Morning Brief

With Lawrence Wong assuming office as Singapore's fourth Prime Minister on May 15th, we unpack his two-day working visit to Malaysia aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation between the two nations as well as overcome unresolved issues such as water and maritime border delineation. We delve into the key insights from the meeting with Thomas Daniel, Senior Fellow, ISIS Malaysia.Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the dust settles following the outcome of the European parliamentary elections, what will the right-ward shift in the legislative body mean for the EU policy moving forward? We discuss the implications with Dr. Benjamin Barton of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hydrogen Economy & Technology Roadmap (HETR) launched last year projects Malaysia to gain between RM49 billion to RM61 bil ringgit in additional GDP contribution, as well as RM12.1 billion in revenue gains from the hydrogen market by 2030. Sarawak is leading this move, aiming to become a commercial hydrogen producer by 2027. Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad, the CEO of NanoMalaysia, shares his views on this issue.Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thailand’s National Institute of Development Administration's latest survey has revealed that only a third of respondents are satisfied with the performance of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s government since it took power nine months ago. Dr Michael Montesano, Associate Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute helps us understand the current Thai political situation.Image Credit: shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is no denying that technical & vocational education & training (TVET) plays an important role in creating a skilled workforce, but it is seldom the choice of school leavers and the youth who prefer professional vocations. To address this, Putrajaya has launched the National TVET Policy 2030, pumping significant funding into it. Danial Abdul Rahman, CEO of the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI), shares his views on this.Image Credit: freepik.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that legislative elections will take place with two rounds on June 30 and July 7. This followed the conclusion of European Parliamentary elections with far-right parties advancing in France, Germany and Italy. Prof. Peter McPhee at the University of Melbourne analyses why this is happening at this time and what the outcome might be.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the stroke of midnight, diesel prices in Peninsula Malaysia were raised to RM3.35 from RM2.15 with the government assuring that the prices of goods will not rise due to the mechanism that these subsidies are removed. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education gives us his impressions of this and if its an essential part of Malaysia's fiscal reforms.Image Credit: brgfx/freepik.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Madani government wants to review the National Oil & Gas Service & Equipment (OGSE) Blueprint 2021-2030 that was introduced three years ago, believing it needs to address global competitiveness, sustainability, agility, and diversity within the sector. Syed Saggaf Syed Ahmad, President of The Malaysian Oil, Gas & Energy Services Council (MOGSC) gives us some perspectives on what that might entail.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bersatu has taken steps to address how to deal with 6 of their MPs who had openly declared support to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the Dewan Rakyat, abandoning their role as opposition. This situation now brings up how the anti-hopping law that has been in force since October 2022, comes into play. Dr Wong Chin Huat, a political scientist at Sunway University helps us unravel the complexities of this issue.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime office rents in Singapore reached a 15-year high in the first quarter of the year, but the picture may not stay as rosy given a number of headwinds on the horizon. How will commercial real estate trends affect the outlook for major Singapore property players? We get analysis from Ken Foong of Bloomberg Intelligence.Image Credit: Pro Aerial Master / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister's Office has just launched the Malaysia Madani Nationhood Training module to be undertaken by Akademi Kenegaraan Malaysia or AKM. The the module is firmly rooted in the Federal Constitution and reflects the core values outlined in the Rukun Negara but how useful will it be in achieving its goals of ensuring the patriotism and civic consciousness of future generations. Jason Wee, Co-founder, Architects of Diversity  tells us.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the moratorium on EV road taxes ends in January 2026, EV owners won’t have to worry about sticker shock - this week the Transport Minister Anthony Loke unveiled a new road tax structure that will see EVs pay 85% lower fees. We discuss the implications of this and other auto-sector related policies with Daniel Fernandez, Editor of the auto news portal dsf.my.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party BJP failed to secure an outright majority on its own in the country's 7-week long general election. This means Modi has to rely on coalition partners to stay in office for a third term. Priyanka Kishore, Director and Principal Economist at Asia Decoded, takes us through the various scenarios and what this might mean for India's economic future as one of the world's fastest-growing economies.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the 2023 National Health & Morbidity Survey by the Ministry of Health, over half a million adults living in Malaysia live with 4 non-communicable diseases or NCDs. What implications does this pose for our healthcare system? We discuss the findings of the survey and policy responses required with Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy, Co-Chairperson of NCD Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the 2024 IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit was held in Dubai, IATA has forecasted that the global airline industry will record revenue of 996 billion US dollars this year. While the net profit estimate has been raised to 30.5 billion dollars. Brendan Sobie, Independent Analyst and Consultant, Sobie Aviation, who was at the event shares with us the takeaways from the event, the industry’s efforts to go green and outlook for the industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 21st Shangri-La Dialogue took place in Singapore over the weekend on the backdrop of multiple conflicts from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas wars, as well as continued tensions in the South China Sea. Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor, at the Department of Political Science of the National University of Singapore, helps analyse the outcome of this year's summit.Image Credit: EPA imagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

