Morning Brief

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin has urged the government to consider banning private hospitals from listing on Bursa Malaysia as part of efforts to curb profit-driven healthcare. Sim also suggested that listed private hospitals be nationalised and fully government-owned to help lower medical costs. We’ll be speaking with Dr. Khor Swee Kheng, CEO of Angsana Health & Specialist in Public Policiesto discuss the feasibility and effectiveness of these proposals.  Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Succession planning of family-owned businesses is in the spotlight, with a conflict between a prominent patriarch and his heir in Singapore. This has highlighted the ongoing challenges within family-owned businesses. We examine the possible factors driving tension within these enterprises and how they can be resolved with Deepa George, Managing Consultant of MYHRC Services. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Evidence of Child Witness (Amendment) Act 2024, came into force on March 3 and enhances legal safeguards for children testifying in court. We speak with Ajeet Kaur, Child Advocate & Co-Chairperson of Child Rights Innovation and Betterment (CRIB) Foundation to understand the impact of these changes and what they mean for the justice system.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump has hit the ground running since returning to the White House in January as he has ordered a series of widely criticized executive actions, as well as sparking a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and China. Joining us for a discussion on how these moves have affected the US economy is Olu Sonola, Head of US Economic Research, Fitch Ratings.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The earnings season for Malaysian and Singapore banks has just concluded with most reporting results that either beat or were in line with expectations. We ask Sarah Jane Mahmud, Senior Industry Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence what is the outlook for 2025 and which banks will have the strongest earnings profile despite the headwinds of tariffs and increasing geopolitical tensions.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Parliamentary Services Bill 2025, set to be tabled for a second reading today, aims to re-establish the administrative autonomy of Malaysia's Parliament, a status that was altered when the original Act was repealed in 1992. Prof Wong Chin Huat, Deputy Head of Strategy at the Asia Headquarters of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, shares his perspective.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A government study, has revealed that about half of the bags marked as imported white rice had been mixed with local grains as unscrupulous parties seek to make profits from this. We speak to Professor Datin Paduka Dr Fatimah Mohamed Arshad, Food Security Chair at the Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security of UPM about what reforms are needed to prevent this and ensure food security.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire has ended and discussions for a second phase have stalled. Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, helps us unpack what the way forward might be like and the continued acrimony between both sides and as the Trump Administration appears to add fuel to fire.Image Credit : Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was caught in a heated exchange with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. With Trump accusing Zelenskyy of gambling with millions of lives by refusing to agree to a controversial deal with the U.S. to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Joining us to discuss the implications of the meeting is Dr. Julia Roknifard, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and Governance at Taylor’s University.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EPF has declared a dividend rate of 6.3% for both conventional and shariah savings for the 2024 financial year, as its investment assets grew 10% to MYR1.3 trillion. P Gunasegaram, an independent business writer and founding editor of Kinibiz shares some perspectives into this performance, EPF's investment strategies as well as how Malaysia can improve its approach to retirement savings.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rapid spread of H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, in the United States is raising serious public health concerns and significantly raising the prices of eggs. Infections have been detected in humans, farm animals, and now domestic pets, highlighting the growing risk of transmission across species. To understand the implications of this outbreak and its impact on public health, we speak to  Dr. Latiffah Hassan, Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Missouri.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As part of the government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of AI and technological disruption on Malaysia’s labour market, the Human Resources Ministry is set to organise the National Training Week (NTW) 2025 mid this year. This edition is set to be the largest yet, aiming to train one million people in a week. Joining us to discuss the effectiveness of such an initiative and the importance of upskilling is Dr. Lee Hwok-Aun, Senior Fellow of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The S&P500 and the Nasdaq have now turned negative on a year-to-date basis, while the Dow Jones remains just under 2% in the positive, amid news of uncertainty coming from the second Trump administration and other geopolitical uncertainties. Grant Bowers, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Franklin Equity Group, shares his views on whether or not the resilience of the health of the US economy will still hold.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The establishment of a Malaysian Media Council, first suggested in 1973 when Tun Abdul Razak was PM, has finally been passed in the Dewan Rakyat. The bill aims to create a framework for media accountability while upholding press freedom. Teo Nie Ching, the Deputy Communications Minister shares her perspectives on the significance of this Council which has now been created by an act of Parliament.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently attended the high level plenary session of the second Asean Future Forum where he emphasised that centrality needs to be earned. We speak to Thomas Daniel, Senior Fellow, ISIS as to whether Malaysia’s leadership in ASEAN can foster a new era of multilateral cooperation, and how could it change the region?Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's private medical inflation cost is higher than regional average causing the rise of health insurance premiums in tandem. We ask Sim Tze Tzin, MP for Bayan Baru & member of the Public Accounts Committee for his views on how this issue can be addressed and what the government is doing to ensure than medical cost does not rise exorbitantly.