Morning Brief

The China's Singles' Day extravaganza concluded over the weekend after weeks of promotions across the country. Seen as the world’s most significant shopping event, 11/11 saw e-commerce leaders like Alibaba Group and JD.com reporting improvements in gross merchandise value and order amounts, but they declined to reveal actual numbers. Catherine Lim, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence shares her observations.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the last few weeks, four Bersatu MPs have switched loyalties and pledged their support to Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the unity government. We ask Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow from Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research as to whether this is the start of more defections, what does this mean for Bersatu and even PN.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Malaysia aiming to achieve a national recycling rate of 40% by 2025, the government already has several initiatives in place and is in the process of drafting a blueprint for solid waste management, with sights set towards a circular economy. We speak to Khor Sue Yee, co-founder and director of non-profit organisation, Zero Waste Malaysia as she shares her thoughts on the country’s sustainability journey.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world’s second largest economy has been showing mixed signs of recovery since its easing of pandemic restrictions in January. But it did not dampen the wanderlust in the Chinese as travel data during Golden Week has been better than 2019 figures while players like MGM Resorts has displayed strong recovery in China. Angela Han Lee shares with us what will drive continuous demand and which listed players in the industry could sustain a strong performance.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Putrajaya has again floated merging the Malaysian Aviation Commission, which oversees economic and consumer issues, with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, which is responsible for technical issues such as safety, maintenance and security. Khair Mirza, CEO of Integral Capital Pte Ltd breaks down how this move might improve the civil aviation sector, in light of the collapse of MY Airlines and Rayani Air.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early this year, the government announced that the constitution would be amended to provide equal rights to Malaysian mothers to confer citizenship to children born abroad on par with Malaysian fathers. While the proposal has garnered support from the Malaysian public, controversy arises from the government’s plans to couple this with other amendments that some argue risk perpetuating statelessness, especially for children. What would happen should these amendments come to pass? Zaid Malek of Lawyers for Liberty weighs in on the issue.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McKinsey’s Global Insurance Report 2023 has revealed that Asia's insurance industry is at an inflection point, with the life and Property & Casualty sectors facing slowing growth and profitability concerns, among others. Bernhard Kotanko, senior partner at McKinsey & Co talks about the nuances of the report and what it means to the industry.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Finance Minister Dato' Sri Ahmad Maslan informed Parliament this week that the government was close to paying off the debts owed by 1MDB, with the remaining obligations of RM5 billion due to be paid in 2039. We go through the accounting with business writer P. Gunasegaram and also discuss the unanswered questions emanating from the long-running scandal.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has said it is not pursuing a transboundary haze bill, although it left the door open for the proposal in the future. We get reactions from Khor Yu Leng of Segi Enam Advisors and discuss available options for recourse to address the perennial haze.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Indonesian economy took a hit in the third quarter of 2023, with GDP growth slowing to 4.9%, the first time in seven quarters that the pace fell below 5%. We discuss the headwinds impacting ASEAN’s largest economy and whether there are bright spots on the horizon with Radhika Rao, Senior Economist at DBS Bank.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has been urged to establish a Charities Commission in response to growing calls for increased transparency and accountability in managing charity funds. What would be the mandate and composition of the commission? We discuss the proposal with Datin Wong Poai Hong, Executive Director, Childline Foundation.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the big achievements of last year’s COP27 was the agreement to set up a loss and damage fund that would channel money to the most vulnerable countries affected by the consequences of climate change. But ironing out the mechanism of the fund has bedevilled negotiators over the past year - will a blueprint that was passed in Abu Dhabi this last weekend pass muster when it is presented during COP28 for approval? We discuss this with Meena Raman of Sahabat Alam Malaysia.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just completed a 4-day state visit to China, the first Australian leader to visit the Middle Kingdom in seven years, ending a hiatus triggered by several disputes. Bilateral relations between Canberra and Beijing have been tepid in recent years but this visit appears to have warmed ties somewhat. Richard Mcgregor of the Lowy Institute provides us with some analysis on the outcome of this latest development.Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some 1,000 lorry drivers in Penang, Kedah and east coast states have been protesting against a crackdown on the overloading of lorries and commercial vehicles since last month, stating that this is unduly harsh on the industry. We discuss the rationale for road transport load limits and ways to improve enforcement efforts while mitigating impact on business activity with transport engineering expert Prof. Dr. Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Home Ministry hopes to table the Drug & Substance Abuse (Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation) Act in Parliament next year. The aim is to enable first-time or minor drug offenders to be rehabilitated, instead of being sent straight to prison as per the current practice. Ashwin Thind, Clinical Psychologist at PENGASIH and member of the Malaysian Drug Policy Reform Programme shares with us his thoughts on this matter.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest quarterly results of the major tech firms were mixed overall, with Microsoft and Amazon exceeding expectations while Alphabet and Tesla disappointed. We discuss the trajectory of tech stocks moving forward with Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change is proposing a mechanism to set water tariffs that allows water operators to determine rates without the need of the Minister’s approval. Dr. Mohmad Asari Daud, President, Malaysian Water Association tells us why this is a step in the right direction and the state of our water assets.