Morning Brief

The Segamat area in Johor was hit by six earthquakes over the past week, raising concerns about whether Malaysian buildings, especially high-rise ones can withstand these seismic movements. Prof Dr Daniel Looi, Head of the School of Engineering at Sunway University, shares his thoughts on how Malaysian building laws address these issues, if at all. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com...

On Tuesday, the Federal Court unanimously dismissed a company’s application to reclaim part of a land acquired by the government about two decades ago for the Old Klang Road upgrade project. To help us understand the significance of this ruling, we speak to Aufa Radzi, Partner at the law firm Skrine. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia posted record second-quarter earnings, but its outlook is clouded by stalled China sales under U.S. export curbs. George Chen, partner and co-chair of the Digital Practice at The Asia Group, shares his take on the road ahead. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite an opposition walkout during the reading of the controversial Government Procurement Bill 2025, the bill was passed. Alissa Rode, Senior Manager for Research at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), pointed to loopholes in the bill, including provisions that concentrate procurement decisions in the hands of the Finance Ministry. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnyst...

In light of the Public Accounts Committee report highlighting land development issues in Kuala Lumpur, a group of MPs are pushing for local government elections to be revived in the capital city. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, MP for Setiawangsa details the rationale for the proposal. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Urban Renewal Bill promises faster redevelopment of ageing and unsafe buildings by lowering the consent threshold for property owners. Supporters say it’s a much-needed catalyst for urban regeneration, while critics warn it could open the door to abuse, displacement, and gentrification. Theebalakshmi Kunasekaran of the Khazanah Research Institute discusses the implications of the URA. Image Cr...

Thailand’s most influential political dynasty is once again under pressure. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has just been acquitted of lese majeste charges, while his daughter, current PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra, faces trial over a leaked conversation with Cambodia’s Senate President that has inflamed border tensions. Dr Michael Montesano of the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute discusses the Th...

Bank Negara Malaysia has introduced major enhancements to its Claims Settlement Practices Policy Document, aimed at simplifying procedures, improving service standards, and accelerating approvals for motor insurance claims. Lailatul Akma, Deputy Director, Consumer & Market Conduct Department, Bank Negara Malaysia explains how these changes can help Malaysian consumers. See omnystudio.com/...

The procurement of defence assets such as helicopters and warships has come under scrutiny following recent corruption scandals. Marhalim Abas, a freelance writer on defence and national security issues, stresses that strong political will is essential to ensure transparency and credibility in the country’s defence acquisitions. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

FGV Holdings Bhd, a commercial arm of Felda, will be delisted from Bursa Malaysia this Thursday. This comes more than 13 years after its initial public offering (IPO) in 2012. What led up to this delisting, and what needs to be done for FGV to emerge from this as a better entity? We discuss this with Khor Yu Leng, Economist, Segi Enam Advisers. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/lis...

The summit between South Korea’s President Lee and U.S. President Trump resulted in a wave of corporate investments in the United States, alongside Seoul’s agreement to purchase 103 Boeing jets. Dr. Hoo Chiew Ping, Co-Founder of the East Asian International Relations Caucus, discusses the broader implications of the summit and its impact on South Korea’s economy. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See...

Malaysia is planning to offer incentives to property developers who adopt the "build-then-sell" policy, with the aim of eliminating abandoned projects by 2030. Dr Consilz Tan, Research Fellow at the Centre for Market Education, shares her views on what might make this work and who it ultimately benefits more : developers or buyers. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Geetha Ranganathan, Senior Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, highlights that streaming giants Disney, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery are starting to see results from their focus on sports and cost discipline. While earnings have improved, these companies are banking on bold bets to secure future revenue Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gig workers in Malaysia will soon gain access to labour rights previously reserved for formal employees under the proposed Gig Workers Bill 2025. The bill covers a wide range of roles including photographers, freelance journalists, care workers and sign language interpreters. Calvin Cheng, Director of Economics, Trade and Regional Integration at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies...

As Malaysia enters aged-nation status, the 13th Malaysia Plan introduces the National Ageing Blueprint, recognising long-term care as a national strategy for the first time. Chai Sen Tyng, Senior Research Officer at Universiti Putra Malaysia's Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (myAgeing), shares his insights into these latest developments for Malaysia’s ageing strategy. Image Credit: Shutters...

Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim signalled that Malaysia may re-establish a dedicated Ministry of Law. Could the establishment of this Ministry speed up the pace of institutional and legal reforms? We discuss with criminal lawyer Goh Cia Yee.  Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boeing is reportedly close to securing a landmark order of up to 500 aircraft from China, potentially its first major breakthrough in the country in years. Shukor Yusof, Founder and Primary Analyst at Endau Analytics, shares his view on Boeing’s prospects amid strained US-China ties, Asia’s aviation outlook and the future of the Boeing-Airbus duopoly. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio....

Dr. Renard Siew, Sustainability and Climate Change Specialist, discusses the significance of Malaysia’s first large-scale battery storage project, MyBeST. Designed to store solar-generated electricity, MyBeST is a critical step in enhancing grid stability and advancing the nation’s transition toward a low-carbon economy. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

The prospects for a Palestinian two-state solution appear increasingly bleak as Israel presses ahead with its military campaign to seize control of Gaza City while advancing a major settlement project that would sever the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Dr. James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, weighs in on how international powers are responding...

Woon Tai Hai, Advisor and Chair of Research at the National Tech Industry Association Malaysia (PIKOM), discusses the role of kill switches and highlights the careful balance required in implementing the National AI Action Plan, especially when it comes to regulation, ethics, and governance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s investment giant, Temasek Holdings, is reportedly mulling a major overhaul in a bid to improve returns and efficiencies. Dr Elsa Satkunasingam, Director and Senior Lecturer, Executive Education, Iclif Executive Education Center, Asia School of Business tell us what are the gold standards for sovereign funds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Putrajaya has decided to reopen foreign worker quota applications for selected sectors and subsectors to meet immediate industry need, sparking debate over its timing and implications. Adrian Pereira, Executive Director of the North South Initiative NGO talks to us about the shortcomings of Malaysia's migrant workers policies and how to improve them. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.c...

China’s infrastructure sector is facing headwinds due to a policy shift away from large-scale projects and toward consumption and technology, while also grappling with financial constraints and a property market downturn. We get an outlook of the sector from Denise Wong, Equity Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The statistics are very telling - Malaysia has nearly 11,000 patients currently waiting for life-saving transplants, and while over 400,000 Malaysians have pledged to donate their organs, only 46 posthumous donations were recorded last year. Dr Hasdy Haron, Deputy Director of the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC), outlines the challenges. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

The public outcry over Zara Qairina’s death underscores the urgent need to safeguard children who face criminal charges. Dr. Farah Nini Dusuki, the Children’s Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), stresses that under the Child Act 2001, the protection of minors is non-negotiable even when they are accused of serious offences. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystud...