Morning Brief

Gold prices have been on a remarkable run this year, rising over 27% to hover near record highs, but recently bullion markets were thrown into brief turmoil after a surprise US Customs ruling suggested gold imports could face hefty tariffs. Christopher Wong, FX Strategist, OCBC will be telling us how this has impacted gold prices, and whether its rally so far will continue for the rest of 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The delisting of Evergrande, once the poster child of China’s property boom, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s struggling real estate sector. Brock Silvers, Managing Director of Kaiyuan Capital, weighs in on the deep-rooted challenges facing the market and why a rebound remains a distant prospect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Finance recently paid tribute to the high-income earners that contribute 86% of individual tax income, but this also highlights Malaysia's narrow tax collection base. What tax reforms are needed to make government revenue generation more sustainable? We discuss this with Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Senior Advisor on Tax Policy at KPMG.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nursing shortages are putting Malaysia’s public healthcare under pressure, prompting calls to import foreign nurses, particularly from Indonesia. But how can the country balance urgent needs with protecting local jobs? We get insights from Prof. Dr. Chong Mei Chan, Head of Nursing Science, Faculty of Medicine at University of Malaya.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A holistic approach is needed to combat bullying in Malaysia, one that includes compassionate measures for both the bully and the victim, while moving away from a victim-blaming mentality. Dr. Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid, Criminologist and Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya, discusses the finer points of tackling bullying, beginning with its very definition.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The once warm relationship between India and the U.S. now appears frosty, following hefty 50% tariffs imposed on Indian exports to America, the world’s largest economy. Priyanka Kishore, Director and Principal Economist at Asia Decoded, weighs in on the sectors most impacted by these tariffs and explores the potential for India to strengthen ties with China and Russia amid this shifting dynamic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet in Alaska this Friday to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine. What can we expect from this summit, especially with the conspicuous absence of Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky? Dr. Julia Roknifard, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and Governance at Taylor’s University weighs in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Persistent vacancies in top public sector leadership positions across Malaysia raise questions about the effectiveness and credibility of the country’s governance framework. Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Bureau Chief at The Straits Times, discusses the possible causes and the long-term implications of these gaps.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Home Affairs recently revealed a surge in the number of Malaysians renouncing their citizenship for Singapore, reviving concerns about the brain drain to other countries. We speak to Dr. Lee Hwok Aun of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute about the push and pull factors that result in skilled labour leaving Malaysia and whether reframing the narrative would help.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gaza’s future looks increasingly bleak as Israel’s security cabinet agrees to assert military control over Gaza City. Dr. Ferooze Ali, Senior Fellow at the Asia Middle East Center for Research & Dialogue, examines possible outcomes amid growing condemnation from both Israelis and EU nations.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) schemes have seen explosive growth in Malaysia, a 30% jump from a year earlier. Dr Liew Chee Yoong, Associate Professor, Department of Accounting and Finance, UCSI University tells us if the Consumer Credit Act 2025 and the Consumer Credit Commission, or CCC are the right steps to regulate the industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Overlapping functions within government-linked companies or GLCs have sparked calls for a major overhaul. Could merging or restructuring these entities unlock new opportunities for Malaysia’s economy? To explore this, we speak with Lee Chean Chung, MP for Petaling Jaya.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) reported its highest revenue and net profit since listing. However, the group recorded only six new equity listings during the financial year, down from seven in FY2024. We ask Ng Yao Loong, Head of Equities, SGX as to the reasons for the good results, how do they intend to compete with the regional bourses who also want a share of listings and market volumes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danial Abdul Rahman, CEO of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), underscores both the promising initiatives and persistent gaps in the 13th Malaysia Plan’s education reforms, which span from preschool to tertiary levels.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore celebrates its diamond jubilee, commemorating 60 years of nationhood, on Aug 9, with this year’s theme : Building Our Singapore Together. Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, reflects on what it means to be Singaporean and what the island nation may have to navigate as it faces an uncertain geopolitical future.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Planning Rules 2025 came into force from June 16, granting the Datuk Bandar broad powers to approve developments. It was also passed without public consultation. Alliff Benjamin Suhaimi, a partner at Thomas Philip explains the implications.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the date for Sabah’s state election, which must be held before Nov 11, approaches, news has emerged that UMNO is considering running on its own. This is after Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) and Pakatan Harapan (PH) formed an electoral pact. Ariff Adi Putera Anwar, Research Associate at the Institute for Development Studies Sabah, shares his insights into how the political sands are shifting in the land below the wind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could peace emerge from Trump’s upcoming meeting with Putin and Zelensky? Dr. Sonia Mycak, Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, explains why a peaceful resolution remains unlikely and unpacks the underlying motives driving Putin’s continued aggression toward Ukraine, despite mounting U.S. sanctions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy believes the recently tabled 13th Malaysia Plan falls short in several key areas of Putrajaya's plans to reform Malaysia's health sector. Azrul Mohd Khalib, the think tank's CEO, breaks down what the missed opportunities are.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has agreed to buy and invest over US$240 billion with the US which has resulted in the lower 19% tariff rate, down from the threatened 25%. Dr Carmelo Ferlito from the Centre for Market Education talks about the resulting strategic and economic implications there may arise from this deal.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Malaysia becomes an aged nation faster than expected, the government is mulling a major reform : monthly pension payouts on top of lump-sum withdrawals. Chai Sen Tyng, Senior Research Officer, Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (myAgeing), Universiti Putra Malaysia discusses this proposal and what more needs to be done.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Collins Chong, foreign affairs and security analyst at Universiti Malaya, unpacks the Kremlin’s orchestrated posturing and how provocative tweets by Russian military leader and former president Dmitry Medvedev rattled U.S. President Donald Trump into threatening the use of nuclear submarines.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite lofty valuations, the Magnificent 7 still have room to run. Dan Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities, breaks down the key growth drivers and reveals his top five tech stock picks following the Q2 2025 earnings season.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a shaky start, the peace truce between Thailand and Cambodia appears to be holding, following two rounds of talks in Kuala Lumpur under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, current chair of the ASEAN bloc. Dato’ Dr Ilango Karuppannan, former Malaysian ambassador and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, says personal relationships remain a critical ingredient in brokering lasting peace.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 13th Malaysia Plan sets bold targets for public transport reform. With major rail projects, structural changes, and increased investment in the pipeline, will these efforts be enough to drive real improvement? We get insights from Dr Law Teik Hua, Associate Professor, Universiti Putra Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two key indicators that economists monitor to assess the strength of China’s economy are industrial production and domestic demand. With China approaching the August 12th deadline to renew its tariff truce with the US, how might this impact the outlook for the country’s manufacturing production and domestic consumption? For insights, we’ll be speaking with Ada Li, Senior Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Parliament convenes for its second meeting of 2025, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has released multiple reports. Teresa Kok, Vice Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) & Member of Parliament for Seputeh reminds us about the critical role they play and how it is the best example of bipartisan politics at work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the tabling of the 13MP announced that the country is targeting MSMEs to contribute 50 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030, a significant increase from about 39 per cent in 2023. Datuk William Ng, Chairman, Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) tells if the 13MP initiatives can help MSMEs achieve this goal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edmund Bon Tai Soon, Chair and Representative of Malaysia to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), shares an update on a proposed legally binding human rights resolution targeted for adoption within five years. He also discusses two key declarations on the environment and on peace that are expected to be adopted at the 47th ASEAN Summit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. has raised tariffs on a number of ASEAN countries, with rates ranging from 19% to as high as 40%. Could this hurt the region’s growth and push Southeast Asia to rethink its trade ties? We speak to Dr. Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has officially made secondary education mandatory following passing of the Education (Amendment) Bill in Parliament. Meanwhile, plans to build vertical schools in the Klang Valley are progressing, with the Education Ministry announcing that development guidelines have been finalised. Joining us now is Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, to help us unpack what these developments mean.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Under this plan, the economy is projected to grow by 4.5-5.5% a year, with aspirations for Malaysia to be a high income nation by 2030 and one of the top 30 economies in the world. This plan is also supposed to have a sharper focus on domestic demand, good governance, digital transformation, and sustainable growth, Professor Tricia Yeoh, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Nottingham Malaysia's School of Politics & International Relations tells us if these goals are achievable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tariff deadline for US tariffs has just passed and with many countries not having a trade deal, what impact does that have on Asia's economy? Tommy Xie, Head of Asia Macro Research, OCBC Bank gives us his perspective and what is the reason for the US dollar to appreciate of late.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International support for Palestinian statehood has been gaining momentum with Canada and Britain lending their voices. Additionally, a group of 15 countries including Australia and New Zealand have signed a New York Call joint diplomatic appeal to revive momentum for a two-state solution. Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern & Central Asian Studies at the Australian National University shares his views on these developments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s government debt could top the statutory ceiling of 65% debt-to-GDP ratio this year amid a moderating economy and sustained spending. Dr Cassey Lee, Senior Fellow and Coordinator, Regional Economic Studies Programme, ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute gives us his thoughts if this is cause for concern.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s mobile service providers have come under increasing scrutiny, with the Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission issuing over 900 directives for non-compliance since 2022. Amin Ashaari, CEO of tech news site SoyaCincau.com talks to us about what this reveals about the quality (or lack thereof) of our wireless networks and what needs to change.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dewan Rakyat on Monday passed the Offenders Compulsory Attendance (Amendment) Bill 2025, meaning courts are now empowered to sentence certain offenders to community service instead of imprisonment. Giving his thoughts on whether this alternative form of punishment works, is Dato’ Vignesh Kumar, Advocate and Solicitor and former Deputy Public Prosecutor.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government’s decision to run two immigration systems in parallel, the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System (FWCMS) and the upcoming National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) has raised concerns about overlapping functions. We speak to Alex Ong, Country Representative of Migrant CARE, to unpack the implications. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. economy remains steady, while China grapples with an overcapacity issue that’s weighing on its corporate sector. With expectations building over whether the trade truce will be extended—or if tariffs will snap back to over 100%—Beijing and Washington are once again at a critical crossroads.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) will be continuing its electoral pact with Pakatan Harapan for the upcoming state election, reaffirming a partnership that began in 2023. This comes amid allegations of corruption linked to a former aide to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. James Chin, a professor in Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania, shares insights into the latest developments there.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hang Seng Index has hit a four year high yet property prices are down by 30% since June 2021. We ask Patrick Wong, Head of Hong Kong & Senior Analyst, Asia Pacific Real Estate, Bloomberg Intelligence as to why this negative correlation exist. We also ask if the Chinese property market which is in the doldrums has any impact on Hong Kong.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is in Indonesia to meet President Prabowo Subianto as both neighbours hold their first Annual Consultation in almost eight years. Julia Lau, Senior Fellow, and Coordinator of the Indonesia Studies Programme at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shares insights into what both leaders are expected to address.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's Human Rights Commission, Suhakam, is now left with only three commissioners left, below the minimum required by law, with one more due to step down soon. Jerald Joseph, Director of Pusat Komas, Chair of CSO Platform on Reforms and a former Suhakam commissioner talks about the implications of this leadership vacuum and what needs to change.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, the Securities Commission (SC) Malaysia said it may introduce mandatory corporate governance practices in the upcoming revision of the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance. P. Gunasegaram, Independent Business Writer tells us if this is good for Malaysia Inc and why it needs to be followed by enforcement.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia is likely only if both sides can reach a deal that allows their leaders to “save face” domestically. Sebastian Strangio, Southeast Asia Editor at The Diplomat, shares his insights on what it will take to secure lasting peace in the region.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Turun Anwar Rally, on July 26, drew thousands of protesters, though crowd estimates vary depending on the source. However, the biggest challenge facing the opposition coalition in rallying support for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Anwar is the absence of a clear and credible alternative to lead the government. Dr. Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, offers his take on Malaysia's evolving political landscape.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Widespread starvation has reached alarming levels in Gaza. While Israel eased some restrictions on aid entry over the weekend, relief agencies say far more needs to be done. Joining us to unpack the hunger crisis is Dato' Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The proliferation of online scam centres, particularly in Southeast Asia, has been a major concern despite various multilateral efforts to combat these crimes. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of victims may still be trapped in situations deemed less than human. Dr Surachanee Sriyai, Visiting Fellow, Media, Technology & Society Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute shares her insights. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the “Turun Anwar” rally tomorrow, both the chief secretary to the government and the Attorney-General’s Chambers have cautioned civil servants from attending. Faisal Aziz, Bersih Chairman joins us to discuss our civil liberties when it comes to peaceful assemblies. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia Keeps BBB+ RatingDespite recent populist measures, Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed Malaysia’s sovereign credit rating at BBB+. Kathleen Chen, Associate Director of Asia-Pacific Sovereigns, explains the rationale.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.