Morning Brief

Decades later, the effects of the recession and Asian financial crisis is still felt when the Housing and Local Government Ministry identified a total of 200 abandoned projects. Dr Carmelo Ferlito, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) shares his macro insight on why these forsaken projects continue to linger around the housing markets. Meanwhile, General Datuk Goh Seng Toh, Vicea President of the National House Buyers Association advocates for a Build-then-Sell model rather than the current Sell-then-Build model as a solution, contributes from a homeowners perspective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The traditional source of stable income for retirees from interest rates is dwindling. This is because interest rates are very low and in many cases even negative. We take a look at how pensions and retirees can deal with this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Penang DAP vice-chairman, Zairil Khir Johari views Pakatan Harapan's disastrous showing in Tg Piai as reflecting the volatile voting pattern there while not denying bigger underlying factors. We ask him what's next for PH.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Goh, Senior Economist at UOB Malaysia, dissects the 3rd quarter GDP numbers whilst giving us a glimpse of what to expect for the year ahead. She also weighs in on her expectations of Bank Negara's next move on the Overnight Policy Rate against this backdrop of slowing global growth and the continuing US- China trade war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:05 - In the Sri Lankan elections, the Rajapaksa family was returned to the presidency, indicating yet another volte-face in foreign policy, once again to a pro-China stance. 05:51 - In Hong Kong, student protests are taking a dangerous spiral, diminishing hopes for an amicable and constructive resolution to the five-month old impasse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amir Fareed, Strategy Director at KRA Group, gets granular on the laundry list of reasons behind Pakatan's fourth-straight by-election loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amir Fareed, Strategy Director at KRA Group, gets granular on the laundry list of reasons behind Pakatan's fourth-straight by-election loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:05 - With the stakes as high as they are for the ninth by-election since GE14 for Pakatan Harapan, Bersih is pointing out the ruling govt is busy flouting electoral standards, likely fearful of losing yet more traction among local voters. 08:47 - The jury appears to be out in terms of whether the Malaysian real estate market will recover in 2019. But experts like Raine and Horne and Property Guru are mixed, saying any recovery is situational to the type and location of the asset.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moody's investors service are forecasting that global sovereign ratings risks for the $63 trillion in debt at the 142 member nations it rates are rising, due in large part to the trade disputes between the Americans and the Chinese.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moody's investors service are forecasting that global sovereign ratings risks for the $63 trillion in debt at the 142 member nations it rates are rising, due in large part to the trade disputes between the Americans and the Chinese.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petronas has awarded 60% of its contracts to local vendors bar those with technical limitations such as in deep sea exploration, which have otherwise gone to foreign firms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disney+ was launched recently on the 12th of November so the big question is will Netflix lose their ground or is there space for all in this new era? To find out more, we speak to Tony Gunnarsson, Principal Analyst for Pay-TV and OTT Video at consulting firm Ovum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a HSBC survey, four out of five Malaysian businesses are expecting sales growth next year despite demand slowdown due to uncertain global headwinds. For more on this, we speak to Andrew Sill, Head of Commercial Banking at HSBC Malaysia, to ask why this contradiction exist and also what are the priorities of these businesses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran has resumed enriching uranium at its underground Fordow nuclear site, another step further from the 2015 Nuclear Accords. For more insight, we speak to Professor James Dorsey, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the Middle East Institute in Singapore, about whether this measure is truly for peaceful purposes, and what led Iran to this seeming point of no return.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FGV's proposal to cut pay and perks for its board of directors might be the result of protests from minority shareholders and a small step in the right direction. It however isn't going to compensate for the massive loss of share value over the years. 05:47 - Ahead of the Tanjung Piai by-election this Saturday, candidates have been reminded by the Election Commission that campaign activities, including walkabouts, require police permits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CAAM came out to take responsibility for FAA's downgrade of Malaysia's aviation safety. Our guest believes that while CAAM is backed by professionals, they face a serious resource shortage. This situation is of course a reflection of the bigger existential issues and the restructuring taking place in the local aviation sector reflected by the decision on the sale of Malaysian Airlines and the Regulatory Asset Base framework.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because the country has churned out too many medical graduates and too few medical jobs, the government implemented a dual-tier hiring system of permanent and contracted employment. NGO group Malaysian Medics International says this is unfair.