South Africans voted last week in the country's general elections resulting in the ruling African National Congress losing its majority for the first time in 30 years. The ANC now has to negotiate with other parties to remain in government. Louw Nel, a senior political analyst at Oxford Economics, helps us understand what the possible permutations might be for the future of South Africa.Image Credit: rawpixel.com / Freepix.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After two days of deliberation by a jury of 12 New Yorkers, Donald Trump has been found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to pay hush money ahead of the 2016 election. John Zogby, pollster and Founder of Zogby Strategies tells us what impact this will have on his reelection chances in November's elections especially among the minds of the undecided and women voters.Image Credit: EPA imagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Penang government has proposed for a comprehensive review of tax revenue distribution, advocating for a 20% return of collected taxes to enhance local development. Dr. Tricia Yeoh, CEO, Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) tells us if there is a formula by which states are granted a percentage of tax revenue and how that should align with their development goals.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As South Africans voted in the most hotly contested elections in 30 years with the ruling party, the African National Congress expected to lose their majority. Dr. Dirk Kotze, Professor of Political Science, University of South Africa tells us who are the political parties involved, what are the priorities of the 28 million South Africans who are registered to vote and what is the likely outcome as results will only be known on Sunday.Image Credit: www.slon.pics / Freepik.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The uproar over the awarding of a demand responsive transit (DRT) pilot project in Selangor to Asia Mobiliti, whose co-founder is the husband of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has put the spotlight on gaps in the government procurement process. Pushpan Murugiah, CEO of C4 weighs in on the reforms needed in government procurement to ensure transparency and public trust.Image Credit: Asia MobilitiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protests have been taking place outside Taiwan's parliament  drawing up to tens of thousands of demonstrators to voice their opposition to contested reforms  backed by the opposition Kuomintang and the Taiwan People’s Party. Brian Hioe, Co-Founding Editor of New Bloom Magazine explains why this bill is so controversial and what this means for the President Lai Ching-te's ability to govern.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The proposed deal to take Malaysia Airport Holdings (MAHB) private has sparked debate from both proponents and detractors. M. Shanmugam, Contributing Editor with the Edge helps us discern whether this is a good deal for shareholders and national stakeholders. Image Credit: MAHB FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National-level celebrations for HAWANA 2024 (National Journalists Day) were held in Kuching, Sarawak over the weekend. During the event, comments by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the relevance of World Press Freedom Index rankings raised questions about the government's commitment to free, independent media. We discuss the divergence between government rhetoric and action concerning news media with Wathshlah Naidu of the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ).Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Saturday, some parts of Kuala Lumpur and PJ were also hit by a storm which caused many trees to fall causing damage although this time, no loss of life. We speak to Lim Yi Wei, Assemblywoman of Kampung Tunku as to whether there is enough funding at the state level to ensure that these trees are safe whilst keeping that balance between development and the natural environment.Image Credit: Fire and Rescue DepartmentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leaders from China, Japan, and South Korea convened for their first trilateral meeting in over four years with a focus on trade and security. William Pesek, Columnist, Nikkei Asia tells us what implications this summit has against the backdrop of increasing tensions between US and China.Image Credit: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The general elections in India are winding towards the end, and surprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target of more than 400 seats for his coalition appears to be a harder goal to achieve than expected. We speak to Dr Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor with the Jawaharlal Nehru University on why the outcome of a wipeout of the opposition is less certain and what this means for geopolitics in the region.Image Credit: EPA imagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last Saturday, the Coalition for Clean and Free Elections otherwise known as Bersih held their annual Congress. 19 motions were approved in line with the causes they champion. We discuss their assessment of the government's progress in institutional reforms with Faisal Abdul Aziz, Chairman of Bersih.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has visited Japan for the second time within six months. This trip saw him meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Zarina Zainuddin, an analyst in Foreign Policy and Security Studies at ISIS Malaysia talks about what this means for both countries' bilateral relations.Image Credit: Prime Minister's Office of Malaysia Official WebsiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following a slow start at the beginning of 2024, industrial metals like copper have recently been hitting new highs. The rally is also seen in precious metals like gold and silver. Michelle Leung, Head of Asia Metals & Mining at Bloomberg Intelligence helps us understand what is behind this rally in metals' prices and is this sustainable.Image Credit: Freepik.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The situation in Gaza has deteriorated into a humanitarian catastrophe over the course of 7 months. The recent advancement of the Israeli Defence Forces into Rafah and the closure of the border crossing to Egypt has meant that civilians and international aid workers are trapped, including a team of Malaysian doctors under Mercy Malaysia. We speak to Dato’ Dr. Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia for updates from the ground.Image Credit: Mercy Malaysia FacebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a Special Address, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim reminded the nation that the government fiscal reforms are on track, starting with the targeted subsidy plan. We get Dr. Geoffrey Williams views on the messaging, level of ambition and the likely schedule of rolling out the rationalization.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, it was confirmed that Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi had died in a helicopter crash.  