Morning Brief

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra faces calls to resign after a leaked call led 69 MPs from Bhumjaithai to quit the coalition. Dr. Greg Raymond, Senior Lecturer, Australian National University joins us to discuss the potential outcomes from this political crisis. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 G7 Summit, held in Canada, brought together leaders from the world’s major economies to tackle pressing global issues including economic uncertainty, security threats, and climate change. However, the summit was overshadowed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s sudden early departure to address escalating tensions in the Middle East. We discuss the key takeaways from the summit with Paul Sams...

The government plans to make SOCSO contributions mandatory for gig workers by January 2026, starting with a 1.25% per-ride deduction. Jose Rizal, Chief Activist of the Malaysian eHailing Association (GEM), shares the reaction from drivers and riders to this change as well as what’s missing in the upcoming Gig Workers Bill. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

India’s economy expanded at a faster-than-expected annual rate of 7.4% in the quarter ending March but is the outlook dimmer for the rest of the year on the back of trade tensions and uncertain tariffs. Sanjay Mathur, Chief Economist for Southeast Asia and India, ANZ Bank gives us his perspective whilst telling us if India can be the next manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Image Credit: Shutte...

Malaysia has the second-highest road fatality rate in Asean with some statistics saying that a road accident occurs every 50 seconds. What makes Malaysian roads so dangerous - is it education, attitude or the lack of enforcement? Dr Law Teik Hua, Associate Professor, Universiti Putra Malaysia, highlights what the current issues are and what needs urgent reforms. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See...

The ASEAN Power Grid is shaping up to be a potential game changer for Southeast Asia’s energy future, aiming to connect national electricity grids and enable renewable energy to move more freely across borders. But what are the challenges to its implementation. Dr. Renard Siew, a Climate Change & Sustainability Expert gives us his perspective. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/...

The Isreal-Iran conflict has caused oil prices to surge since the attacks began last week but is there more upside to prices if there is an escalation? Vandana Hari, Founder & CEO, Vanda Insights tells us her perspective whilst weighing in on the fundamental demand-supply conditions of this black gold. Image Credits: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Online Safety Act 2024 has been passed and gazetted, with enforcement just around the corner. It is touted as a milestone in protecting Malaysians, especially children, from online harm but the law has also raised serious concerns about vague definitions and unchecked regulatory powers. Dr Benjamin Loh, Course Director for the Bachelor of Digital Media and Communication at Monash University Ma...

How liveable is Kuala Lumpur? Dato' Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Datuk Bandar of Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Hamdan Abdul Majeed, Managing Director of Think City and Cha-Ly Koh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of UrbanMetry join BFM’s Shazana Mokhtar to discuss what makes a city liveable, the challenges KL faces in this pursuit, and the potential solutions to move us closer to this goal. See omnystudio....

Warner Bros. Discovery will split into two firms to separate streaming from legacy TV, aiming to cut debt and boost flexibility. Meanwhile, Netflix’s strong quarter highlights its dominance as media companies face pressure to adapt or consolidate. Geetha Ranganathan, Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence gives us her insights on the media sector in the US. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnys...

As the Malaysian government prepares to expand the Sales and Service Tax (SST) on a variety of goods starting July 1st, many are concerned about how this will affect their ability to afford everyday staples, given that Malaysia relies heavily on food imports. Nik Syafiah Anis, Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute weighs in on the implications of the expanded tax on food security. Imag...

As tensions between Israel and Iran exploded into open conflict following Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and with Tehran responding in kind, concerns have surfaced if this could spiral into a full-blown regional war. Dr Shahram Akbarzadeh of Deakin University helps us unpack how we got here and what each side hopes to achieve and if there is still hope for a de-escalation. Image Cred...

Perikatan Nasional's unusual leadership structure is raising questions about who and which party is steering the coalition. We discuss the internal dynamics with political analyst Adib Zalkapli. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting July 1, Malaysia’s expanded SST will impact construction firms earning over 1.5 million ringgit, adding strain to an industry already facing cost hikes and labour shortages. Industry players like MBAM stress the need for clearer direction and stronger government support; we’ll speak to Oliver Wee Hiang Chyn, President of the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM). Image Credit: Shutt...

The delay as well as lack of transparency over decisions extending the tenure of the Chief Justice and other top judges is creating speculation that could affect public perception of judicial integrity. We speak to constitutional lawyer Dato' Malik Imtiaz Sarwar about the implications of this impasse for the Malaysian judicial system. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Fitch Ratings has downgraded its 2025 outlook for the APAC tech sector from 'neutral' to ‘deteriorating’ as global demand weakens and consumer confidence slips.  Steve Durose, Managing Director at Fitch Ratings weighs in on which companies could be most impacted. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jetstar Asia’s has just announced a sudden exit from Singapore skies raising alarm bells across the region’s aviation industry. However, AirAsia is looking to come out of PN17 status and wants to buy at least 100 Airbus planes. Brendan Sobie, an independent analyst and consultant at Sobie Aviation shares his insights into this very competitive sector. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio....

There was a deadly military clash last month near the Preah Vihear temple, claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia, which has once again spotlighted the unresolved border dispute between the neighbours. Sebastian Strangio, Southeast Asia Editor at The Diplomat, helps us understand the long-running dispute and if there might be a resolution to it. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/lis...

In Malaysia, palm oil stockpiles climbed to their highest level in eight months this May, while exports hit a six-month high but what does this mean for CPO prices? Alvin Tai, Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence gives us his perspective and weighs in how tariffs impact supply-demand dynamics. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has completed 10 key sub-strategies under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024–2028. Still, concerns persist over the slow pace of wider institutional reforms. Raymon Ram, President of Transparency International Malaysia, shares his insights on the effectiveness of these efforts and the road ahead. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio....

This week US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee suggested that "Muslim countries" should give up some of their land to create a future Palestinian state. Do his remarks indicate that the US is backing away from being the peace broker in the Middle East conflict?  Mohd Amirul Asraf bin Othman of the Australian National University (ANU) weighs in. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystu...

Malaysia's expanded Sales & Service Tax (SST) is set to take effect on July 1st and SMEs in the country are sounding alarm bells. Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small & Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA), joins us to discuss industry reactions, the push for a higher SST threshold and whether or not another GST regime might be a better option. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omn...

What initially started as small protests over raids by US Immigration & Customs Enforcement officers to round up undocumented migrants, has now erupted into explosive clashes involving the National Guard and military, called in unilaterally by President Donald Trump. Dr Adrian Ang, a research fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, explains the implications of these develop...

Following news that graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza had been recently barred from leaving Malaysia, despite no official travel ban being issued, questions have been raised about what authorities can or cannot do. Lawyer Kee Hui Yee from Kanesalingam & Co joins us to unpack the legal grounds for travel restrictions and what recourse individuals have when their constitutional rights are i...

The Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission had to hold a media briefing to clarify its Mobile Phone Data initiative, after the South China Morning Post reported that MCMC had ordered local telcos to hand over specific data that could be easily misconstrued as personal or private. Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder, SoyaCincau.com , shares his concerns despite MCMC insisting all data re...