The Breakfast Grille

When it comes to relations with China, Southeast Asian countries tread between anticipation and unease, relying on its economic might but also wary of its military ambition. How might the Covid-19 pandemic reshape alliances in the region? We discuss the dynamics at play with long-time Southeast Asian political observer Murray Hiebert, author of the book "Under Beijing's Shadow: Southeast Asia's Ch...

Johan Merican, Director of the National Budget Office at the Ministry of Finance, responds to criticisms about the over-optimistic projected tax revenue; the allocation of RM1 billion for special projects under the Prime Minister's Department; the RM80 million to JASA which has a reputation for engaging in propaganda; the rush to launch EPF's i-Sinar instead of expanding i-Lestari; and what happen...

The Covid-19 pandemic has driven Indonesia into a recession for the first time in 22 years, impacting the livelihoods of millions in the country. The government recently passed the controversial Jobs Creation Law to mitigate the fallout, amid heavy opposition from labour unions. How do Indonesian businesses view the challenge facing the country? We speak to Gita Wirjawan, former Ind...

The Covid-19 pandemic has driven Indonesia into a recession for the first time in 22 years, impacting the livelihoods of millions in the country. The government recently passed the controversial Jobs Creation Law to mitigate the fallout, amid heavy opposition from labour unions. How do Indonesian businesses view the challenge facing the country? We speak to Gita Wirjawan, former Ind...

Budget 2021 is the largest in Malaysia's history as the country faces unprecedented times. Lim Guan Eng, Former Finance Minister, gives us his views on whether the Budget can address the crisis that lies ahead and what he would have differently. He also gives us his insights into the Malaysian political landscape and whether Pakatan Harapan is ready for the next general election. Image Credit: Shu...

Should the government be the employer of last resort, in good times and in bad? Roshan Kanesan explores this with Associate Professor of Economics at Bard College, Pavlina Tcherneva. Even in the best of times, there is unemployment and needless to say, 2020 is not the best of times. Jobs have become an even bigger concern as Covid-19 wreaks havoc on the global economy. That said, employment was a...

The Covid-19 pandemic has compelled companies to speed up digital adoption because employees cannot access their workplaces as easily. Noelle Lim speaks to Bill Taylor-Mountford, VP of Blue Prism in ASEAN and Korea, on why and how Malaysian companies can make the leap in digital transformation, and much-needed changes at the top leadership level using South Korea as a benchmark. Image Credit: Shut...

Can gyms like Fitness First, Celebrity Fitness, and FIRE Fitness not just survive the pandemic, but thrive? Roshan Kanesan speaks with Simon Flint of Evolution Wellness, the owner of these franchises amongst others, about the impact of the pandemic to revenue and membership, the game plan to navigate the challenging environment going forward, how they're tapping into technology and digital resourc...

Budget 2021 is Malaysia's most expansionary budget in history with three main objectives to help the country overcome the crisis brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic. But do the initiatives meet the objectives and does it offer new ideas? Tai Lai Kok, Executive Director & Head of Tax at KPMG, and Tricia Yeoh, CEO of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), dissect the details...

Budget 2021 is Malaysia's most expansionary budget in history with three main objectives to help the country overcome the crisis brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic. But do the initiatives meet the objectives and does it offer new ideas? Tai Lai Kok, Executive Director & Head of Tax at KPMG, and Tricia Yeoh, CEO of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), dissect the details...

With Covid-19 casting a dark shadow on the economy with rising unemployment and slowing growth, much is riding on this expansionary Budget. But what should the government focus on considering the narrow fiscal space, and how do we ensure growth and prosperity for all? Dr Muhammad Khalid, chief economist at DM Analytics, and Richard Record, lead economist of the World Bank, weigh in on this. See om...

A company that is benefiting from China's dual circulation strategy is JF Technology, a testing solution and equipment manufacturer that is partnering with Huawei to set up a testing facility in China. Dillon Atma Singh, the CEO of JF, discusses how it will protect its interest, other opportunities in China, the importance of having 5G infrastructure in Malaysia to attract foreign direct investmen...