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces issues at home and also on the international front with declining approval ratings on the back of spending cuts to fund defense spending. Whilst having to be on a charm offensive when he meets with US President Donald Trump today. Benjamin Barton, Head of the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Nottingham Malaysia gives us his insight on how the labour leader intends to navigate these issues.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite calls from civil society organisations to put in place a laws to regulate political funding to mitigate corruption risks and enhance transparency, as well as it being included in Pakatan Harapan's GE15 manifesto, a bill to this effect remains elusive. Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz, Chairman of BERSIH, reiterates why this piece of legislation is important and should no longer be stalled.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is still implementing a B10 programme, requiring diesel for transportation to be blended with 10% palm-based biodiesel, despite having already starting the B20 programme. Compare this to Indonesia which is already gearing up for B40. Khor Yu Leng, an economist with Segi Enam Advisers breaks down the issues at play in Malaysia, including a funding standoff between the government and industry players.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auditor-General highlighted in Parliament that the RM11 billion ringgit owed to the National Higher Education Fund Corporation, also known as PTPTN, is the the highest in a decade and that there needs to be new solution to improve on it's collection. We speak to Prof. Dr Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement of Taylor's University for the reasons for this debt, how can it be resolved and what are the consequences if this is not resolved.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany's recently concluded federal election saw the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Friedrich Merz, secured approximately 28.5% of the vote - allowing it to lead the formation of the next government. Notably, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) achieved a historic surge. Prof Andrew Bonnell, Professor of History at the University of Queensland, takes us through the different scenarios for where German politics might be headed.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, the Digital Ministry announced that it had secured AI training for almost half a million civil servants, who will soon have access to Google Workspace’s latest generative AI capabilities. CF Fong, Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhad tells us what are the advantages of this and the necessary guardrails to ensure that data is protected whilst efficacy is tracked.Image Credits: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Putrajaya has given about 700,000 Micro SMEs another extension of six months to adopt e-invoicing, this time until Jan 1, 2026. Eugene Chow, Tax Executive Director, Deloitte Malaysia, shares his thoughts on the challenges in getting small businesses to adopt this system which is intended to plug leakages in Malaysia's taxation ecosystem.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is set to table the Urban Renewal Act this year as a way to address ageing infrastructure and housing shortages. At its core, the URA will lower the threshold for en bloc sales, making it easier for developers to acquire ageing strata properties. Detractors say this benefits property developer more than the ordinary rakyat. Jamie Tan, Managing Director of JLL Malaysia shares his thoughts.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Four months as Indonesia's new president, Prabowo Subianto, has already announced sweeping budget cuts across various ministries and institutions, sparking widespread protests among Indonesian youths. It has also affected civil servants. Erin Cook, a Journalist for Southeast Asian Affairs, shares her insights into these issues as well as how the new sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, are shaping conversations there.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent peak hour restrictions for heavy vehicles on highways are causing concern among logistics companies, with many claiming that their input was not sought before the implementation of these restrictions. The president of the Association of Malaysian Hauliers, Soo Che Yeong shares more on his frustrations about the lack of consultation and discusses the potential impact on operations, costs, and Malaysia’s logistics hub ambitions.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s exports stumbled in January 2025, rising just 0.3%, well below the 5% forecast. With the trade surplus dropping to RM3.6 billion ringgit, is there cause for concern especially with a tariff storm brewing? Zafri Zulkeffeli, Deputy Chief Economist at BIMB Securities gives us his perspective.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to step down in exchange for peace and his country’s NATO membership. We ask Denys Mykhailiuk, Chargé d'Affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia, what are the next steps in the peace process against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump attempting to rewrite history as to who is the aggressor in this war.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following growing concerns over persistent child labour despite high-income ambitions, should the government review the legal frameworks? Srividhya Ganapathy, co-chair of the Child Rights Innovation and Betterment Foundation, highlights the critical legislative changes needed to safeguard vulnerable children whilst exploring the economic and social reasons behind this practice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang recently told Parliament that Malaysia has enough laws to tackle racial discrimination. Yet incidents continue to crop up that test the fabric of our multi-racial society, exacerbated by the reach of social media. What policies are needed to strengthen national harmony? We discuss this with Jerald Joseph of Pusat KOMAS. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian government is urged to review SOSMA to ensure fairness while maintaining national security. Lawmakers and Civil Rights groups stress balancing security needs with human rights in proposed amendments. We’ll be speaking with Sevan Doraisamy, Executive Director of Suaram (Suara Rakyat Malaysia), a Human Rights Organisation, for his insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US could be teetering on the brink of a constitutional crisis as a result of President Donald Trump's executive actions that have challenged the limits of presidential powers. What does this mean for the balance of democratic institutions and the rule of law in the US? We discuss this with Prof. Cheryl Saunders of the University of Melbourne. