Morning Brief

Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad have both tendered their resignation from their respective ministerial positions following their losses at the PKR internal elections. Dr Azmi Hassan of the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research joins us to unpack the political implications of these developments. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After applying for membership in 2011 and gaining observer status in 2022, Timor-Leste is set to become ASEAN’s 11th member this October. Despite challenges such as poverty and dependence on oil exports, can this young nation transform its membership into meaningful opportunities for itself and the region? To get insights on this, we speak with Chua Tian Chang, Director of Connect Timor. Image Cre...

A recent report by the Center for Market Education highlighted that migration presents investment opportunities, as governments across the world seek to maximise their tax base and stimulate their economies. We’ll be speaking with the author of the publication himself, Emile Phaneuf, Research Associate at the consulting firm, to discuss the benefits and challenges of investment migration in ASEAN....

Asian markets have been in a flux recently with geopolitical tensions and tariff uncertainty. This was also felt in the bond market with yields rallying in Japan but what are the investment opportunities in this part of Asia? Christy Tan, Investment Strategist, Franklin Templeton Institute tells us her perspective. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s fiscal deficit narrowed by 17% in the Q1 of 2025, talks that a RON95 subsidy rationalisation may soon be happening and the ringgit strengthening the most in recent years. Yet the road ahead looks far from smooth. Dr Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, Chief Economist at Bank Muamalat, discusses these issues. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s economy shrank 0.6% in the first quarter, prompting recession concerns. Its banks may be showing early signs of strain as DBS, OCBC and UOB reported narrowing net interest margins. Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence discusses the earnings trajectory of Singapore’s top banks amid current headwinds. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/liste...

Kuala Lumpur has seen a flurry of activity over the past few days with the 46th ASEAN Summit and related events taking place. We speak to Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Bureau Chief for the Straits Times for his observations of the high-level gathering and the expected outcomes. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PKR has chosen its new national leadership line-up, with Nurul Izzah Anwar defeating incumbent Dato’ Seri Rafizi Ramli for the post of deputy president, and a shake-up among elected vice-presidents. What does this mean for the direction of the party moving forward? We get analysis from Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Centre. Image Creit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

After Sarawak’s recent push for greater autonomy, Penang is ramping up its own efforts to gain more control over its finances and governance by reactivating a committee on state-federal relations. This move highlights growing demands for a fairer share of resources to support the state’s development goals. YB Gooi Hsiao Leung, State Assemblyman for Bukit Tengah shares his insights on this matter....

Asian currencies, including the ringgit, are riding a wave of strength, buoyed by a sliding US dollar and improved regional sentiment. Christopher Wong, FX Strategist at OCBC, joins us to unpack the drivers behind the rally, from US fiscal concerns to China’s policy stance, and whether this momentum can last. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump’s $3.8 trillion tax bill narrowly cleared the House, exposing deep Republican divides over cuts to Medicaid and food aid. Despite GOP control, unity is fragile. As the bill heads to the Senate, questions remain over who benefits—and who pays the price. Sharing her insights is Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney. Image...

PKR members will vote today for a new central party leadership with key positions including the deputy presidency and vice-presidencies being contested. Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, shares his perspectives, especially on the hotly contested deputy president post vying incumbent Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli against Nurul Izzah Anwar. Image Credit: Shutte...

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg appear to have buried the hatchet on the Petros-Petronas dispute, signing a joint declaration this week on the collaborative framework between the two entities. But does this fully resolve the friction between Putrajaya and Kuching on oil and gas rights? We get reactions from Dr. Tricia Yeoh of the University of...

The 46th ASEAN Summit is set to kick off in Kuala Lumpur from May 23 to 28, with Malaysia as chair. The regional gathering comes at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics and an uncertain economic outlook. We speak to Dr. Khoo Ying Hooi from Universiti Malaya about expectations for the summit Malaysia's chairmanship of ASEAN. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

This week, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te marked his first year in office amid increased political polarisation and heightened tensions with Beijing. How is Lai addressing the internal and external pressures? Brian Hioe of New Bloom Magazine weighs in on the president's performance.  Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister Azalina Othman has renewed calls to raise the retirement age to 65, citing seniors’ desire to keep working. As Malaysia’s population ages and its workforce tightens, can reform balance worker choice, fiscal pressure, and youth opportunity? Joining us is Chai Sen Tyng, Senior Research Officer at the Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (myAgeing), Universiti Putra Malaysia. Image Credits...

Trade ties between the UK and Europe have been at best, strained, since Brexit happened and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has just inked a landmark deal with the EU aimed at restoring stability in trade, energy, and cross-border travel. Dr Benjamin Barton, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, discusses what this means in today's geopolitical climate. Image Credit: Shuttersto...

P. Gunasegaram, Independent Business Writer, offers his analysis of Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi’s renewed efforts to recover misappropriated public funds and institutionalise accountability. Close to 1,900 government-linked entities are now under audit, with a dedicated task force targeting systemic financial misconduct. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/li...

Despite the uncertainty created by tariff tensions, Chinese e-commerce players are proving resilient in first quarter earnings performance. That said, does the slowing retail sales growth of 5.1% point to tougher times ahead? We get updates on the outlook for Chinese online consumption with Catherine Lim of Bloomberg Intelligence.  Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

In the first quarter of 2025, Malaysia’s labour market expanded to 9.1 million jobs. Yet, a 2.1% vacancy rate persists, prompting questions about whether our youth are adequately prepared for today’s workforce demands. Helping us unpack this is Shazrul Ariff Suhaimi, Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Zeckqualine Melai, a teacher and researcher at Unimas Sarawak’s Faculty of Education, Language & Communication, shares her take on Sarawak’s move to pioneer free tertiary education for eligible residents from 2026. We unpack its potential impact, and whether access will truly be equitable as the initiative applies only to selected courses at state-run institutions. Image Credit: Shutterstock.c...

Last night, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a two-hour phone conversation on a possible truce between Russia and Ukraine, but no concrete commitments were made. This comes after Ukrainian and Russian officials met face-to-face in Istanbul for truce talks, which resulted in an agreement to return prisoners of war to each other. Dr Sonia Mycak, Research Fellow, ANU...

Malaysia’s entry ban last year left over 17,000 Bangladeshi workers in limbo, but a recent agreement has cleared the way for nearly 8,000 to enter. Will this mark a turning point in how migrant workers are treated? We speak with Alex Ong, Country Representative of Migrant CARE, on the reforms still needed and the road ahead. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Container traffic along transpacific routes is expected to spike sharply in the coming weeks, as companies accelerate shipments during the 90-day suspension of U.S.-China tariffs. To help us understand what this temporary trade truce means for the short-term shipping outlook, we speak with Chris Rogers, Head of Supply Chain Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence for his insights. Image Cre...

In a long-running legal saga that stems from 2015, the High Court last week struck out former Malaysian Merchant Marine Bhd (MMM) executive deputy chairman Datuk Ramesh Rajaratnam’s constitutional challenge of Malaysia’s insider trading law. Ranjit Singh, Partner at law firm Ranjit Singh & Yeoh helps unpack the key elements of the law and explains why white collar crime cases tend to be length...