Morning Brief

As climate change wreaks havoc on weather patterns in Southeast Asia, how has this affected perceptions of climate change action amongst its diverse population? We discuss the findings of the 2024 Southeast Asia Climate Outlook with Sharon Seah of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sri Lanka will hold its presidential election this Saturday, September 21st, following the country's 2022 economic collapse which saw the president at the time having to flee amid mass protests. Faraz Shauketaly, an independent broadcaster and investigative journalist talks to us about the sentiments going into election day as 17 million eligible voters select from 38 candidates, who will lead their country for the next 5 years.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The news that JAKIM is considering making halal certification mandatory for restaurants and food establishments that do not serve pork or alcohol, has sparked debate highlighting the complexity and importance of this move. Prof Dr Abdul Malik Musharat, Chairman of Global Halal Malaysia Traders and Consumer Association shares his insights on this issue.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The price of crude palm oil is currently hovering above the RM3,800 level as Malaysia’s August palm oil stockpile rose to a six-month high since February, driven by seasonally higher production and lower exports. Alvin Tai, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, shares his views on the direction of the commodity amid the strengthening of the ringgit, weakening soybean oil prices and even the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is developing new regulations to support the integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) into public transport. What can Malaysia learn from the experience of other countries in integrating this technology in transport systems? We get insights from economist Dr. Walter Theseira about the potential of AVs to transform the transport landscape.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DAP will hold state elections on 22 September, with incumbent Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow stating that he will not defend his post as state party chair. What does that say about the internal dynamics of DAP? We discuss this with political analyst Dr. Azmi Hassan.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the US debate, it appeared that Kamala Harris had the upper hand. But what were the economic policies of both candidates? Vasu Menon, Managing Director, Investment Strategy, OCBC weighs in and also tells how volatile markets will be until polling day on November 5th.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water pollution is a continuous issue in our country. Most recently, residents in Selangor experienced unscheduled water cuts caused by water contamination and a new case of illegal waste dumping is also causing odour pollution in Johor. We speak to Dr Zaki Zainudin, Water Quality and Water Quality Modeling Specialist about the legal framework on water pollution in Malaysia, and what can be done to stem this problem.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government recently agreed to amend both the Trustee Act and the Trustee (Incorporation) Act to prevent the misappropriation of funds by established trustees for purposes such as religious, social, and welfare activities. Given past cases of public fund misuse, including in the Aman Palestin scandal, are these legal reforms the way forward for enhanced governance? Alliff Benjamin Suhaimi, Partner at Thomas Philip, offers his perspective.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This new law offers better protection for platform workers like private hire drivers and freelance delivery workers, by creating a new legal category between employees and the self-employed. Dr. Walter Theseira, Associate Professor of Economics, Singapore University of Social Sciences explains the details of this bill and how it impacts the future of platform work.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Education has identified 28% of Year 1 pupils are lagging in 3R skills i.e. reading, writing and arithmetic, and require additional support. What kind of interventions would work best to shore up the basic skills needed by primary students? Shahnaz Al-Sadat of LeapEd gives us her insights. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the government’s National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), there was the highest property sales growth since 2019 during the first half of 2024, increasing by 23.8% year-on-year to approximately RM105.7 billion. Chan Ai Cheng, Immediate Past-President of the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents tells us if this positive momentum can be sustained for the rest of 2024 and what are the key trends to watch for.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vice President Kamala Harris of the Democratic party and Republican contender former President Donald Trump face off in a historic presidential debate for the first and likely only time in this election campaign. We discuss expectations for the debate with Bryan DeAngelis of Penta Group. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The issue of statelessness and undocumented residents in Sabah is particularly acute and complex. Last week, the Sabah state government announced that it will set up an inter-agency special committee and a task force to address these issues. What are the key challenges that need to be addressed? Suriani Kempe of Family Frontiers weighs in. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China is removing the last remaining barriers to foreign investment in manufacturing and healthcare, starting November 1st. Tommy Xie, Head, Greater China Research, OCBC Bank tells us the rationale for this and if it will attract FDI. We also look at the recent economic data to determine if there is risk of serious deflation in the world's second largest economy.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, news emerged that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) directed all Internet service providers to implement public DNS (Domain Name System) redirection for businesses, enterprises, and government agencies by September 30. Although Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil defended the decision, he has asked MCMC to put the plan on hold pending stakeholder engagement. We discuss the rationale and implication of the policy with Alex Wong of SoyaCincau.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hong Kong, which houses some of the most expensive properties in the world, is currently experiencing a crisis, with owners being forced to slash prices. The downturn in the city has persisted for around five years. Patrick Wong, Head of Bloomberg Intelligence Hong Kong & Senior Analyst - Asia Pacific Real Estate tells us if we can expect any government support and which listed players will survive this downturn.