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Snap elections are happening this Sunday in Germany after the ruling "traffic light" coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed last November. Dr Frederick Kliem, Southeast Asia Director at the Economist Intelligence Corporate Network shares his insights into the issues at play, everything from immigration to climate and will comments from the Trump administration have an effect.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest parliamentary session saw the government reaffirm its commitment to housing affordability, highlighting the 10 billion ringgit Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme (HCGS) and tax relief for first-time homebuyers. With urban migration set to rise by millions by 2030, is Malaysia ready to meet the demand for affordable homes? Joining us to discuss this is Dr. Nur Fareza Mustapha, Research Associate from the Khazanah Research Institute. Image Credit: SHutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are increasingly seeing more cases of Malaysians being lured by lucrative job opportunities abroad, only to awaken to a much darker reality of human trafficking and being forced to commit online scams. Do governments have the right tools to tackle this transnational crime? We get insights from Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim of the Malaysian International Humanitarian Organisation or MHO, a group advocating for the rescue of overseas scam victims.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recognising Sarawak's energy supply potential - both renewable and conventional - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has requested the state to begin supplying its excess electricity to the southern Philippines through Sabah, starting next year. Dr Renard Siew, Climate change and sustainability expert, shares his views on this development.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government allocated funds under Budget 2025 to build 44 new schools, the highest in four years. How much would this alleviate overcrowding in public schools, especially in urban centers? We discuss the policy measures to tackle overcrowding in the education system with Chan Soon Seng of Teach For Malaysia.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered the country’s expansionary Budget for 2025 amounting to about SGD$ 143 billion dollars, constituting almost 19% of GDP with a nod towards alleviating cost of living pressures whilst making the city state a centre for new ventures. But are these measures enough to help Singapore navigate the choppy waters that is 2025? Selena Ling, Chief Economist, OCBC Bank tells us her perspective.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Reserve Bank of Australia cut benchmark interest rates for the first time since November 2020, lowering the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% as softening inflation allows room for easing policy. Sophia Angala, an economist, ANZ Research, shares her perspective on the decision and what can be expected in an uncertain 2025 for the global economy.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all steel products imported into the country, which the Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (MISIF) said would lead to steel and aluminium imports being dumped on our shores. Roshan M. Abdullah, President of MISIF joins us to paint a picture of how this could impact local steel players.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration's efforts to resume direct communication ties with Moscow and open negotiations to end the war in Ukraine has raised concerns that Kyiv and Europe would be left out of the discussions. We discuss these developments and possible foreign policy implications with Dr. Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is in talks with investment bankers, stockbroking companies, rating agencies, and other market participants to revamp existing fee structures and impose a levy on revenue from regulated activities. We ask Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder of Tradeview Capital if this is timely, and the panacea to the SC's financial deficit.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the DAP party elections on March 16 draw near, tensions within the party are reaching a boiling point, with Lim Guan Eng's leadership under scrutiny. At a recent dinner honoring Lim Kit Siang, an incident involving Lim Guan Eng’s aide and potential Penang chief minister candidate Steven Sim raised questions about the party's direction and leadership. Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at Pacific Research Centre joins us to discuss the impact on DAP and its future.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarawak's move to launch AirBorneo is sparking discussions about the future of its aviation sector. As the region looks to chart its own course, the real challenge is not just growth—but ensuring sustainable success. We take a closer look at what’s ahead for AirBorneo with Khair Mirza, Head of Airport Investor Resource at Modalis Infrastructure Partners Inc.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysia Padi Farmers Brotherhood Association or PeSawah, has voiced concerns that the newly announced floor price of 1,500 Ringgit per tonne is insufficient, believing additional incentives are necessary in the face of rising input costs. Dr. Sarena Che Omar of the PNB Research Institute joins us to discuss if the new floor price helps or hurts paddy farmers.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is reviewing vehicle valuation to ensure fair excise taxes, but experts warn that prices could rise by 10% to 30% from 2026. Mohd Shamsor Mohd Zain, President of Malaysian Automotive Association shares his insights on how these changes could affect the automotive industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent launch of Chinese startup, DeepSeek, has sparked a flurry of interest into AI-related stocks but Bloomberg Intelligence warns that this support could see some pressure in 2025. Robert Lea, Senior Tech Industry Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence, shares his perspective on this as the mainland Chinese and Hong Kong stock markets record gains.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The abrupt resignation of a vice-chancellor from a prominent public university has raised serious questions about appointments of vice-chancellors and other leadership positions. We speak with Dr. Sharifah Munirah Alatas from the Allianz Centre for Governance on whether our ministers should still be the ultimate authority on the appointment of vice-chancellors.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Lewis, Director, Peter Lewis Consulting (China) Limited discusses what's behind the recent rally behind the Hang Seng Index, and whether this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Chap Goh Meh and Valentine’s Day falling in the same week, florists have been flooded with orders. However, rising costs and supply challenges are shifting consumer buying habits. Is the love for fresh flowers fading or will demand continue to bloom? To get an industry perspective, we speak to Esda Meow, Member of the Malaysia Retail Chain Association (MRCA).Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.