Americans head to the polls today, in what's been touted as the election of the century. Amid a bitterly polarized electorate, an ongoing healthcare crisis and an economic crunch caused by the pandemic, how will US voters decide? We discuss the prospects for both candidates and the likelihood of a contested election with Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, Senior Fellow at the Miller Center, University of Virgin...

In a world of big data and algorithms where statistics become increasingly important, Tim Harford, author of “How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers,” simplifies this very technical subject and reiterates the importance of numbers in this world. He also explains why polls can still be wrong despite the science behind it while defending the use of...

Covid-19 has accelerated change in many respects, from the adoption of digital technologies to shifts in consumer behaviour. However, set against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions, a rising China and an increasingly divided US, the pandemic has also acted as a catalyst for power shifts within the Asian region. The 2020 edition of the Asia Power Index, produced by the Lowy Institute, aims to ch...

Peaceable and wealthy Sweden has been a notable divergent from its European peers in handling Covid-19 and refugee immigration, two seismic events with economic and social ramifications that experts have said are (and continue to be) more serious than Wall Street's crash in 1929 and the Spanish Flu of 1905. Not surprisingly, there have been consequences for the small Nordic nation of a mere 10 mil...

With the Covid-19 pandemic, has China's plan of becoming a global superpower by 2049 been derailed? Will it be able to resolve some of its structural issues of an ageing population and the hukou system? We speak to David Dollar, co-author of "China 2049: Economic Challenges of a Rising Global Power," for his views on this. We also look at US-China tensions and how can Malaysia navigate this withou...

The home-sharing economy was hard-hit by the pandemic, nearly halving Airbnb's valuation from $30 billion to $18billion, but as economies reopen can Airbnb emerge stronger from the crisis? Roshan Kanesan spoke with Airbnb’s General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Amanpreet Bajaj, on their game plan in Malaysia and the region, the importance of domestic tourism, polic...

Malaysia has signed the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) but not ratified it due to pushback by politicians and NGOs who are concerned about the loss of sovereignty and Bumiputera privileges. Are these concerns unfounded? Tricia Yeoh, CEO of IDEAS, debates with CPTPP opposer, Azlan Awang, Senior Fellow at MTEM, about the merits of this controversial agr...

With climate change a reality and one of the greatest challenges that we face, what is Malaysia doing? Dr. Sanjayan Velautham, CEO of Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA) Malaysia tells us the role this government agency plays in helping the country achieve its sustainable goals and whether its on track on achieving them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has digital media thrived during the pandemic? REV Media Group, formerly Media Prima Digital, has 30 brands in its portfolio and a wide reach, but is facing falling revenue and ADEX margin compression. Roshan Kanesan speaks to Rafiq Razali, CEO of REV Media Group, on the strategy and outlook ahead, portfolio consolidation, and whether the branding exercise is a signal that they are stepping away f...

Dutch Lady Milk Industries was the first milk company to list on the KLSE in 1968. Fast forward 50 years and a global pandemic later, the landscape has changed significantly. As plant-based milks gain in popularity and other FMCG players diversify their offerings, can Dutch Lady survive this increasingly competitive landscape? We speak to Tarang Gupta, Managing and Executive Director of Dutch Lady...

With TechBond's fourth quarter revenue
 down 31% on-year but stock up around 130% so far this year, does the stock have more room to run? Roshan Kanesan speaks with their Deputy Managing Director on their revenue growth prospects, increased margins, the risk of their reliance on export markets, challenges from the US-China trade war and pandemic, and more. TechBond is a publicly listed company tha...

With a global pandemic disrupting supply chains and triggering economic crises around the world, governments are taking steps to ensure they do not also end up with a food crisis on their hands. In Malaysia, we measure rice self-sufficiency levels, but is this a good gauge of our food security? On the Breakfast Grille, we speak to Professor Sayed Azam-Ali, until recently, CEO of Crops for the Futu...

We know Malaysia will be joining COVAX, the global vaccine access plan led by the World Health Organisation. But when will it be finalised? How much will it cost? And who gets it first? Khairy Jamaluddin, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation talks about the plan to procure a vaccine against the backdrop of much political uncertainty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...