Morning Brief

China has long been known for its economic diplomacy, especially through the Belt and Road Initiative spanning 150 countries over two decades. However Beijing is also trying to build its credentials as an international mediator, as seen in its successful attempt in brokering rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran. spans infrastructure projects and investments across 150 countries over the pas...

The Consumer Credit Oversight Board (CCOB) task force which comprises Bank Negara, Securities Commission and officials from the Ministry of Finance has been looking at ways to bring about balance on the consumer credit front. On their radar is Rule of 78 in the Higher Purchase Act and also regulation on BNPL. Hann Liew, founder and director of RinggitPlus, a financial marketplace provider gives us...

Umno is seeking a royal pardon for convicted Ex-Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. What are the repercussions to the relationship between BN and PH? Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at Pacific Research Centre breaks it down for us. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China concluded three-days of military drills in the Straits of Taiwan yesterday, a show of force in response to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. We discuss whether this ratchets up the likelihood of conflict particularly in ASEAN with security analyst Ridzwan Rahmat of Jane’s, a military defense portal. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/...

Last week the government signalled plans to amend the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, also known by its Malay acronym AUKU, to address complaints by students of administrative restrictions and financial constraints in carrying out activities on campus. Do the AUKU amendments go far enough to empower students or should we be looking to repeal the act entirely? Dr Sharifah Munirah Ala...

There has been increasing talks of upgrading or setting up new cross-border rail links as its seen as environmentally friendly. Malaysia is not the exception as there are proposals to establish rail links between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Kunming. Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Professor of Transport Engineering at Universiti Sains Malaysia tells us if we should proceed whilst discussing the woe...

Tensions are boiling between Israel and Palestine, following raids by Israeli forces on the Al-Aqsa mosque last week. This has sparked tit-for-tat attacks on civilians in Tel Aviv and the occupied West Bank. Is this the precursor for deterioration into military conflict? We discuss geopolitical developments with Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey. Image credit: EPA-EFE See omnystudio.com/listener...

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim is keen to revive Belt and Road Initiative projects with China. What lessons can be learned from previous experiences with BRI projects? Economist Jayant Menon gives us his thoughts. Image credit: EPA-EFE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there a black market for organ donation here in Malaysia? We distill the facts from rumours on organ donation with Dr. Hasdy Haron of the National Transplant Resource Centre. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing Wen met with US House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy in southern California yesterday. What kind of impact could this have on broader geopolitical tensions between the US and China? We get analysis from Dr. Adrian Ang of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Image credit: EPA-EFE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The de-dollarisation debate has circled the block many times, but the argument has picked up steam in recent years and especially in the wake of the war in Ukraine. What are the implications of the move away from US dollar trade, and would the Chinese yuan grow in strength to rival King Dollar? Business commentator Pankaj C. Kumar weighs in with his analysis. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystu...

Law minister on Tuesday announced amendments to the Mental Health Act 2001 that will decriminalise suicide attempts as currently, anyone attempting suicide can be jailed for up to one year, fined, or both. Dr. Ravivarma Rao Panirselvam, Psychiatrist at Hospital Miri Malaysia tells us why this change is much needed and how the public health service can be improved to help those in mental distress....

In an ideal world, sports is the neutral arena where individuals or athletes leave their biases behind, and compete on a respectful and level playing field. However reality is often more complex, as illustrated by the fallout in international sport from the war in Ukraine. We discuss what happens when sports and politics intersect with Haresh Deol of the news portal twentytwo13.my . Image credit:...

The number of applications for the Malaysia My Second Home programme have plummeted since the government changed the rules in 2022. What should be done to revive interest in MM2H? We ask Andy Davison, Founder and CEO, The Expat Group Media for suggestions. Image credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The apex court, in a 4-1 majority decision, dismissed former prime minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak’s bid to review his conviction in the SRC International corruption case. We discuss the legal implications of the decision with Karen Cheah, President of the Malaysian Bar. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump became the first former president to be criminally charged after being indicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. How will these charges affect Trump’s political trajectory leading into elections in 2024? We speak to independent pollster John Zogby for insights. Image credit: EPA-EFE See omnystudio.co...

Since Monday, government hospitals nationwide have been on alert after a group of government doctors announced a three-day strike beginning 3 April. Dr. Ahmad Filza Bin Ismail, chairperson of MMA's Section Concerning House Officers and Medical Officers tells us the demands of this group known as "Mogok Doktor Malaysia" and if solutions have been offered by the government. Image credit: Shutterstoc...

Malaysia suffers from the urban rural mismatch resulting from internal migration, like many other countries. But what are the consequences of this and should there be policy measures to correct it. Cha-Ly Koh, CEO & Founder, Urbanmetry gives us her views. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a surprise move, OPEC+ announced further cuts to oil production on Sunday. What are the implications of this for oil prices moving forward? We get analysis from Sean Lim, Regional Oil & Gas Head at RHB Investment Bank. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the leadership shake-up in the Melaka state government bode for Malaysian politics more broadly? We get analysis from Ben Suffian of the Merdeka Centre Image credit: Facebook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim concluded his maiden visit to China over the weekend. This is seen as an important visit as China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009. How successful was this visit and what was achieved? Angeline Tan, Researcher in the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Programme at ISIS Malaysia rates it. Image credit: Prime Minister’s Office of Malaysia / Sadiq A...

The government has exempted nicotine from the controlled list of substances under the Poisons Act, paving the way for the nicotine-based products to be taxed. But what are the implications for broader healthcare? We speak to Azrul Khalid of the Galen Centre on why he views this as a potential trigger for a public health crisis in the country. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener...

The repercussions and the speed at which the banking crisis unfolded took many by surprise. On paper, the relatively conventional model of Asia Pacific banks should have shielded the region from some of the market turmoil emanating from such events. However, some second-order effects on the region still remain a concern for the region. Alicia García Herrero, Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Nat...

Malaysia transitioned from a pandemic economy to an endemic one on the 1st of April. How has business sentiment changed in the intervening year - are SMEs more hopeful or anxious about the economic outlook? Datuk Irwin Cheong of Industries Unite reflects on how businesses have been coping post-pandemic. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara’s annual report was released yesterday, projecting that Malaysia would reach economic growth of between 4 to 5% this year. But what’s in the fine print? We parse the details of the report, including BNM's assessment of the health of Malaysian banks, with Julia Goh of UOB Malaysia. Image credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.