Morning Brief

Malaysia is formalising hybrid work in the civil service, with public sector employees set to work from home two days a week from August 1. The move reflects a broader shift in workplace expectations, but also raises questions about productivity, talent retention, and whether private sector employers, particularly SMEs, can keep pace. As flexible work becomes a permanent feature of the employment...

The LRT3 Shah Alam Line is set to begin full operations soon, adding 37km of new rail connectivity across the Klang Valley and promising major improvements. Dr Prodyut Dutt, Group Chief Operating Officer for Strategy & Development at Prasarana Malaysia Bhd talks about what commuters and expect and the big question why it took so long to complete. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/l...

Malaysia has passed major amendments to the Road Transport Act, introducing higher fines, stronger enforcement powers, and new offences such as illegal racing. Dato' Professor Dr Ahmad Farhan Sadullah, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia, breaks down what these changes got right while enforcement still remains fragmented. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Bank lending across Southeast Asia is expected to slow as weaker global trade, higher interest rates, and persistent inflation weigh on credit demand. While banks in markets such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia have remained relatively resilient, rising asset quality risks and softer loan growth are clouding the outlook. As economic conditions become more challenging, which banking systems a...

The United States is expanding its Pax Silica initiative to strengthen supply chains for semiconductors, critical minerals, and other technologies essential to AI. As more countries join the network, the initiative is increasingly viewed as part of the broader strategic competition with China rather than simply an effort to improve supply chain resilience. What does this mean for global trade, and...

Malaysia's inflation rate remained relatively stable at 2 percent in May, with RHB forecasting inflation to average 2.1 percent this year. But beneath the headline numbers, producer prices have surged, raising questions about whether businesses can continue absorbing higher costs and how long inflation can remain contained. We discuss the outlook for prices, policy and the risks ahead with Barnaba...

Parliament has tabled the Cybercrimes Bill 2026, overhauling the nearly three-decade-old Computer Crimes Act and expanding the scope of cyber offences to include identity theft, AI-generated deepfakes and digital fraud, while imposing tougher obligations on service providers. Kenny Lam, a partner at RDS Law Partners, talks about the key provisions in the legislation as well as what it got right an...

Malaysia is revisiting key parts of its legal framework, from how criminal prosecutions are conducted to how future lawyers qualify for practice. Parliament is debating a revised bill to separate the roles of Attorney-General and Public Prosecutor, a move aimed at strengthening prosecutorial independence and public confidence in the justice system. Separately, the government is studying a new Bar...

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's decision to make Malaysia his first official overseas destination signals an effort to deepen ties beyond the traditional focus on migrant labour. While labour mobility remains central to the relationship, recurring concerns over recruitment practices, worker welfare, and market access have strained bilateral cooperation for years. With both countries now...

A recent report by Kenanga Investment Bank revealed that that 17% of Malaysian publicly listed companies have undertaken share buybacks over the last two years, while in terms of value buybacks are only 2% the size of dividends on Bursa. Why aren’t buybacks a more prevalent tool to retain investor interest? We examine the practice of share buybacks in Malaysia with Peter Kong, Head of Researc...

A decade after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, the debate over Brexit remains as divisive as ever. While supporters point to greater sovereignty, new trade agreements, and freedom from EU rules, critics argue that economic growth, investment, and political stability have all suffered. With public opinion shifting, UK-EU relations being recalibrated, and Britain's role in the...

MUDA has decided to scale back its slate from seven seats in 2022 to just four for the upcoming 16th Johor state election. Party president Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz discusses the strategy behind this decision as well as why she is stepping aside in the Puteri Wangsa constituency and endorsing a new candidate as well as MUDA's cooperation with Parti Sosialis Malaysia. Image Credit: Shutterstock See om...

Perikatan Nasional has held its supreme council meeting during which Bersatu attended despite coalition partner PAS, announced the end of their cooperation. New parties, formed from splinter groups of Bersatu were admitted to PN as well. Dr Azmi Hassan, senior fellow at Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, helps us sift through this chaos. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listene...

ASEAN and Russia have unveiled a new cooperation roadmap through 2030, covering trade, energy, food security, and digitalisation at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty. For countries such as Malaysia, the relationship presents opportunities in energy security, investment, and alternative trade arrangements, but also raises questions about sanctions risks and balancing ties with competing...

Malaysia's approach to vaping is back under scrutiny after a High Court ruling overturned the 2023 exemption that removed liquid nicotine from the Poisons List. While the government has appealed the decision, public health advocates argue the case highlights deeper concerns over youth vaping, enforcement gaps, and the balance between regulation and tax revenue. As policymakers weigh legal, health,...

Oil prices have retreated from a high of $US118 per barrel in April to around $80 following an interim deal between the US and Iran for a ceasefire and the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Will oil prices continue to trend lower or are there constraints on supply resumption? We discuss the outlook of the O&G sector with Aimi Nasuha Mohamad Nazri,Oil & Gas and Transport Analyst at AmInve...

Recent debates about the quality of our legislative branch of government, have focused on the quality of written parliamentary replies. A study by the Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research suggests that ministries often provide evasive answers, particularly when responding to more detailed questions from MPs. At the same time, MPs’ absenteeism from parliamentary sittings continues to...

Malaysia's consumer sector remains resilient, supported by low unemployment and steady retail sales growth. However, spending momentum is slowing as households become more cautious amid higher living costs and persistent inflation pressures. With companies facing rising costs across energy, logistics, and raw materials, investors are increasingly focused on which businesses can protect margins and...

With the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding Between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran just signed, a new set of issues will have to be resolved. The 14-point agreement is aimed at ending hostilities and allows the established a framework for further negotiations to commence. The deal signals some commitments including sanctions relief, access to frozen Iranian assets...

Following an approval from the Magistrate’s Court the condominium that toppled in 1993 is set to be demolished before the end of the year. This ends a tragedy that began 11 December that year, as one of the three blocks collapsed after a landslide triggered by continuous heavy rain, killing 48 people. The case is still widely cited in Malaysia’s construction and planning circles, especially when i...

With economic growth at 4.4% in the first quarter of 2026, April industrial production rising to 8.2% year-on-year, wholesale and retail trade sales increasing to 4.7% and total trade numbers hitting a record RM3.1 trillion ringgit last year, but May's manufacturing PMI slipping into contraction territory, what can be said about the direction of the economy. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystud...

The G7 Summit in France was intended to focus on long-term challenges such as AI governance, critical minerals, and economic resilience. Instead, attention shifted almost immediately to the surprise US-Iran peace breakthrough, which dominated discussions and reshaped the summit's agenda. While leaders still reached agreements on a range of strategic issues, the gathering raised a broader question:...

Buy Now, Pay Later services have become a mainstream part of consumer spending in Malaysia, prompting regulators to introduce new safeguards aimed at improving transparency, affordability checks, and consumer protection. While the industry argues that repayment rates remain strong, concerns persist over rising household debt, credit risk, and the growing role of BNPL in everyday borrowing. Will ti...

Emergency department overcrowding remains a chronic problem in Malaysia's public hospitals, driven by rising patient volumes, staffing shortages, and capacity constraints. The Health Ministry has now directed hospitals to develop plans to improve patient flow and reduce congestion within three months. As pressure on the healthcare system grows, what is causing these persistent bottlenecks, and wha...

Brent crude oil prices slumped on the news of an imminent ceasefire deal between the US and Iran as markets cheered the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. How soon can vessel traffic and oil supply normalise to pre-war levels? We discuss the outlook for global oil markets with Muyu Xu of Kpler. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.