Morning Brief

Technical and vocational training and education (TVET) tend to be overlooked despite growing demand for such skills. We catch up with P Sailanathan, President, Federation of JPK Accredited Centers Malaysia on how TVET institutions are coping with the MCO and fundamental problems that hamper their growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hani Raihan Ikhwan, Vice President of Public Relationship, Remisiers' Association of Malaysia discusses the profile of individual investors who have started trading heavily since the MCO started, and what they need to be aware of about the markets. Image Source: www.distel.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a new Covid-19 outbreak in the Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland has had to close again after a month as social distancing measures return. On the flip side, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened in Florida despite the state reporting more than 15,000 cases last Saturday. Keeping in mind that the crisis has already cost Walt Disney $1.4 billion in lost profits in t...

Shahrul Nizar Ahmad, Committee Member, Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Parks and Family Attractions (MAATFA) describes how bad the situation has been for theme parks during the MCO, and developments including SOPs going forward. Image Credit: Mohd Rasfan / AFP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Day 1 of Parliament saw the removal Tan Sri Mohammad Ariff Yusof as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker by a narrow vote majority of 111 votes in favour of the motion, and 109 votes against. We then saw Deputy Speaker, Datuk Nga Kor Ming, resign before a motion to remove him could be voted on, and Former Election Commission Chair Datuk Azhar Harun be sworn in as the new Dewan Rakyat Speaker, without being vo...

Malaysia has raised the poverty line income (PLI) from RM980 to RM2,208, meaning the number of households considered poor has increased from about 25,000 to 400,000. Hawati Abdul Hamid, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute makes sense of these numbers and what it means for policymakers. Image Credit: Manan Vatsyayana / AFP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has raised the poverty line income (PLI) from RM980 to RM2,208, meaning the number of households considered poor has increased from about 25,000 to 400,000. Hawati Abdul Hamid, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute makes sense of these numbers and what it means for policymakers. Image Credit: Manan Vatsyayana / AFP See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International students are uncertain if they should return to or enter universities in the fall due to public health concerns. Nick Hillman, Director, Higher Education Policy Institute discusses the issues and sentiments on the ground. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first full Parliamentary sitting of the Perikatan Nasional government is set to see several landmark motions tabled- including a motion to replace the Dewan Rakyat Speaker and one of the Deputy Speakers. We speak to Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute for some insight into the political dynamics informing the sitting, as well a...

On the back of the pandemic, the world has increasingly turned to digital and virtual methods to communicate as physical distancing and movement restrictions guidelines were put in place. This has also been adopted by public listed companies in order to hold their AGMs, however there have been some concerns that virtual AGMs may be a hurdle to the voices of shareholders, particularly with regards...

The People’s Action Party (PAP) retained power once again but with a lower percentage of popular votes, one of its worst election results while Prime Minister in waiting, Heng Swee Keat only won by a slim majority of 53% of votes in the East Coast GRC. Michael Barr, Associate Professor, Flinders University, and expert in Singapore politics and history, discusses the results and its implicati...

Every sector has been impacted by Covid 19 including the general insurance industry. With written premiums under pressure especially since auto sales will be weak, we speak to Antony Lee , Chairman , General Insurance Association of Malaysia (PIAM) on how they intend to pivot in the new normal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if a second wave of Covid wasn't enough, a cabinet reshuffle, plunging economy and a resurgent baht are conspiring to further derail Thailand's growth engine. So what's the Land of Smiles to do? Charnon Boonnuch, Asean Economist, Nomura, offers one view. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As if a second wave of Covid wasn't enough, a cabinet reshuffle, plunging economy and a resurgent baht are conspiring to further derail Thailand's growth engine. So what's the Land of Smiles to do? Charnon Boonnuch, Asean Economist, Nomura, offers one view. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every sector has been impacted by Covid 19 including the general insurance industry. With written premiums under pressure especially since auto sales will be weak, we speak to Mohamad Fadzli Hassan, President , Majlis Belia Felda Malaysia on how they intend to pivot in the new normal. Source: Bernama Images See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Census 2020 is here, and for the first time, it'll be done electronically. Professor Nur Ain Shahrier, Professor of Economics, Sunway University, explains its mechanics, and what the data spells for public development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amidst alls for GLCs to lead an economic recovery post Covid-19, lingering concerns over a lack of governance and political patronage remain. Prof. Edmund Terence Gomez, Professor of Economics, University Malaya explains. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Technology related stocks have been soaring not only in the US but in China. Chelsey Tam, Analyst at Morningstar gives us her opinion on Tencent and Alibaba, the juggernauts of the Chinese technology. She weighs in on the difference between the two and which is a better buy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the U.S. stocks have been generally rising steadily despite concerns that we may see a reimposition of COVID-19 restrictions now that cases have been rising around the country. We speak to Grant Bowers, Vice President and Portfolio Manager of Franklin Templeton about this disconnect, as well as the prospects of economic recovery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara Malaysia announced it is cutting the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points to a record low of 1.75% -- marking the fourth straight cut. The central bank's dovish statement remarked that the impact of the pandemic on the global economy has been “severe.” We speak to Julia Goh for her reactions and outlook on the Malaysian economy for 2020. See omnystudio.com/listene...

The political grapevine has murmured: Malaysia might go to the polls, potentially giving the country the policy and leadership stability it so badly needs. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs, discusses the ramifications. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, President of Malaysia Employers Federation weighs in on the recent government decision to freeze the hiring of foreign workers and the impact it has on businesses. We also ask him how dependent we are as a nation on foreign labour and is that the reason why innovation and productivity is low? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore's People's Action Party is going for its 15th-straight term in office as the city state heads to the polls. But this time it's different: the pandemic means campaigning is strictly social media. And all 93 seats are being contested. So will it be a PAP procession? Or its Waterloo?  Nydia Ngiow of Bower Group Asia in Singapore elaborates. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

In the Covid 19 era with the relaxation of the movement control order, can tourism be revived for Penang? A pertinent question we ask YB Yeoh Soon Hin, State Assemblyman for Paya Terubong and Chairman of Penang Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee especially in light of George Town World Heritage City Day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellian Wiranto, Economist at OCBC Bank gives us his forecast of Malaysia's GDP and what sectors will drive recovery and which will not for 2020. He also weighs in on whether Bank Negara will cut the Overnight Policy Rate from the current 2% at July's Monetary Policy Committee or will they keep their powder dry if the economy weakens further especially post the loan moratorium in September. See om...