Morning Brief

Controversial figure Tun Musa Aman, who served as Sabah’s Chief Minister from 2003 till 2018, has been appointed as the state’s governor with the backing of the current Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. What does this development signal about the evolving landscape of Sabah politics? We get analysis from  Ariff Adi Putera of the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah).Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International ratings agency, Fitch has reaffirmed Malaysia’s long term currency issuer default rating at BBB+ with a stable outlook. We speak to Kathleen Chen, Associate Director Fitch Ratings’ Asia-Pacific Sovereigns who is also the primary Sovereign analyst for Malaysia as to the reasons for this and what is required for us to achieve an upgrade.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government launched a National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), which is a brand-new agency under the Digital Ministry. According to its website, the office is expected to serve as a centralised agency for AI, providing strategic planning, R&D, as well as regulatory oversight, among others. So, how will this agency fit into Malaysia’s agenda of accelerating AI adoption? Dr. Jun-E Tan, Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute shares her perspective.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The healthcare sector has been making headlines recently, with many calling for regulatory and systemic reforms as insurance premiums are expected to rise by up to 70% next year. As a result, the Health Ministry has proposed that diagnosis-related group pricing system, (DRG) be implemented. Oong Chun Sung, Equity Research Analyst, RHB Investment Bank tells us if DRG will be a boom or bane for earnings and which listed companies stand to benefit.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's expected that the Thai Economy will only expand by less than 3%, lower than that of its Asean neighbours. Poon Panichpibool, Markets Strategist, Krung Thai Bank tells us whether the recent debt support measures and cash handouts will boost consumption and in turn growth for 2025. We also ask what we can expect from their equity markets which are one of the worst performing in Asia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Late last week, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the opposition, accusing it for repeatedly undermining the Constitution. This on the back of the Congress party attempting to impeach the Vice President. Dr Mishra, Associate Professor at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi helps us unpack the latest political developments and what we can expect from US-India relations with Trump 2.0.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rumors were swirling last week about how Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry and Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul might be joining PKR. How might his departure impact the party and the broader Madani coalition? Giving us his thoughts on the matter is Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chinese government concluded its Central Economic Work Conference last Thursday, promising a number of policy changes to meet major economic benchmarks next year. They include a higher fiscal deficit ceiling, more treasury bonds and cuts to interest rates. So are these pledges enough to restore investors’ confidence in Chinese stocks? Brock Silvers, Chief Investment Officer of Kaiyuan Capital joins us to discuss if 2025 will be a repeat of 2024.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coffee drinkers may soon see their morning beverage get more expensive, as the price of coffee on international commodity markets hit its highest level on record on Tuesday. The price for Arabica beans, which account for most of global production, jumped more than 80% this year, while Robusta beans hit a fresh high in September. Helping us unpack the rally behind coffee prices is Judith Ganes, Commodities Analyst & President of J.Ganes Consulting.Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As land is a state matter and there are 600 industrial parks in the country with very different standards, The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) are collaborating with Sirim Bhd to set up a star rating system for industrial parks. We speak to Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry as to how this will help improve Malaysia as an investment destination and fulfil our economic agenda.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private healthcare providers are under fire over the rising cost of medical services, but the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) argue that public data does not accurately reflect the cost pressures they face. What needs to be in place for diagnosis-related group pricing to be effective in the Malaysian context? We hear from Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, President of the APHM for the industry perspective.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In response to public outcry over rising medical costs, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim this week announced that the government will study options to standardise the cost of private healthcare, including through the diagnosis-related group or DRG system, which could enhance transparency of patient treatment charges. To what extent could the DRG-system moderate medical inflation? Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Dr Syed Mohamed Aljunid of the Malaysian Health Economic Association weighs in.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Penal Code (Amendment) (No 2) Bill 2024 aiming to tackle bullying has been passed at the Dewan Rakyat. The amendments address the legal definition of bullying and its punishments, ranging from fines to up to 10 years imprisonment. These changes aim to establish a clear legal framework for addressing both physical and online bullying. Dato’ Vignesh Kumar, Advocate & Solicitor, and former Deputy Public Prosecutor, speaks with us to shed some light on these new lawsImage Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the collapse of the Al-Assad regime in Syria mean for Russia and President Vladimir Putin? We discuss the implications of the realignment in the Middle East with security analyst Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.Image Credits: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uncertain and volatile are the buzz words for 2025, no thanks to incoming US President Donald Trump and his stance on tariffs and taxes. With that, the pace and quantum of Fed rate cuts is less clear, so what does that mean for Asian currencies and the Ringgit in particular? Christopher Wong, FX Strategist, OCBC Bank tells us his 2025 outlook.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local authorities have been called to expedite the gazetting of public open spaces in their respective areas to prevent the land from being misused by irresponsible parties. What accounts for the low level of gazettement? We speak to lawyer Alliff Benjamin Suhaimi, Partner at Thomas Philip to better understand the legislation governing the development of public spaces. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024 has been a tale of two halves for Asia-Pacific infrastructure stocks, with the second half of the year making up for the sluggish start, which saw the sector underperform the MSCI Benchmark index by 7.7 percent. But could the positive momentum be derailed by Trump tariffs in 2025? We discuss the outlook for the Asian infrastructure sector with Denise Wong of Bloomberg Intelligence.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Human Rights Day is marked annually on 10 December to commemorate the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948. How does the Madani Government’s commitment to uphold human rights stack up against its actions? We get an assessment from Ragunath Kesavan, Commissioner with SUHAKAM.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia and Vietnam have elevated their bilateral ties to that of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is expected to pave the way for a more unified approach to the South China Sea tensions. How might this collaboration strengthen their collective voice against Beijing? For more perspectives, we speak with Collins Chong, a foreign affairs and security analyst at Universiti Malaya.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with International Anti-Corruption Day, we speak to Sujatha Sekhar Naik, Chairperson of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance (MICG), about the standards of corporate governance in Malaysia, whether the amended MACC Act has reduced instances of corporate malpractice.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fortunes in Syria have changed overnight, after opposition groups seized Damascus and toppled the 24-year regime led by President Bashar Al-Assad on Sunday. Who will fill the leadership vacuum in Syria and what does this mean for geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East? We get analysis from Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Data from Adobe Inc showed that US e-commerce sales rose to a record 10.8 billion US dollars on Black Friday. This shopping season is viewed as one of the barometers for US consumer spending. Sales at larger digital platforms are expected to outperform this season, with TikTok tripling its US shopping sales to more than 100 million dollars on the day after Thanksgiving. For more insights into the earnings of this shopping gala, we speak to Poonam Goyal, Senior Retail and Ecommerce Analyst at Bloomberg IntelligenceImage Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is now facing the very real possibility of being impeached after declaring martial law out of the blue on Tuesday night, and rescinding it after a parliamentary vote a few hours later. For some insight into South Korea’s political situation at the moment, we will be speaking to Dr. Hoo Chiew Ping, Senior Fellow, East Asia International Relations (EAIR) Caucus. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, announced that the government is reviewing the master plan for the Bandar Malaysia development after it was approved in principle last year. Our Finance Minister said the review is necessary to take into account the perspectives from various stakeholders to ensure that Bandar Malaysia achieves its objectives. Dr. Shuhana Shamsuddin, President of Pereka Bandar joins us to unpack the costs and benefits of this development plan.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2-month-old minority government of France's prime minister, Michel Barnier, is facing near-certain defeat in a no-confidence vote. This is after he forced through an austerity budget which rallied opposition lawmakers from both a left-wing alliance and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party. Benjamin Barton, Head of School of Politics and International Relations at University of Nottingham Malaysia, gives us a rundown on what's happening there.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian government has recently launched a 13 billion ringgit affordable housing project, but how can the government ensure this project is carried out effectively? For some answers, we speak to Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia and Brazil are partnering in the semiconductor industry for integrated circuit (IC) design activities next year.With joint ventures (JVs) between Brazilian and Malaysian companies spearheading that, we speak to Dato' Seri Wong Siew Hai, President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association as to how this might help us achieve our goals as stated in the National Semiconductor Strategy.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia recently held their 7th AGM with delegates reaffirming their support for Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to continue leading the party as president as well as to be Perikatan Nasional's prime ministerial candidate for GE16. Ibrahim Suffian, Co-Founder & Programme Director for Merdeka Centre shares his takeaways from what came out of the meeting.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has passed a bill banning children under 16 from going on social media. This includes regulations on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X, subjecting them to fines of up to A$49.5 million. Dr Faith Gordon, Associate Professor of Law at the ANU College of Law at the Australian National University, shares her insights on how effective (or not) this new piece of legislation will be.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been significant developments in Malaysia’s fintech landscape across the board over the past few years. With the launch of digital banks and the take up in e-payments to the introduction of buy now pay later players. We ask Vincent Fong, Chief Editor at Fintech News Malaysia about their latest report and what were the key observations.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selangor became the first state in Malaysia to launch a care economy policy. As the state with the highest number of elderly residents, the new framework would focus on regulation, training, and investments in the care economy. Joining us for a discussion on this is Lee Min Hui, Gender Consultant at the United Nations Population Fund Malaysia.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Malaysia, digital investments have experienced robust growth with assets under management at RM1.6bn with more than 40 products on offer. Yet the industry is still at a nascent stage. So what policy changes should there be to encourage this as an option to promote financial inclusion, especially for those who have not prepared for retirement? We ask Munirah Khairuddin, CEO of Malaysia & Global Shariah of Principal Asset Management for her views.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lee Hsien Loong has confirmed that he will step down as PAP chief after 20 years helming the party, proposing Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as his successor. Eugene Tan, Associate Professor of Law at Singapore Management University, shares some insights into how Singapore's political landscape might change as the island nation goes to the polls next year in a high-stakes general election.