Morning Brief

Shares of Malaysian listed glove makers, including Top Glove, Hartalega, and Kossan Rubber, have each shed around 50% since the start of the year. Oong Chun Sung, Equity Research Analyst, RHB Investment Bank tell us if it's time to bottom fish or should we remain underweight the sector ahead of the existing headwinds. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Things are looking increasingly challenging for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba following the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s loss of control in the Upper House elections. William Pesek, columnist for Nikkei Asia, weighs in on the mounting pressures facing Japan, especially with the August 1 deadline for US tariff negotiations approaching. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener...

Advance estimates by the Statistics Department show that Malaysia’s economy grew by 4.5% in the second quarter compared to a year earlier. Helping us unpack how the economy performed and what lies ahead with a potential tariff storm is Woon Khai Jhek, Head of Economic Research and Senior Economist at RAM Ratings. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Chief Justice of Malaya, Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, has finally been appointed after weeks of speculation, but vacancies remain within the country’s judicial system. Dato’ Sri M. Ramachelvam, lawyer and President of the National Human Rights Society, discusses the importance of maintaining judicial integrity and avoiding leadership vacuums in moments of transition like this. Image Cre...

Datuk Ir. Ahmad Fauzi Hassan, Advisory Board Member of the Malaysian Energy Professionals Association, discusses the growing problem of electricity theft linked to illegal cryptocurrency mining, as well as Tenaga Nasional Berhad’s (TNB) newly introduced electricity tariff system. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is facing mounting pressure to reform its water sector amid rising costs, ageing pipes, and climate volatility. S Piarapakaran, President of the Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (AWER), talks about the challenges of non-revenue water and infrastructure backlogs, even as the government reviews water tariffs in 10 states. Image Credit: shutterstock.com See om...

International student enrollment continues to lag behind targets, even as Kuala Lumpur secured 12th place in the 2026 QS Best Student Cities ranking. Economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams, Founder of Williams Business Consultancy, discusses the challenges facing the sector, despite a rise in students from China. Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

With just two weeks to go before the extended tariff deadline, Malaysia may be forced to accept a one-sided trade agreement. Business writer Pankaj C. Kumar weighs in on what’s at stake for Malaysia and why, in the end, these tariffs could backfire on the American economy. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world's largest publicly traded dating app companies have seen a drop in earnings and paid subscriptions, reflecting a shift in consumer behaviour resulting in a structural slowdown in user engagement. Nicole D’Souza from Bloomberg Intelligence breaks down what’s behind the slowdown, which platforms are still standing strong, and how AI might shape the future of online dating. Image Credit: Sh...

With the Freedom of Information Act set to be tabled by year’s end, Dr. Punitha Silivarajoo, Deputy Director General (Policy & Development) at the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister’s Department, discusses what it will take for the legislation to deliver true transparency and empower the rakyat with meaningful access to public information. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/...

The tech sector is still running hot with generative AI igniting unprecedented gains and propelling giants like Nvidia to new highs. Jonathan Curtis, CIO of Franklin Equity Group, talks to us about how with valuation as elevated as they are now, are there still legs to this rally? Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country is still waiting for the appointment of Malaysia's top judges. We ask Ragunath Kesavan, Former President, Malaysian Bar Council & Commissioner, SUHAKAM if there is a current judicial crisis and what should the priorities of this Madani government be to resolve the issues. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump is now threatening 100% tariffs on Russia and its trade partners unless the Ukraine war ends within 50 days, a 180° turn from his praises of President Vladimir Putin previously. Dr Alexey Muraviev, Associate Professor in National Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin University, for insights into the shifting dynamics of this global conflict. Image Credit: Shutterstock.co...

As global technology trade intensifies, Malaysia is reinforcing its position as a critical, trusted hub in the semiconductor supply chain. Farlina Said, Senior Analyst at ISIS Malaysia, highlights essential factors namely robust enforcement and seamless industry transition in the implementation of the strategic trade permit on all US-origin high-performance AI chips. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com...

China’s economy beat expectations with 5.2% GDP growth in the second quarter, buoyed by strong exports and robust industrial output. However, domestic demand remains weak and retail sales have disappointed. Gary Ng, a senior economist at Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking helps us sift through the numbers to see if Beijing can hit its full-year growth target of 5%. Image Credit: Shuttersto...

Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Ghani has been tasked with temporarily overseeing the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability following the resignation of Nik Nazmi. With portflios seemingly at odds, how can conflict of interest and dilution of priorities be avoided? Meenakshi Raman, President, Sahabat Alam Malaysia tells us. Image Credit: shu...

Singapore’s economy grew by 4.3% year-on-year in Q2 2025, beating expectations and avoiding a technical recession.  The rebound was driven by strong manufacturing and services performance but are there downside risks to growth for the rest of the year? Selena Ling, Chief Economist, OCBC Bank gives us her perspective whilst weighing in on whether Singapore economic model is at risk with the th...

As the federal government allocates billions of ringgit to development projects in Sabah, alongside state efforts to reclaim 40% of its revenue rights; how might these moves reshape Sabah's economic landscape? For insights, we turn to Ariff Adi Putera Anwar, Research Associate at the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) Image Credits: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Amid ongoing economic pressures, Indonesia is launching ambitious plans to boost growth and resilience, such as mass housing projects and free school meals. Challenges like weak consumer spending and tight banking liquidity continue to weigh on its outlook. Lionel Priyadi, Head of Research, PT Mega Capital Sekuritas, shares his analysis. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump sent letters threatening steep tariffs on several countries — including key ally Japan. So, what went wrong, given that Japan was one of the first countries to engage in trade negotiations with the Trump administration? For insights, we speak with William Pesek, Columnist at Nikkei Asia. Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listene...

EU member states are ramping up defence spending to meet ambitious new targets, even as they face mounting fiscal pressures and geopolitical uncertainty. Dr. Benjamin Barton, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, examines the bloc’s internal cooperation and its capacity to respond to potential threats from Russia. Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/...

Public service outsourcing has been a longstanding practice in Selangor, but questions remain about whether these arrangements truly deliver value for money. We speak with Dr. Afif Bahardin, Taman Medan Assemblyman, to explore where improvements are needed and how to make these partnerships more effective. Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, US President Donald Trump nominated Australian-born conservative commentator Nick Adams  as the next US ambassador to Malaysia which has raised eyebrows. We speak to Dato' Dr Ilango Karuppannan, retired Malaysian ambassador and geopolitics & ASEAN analyst for his views on what the roles, responsibilities and qualities are needed of any ambassador be it appointed or career. Imag...

The government's MyKiosk initiative may have started with good intentions, but its patchy implementation and the number of vacant units highlight deeper issues in how support for small businesses is designed and delivered. Chin Chee Seong, President of the SME Association of Malaysia, weighs in on the challenges and the potential solutions that could emerge from the MyKiosk experience. Image Credi...

The Malaysian Bar’s peaceful walk titled “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” on July 14 comes amid unexplained delays in judicial appointments and growing concerns over potential interference in the judiciary. In June 2022, the Bar organised a similar walk to defend judicial independence. Helping us better understand the broader significance of judicial independence is Anand Raj, Vice Presid...