The Breakfast Grille

Papa Zola The Movie has taken Malaysia by storm, grossing around RM60 million ringgit domestically and becoming the country’s highest-grossing animated film to date. On today’s Breakfast Grille, Philip See speaks with Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, Founder and CEO of Monsta Studios Sdn. Bhd, about the film’s success and the journey of building a homegrown animation studio into a global IP powerhouse. Ima...

Philip See speaks to Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, on how intensifying great power rivalry is closing the space for middle powers. As hedging becomes harder and alignment more consequential, they examine Malaysia and Singapore’s differing strategic responses, what this means for ASEAN’s coherence, and whether multilateral institutions still carry real wei...

The Ministry of Works oversees more than 20,000 kilometres of roads nationwide, including 33 tolled highways. Beyond ensuring road safety, it plays a key role in driving national growth through infrastructure development at both the federal and state levels. Its Minister Dato’ Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi tells us about these challenges, as well as Sarawak’s political direction, MA63, and the Saraw...

Following the first year of the Trump administration, the world has seen shifts in allegiances - economic, political and ideological. Even PM Mark Carney of Canada articulated how middle power countries need to band together. Leo Varadkar, former PM of Ireland shares his views on this issue while he reflects on how current geopolitics might shape the world. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnys...

IJN University College is driving advancements in cardiovascular education, research, and professional training for Malaysia’s healthcare workforce. Philip See speaks with its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emerita Dr. Durrishah Idrus, about the college’s unique programs, structured upskilling pathways, and its future plans to achieve full university status. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

MAG has had its fair share of turbulence with a revolving door of CEOs and multiple bailouts by Khazanah. Today it has emerged with a cleaner balance sheet whilst enjoying 3 consecutive years of profit.  We ask Datuk Captain Izham Ismail, their outgoing Group Managing Director, on the career challenges,  his outlook of the aviation industry and why  it is time to step away now. Imag...

Alam Flora is best known for keeping Malaysia’s streets clean but behind the green lorries is a company undergoing a major transformation. Its CEO Shariman Yusuf Mohamed Zain shares insights about the company’s shift from a concession-based waste collector into a circular economy and environmental solutions player. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solar District Cooling Group debuted on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market in September 2024 with ambitions to move beyond contracting into long-term, recurring energy solutions. SDCG Managing Director Edison Kong talks to us one year on, reflecting on the company's life as a publicly-listed company as well as its recent strategic stake sale to Solarvest Holdings. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnys...

Markets are being pulled in multiple directions, from geopolitics, AI disruption and tariff risk. So how should investors position themselves in 2026? Anand Pathmakanthan, Head of Regional Equity Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group, and Patrick Chang, Chief Investment Officer, CIMB Bank Berhad give us their perspective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legoland Malaysia was the first of its kind in Asia when it opened in 2012 and has since grown into a full resort with a hotel, water park, and SEA LIFE aquarium. We speak to C.S. Lim, Vice President of Legoland Malaysia, on the challenges of staying relevant and how the park is tapping into Visit Malaysia Year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s push towards renewable energy is accelerating, but rooftop solar adoption among households remains low. Zeth Lim, Managing Director of newly-listed Verdant Solar shares his insights into the economics of residential solar, policy support and market realities, as well as his company's post-IPO strategy, and whether rapid growth can be sustained. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystu...

Malaysia’s homegrown digital bank Boost Bank Berhad has a clear focus - serving the underserved and underbanked, and helping to close the financial inclusion gap. Fozia Amanulla, Chief Executive Officer of Boost Bank, talks about how the bank blends fintech innovation with traditional banking services to deliver on that commitment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is preparing for a new wave of education reforms under the upcoming Malaysia Future Education Blueprint but will these changes actually improve learning in primary schools? We speak with Chan Soon Seng, Chief Executive Officer of Teach for Malaysia, and Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson of Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE), on what needs fixing and what must chang...

Sabah and Sarawak  are clearly pushing for political and economic autonomy. We speak with James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania and Dr. Evan Lau Poh Hock, Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak,  who gives us their respective views on the political and economic outlook for East Malaysia in 2026. See omnystudio.com/li...

Philip See sits down with Dr. Stephen Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Mary Washington to talk about the state of US foreign relations in the wake of the attack on Venezuela and the capture of its President Nicolas Maduro, especially how the White House is viewing its alliances and rivalries. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/liste...

Guan Huat Seng (“GHS”) Holdings Berhad, specialising in the distribution and retail of speciality and general grocery products will be listing on the ACE market on 22 January. We ask their Executive Director, Yeo Tien Seng why the company is deciding to go public after more than 40 years of operations, what differentiates the company from its competitors and whether you should consider buying its...

We speak to Edward Koh, Executive Director, Polymer Link Holdings Berhad, on its listing on the ACE Market on Bursa Malaysia. We also ask him how the company, which specialises in compounding high-performance polymers, etched out its niche in the market, what its plans are post-listing, and more. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip See speaks to Warren Cheng, Executive Director, SBS Nexus Bhd, a provider of integrated marketing and branding services about its upcoming listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market. They’ll be discussing what makes SBS Nexus different from its competitors, why it chose to list instead of seeking other funding options, whether its valuation is justified and more. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com...

Ride hailing in Malaysia is a competitive space with 29 licensed players. We speak to Bolt Malaysia General Manager Afzan Lutfi as to the challenges of operating after a year and does their lean cost model apply in this country. We also ask about their niche and if there is validity to their claims that they put drivers and riders first. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener f...

Visit Malaysia Year 2026 puts the tourism sector in the spotlight. Philip See sits down with Hannah Pearson, Director of Pear Anderson, and Nigel Wong, President of MATTA, to discuss gaps in infrastructure and coordination, while exploring the campaign’s theme, “Surreal Experiences". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EFS Group has been in the solar business since 2013, as the industry in Malaysia graduates from being just about rooftop installations and incentives. Darren Tan, CEO of EFS, talks about how rising costs, contract-based models and large-scale projects are reshaping how his company does business. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly half of Malaysia’s healthcare is delivered by the private sector, even as public hospital fees remain below ten ringgit and medical inflation runs in double digits. In this Best of the Breakfast Grille 2025 episode, we revisit key conversations on what it takes to keep quality care within reach. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia was the best market in Asean for IPOs in 2025 with 60 listings. We spoke to almost half of them who chose to go public asking why they took this route whilst diving deep into their business model. In the mix, we have the winners which include THMY and Oriental Kopi whilst we also include a mix of old and new economy like Foodie Media and Orkim. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudi...

Today on the Breakfast Grille, we are revisiting conversations on the show this year revolving around foreign policy discussions and of course, notable mentions from Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship. This includes US President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive orders, the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war and the recent 47th ASEAN Summit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s Breakfast Grille, we look back at our discussions on the media and entertainment scene. It’s been a tough few years for traditional media, with streaming, online platforms, and AI reshaping the industry. We also explore the role of the Malaysia Media Council in navigating these changes. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.