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Because the country has churned out too many medical graduates and too few medical jobs, the government implemented a dual-tier hiring system of permanent and contracted employment. NGO group Malaysian Medics International says this is unfair.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of some of the worst violence since protests began in Hong Kong in June, we speak to Bhavan Jaipragas, Senior Asia Correspondent with the South China Morning Post, for a sense of the mood on the ground, and how the protests may evolve from here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Soam Heng Choon, President of REHDA explains that extension of time (EOT) approvals by the Ministry of Housing has only been given to projects that have not started while buyers are aware of the delay. We however question whether such initiatives still favour developers who could have planned their projects better.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Soam Heng Choon, President of REHDA explains that extension of time (EOT) approvals by the Ministry of Housing has only been given to projects that have not started while buyers are aware of the delay. We however question whether such initiatives still favour developers who could have planned their projects better.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has downgraded Malaysia's airline-safety ranking to Category 2; on par with countries like Ghana and Bangladesh. How will this affect us in the long term, and is it possible to get back into Category 1?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has downgraded Malaysia's airline-safety ranking to Category 2; on par with countries like Ghana and Bangladesh. How will this affect us in the long term, and is it possible to get back into Category 1?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the decision to detain, and subsequently release, several Cambodian opposition leaders, the Malaysian government has been subject to criticism for its interpretation of the ASEAN principle of 'non-interference'. For a better understanding of the deportation process and how this latest issue fits into the broader landscape of ASEAN politics, we speak to Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carlos Casanova, Chief Asia Economist at Coface, joins us in the studio to tell us the impact the US-China trade war has on the respective North Asian countries while discussing in the detail the state of the domestic Chinese economy and whether the BRI will have a positive impact on the longer term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia ranks 40th out of 113 countries on the Economist Intelligence Unit's 2018 Global Food Security Index, far behind leader Singapore. Even if we're not at risk of a food security crisis, how food insecure are we?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:05 - Of the top 10 public-listed companies who did the best in a corporate reporting transparency survey, 8 are GLCs. 05:05 - Malaysia's detention (and subsequent release) of Cambodian opposition leaders raise questions about what ASEAN's 'non-interference' policy means. 09:46 - The Cabinet is due to make a decision on whether or not to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, at least according to the Economic Action Council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:05 - Of the top 10 public-listed companies who did the best in a corporate reporting transparency survey, 8 are GLCs. 05:05 - Malaysia's detention (and subsequent release) of Cambodian opposition leaders raise questions about what ASEAN's 'non-interference' policy means. 09:46 - The Cabinet is due to make a decision on whether or not to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership, at least according to the Economic Action Council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impact of the WeWork debacle was evident in SoftBank’s latest quarterly earnings released this week, on the back of its first quarterly operating loss in 14 years due to shrinking valuation of Uber and WeWork, once SoftBank’s brightest stars. We speak to Daniel for a deeper look into the earnings, whether SoftBank can turn WeWork around and the impact of this on Masayoshi Son & SoftBank’s credibility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impact of the WeWork debacle was evident in SoftBank’s latest quarterly earnings released this week, on the back of its first quarterly operating loss in 14 years due to shrinking valuation of Uber and WeWork, once SoftBank’s brightest stars. We speak to Daniel for a deeper look into the earnings, whether SoftBank can turn WeWork around and the impact of this on Masayoshi Son & SoftBank’s credibility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has announced measures to curb the shadow economy, saying it will put more resources into collecting money from goods and services currently unreported for taxation. For more on this, we speak to Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Chairman of AxcelAsia, for an idea of how the shadow econmy is measured, and Datuk Mohd Nizom Sairi, Deputy Director-General for Tax Operations at the IRB, on their plans to increase enforcement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Inland Revenue Board has announced measures to curb the shadow economy, saying it will put more resources into collecting money from goods and services currently unreported for taxation. For more on this, we speak to Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Chairman of AxcelAsia, for an idea of how the shadow econmy is measured, and Datuk Nixom Sairi, Deputy Director-General for Tax Operations at the IRB, on their plans to increase enforcement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pakatan Harapan government has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing several pieces of draconian legislation, in line with their election manifesto. So for a gauge of the pace and progress of implementation so far, we speak to N. Surendran, advisor with NGO Lawyers for Liberty, about the current status of the laws, and why it's important to maintain this manifesto pledge.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

