Morning Brief

The Cabinet has declassified the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into Tabung Haji, four years after it was completed in July 2022. The findings expose weak board oversight, ministers approving major investments without independent advice, and billions lost on problematic deals. We unpack what this reveals about governance at Malaysia's statutory bodies and whether the delay was about protecting...

Negeri Sembilan heads to the polls in a closely watched election that could reshape Malaysia's political landscape. Following months of political upheaval, the state's first electoral pact between Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional will be tested against Pakatan Harapan, while Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun risks his political future by contesting a long-held Umno seat. Which coalition will em...

Yesterday marked World Tiger Day, but beyond the conservation message lies a pressing financial challenge. Global conservation groups are calling for an additional $1 billion US dollars to protect tiger landscapes by 2034, while new financing tools are emerging to bridge that gap. But can innovative finance help secure the future of the Malayan tiger? Joining us this morning to discuss what's need...

FIFA's proposal to sell a stake in a new commercial entity holding the rights to the World Cup and other major tournaments has triggered a fierce backlash from football's governing bodies. While FIFA argues the move could unlock billions for grassroots development, critics warn it risks commercialising the game's biggest prize and concentrating even more power in the hands of private investors. Wh...

Malaysia's producer prices rose 9.2% in June, the fastest in four years, while consumer inflation stayed at just 1.9%. That gap is being absorbed somewhere, and it's mostly landing on small and medium businesses. We ask whether the government's proposed Economic Security Framework can realistically help an average SME diversify its supply chain or if that's still a big-company story. Image Credit:...

Voters in Negeri Sembilan cast their ballots this Saturday, and a new Vodus Research report shows Pakatan Harapan narrowly ahead of Barisan Nasional in vote share, though BN holds a clear edge in public trust. Dr Kelvin Goh, Founder and CEO of Vodus Research, takes us through what these numbers mean. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The southern Japanese island of Kyushu is dealing with the aftermath of a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens more. Several aftershocks were reported following the initial quake. His Excellency Noriyuki Shikata, the Ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, talks about the ongoing search and rescue efforts. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudi...

The government is due to announce whether the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Tabung Haji would be made public, 4 years after the investigation was concluded. We discuss the significance of this decision and the need for accountability with Arief Hamizan of the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4). Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

The surprise resignation of long-time Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo has raised questions about central bank independence at a time when the Prabowo Subianto administration is consolidating control over government institutions. How will the leadership uncertainty play out for the economy and markets? We discuss the outlook with Khoon Goh of ANZ Bank. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudi...

What began as an online satire has evolved into one of the most significant youth-led protest movements in India in recent years. The Cockroach Janta Party channelled frustration over unemployment, examination scandals, and government accountability, culminating in the resignation of the education minister after weeks of demonstrations. Does this mark a turning point in how India's younger generat...

The roar of Formula 1 engines is set to return to the Sepang International Circuit, after the Bahrain Grand Prix was confirmed to be moving there due to the conflict in West Asia. Dato’ Razlan Razali, former CEO of Sepang International Circuit, talks to us about the challenges and the positive spin-offs we can expect when the race is staged this October. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.c...

Malaysia and Hong Kong have signed a new agreement designed to make dual listings between Bursa Malaysia and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange more seamless, paving the way for greater cross-border investments. Ng Zhu Hann, CEO and founder of TradeView Capital discusses what this could mean for corporate Malaysia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s latest AI model, Kimi K3, is challenging assumptions about America's lead in AI tech. Believed to deliver performance comparable to top US models at a fraction of the cost, it has fuelled speculation that China's AI ecosystem is entering a new phase of global competitiveness. We speak to Selina Xu, Head of China, AI Research and Strategic Initiatives at the Office of Eric Schmidt, about wh...

Malaysia is rolling out its own refugee registration system, the Dokumen Pendaftaran Pelarian (DPP), while asking the UNHCR to temporarily suspend new registrations. Joanne Chua, Executive Director of Asylum Access Malaysia, discusses what this means for refugees and asylum seekers, and what it means for their safety and wellbeing. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

The Trump administration has imposed fresh tariffs on imports from 60 economies, including Malaysia, citing concerns over forced labour enforcement under Section 301 of the US Trade Act. The move marks another expansion of Washington's trade toolkit, raising questions over its legal basis, implications for global supply chains, and the future of multilateral trade rules. How should affected econom...

Last week the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting wrapped up in Manila, with discussions ranging from the crisis in Myanmar and the war in the Middle East to tensions in the South China Sea. With so many complex issues on the agenda, what progress was actually made? We unpack the outcomes with Thomas Daniel, Director of Foreign Policy and Security Studies, ISIS Malaysia. Image Credit: Shuttersto...

Malaysia's shelters and rescue groups are stretched thin as costs are rising, and there are too many strays around. Now the government is weighing a special fund and tax incentives to ease the burden on both rescuers and pet owners. But will money alone fix a problem this big, and where should it actually go? We speak to Associate Professor Arie Dwi Andika, President of the Malaysian Animal Associ...

The US House has narrowly passed its version of the $1.15 trillion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), authorising the largest military budget in US history. Is Congress simply funding today's conflicts, or is it preparing for a fundamentally different security landscape? We speak with Dr Alexey Muraviev, Adjunct Associate Professor of Strategic Studies at Edith Cowan University, about what...

Starting today, China will stop offering retail paper gold and leveraged gold trading. Physical gold is untouched — but millions of retail traders now have to close their positions, sell up, or take delivery. Beijing calls it investor protection, after gold's wild swings this year caught a lot of leveraged traders off guard. We speak to Christopher Wong, Precious Metals Strategist at OCBC Bank, to...

Sabah's just added RM1.6 billion to its spending for the year, with more of it going towards development and infrastructure. We talk to Dr. Saizal Pinjaman of Universiti Malaysia Sabah about what that tells us about the state's finances — and what should come first in the next budget. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has made significant strides in digitising government services, with initiatives such as MyGovApp and MyDigital ID laying the foundations for a more connected public sector. Dr Marco Larizza, Lead Public Sector Specialist at the World Bank, discusses the latest surveys outlining the strengths and weaknesses of Malaysia's approach to this. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/list...

South Korea has unveiled a roadmap to internationalise the won — allowing foreigners unlimited won transactions through registered firms from January 2027, on the heels of extending trading to 24 hours a day. The goal: shed the barriers that have kept the world's 13th-largest economy classified as an emerging market by MSCI. But can Seoul open up its currency without inviting the volatility it has...

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Bangladesh stands at roughly $3 billion US dollars, but remains heavy in Malaysia's favour. Following Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit, talks of a Free Trade Agreement have gained fresh momentum. So what will it take to correct this imbalance and unlock new areas of cooperation? We discuss this with Mohammad Anwar Shahid, President of the...

Malaysia has become one of Southeast Asia's leading data centre destinations, attracting billions in investment as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence accelerates. But the industry's next phase of growth will depend on more than capital, with power, water, financing, and community acceptance emerging as critical constraints. As regional competition intensifies, what must Malaysi...

The escalating US-Iran conflict is putting global energy supplies under growing pressure, with disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea raising concerns over oil markets. How much further could crude prices rise if tensions continue to intensify? Muyu Xu, Senior Crude Oil Analyst at Kpler shares her analysis. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...