Morning Brief

AI is projected to add USD$1 trillion to South East Asia's GDP by 2030. Piyush Jain, Technology, Media & Telecommunications Industry Strategy, Risk & Transactions Leader, Deloitte Southeast Asia tells us why important for there to be the right infrastructure in place to benefit from this and how countries can also help their local companies to thrive from this. Image Credit: Shutterstock.c...

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar last Friday, leaving more than 2,000 casualties and 3,900 injured victims in its wake. Relief efforts are still ongoing, and rescuers from several countries have joined local efforts to locate survivors. We speak to Jaw Tu Hkawng, freelance Journalist, legal advocate & activist to get a clearer picture of the situation on the ground. Image Credit: Shutter...

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was found via wastewater analysis in Lembah Subang on Wednesday. Just how dangerous can this ‘zombie drug’ be? Professor Dr. Vicknasingam Kasinather, Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia shares his insights on the matter. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra successfully passed a no-confidence vote, receiving support from 319 of the 488 lawmakers present. With allegations of economic mismanagement, foreign influence, and policy missteps, can she prove herself as a strong leader and maintain Thailand’s stability? Dr. Greg Raymond, Senior Lecturer, Australian National University shares his analysis on what’s ne...

Malaysia’s retail sector is rebounding ahead of Raya 2025, fueled by wage hikes, cash aid, and digital-first spending—especially in F&B and fashion. However, inflation, uneven rural recovery, and online fatigue may curb gains. Can retailers sustain this momentum beyond the festive boost, or is a post-Raya slowdown on the horizon? Michael Liew, Secretary-General, Malaysia Retail Chain Associati...

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD surpassed the 100 billion US dollar mark in sales last year, leapfrogging US-based Tesla. However, can it sustain this performance in light of the 25% tariff on auto imports announced by the Trump administration on Wednesday? To discuss this, we’ll be speaking with Joanna Chen, Asia Auto Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnyst...

The Madani Government is setting up a committee to review three major pieces of criminal legislation with an 18-month timeframe. What are the key areas of reform that need urgent attention? Lawyer Edmund Bon of AmerBON Advocates. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s Labor government unveiled fresh tax cuts worth tens of billions of dollars, along with other sweeteners, in its latest federal budget, just a month or two before an election is expected to be held. How might this affect the outcome of elections? We discuss the dynamics with Dr. Jill Sheppard of the Australian National University. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listen...

PlanMalaysia, under the Housing & Local Government Ministry (KPKT), is creating a unified app to ease EV charging location and access across providers in Malaysia. What are the pain points in charging that the app aims to address and what’s needed for this to be effective? We get thoughts from Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/lis...

A recent cyber attack on Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, has raised concerns about the security of critical infrastructure. With cyber-attacks becoming more frequent and complex, how can Malaysia enhance its cybersecurity measures and what should businesses implement on their end? CF Fong, Executive Chairman, LGMS Berhad gives us his perspective. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/l...

Fitch Ratings cut its forecast for global economic growth by 0.3 percentage points to 2.3% this year, adding that the expansion of the world’s economy will remain weak at 2.2% in 2026. We speak to one of the authors of this report as to what the impact will be on APAC economies. Alex Muscatelli, Director, Fitch Ratings’ Economics Team joins us. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/lis...

Bank Negara’s 2024 report shows labour productivity rose to 2.4%, but wage growth slowed to 2.9%. Despite a recovering job market, conservative wage-setting driven by economic uncertainties raises concerns. Questions remain about the minimum wage’s broader impact and issues in wage stagnation that could affect talent retention and competitiveness. Dr. Geoffrey Williams, an Economist, Founder &...

There have been talks of a potential cabinet reshuffle happening since the end of last year, and after Investment, Trade & Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz confirmed on the Breakfast Grille this month, that he would step down as a minister in mid-December, these rumours have found new life. Dr Syaza Shukri, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science & Madani...

Bank Negara highlights the need for structural reforms to address rising medical costs, warning of pressure on insurers' underwriting income. With premiums rising and claim payouts increasing, the Health Ministry is reviewing private hospital regulations to promote price transparency. Could this move help curb medical inflation and ensure more affordable healthcare and insurance for Malaysians? Ma...

Buy Now Pay Later transactions in Malaysia surged to RM7.1 billion in the second half of 2024. While Bank Negara says risks remain contained, concerns over consumer debt persist. The upcoming Consumer Credit Bill 2025 aims to tighten oversight and boost protection. We get some perspective from Shereen Hazirah Hishamudin, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute. Image Credit: Shutter...

Indonesia’s parliament has recently ratified a law allowing members of the military to hold more government roles. This has prompted protests over what is perceived as a threat to democracy. Erin Cook, a journalist for Southeast Asian Affairs, talks to us about what these revisions actually mean. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara has just released its 2024 annual, alongside the Economic & Monetary Review which showed Malaysia's economy demonstrating strong resilience, exceeding initial projections. Julia Goh, Senior Economist at UOB breaks down some of the findings of the report and what we can expect for the rest of 2025. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan, China, and South Korea met in Tokyo for their first economic talks in years, calling it a potential “turning point.” With global trade shifting and US-China tensions rising, the hope is to revive a stalled trilateral free trade deal. Is this real progress or just symbolic diplomacy? William Pesek, Columnist at Nikkei Asia joins us to share his insights and the broader implications. Image Cr...

The arrest and subsequent imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has sparked protests across Turkey. Some claim it is politically motivated, seeing his arrest as a move by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to silence his strongest rival. We unpack this with Dr. James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudi...

Malaysia is expected to become an ‘aged nation’ much sooner than previous estimates, posing critical challenges not only to economic activity but also to the capital market. Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder, Tradeview Capital explains why this is an issue and suggestions on how it rectified. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PM Anwar Ibrahim urges closure of unprofitable GLCs, citing unsustainable practices and calling for stricter monitoring. While acknowledging GLCs' non-profit goals like the Bumiputera agenda, he stresses profitability. Past reforms, sought improvements, but questions remain on ensuring GLC performance and avoiding losses. P Gunasegaram offers insights. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio...

The Securities Commission issued the Annual Report for 2024 showing that capital markets are in the pink of health. That however cannot be said for their financials. We speak to Pankaj C. Kumar, a business commentator if it’s time to relook at their fees and levies and what should be included in the new capital master plan. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia or FINAS Act 1981 is being revised to adapt to the changing film industry. The updates aim to modernize regulations, strengthen worker protections, and foster industry growth. We discuss the amendments needed with Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, CEO of FINAS. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s ‘Sekolah Angkat Madani’ initiative aims to have corporate and GLC partners adopt 500 public schools, guided by the Ministry of Education. As stakeholders push for clear frameworks that balance values and expertise, Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services, shares her insights on its potential impact. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

What does Israel gain from reneging on the ceasefire deal with Hamas brokered by US President Donald Trump? We discuss the developments in the war in Gaza with Prof. Amin Saikal of the Australian National University. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.