00:05 - Lion Air is targeting an IPO of up to $1 billion in the first quarter of 2020. Lion Air has been considering an IPO since 2005, but multiple attempts were put on hold due to a volatile rupiah and weak economy. 07:04 - China’s state-owned entities are in talks to invest $5 to 10 billion in Saudi Aramco’s IPO as the oil-giant plans to sell 2% of its company in a domestic listing next month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With CPO prices hitting a 22 month high of RM2500, we ask why and when output has been on a rise. Khor Yu Leng, independent political economist with Segi Enam Advisors tells us that the biodiesel policy of both Indonesia and Malaysia have a role to play in this recent price rally.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara Malaysia has maintained its Overnight Policy Rate at 3%, largely in line with analyst expectations. For more insights into BNM's policy direction as we head into the end of the year, we speak to Manokaran Mottain, Chief Economist with Alliance Bank, about his expectations, and targets for next year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara Malaysia has maintained its Overnight Policy Rate at 3%, largely in line with analyst expectations. For more insights into BNM's policy direction as we head into the end of the year, we speak to Manokaran Mottain, Chief Economist with Alliance Bank, about his expectations, and targets for next year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India finally got off the fence to firmly in the No side for RCEP. Calvin Cheng, Research Fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia thinks this is still OK because the grouping still has a sizable GDP and the door remains open to IndiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India finally got off the fence to firmly in the No side for RCEP. Calvin Cheng, Research Fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia thinks this is still OK because the grouping still has a sizable GDP and the door remains open to IndiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Finance Ministry, the federal government is keen on consummating the expansion of the Penang International Airport. Where does Malaysia Airports come in especially under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) regime. Meanwhile bike-sharing is coming into the e-hailing scene which would both inspires and scares riders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Finance Ministry, the federal government is keen on consummating the expansion of the Penang International Airport. Where does Malaysia Airports come in especially under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) regime. Meanwhile bike-sharing is coming into the e-hailing scene which would both inspires and scares riders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of a global climate change movement that has been gaining momentum, the question remains of whether corporations around the world are ready to follow suit. As ESG investing becomes more in vogue, and awareness of the importance of sustainability spreads, we speak to Roukaya Ibrahim, strategist with BCA Research, about how climate change may impact investing trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In what seems to be a left hand to right hand transaction, news sources report that the Finance Ministry may buy Khazanah's stake in PLUS. While this move may seem harmless as both are government units, it has to be looked at in the light of benefits to EPF members who own 49% of PLUS. In particular, toll-busting policies may need to address potential loss of profits for 14 million EPF members. 04:40 - Meanwhile yet another national policy is out, this time the National Cleanliness Policy. Whether this manages to change the behaviour of Malaysians for the better remains to be seen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MTUC is miffed about amendments to the Industrial Relations Act branded as "state-sponsored union-busting". But is this a clear case of more-is-less? Competing unionists might be better for workers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since legalising casinos in July 2018, several Japanese cities have expressed interest in hosting one of Japan's three integrated resorts. For more on this historic move, we speak to Colin Mansfield, Director of US Corporates at Fitch Ratings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since legalising casinos in July 2018, several Japanese cities have expressed interest in hosting one of Japan's three integrated resorts. For more on this historic move, we speak to Colin Mansfield, Director of US Corporates at Fitch Ratings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir lamented that Malaysia is at the behest of big nations when it comes to trade negotiations. While he feels that Asean should fight back by leveraging on its population which is half the size of China, our guest feels that this might not amount to much given ASEAN's fragmentation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US has as good as snubbed the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit even if the Pentagon thinks the region is “the single most consequential region for America’s future” . This will open the door to an ever expansionist China to make a greater stamp.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Price caps on meds might not actually bring pharmaceutical costs down for people. The Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA) argues that this will choke off the supply chain leading to lower availability and higher costs in the long term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Price caps on meds might not actually bring pharmaceutical costs down for people. The Pharmaceutical Association of Malaysia (PhAMA) argues that this will choke off the supply chain leading to lower availability and higher costs in the long term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.