Press Release

J&C Pacific CEO CK Lee and YTL AI Labs CEO Foong Chee Mun at the GiftsMart x ILMU partnership announcement

Official Partnership

J&C Pacific YTL AI Labs

13 November 2025 Strategic Partnership PIKOM Digital Excellence Awards 2025

J&C Pacific Partners with YTL AI Labs to Power GiftsMart™ with Malaysia's Homegrown AI

KUALA LUMPUR, 13 November 2025 — J&C Pacific Sdn Bhd today announced a strategic collaboration with YTL AI Labs Sdn Bhd, the developer of ILMU, Malaysia's first world-class multimodal sovereign AI model, to integrate it as the official AI engine powering the GiftsMart™ platform.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in integrating locally developed artificial intelligence technologies into Malaysia's retail and FMCG engagement ecosystem through GiftsMart™, J&C Pacific's PIKOM Digital Excellence Awards 2025 in Software Innovation winning platform.

At the heart of this partnership, ILMU will serve as the official AI engine powering the GiftsMart platform, equipping it with advanced language, vision, and multimodal capabilities to enhance automation, scalability, and intelligence across nationwide FMCG campaigns and retail initiatives.

"As Malaysia continues its digital transformation journey, our vision is to ensure that local innovation leads the way. GiftsMart itself is a 100% homegrown platform proudly developed in Malaysia, and now with ILMU AI, Malaysia's first sovereign AI, we are taking that vision even further."
— CK Lee, Chief Executive Officer, J&C Pacific

Key Focus Areas

FMCG & Retail AI Marketing Integration — Smarter automation, deeper insights, and a more seamless experience for brands and consumers.
Next-Generation AI Solutions — Intelligent customer engagement, predictive analytics, and real-time event interaction systems.
Sovereign AI Deployment — ILMU AI deployed across GiftsMart for large-scale AI marketing automation and analytics under a signed MOU.

"ILMU represents Malaysia's belief that AI should understand our language, culture, and people. Through this collaboration with J&C Pacific, we're showing that sovereign AI isn't just about technology — it's about empowering local businesses to compete globally while staying rooted in local innovation."
— Foong Chee Mun, Chief Executive Officer, YTL AI Labs

About YTL AI Labs Sdn Bhd

YTL AI Labs (formerly FrogAsia Sdn Bhd) builds sovereign AI models that perform on par with the world's best — while staying grounded in local needs, values, and context. Its flagship model, ILMU, is designed to be culturally aware, contextually intelligent, and fluent in Bahasa Melayu. Visit www.ytlailabs.com

Source View coverage on Fintech News Malaysia

J&C Pacific CEO CK Lee and PayNet CMO Gary Yeoh at the GiftsMart x PayNet partnership announcement

Cashless Innovation

J&C Pacific PayNet

06 August 2025 National Partnership

J&C Pacific Partners with PayNet to Revolutionise FMCG Promotions via the GiftsMart™ AI WhatsApp Platform

KUALA LUMPUR, 6 August 2025 — J&C Pacific Sdn Bhd has entered into a strategic collaboration with Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet), the national payments network and operator of the MyDebit scheme, to modernise the way FMCG campaigns are executed in Malaysia.

At the heart of this collaboration is GiftsMart, a proprietary AI-powered redemption platform developed by J&C Pacific. Designed to automate and digitise the entire consumer promotion journey — from receipt submission to eligibility validation and gift fulfilment — GiftsMart offers brands a smarter, faster, and more transparent way to engage with their customers.

"This partnership with PayNet is a major milestone in our mission to transform how retail campaigns operate. With GiftsMart, we are eliminating outdated manual processes and replacing them with AI and intelligent automation that enhance efficiency, transparency, and customer experience — all while encouraging greater adoption of cashless payments through MyDebit."
— CK Lee, Chief Executive Officer, J&C Pacific

How It Works

Purchases made using MyDebit are eligible for reward redemption on the GiftsMart platform.
Users submit their MyDebit transaction receipts through GiftsMart and meet specific campaign criteria.
Future expansion to support DuitNow QR as an eligible payment method.

"Digital innovation is the key to unlocking new value in consumer engagement. Through this collaboration, MyDebit users can enjoy a more seamless and digitised reward redemption experience. This initiative not only enhances the user experience but also supports our broader mission to drive digital adoption and promote a cashless economy in Malaysia."
— Gary Yeoh, Chief Marketing Officer, PayNet

About Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet)

PayNet is Malaysia's national payments network with a mission to accelerate the country's payment flows. Its comprehensive retail payments suite includes DuitNow, JomPAY, FPX, MyDebit, MEPS, and IBG — forming a core part of daily life in Malaysia. Visit www.paynet.my

Source View official press release on PayNet.my