail while balancing colours and exposure automatically. Portrait mode gave every shot a pretty bokeh look, although it can sometimes look overblown.
A huge plus on the foldable phone lies in the way you can take a selfie with the phone’s back cameras via Quick Shot.
Using the phone’s cover display, Quick Shot can be triggered by clicking the lock button twice, and Samsung now allows you to switch between the portrait or normal mode to snap the photo.
For those who prefer having greater control over each shot, Pro mode can be enabled as well. But I’m no photo pro, I don’t consider myself picky with settings, preferring to just point and shoot. For the most part, I’m happy to let AI do the work.
Samsung also said that it introduced Nightography to the Z Flip4, but in the settings, it looks like your regular Night Mode.
Though I rarely take photos in dimmer lighting situations, I noticed that the Z Flip4 does produce good night shots too, brightening up details of your image where it sees fit, while still keeping the shadows where necessary.
Not to mention, in close-ups, you can see that the graininess and noise synonymous with lower-end night photography are largely absent.
Great battery without overheating
Over the course of using the Z Flip4, I haven’t noticed the phone overheating amidst heavy usage of its cameras, video watching, and light gaming.
Testing a more demanding game on the Z Flip4, I turned to my go-to open-world game, Sky: Children of the Light.
Over the one hour of me exploring the Valley of Triumph, the camera housing of the Z Flip4 only got slightly warm with gameplay running smoothly. It’s unlike the Z Flip3 that would get concerningly hot, which made the phone uncomfortable to hold.
On my regular use of social media scrolling, texting, photo-taking, and Spotify listening, the Z Flip4’s 3,700mAh battery has enough juice to last the whole day. I’d only need to charge it once I’ve returned home from a whole day out.
Furthermore, I’m able to enjoy the screen’s 120Hz refresh rate much more, and the screen’s responsiveness to my touch made typing and swiping around a breeze.
-//-
Tech reviewers believe the battery efficiency on the Z Flip4 has something to do with its upgraded 4nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor and updated Android 12 OS too. Similarly, the software might be behind the improvements for the Z Flip4’s photos too.
The Android 12 system upgrades have carried over to Z Flip3 as well, where it now features the Galaxy Z Flip4’s upgraded cover screen. However, it doesn’t seem like the Z Flip3’s post-image processing, or battery efficiency can be saved here, without the upgraded chipset.
- Learn more about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 here.
- Read our other articles on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 here.
Also Read: Health is no laughing matter, so Harith Iskander & wife Dr Jezamine launched a wellness line
All Image Credits: Vulcan Post
4 factors why Millennials and Zillennials still don’t have a critical illness insurance
[This is a sponsored article with Tune Protect Malaysia.]
I’ll be honest. As a 27-year-old that actively does rock climbing at least three times a week, I don’t have the most comprehensive insurance plan, even when I’m fully aware of the risk the sport carries.
To give a bit of context, my medical insurance plan only covers hospitalisation with a limit of RM100,000 annually.
Even if I don’t plan on upgrading my current insurance coverage, I should, at the very least, sign up for a critical illness insurance plan to bolster my already limited coverage, right?
While the answer to that would be a resounding “yes, you should”, the thought of booking an appointment with an insurance agent and sitting through their sales pitch seems rather daunting.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this way, too. To find out why Millennials (born from 1981 to 1992) or Zillennials (born from 1993 to 1998) do not have critical illness coverage, Tune Protect Malaysia had us ask our colleagues and friends. Here are some of our findings.
1. A lack of understanding about the insurance policy
Unlike medical insurance, a standalone critical illness insurance plan is not as well-known in terms of the benefits it provides.
When we asked interviewees whether they knew the difference between the two, four out of five respondents either had not heard of a critical illness plan, or had heard of it, but were not entirely sure what it does.
Our resident cosplayer and video editor, Loke, who’s a Zillennial at age 27, even mistook it for a personal accident coverage plan, which provides financial coverage for bodily injury, permanent disability, or accidental death.
Thus, not having a complete understanding of what sets a critical illness insurance plan apart from a medical insurance plan makes it one of the factors why Millennials and Zillennials are not signing up for it.
Matthew, our head of content production and another Zillennial at the age of 29, added, “My knowledge towards insurance is very limited, and no one had told me the differences and the benefits.”
And I understand him. If I’m going to fork out a sizeable amount of money throughout my lifetime to pay for something, I would, at the very least, want to know what kind of benefits I’ll be getting.
To shed light on the differences between the two insurance plans mentioned, a medical insurance plan pays for the cost of hospital treatment and medication when the patient is hospitalised.
A critical illness insurance plan, on the other hand, provides a lump sum payout upon diagnosis of a critical illness such as a heart attack, cancer, stroke, and kidney failure.
2. Insurance policies which can be overly complicated
Another reason why many are not familiar with the difference between a critical illness insurance plan and a medical insurance plan, is that insurance policies on what they cover can sometimes come off as vague and complicated.