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to impose tariffs or increase them on Canada, Mexico and China - its three largest trading partners. At the same time, during his presidential campaign, Trump also pledged to address domestic inflation. Professor Dr Calvin Cheong, Vice Dean & Deputy Dean of Education, Sunway Business School, shares his insights into who stands to benefit from this and who doesn't.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global airfares are projected to continue climbing in 2025, amid ongoing supply chain disruptions and cost pressures on airlines. Could this dampen demand for air travel in the coming year? We discuss the outlook for global aviation with Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Senior Aviation Consultant, Frost & Sullivan. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid announced that new guidelines regulating short-term rental accommodation activities would be presented to the Cabinet. He acknowledged its significant contribution to the growth of Malaysia’s tourism industry and emphasised the need for proper compliance. For a better understanding of this sector and what legislation to expect, we speak to Chan Ai Cheng, the Immediate Past President of the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The minority government in Japan led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba signed off on a new stimulus package worth $140 billion US dollars last Friday in a bid to boost domestic consumption and bolster the economy. How might this affect the growth prospects of Japan at a time when the world is bracing for a return of Donald Trump to the White House? We get analysis from Stefan Angrick of Moody’s Analytics.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the government announcing a slew of reforms to cut bureaucratic red tape, we speak to Chin Chee Seong, the National President of the SME Association of Malaysia, about the progress of these efforts to date and what else is needed to make it much easier to do business in Malaysia.Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim created a stir when he stated that the private sector financed 70% to 80% of his recent overseas visits. Why was this comment controversial and can private sector financing of government travel be rationalised as a cost-cutting measure? We discuss ways to improve budget transparency with Aira Azhari of IDEAS.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan ended in dramatic fashion - negotiations were held until the wee hours of Sunday morning before an agreement was reached on a new climate financing goal of $300 billion US dollars. How will the outcome of COP29 shape the climate agenda moving forward, especially in ASEAN? We discuss this with climate expert Dr. Renard Siew.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Accounts Committee's recent report has revealed that the government may have to pay Bestinet Sdn Bhd RM3.22 billion ringgit for the Foreign Worker Centralised Management System. This is likely due to the fact that the government has been operating the foreign worker recruitment platform without a finalised contract for six years. Alex Ong, Country Representative, Migrant CARE, shares his insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Bank has an International Development Association that provides grants and low-interest loans for the 78 poorest countries in the world. The fund which is replenished every 3 years has a target of USD100 billion this year. We ask Clemence Landers, Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Global Development if rich countries will provide the funding and the consequences if that goal is not achieved.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TalentCorp revealed this week that around 620,000 jobs are at risk of convergence or displacement if workers do not reskill in line with trends in A.I. and the green economy. How should A.I. literacy be incorporated into education to meet the demands of the new economy? We discuss this with Dr. Chen ZhiYuan of University of Nottingham Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deloitte revealed that the initial public offering or IPO market in Southeast Asia has been rather lacklustre in 2024, with only 122 listings raising USD 3 billion, a value that is the lowest in nine years. Malaysia however was the stand out with the most number and highest value of IPOs this year. We ask Wong Kar Choon, Audit Partner, Deloitte Malaysia reasons for Malaysia's strong capital market performance and also the outlook for SEA's IPOs in 2025.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year's G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was not without its share of drama, with contentions over the joint communique, jostling for Chinese President Xi Jinping's attention while US President Joe Biden delivers his swan song. What do the changing geopolitical dynamics mean for the effectiveness of the group? We discuss this with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the announcement by the Health Minister that the government will no longer award pharmaceutical procurement contracts to just one company, we speak to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO, Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy whether this will be the much needed panacea to our sustained supply of affordable drugs?Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s private home prices fell for the first time in five quarters in the July to September period as the private home price index fell 1.1%. Meanwhile, the latest URA data has shown that the office rental index (Central Region) registered a 0.5% quarter-on-quarter decline as vacancy spiked by almost 8%. So is it all doom and gloom for Singapore property and what is the outlook for 2025? Alan Cheong, Executive Director, of Savills Singapore tell us his perspective.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of abolishing subsidies for packet cooking oil has been discussed numerous times at the cabinet level with no firm decision on this matter despite it costing the government more than RM800mn. We ask Prof. Dr. Mohd Nazari bin Ismail, Honorary Professor, Department of Management & Marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics at Universiti Malaya for his views on this.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final weeks of his term, US President Joe Biden has given the greenlight for Ukraine to use American-made long-range missiles on Russian targets. How will this impact the trajectory of the war in Ukraine and will a Trump presidency change the dynamics? We discuss the latest developments with Dr. Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Incoming President Donald Trump has been vocal with his intentions to impose 60% tarrifs on Chinese imports and duties of 20% on all other imports. What impact will this have on Malaysia's Semiconductor industry? We discuss this with Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, and Dr. Tay Kheng Chiong, Group Managing Director of D&O Green Technologies Berhad whilst asking if we have the right policies in place to take the sector to the next level.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.