Maryam Ismail, analyst at ISIS Malaysia goes through his legacy and possible successors. We also ask her that with the death  of both the President and the Foreign Minister how might this impact Iran’s foreign policy during a time of heightened regional tensions.Image Credit: EPA imagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore's three major banks - DBS, UOB and OCBC - have all reported their first quarter earnings. Sarah Jane Mahmud, a senior financial services research analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, reflects on what was announced and the implications for Singapore's banking sector as well as Malaysia's going forward.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Eurozone remains vulnerable to global supply shocks, including through rising food prices resulting from climate change and extreme weather patterns. How should the European Central Bank (ECB) navigate these headwinds? Economist Tomas Dvorak of Oxford Economics weighs in. Image Credit: Pexels.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The sudden notice by the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court last week that the e-Jamin online bail system would be phased out and replaced with the previously used manual process caused an uproar in the legal fraternity, who decried the inefficiency of the move. The Prime Minister's Department has since reversed the initial decision and announced that e-Jamin would remain in use. But why was the decision? made in the first place? We discuss the issue with criminal lawyer Goh Cia Yee.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a distressing week after violent storms uprooted trees in the middle of Kuala Lumpur, resulting in the death of one person whose car was crushed. As a result, DBKL have been directed to establish a task force to closely monitor and maintain these shade trees. Hashim Gombri, a landscape architect consultant, talks about the challenges in preserving old trees in urban environments.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Typically small cap investing is not without its risk as these companies tend to have less publicly available information with lower trading volumes. But  Lee Meng Horng, Head of Small Cap Research at RHB Investment Bank helps us navigate this on the back of their recently published  Top 20 Small Cap Jewels book.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia tabled its Budget with a second consecutive surplus of A$9.3 billion, quickly followed by a projected deficit of A$28.3 billion in 2024-25. James McIntyre, Economist at Bloomberg Intelligence helps us makes sense of the numbers and also new policies like the "Future Made in Australia" program and the Energy bill relief package.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the planned privatization of Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) by a consortium formed by EPF, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, state investment arm of Abu Dhabi, and New York-based investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners; Khair Mirza, Head of Airport Investor Resource at Modalis Infrastructure Partners shares with us what this possible equity restructuring entails and whether it could benefit the nation.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent weeks we have been seeing a series of attacks on Malaysian football players. One of which was the National right winger Faisal Halim that landed in the intensive care unit with fourth-degree burns after being splashed with acid. Dr Hazwan Khair, Head of Sports Medicine, Selangor FC shares with us updates on how Faisal is doing, and what is being done to protect the players.Image Credit: Selangor FCSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The state of Johor is seeing a range of economic opportunities and catalysts the proposed Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, as well as ongoing works on the Forest City Special Financial Zone. We discuss with Nordin Abdullah, Vice Chairman, Malaysia Australian Business Council (MABC) about the right package of incentives to appeal to investors.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a staggering pace of approximately 1000 departures per week, New Zealanders are leaving their country. Statistics indicate that a figure of 52,500 citizens migrated in the year, with Australia being a prominent destination. We discuss the factors driving this trend and its implications for the nation with Independent Political Analyst Grant Duncan.Image Credit: David_Peterson https://pixabay.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed economist Andrey Belousov as the new defence minister to replace Sergei Shoigu who was at the post since 2012. Shoigu is now head of the country's security council. Dr Alexey Muraviev, Associate Professor at the National Security and Strategic Studies of Curtin University, helps analyse these latest developments.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 Presidential elections are shaping up to be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but neither are facing a smooth runway to November. We discuss the headwinds for both camps with pollster John Zogby.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the May holidays in China, tourists made a total of 295 million trips within the country during that 5 day long holiday, 28% more than in 2019. Is this a harbinger of better economic times ahead for China? Gary Ng, APAC Economist, Natixis gives us his perspective and what do the recent PBOC, CPI and PPI numbers tell us.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been 55 years since racial tensions boiled over marking one of the darkest moments in Malaysia's history. May 13th, 1969 saw hundreds of people killed, with exact figures still unknown to this day. Eddin Khoo, a historian and writer, shares his insights with us and how we, as Malaysians, can learn from this tragic event to ensure it is never repeated.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent UNICEF report that studied the impact of the pandemic on women and children in low-income families in KL, has revealed that 80% of households are grappling with inadequate income levels to sustainably cover essential expenses. This is alarmingly higher than the 70% reported during the peak of Covid-19. Dr Amjad Rabi, a visiting expert at the Social Wellbeing Research Centre, Universiti Malaya, shares his insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Companies (amendment) Act 2024 came into force on 1st April this year. With that all entities have until 30th June to submit information on their beneficial owner to the Companies Commission of Malaysia. The Act also improves on previous regulations regarding the definition and also reporting framework of beneficiaries. Ranjit Singh, senior litigation partner of Ranjit Singh & Yeoh explains the mechanics of this and why this is a step in the right direction.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Dr. James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies to get some insights on the potential for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and how the recent attacks in Rafah complicate matters. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.