To put things into perspective, my insurance plan, which is considered one of the more affordable ones covering only hospitalisation, is still 66 pages long. Not to mention, they’re filled with complex jargon and sentences, in my opinion.
Our business development executive, Rikco, a Millennial aged 31, agreed, saying, “Some insurance policies can be complicated, and sometimes you’ll need someone like an insurance agent to better explain the policies and what you’re entitled to receive.”
Sade, our Managing Editor and a Zillennial aged 25, said that her medical insurance planning was handled entirely by her mother, and all she has to do now is contribute some money to the monthly premium.
Even then, she is still unaware of what her policy exactly covers, and admitted to being a little too lazy to learn about it now.
While not many of our interviewees have had a bad experience as a result of not understanding their policies fully, Zhareef, our social media executive, and also a fellow Zillennial at age 25, had read stories and watched documentaries where loopholes were exploited in order to benefit the insurance provider.
Even though these stories are somewhat anecdotal, they’re still enough to cause hesitation among those seeking to sign up for their own critical illness insurance plan.
3. Other financial commitments take priority over having a critical illness insurance
Signing up for a critical illness plan might not currently be financially feasible for some of the Millennials and Zillennials we spoke to.
For example, Matthew highlighted that because he’s living on his own, he has to set aside cash for rent, groceries, and other financial obligations.
Sade is in the same boat, with the addition of having a pet to care for, which contributes significantly to her monthly expenses.
Idris, a freelance painter who’s a 30-year-old Millennial, mentioned that he would sign up for a critical illness plan if it’s affordable, and once his finances have stabilised.
The perception that critical illness insurance plans are expensive plays into the decision of not signing up for one, too.
To solidify this theory further, we asked the interviewees how much they think a critical illness plan with a coverage of up to RM100,000 annually should cost. The responses we received ranged from RM50 to RM400 a month.
However, if you do a bit of digging, it is actually possible to find affordable critical illness plans like Tune Protect Critical Safe+, which covers up to 39 critical illnesses with sum insured of up to RM200,000 from RM20 a month, depending on one’s gender, age, chosen sum insured, and more (terms and conditions apply).
Tune Protect Critical Safe+ also offers the option of making a monthly premium payment to ease their financial commitment.
However, if you’re able to comfortably afford to pay premiums annually, you’ll be entitled to some savings compared to paying monthly.
4. Lengthy sign-up processes and pushy agents
When it comes to purchasing insurance, many of our interviewees also expressed that they feel hindered by insurance agents who can be intimidating and pushy.
For Loke, it sometimes felt like they just wanted to sell him a more expensive plan than to help guide him through the insurance process.
Zhareef, on the other hand, raises an interesting point. “Personally I wouldn’t really trust insurance agents, not because of who they are, but simply because they only know how to sell insurance plans for a single brand.”
“Ideally, I’d like to compare plans from various different brands and choose the best one,” he followed up.
As for Idris, he found that insurance agents can be quite annoying to deal with because they tend to upsell instead of offering a plan that best fits his needs.
After the initial consultation, the entire sign-up process with an agent can also sometimes take up to a week, which means that you would have to further take time off to collect the insurance card and the policy booklet.
However, the process of signing up for a critical illness insurance plan does not need to be time-consuming or convoluted.
For example, Tune Protect Critical Safe+’s sign-up process is relatively straightforward as you can sign up directly from their website or mobile app.
Also, there’s no need to book an appointment with an insurance agent, which is a plus for those who prefer not to meet one.
On top of that, another benefit of signing up for Critical Safe+ online is that you will be able to submit your claims without needing to go through an insurance agent.
They are also committed to providing an appealing customer experience by allowing users to buy the plan within three minutes, receive a response within three hours, and have their claims paid within three working days upon approval.
In addition, if they miss or delay your payout, Tune Protect will add an additional 1% of the total sum insured for claims paid beyond 3 working days from the approval date.
Insurance coverage is better late than never
Even though our interview is limited to just a few Millennials and Zillennials, there is no “right” age to sign up for a critical insurance plan as medical complications can happen at any moment.
According to the national health and morbidity survey 2019, the number of Malaysian adults with high cholesterol levels, hypertension, and diabetes are on the rise, among other critical illnesses.
The scariest thing is that many aren’t aware that they’re part of the statistics until it’s too late. Therefore, even if you’re healthy, critical illness insurance plans can bolster your coverage in case something does happen.
If you only decide to get it after falling ill or becoming disabled, it might be too late to get one then as insurance typically will not cover preexisting conditions.
Critical Safe+ by Tune Protect covers Malaysians, permanent residents of Malaysia, and non-Malaysians that are legally working in the country, across the age range of 15 days old to 60 years old.
- Find out more about Tune Protect Critical Safe+ here.
- Read more about the National Health and Morbidity Survey here.
Also Read: 4 M’sian entrepreneurs share their worst business crisis, and how they triumphed through
