Morning Brief

The Ministry of Human Resources is piloting a One-Stop Centre in Penang to simplify services for workers and employers. Anthony Raja Devadoss, the country managing director for Korn Ferry Malaysia shares his insights on this development and what more needs to be done to support Malaysia’s evolving workforce. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian Bar supports a constitutional challenge against the Judicial Appointments Committee over concerns of executive influence. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun calls for reform to restore trust. Bar Council VP Anand Raj discusses how the case could impact judicial independence and shape Malaysia’s broader institutional reform agenda. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener f...

PKR has begun internal elections at the divisional level, ahead of central leadership polls on May 24. With party leaders holding top government roles, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, these elections may reflect shifts in Malaysia’s political landscape. Dr. Oh Ei Sun joins us to explore the broader implications. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Even as US President Donald Trump called for a 90-pause on US tariffs, he raised them to an eye-watering 145% on Chinese imports. In response, Beijing fired back with its own 125% tariffs on US goods. Todd Brighton, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager, Franklin Income Investors discusses whether this could be the end of free trade, and what strategies investors can consider adopting. Image Cr...

Are gloves in Malaysia one sector that benefits from these tariffs? After all, a proposed 24% tariff is vastly lower than the 145% rate imposed on China. But do rising costs, cautious buyers, and potential supply gluts add pressure to glove markets? Oon Kim Hung, President of MARGMA (Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association) joins us to share his insights on the issue and its broader impli...

Malaysia will be heading to Washington DC later this month to discuss the reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US, which have now been paused, with the original 24% tariff reduced to 10%. Liew Chin Tong, the Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade & Industry talks about the current situation and what Malaysia hopes to gain from the negotiation. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/liste...

The April 26 Ayer Kuning, Perak by-election tests Malaysia’s political coalitions, with BN, PN, and PSM contesting a BN stronghold. Analysts warn that low turnout or a split vote may reflect deeper disillusionment and influence future state election strategies. Prof. Azmi Hassan discusses its broader political implications. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Malaysia is the fifth largest exporter of liquified natural gas (LNG) and has ambitions to become an ASEAN hub for LNG. How much does this align with the nation's energy transition plans and low-carbon economy aims? We discuss the future of LNG in the energy sector with Dr. Renato Lima de Oliveira of ASB and IDEAS. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A US-China trade war has fully erupted, with sky-high tariffs coming into force from both sides. What impact will this have on China’s economy and will Beijing bring out its fiscal stimulus bazooka in response? We discuss this with economist Heron Lim of Moody’s Analytics. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz at a press conference, responded to the US-imposed 24% tariffs with five key measures to cushion the impact on the economy and export sectors. The strategy centres on export diversification and trade ties—but questions remain if it relies too much on short-term fixes over deeper structural trade challenges. Dr. Calvin Cheong, Vice Dean and Associate Pro...

The Housing Ministry has blacklisted 109 developers for failing to submit required reports on project progress and financials, undermining regulatory oversight. With persistent delays and abandoned projects, concerns grow over the effectiveness of existing checks. Dr. Joshua Netto, Immediate Past President of the Project Management Institute Malaysia Chapter, offers insights on whether deeper refo...

Vietnam was once a poster child of the "China Plus One" strategy as the nation became a popular destination for manufacturing giants wanting an inexpensive location and a skilled labour force. This followed US President Donald Trump's move to isolate Beijing during his first term in office. Daniel Moss, a Bloomberg opinion columnist, shares his take on how a second Trump presidency and its slappin...

The US has imposed a 24% reciprocal tariff on Malaysian imports, reduced from an earlier proposed 47% tied to trade imbalances. Key sectors—steel, aluminum, automobiles, and semiconductors—remain exempt. Malaysia has opted for diplomacy over retaliation, though growth projections have been revised downward. Azril Rosli, Economist at Maybank Investment Bank, shares his perspective on the long-term...

Bursa Malaysia saw 55 IPOs in 2024, marking a near-20-year high for the bourse. This has not gone unnoticed by Singapore companies with two receiving approval to list on Bursa Malaysia. We ask Wong Kar Choon, Disruptive Events Advisory Leader of Deloitte SEA-Malaysia if the pipeline is still strong in 2025 or are tariffs going to disrupt this. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/list...

Oil prices have dropped to a four-year low, driven by higher output from OPEC, the US, and Brazil. Concerns over China’s demand recovery and ongoing tariff tensions add to market uncertainty. Vandana Hari, Founder and CEO of Vanda Insights, joins us to discuss the outlook for oil prices. Image Credits: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is one of the biggest export destinations for Malaysia’s electrical and electronic products, and while our semiconductors have been exempted from the April 2nd tariffs, what knock on effects will we see affecting the sector? Although Malaysian semiconductors have been exempted from the US’s newly imposed 24% tariffs, broader concerns. remain. Discussing this with us is Andrew Chan, Director...

South Korea is at a crossroads following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-Yeol last Friday. With a snap election most likely set for June, the country is also facing rising tensions with the U.S. and the ongoing threat from North Korea. What lies ahead for South Korea? We delve into this with Prof. Donald Leslie Baker, Professor in the Asian Studies Department at the University of British Col...

Sabah unveiled the Rural Agricultural Economic Revolution (RAER), a six-year initiative anchored in agro-based development and rural empowerment, backed by RM10 million in funding. Targeting idle land utilisation, RAER aspires to uplift local economies. But gaps in infrastructure and coordination question its feasibility. We seek clarity from Adrian Lasimbang, Founder of TONIBUNG and President of...

President Trump’s sweeping tariffs are hitting Asia hard, with China, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia facing hefty levies going up as high as 49%. Selena Ling, the Chief Economist at OCBC Bank, breaks down the economic impact, the hardest-hit sectors, and how countries might fight back. Image Credits: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven of the world’s largest tech companies, which have already been experiencing a brutal quarter, were hit with another blow after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs set to disrupt their supply chains. While the Magnificent Seven had a stellar run in 2024, will they be able to sustain the rally in 2025 on the back of Trump’s tariffs? For answers, we’ll turn to Dan Ives, Manag...

Malaysia is rolling out AI-powered point-to-point speed monitoring to curb accidents but is enforcement really the best way to address road safety and to reduce accidents on our highways? Dr Law Teik Hua, Associate Professor at the Road Safety Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia shares his views on this and what more can be done for road safety. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio...

Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s far right National Rally party was convicted of embezzlement by a Paris Court on Tuesday. Is this truly the end of the road for Le Pen’s fight for French presidency, and who could take her place if her appeals fall through? We speak to Benjamin Barton, Head of School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham Malaysia for some insights. Im...

A minimum of 10% tariff on all exporters to the US will be imposed whilst additional duties will be slapped on 60 other countries. Preston Caldwell, Senior US Economist, Morningstar helps us breakdown what this annoucement means for the US economy and if this will cause the world's largest economy to slip into a recession. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

A powerful gas explosion in Putra Heights ignited a massive blaze that took hours to bring under control. The incident caused extensive damage, affecting over 200 homes and displacing more than 300 residents. Assemblywoman for Subang Jaya, Michelle Ng Mei Sze shares updates on the ongoing relief efforts and the investigation into the cause of the explosion. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnys...

Malaysia’s electoral map may shift dramatically—not through legislation, but as voters update their addresses. Tindak Malaysia highlights potential rises in Malay-majority, mixed, and even Orang Asli-majority seats, while Chinese-majority areas may shrink. This raises concerns about overcrowding, underrepresentation, and systemic readiness. Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director at Tindak Malaysia joins...