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fraud in the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) has led to the government implementing a comprehensive overhaul of the claims system. They are also rolling out a nationwide operation to identify and address additional fraudulent activities. Lim Zi-Han, Partner, Donovan & Ho shares his insights on the strategies and reforms required to tackle these issues effectively.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shares around the world fell on Wednesday, pummelled by a drop in tech stocks following a record sell-off of Wall Street darling Nvidia. Analysts cited a confluence of factors behind the rout, which also impacted Asian and European tech stocks. Is this recent sell-off merely a temporary market correction, or has the Magnificent Seven reached its peak? For more analysis, we’ll be speaking with Dan Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Indian regulators cleared the way for an $8.5 billion US dollar merger of Disney and Reliance, creating India’s biggest entertainment player to compete with Sony, Netflix and Amazon. How does this benefit Disney, and what are the trends shaping the broader entertainment streaming sector? We get analysis from Geetha Ranganathan of Bloomberg Intelligence.Image Credit: BizAsiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim has met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok, Russia, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum where the Malaysian leader is the main attraction. Julia Roknifard, an independent expert on international relations talks to us about the significance of this meeting with Moscow continuing to remain under sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid reports from the Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission having received almost 6,600 cases of cyberbullying involving youths, a 20-fold increase from three years ago, action needs to be taken immediately to address this. Datin PH Wong, Executive Director of Childline Foundation shares some insights into this worrying trend as social media and online games become increasingly prolific.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Venezuela remains at a political impasse more than a month after Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner in the presidential elections. This outcome is disputed by the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and sparked on-going mass street demonstrations. We get updates on the situation in Venezuela with Dr. Raul Sanchez-Urribarri of La Trobe University.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Putrajaya has pledged to prioritise affordable housing projects amid concerns from some residents groups that this could result in excessive development, leading to traffic congestion. Teresa Kok, the MP for Seputeh, shares her views from her constituents' perspectives.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s economy is increasingly looking less likely to reach its 5% GDP growth target - what does this mean for equities? Brock Silvers of Kaiyuan Capital weighs in on whether there are silver linings amid the economic uncertainties. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia Aviation Group has temporarily reduced its flights and routes until December this year to implement corrective measures after a series of delays and flight cancellations caused the ire of many passengers. Brendan Sobie, Independent Analyst and Consultant of Sobie Aviation explains why this has happened to MAG and what they need to do to repair their reputation and restore confidence.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent report by the healthcare news portal CodeBlue on medical inflation featuring comments from the Chief Executive of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) has sparked debate on regulatory reform for private healthcare pricing. We get industry perspectives from Datuk Dr. Kuljit Singh of the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) on factors driving up the cost of private healthcare and potential solutions.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has experienced a series of trade retaliatory measures, including tariffs imposed by Canada and the EU, in response to its alleged dumping of cheap goods. This comes amid a weak consumer market in the world’s second-largest economy, where e-commerce giants have been warning of declining profits. Gary Ng, Senior APAC Economist at Natixis, shares his analysis of the prospects for the Chinese economy and whether it can achieve sustainable growth.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this, the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), an industry group, sent a letter to the Prime Minister calling for a halt to new social media licensing. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has since questioned AIC’s representation of tech companies, noting discrepancies and Grab Malaysia’s claim of not being consulted. We turn to Derek John Fernandez, a Commission Member of the MCMC, for insights on these allegations.Image Credit: Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With more than three million Malaysians involved in freelance work, the current labour laws are outdated. A new bill to protect gig workers will be tabled in October. We speak to Dr. Sia Chin Chin, Senior Lecturer, School of Law and Governance at Taylor’s University as to what these law should include.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vietnam’s newly installed Communist Party chief To Lam has announced he will step down as president, a role he took on after the death of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong. The Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has also resigned, having violated anti-corruption rules. Dr Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at the Vietnam Studies Programme of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, shares his analysis.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 Paris Paralympics commences this week with Malaysia represented by a 30-person strong contingent and a target of four gold medals. Malaysia has achieved Paralympic gold glory since the 2016 Rio Games, but why has this not been rewarded with greater investment in para-sports? We get perspectives from Datuk Dr Ras Adiba Radzi, Chairperson of Persatuan OKU Sentral, and also a former Paralympic Shooter.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A government has yet to be formed in France more than a month after snap elections in July. This week President Emmanuel Macron rejected the nomination of Lucie Castets from the National Popular Front (NFP), the left-wing coalition that won the most seats in the elections. How long can this impasse last and how will it affect the governance of France? We get an analysis from Dr. Benjamin Barton of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel and the Hezbollah group exchanged dozens of rockets and missiles over the weekend, in an escalation that drove fears of an all-out Middle East war to new heights. James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies assesses the current situation which has now taken on an uneasy calm.