Morning Brief

The Youth and Sports Ministry has introduced new SOPs for organising concerts, aimed at curbing drug abuse. The measures include deploying a medical team for emergency cases and displaying trailer messages about the dangers of drugs. To discuss these SOPs, we’ll be speaking with Rahul Kukreja, Director of Talent Booking at RK Live Asia - a concert promoter and talent booking agency. Image Credit:...

The Madani government’s proposed two-term limit for the Prime Minister and revived political financing bill, signal major reform efforts. With no automatic extension to state leaders and ongoing consultations, concerns persist over enforcement, and political will. How might these reforms shape governance in Malaysia? Giving his perspective is Professor Wong Chin Huat, Deputy Head of Strategy, Asia...

With the U.S imposing up to 145% tariffs on Chinese imports and China retaliating with 125%, the cost of American-made jets, including the Boeing 737 MAX, has surged, leading to delivery delays and even returns to the U.S. Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Aviation Consultant at Frost & Sullivan shares his analysis on the impact of these developments on the global aviation outlook. Image Credit: Shutters...

Advance estimates by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia’s GDP growth slowed to 4.4% in the first quarter of this calendar year, easing from 5% in the previous quarter. What contributed to this slowing expansion of our economy, and how might our GDP numbers be impacted by global volatility, especially US tariffs? We get some thoughts from Lavanya Venkateswaran, Senior ASEAN Economist, OCBC. Ima...

US Vice-President JD Vance is currently in India, on a high-profile trip that blends high-stakes trade talks with family sightseeing. Can the visit pave the way for a bilateral trade deal that would avoid the worst of tariffs for India? We discuss what’s at stake for India-US relations with Dr. Amintendu Palit of the National University of Singapore. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.c...

Crude palm oil futures have seen a softening this month, as the threat of higher US tariffs raises concerns over weakening demand for the edible oil. How are industry players navigating the uncertainty? We discuss the outlook for the palm oil sector with Alvin Tai of Bloomberg Intelligence. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will create a special task force with the Economy Ministry to supervise projects approved by the Ministry at the state and district levels to ensure transparency, curb corruption, misappropriation, and abuse of power. Dr. Tricia Yeoh, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Nottingham Malaysia's School of Politics & International Relations...

Japan, first in line with trade talks with the US, ended without any conclusion despite the surprise participation of President Donald Trump. What impact will this have on their economy as they face twin pressures of slowing growth and rising inflation? For more insights, we’ll be speaking with Stefan Angrick, Head of Japan Economics at Moody’s Analytics. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystu...

Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim met with Myanmar junta chief General Min Aung Hlaing in Bangkok last week. Could this overture open the gate for further progress in finding a solution to the civil war in Myanmar that has gone on for 4 years? We discuss the implications with Moe Thuzar of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Amid the ongoing trade tensions, Malaysian SMEs are facing significant challenges with the potential introduction of a 24% U.S tariff, in addition to the 10% blanket tariff.  We speak to Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) on how SMEs are navigating the turmoil and the actions needed from the government to mitigate the economic impact. Image Cr...

As transatlantic ties come under strain due to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats, China hawks within the European Union are beginning to show a willingness to rethink the bloc’s relationship with Beijing. Initially, will the two foes unite against the greater enemy that is the Trump administration? We discuss this with Dr. Frederick Kliem, Director of Southeast Asia at the Economist Intel...

Malaysia and China renewed their commitment to jointly promote regional as well as global prosperity and stability during the state visit of President Xi Jinping this week. What were the key takeaways from the 3-day visit and how will it shape bilateral relations moving forward? Bunn Nagara of the Renaissance Strategic Research Institute weighs in.  Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystud...

Motorcyclists make up over 60% of road fatalities in Malaysia, with heavy vehicle accidents also a major concern. The government is considering dedicated motorcycle lanes and stricter regulations for lorries. UPM Vice-Chancellor Dato’ Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan weighs in on the impact of these proposed measures. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara Malaysia's latest monetary policy statement has shown that central headline inflation eased from 1.7% in January to 1.5% in February 2025, while core inflation, which excludes volatile items like fresh food, inched higher to 1.9% in February 2025 compared with 1.8% in January. Ahmad Mohd Ripin the Deputy Director, Monetary Policy Department of Bank Negara Malaysia explains the disconne...

Singapore has dissolved its parliament and will head to the polls on May 3rd. PAP Leader, Lawrence Wong faces his first test against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and rising cost of living. James Gomez, Regional Director of the Asia Centre tells us how the election will pan out and the issues that will arise. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

Meta is facing a historic antitrust trial that could force the tech giant to sell off Instagram and WhatsApp, despite Mark Zuckerberg's efforts to charm the US President. What is the Trump administration's strategy in regulating the tech sector? We discuss this with Dr Kathryn Robison of the University of Sydney. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two days after the announcement of US President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, Beijing ordered a ban of seven rare earth elements unless companies have a special license to do so. Since these rare earth elements and products are crucial for multiple manufacturing industries, can Malaysia seize this opportunity and move up the rare earth value chain? We discuss this with Gloria Lin, Resea...

The global semiconductor industry is entering a critical phase, amid escalating US-China tensions, driven by Washington tightening export controls as well as prohibitive tariffs. Masahiro Wakasugi of Bloomberg Intelligence breaks down the cost pressures, supply chain shifts, and strategic pivots plus what comes next for giants like ASML and Nvidia. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com...

Today marks China President Xi Jinping’s second day of his three-day official visit to Malaysia. What do both countries hope to achieve, especially considering the ongoing trade war and tariff storm? Professor Shandre Mugan Thangavelu, Head of the Jeffrey Cheah Institute for Southeast Asia, Sunway University shares his thoughts. Image Credit: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Sabah gears up for its 17th state election, political alliances are shifting. Sabah UMNO Chief Bung Moktar, announced BN’s alignment with PH. While PKR and DAP back the move, they want clarity on BN’s ties with GRS. Ariff Adi Putera Anwar, Research Associate from the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) unpacks what’s driving this realignment. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio....

US Treasuries suffered a five-day selloff last week, with 10-year US bonds yields surging to their highest in over 20 years, as markets were whipsawed by President Donald Trump’s shifting trade policies. While treasuries have somewhat rebounded since, can these gains be sustained? We discuss the outlook for the US and Asian bond markets with Winson Phoon of Maybank Investment Bank. Image Cred...

As the U.S. considers new tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals, Malaysia is preparing for potential supply disruptions. In response, the government is exploring alternative sources from China and India to lessen reliance on U.S. imports. We discuss the implications and next steps with Prof. Amrahi Buang of the Malaysia Pharmacists Society. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener...

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry has downgraded its GDP growth forecast for 2025 to 0 to 2 percent, from its previous projection of 1 to 3 per cent. At the same time, MAS has eased its monetary policy. Khoon Goh, Head of Asia Research, ANZ tells us what this means for the island city economy and what can they do to mitigate the impact of tariffs. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnyst...

Malaysia’s 5G rollout has officially reached 82% coverage in populated areas, but the quality and consistency of internet service, especially in underserved and even urban fringe zones remains a core issue. In response, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil recently issued an ultimatum to telcos to propose concrete solutions to internet access gaps - what are the problems that need to be...

Banking stocks in Malaysia and Singapore are under pressure as analysts issue downgrades amid concerns of weaker loan growth and higher credit costs, brought on by the global trade war that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs started. Sarah Jane Mahmud, a senior industry analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence shares her insights into how regional banks may be bracing for a potential slowdown. Image Cre...