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital Nasional Berhad  announced last Friday that Telekom Malaysia’s Share Subscription Agreement (SSA) to acquire a stake in DNB has been terminated as it failed to fulfill the the conditions. We explore the consequences of this and if it derails the country's 5G plans including the rollout of the second network. Professor Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement at Taylor's University and Former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry gives us his perspective and what clarifications the government should provide for this national utility. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades the Registration of Criminals and Undesirable Persons Act 1969 has caused difficulties for about a million people on the list, making it difficult for them to get jobs, start a business and to basically reintegrate into society. Jerald Joseph, Chair of CSO Platform for Reform, shares his thoughts on this Act which the Home Ministry is now looking to review to give ex-offenders a real second chance.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore's residential market appears to have cooled this year, registering a price increase of 2.3% versus a cumulative 8% in 2023. Likewise, the rental index of private residential properties fell for a third consecutive quarter. Alan Cheong, Executive Director at Savills Singapore analyses the reasons for this.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Housing & Local Government Ministry is looking to set up escrow accounts for housing projects to ensure payments by homebuyers are used solely for the properties they have bought. The current practice allows a developer to use purchasers' funds for any of their projects. Adriana Abu, the legal advisor of the National Homebuyers' Association Malaysia shares her views on this proposal.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks the last day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. As Kamala Harris will be making an appearance later, most likely to close out the event, we speak to Mark Rozell, Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University to discuss what issues he might touch on.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has just wrapped up a three-day official visit to India, holding meetings with his counterpart Narendra Modi. Both leaders have also agreed to elevate their relationship from an enhanced strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor, at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University shares his views on the significance of this visit.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is investing RM10.7 billion in 62 new passenger trains for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB). Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook confirmed that no KTMB staff will lose their jobs, with costs covered through a 30-year lease with China. Professor Muhammad Zaly Shah, Professor of Transportation Planning and Logistics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia discusses the impact of this investment, highlighting how it will transform the rail network, enhance service quality, and improve overall efficiencyImage Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced that a carbon tax will not be introduced in Budget 2025. However, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz says Putrajaya is considering implementing the tax in the future and is currently studying the rollout mechanism. How should Malaysia balance efforts to reduce emissions without compromising the financial health of local companies? Yin Shao Loong, Deputy Director of Research at Khazanah Research Institute, shares his insights.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Accounts Committee has proposed that the government implement a salary cap for federal statutory bodies. This is to prevent agencies from paying excessive salaries to their top executives and reduce discrepancies in pay across different bodies. Dr Muhammad Mohan, the President of Transparency International Malaysia shares his views.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 Democratic National Convention this week will conclude on Thursday, Aug 22, with Kamala Harris formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate. Speakers included president Joe Biden, former president Barack Obama and the party's 2016 presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Adrian Ang, Research Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies shares his assessment of the mood of the delegates during the convention with Election Day less than 3 months to go.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thailand’s new Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, is inheriting a country that has seen a lower level of economic growth compared to its peers in the region for the past few years. Nonetheless, the Thai economy has been perking up as seen in data from the second quarter of 2024. What sort of policies might her government implement to sustain the apparent positive signs in Thailand’s economy, and what is its outlook in the coming months? We discuss with Erica Tay, Director of Macro Research at Maybank Singapore.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's uncertain economic growth has led to a rally in the bond market as investors look for safe haven assets. However regulators are concerned about a bubble but will their measures to curb this market be effective. Alex Muscatelli, Director of the Economics Group at Fitch Ratings tells us whilst weighing in on the impact a China slowdown will have on Asian sovereigns.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nenggiri state by-election in Kelantan saw Barisan Nasional beating Perikatan Nasional with a 3,352 vote majority in a straight fight. Political scientist, Dr Azmil Tayeb, associate professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia analyses the results with PN marking its worst by-election performance since GE15 and whether or not this signals a resurgent BN and Umno.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last Friday Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced salary increases ranging from 7 to 15 percent for the civil service. We speak to Dr Lee Hwok-Aun, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute whether the pay hikes are justified and the possible implications for economic growth and productivity.  Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has been exerting its influence in the South Pacific where nations like Kiribati, Nauru and the Solomon Islands have switched their alliances from Taipei to Beijing. Graeme Smith, a senior fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs of Australian National University shares his analysis on what China is doing in the global geopolitical scheme of things.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s top two banks were fined a combined RM5 million for prolonged service disruptions that breached financial services laws. We discuss the implications of the penalties imposed on service delivery with Ling Kay Yeow, Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.