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the US unveiling a new executive order on AI alongside an AI safety summit hosted by the U.K, we ask policy advisor and fintech expert Dr Jonathan Chang on how governments should try to chart a way forward alongside this emerging technology.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As widely expected, Bank Negara maintained the overnight policy rate at 3% in its final meeting of the year. There has been no change to the rate since the last hike in May and with inflation at benign levels, it wasn’t a surprise. But there is competing interest with the ringgit, one the worst performing currencies in the region whilst growth is slowing. What then does this mean for our monetary policy? Woon Khai Jhek, Head of Economic Research and Senior Economist at RAM Ratings tells us.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do international boycotts work? We discuss the proposal by Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal for Malaysia to boycott the APEC Summit in San Francisco later this month in solidarity with the Palestinian cause with political scientist Dr. Johan Saravanamuttu.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government launched the National Nuclear Technology Policy 2030 last month to spur national development including in healthcare, food and agriculture sectors. We speak to Professor Ir. Dr. Nahrul Khair Alang Md Rashid, of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia for his views on the potential of nuclear tech for the country.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Tuesday, the Japanese yen declined sharply after The Bank of Japan re-defined the 1% cap on the 10-year yield as a loose "upper bound" rather than a rigid cap. They also kept its short and long term policy rates at ultra low levels even as core inflation in the country exceeded the stated 2% target for 18 consecutive months. William Pesek tells us what is holding them back from rate normalisation and the tolerance level before currency intervention.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government announced in Budget 2024 that it would lift price controls on chicken and eggs. However will this lead to a sudden surge in the cost of living and what control mechanisms need to be in place to prevent adverse price hikes. Datuk Wira Dr Ameer Ali Mydin, Managing Director, Mydin tells us his views and how they will be pricing chickens at his retail chain with chicken prices allowed to float from 1 November onwards.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The directive by the Ministry of Education (MOE) for schools to hold a Palestine Solidarity Week sparked backlash after social media posts showing children and teachers brandishing weapons went viral. We discuss the fallout with Chan Soon Seng, CEO with Teach For Malaysia and how school children can be taught about conflict and humanitarian issues in an appropriate, meaningful way.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both the federal and state governments have signalled intentions to strengthen the care economy, with the latest comments from Selangor Menteri Besar Dato Seri Amiruddin Shari this week about introducing a state care economy framework. What kind of policies would ensure due recognition for care work, which is often treated as the unpaid burden of women? We discuss recommendations with Lee Min Hui of ISIS Malaysia.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia flew its first commercial flight using palm oil-blended jet fuel, carrying more than 100 passengers on the Boeing 737 for a journey of 550 kilometres. Steve Saxon, Partner, McKinsey & Company shares with us if flying can ever be green, and his recent report on the recovery of all aviation subsectors.Image credit: Shuttertstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 10th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat was held this week after a three year hiatus in Singapore. What are the key outcomes of the summit and how will this shape economic relations with our Causeway neighbour moving forward? We speak to economist Walter Theseira for his take on developments to watch.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Public Accounts Committee’s latest report on pandemic procurement by the Ministry of Health revealed a RM505 million ringgit loss from the expiry of 8.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses and the shoddy procurement of 136 ventilators by Pharmaniaga Logistics. We speak to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy to understand why this happened and how to balance the need to be expedient in a health crisis yet not waste public funds.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, the speaker of the Dewan Negara, Tan Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar proposed for the appointment age of senators to be lowered from 30 years to allow for more youth to be appointed to the upper house. How might changing the demographic composition of the Dewan Negara improve parliamentary democracy, and what other measures would help strengthen the upper house? We discuss proposed reforms with Dr. Lau Zhe Wei of IIUM.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To help businesses navigate global and local ESG standards, Capital Markets Malaysia recently introduced the Simplified ESG Disclosure Guide (SEDG) for SMEs operating within global supply chains. Faroze Nadar, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei discusses the challenges for SMEs to adopt ESG practices, and policies that could encourage ESG adoption.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s last attempt to accede to the Rome Statute, which sets up the International Criminal Court, ended in a U-turn in 2019 after intense public backlash. As the war in Gaza continues, is public opinion on Malaysia’s membership to the treaty shifting? We speak to lawyer Andrew Khoo about the implications of ratifying the Rome Statute for Malaysia.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss the outlook for Southeast Asian tech giant with GoTo’s co-founder share sale and Delivery Hero confirming that some parts of Foodpanda are up for sale. Nathan Naidu of Bloomberg Intelligence tells us who's the most likely buyer and which tech giant is poised for a quicker full year breakeven?Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is working on streamlining the role of the 31 investment promotion agencies which include both federal and state bodies. Aside from reducing costs, this will supposedly help ease the process of foreign and domestic direct investments (FDI and DDI), from application to the realisation of investments. Nordin Abdullah, Vice Chairman of the Malaysia Australian Business Council (MABC) tells us if this is a much needed step.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) have released a joint paper introducing a Shared Responsibility Framework (SRF) for phishing scams. This framework assigns responsibilities to financial institutions and telecommunication companies and mandates compensation to victims if these responsibilities are not met. Raymon Ram, Certified Fraud Examiner & Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, Graymatter Forensic Advisory tells us the mechanics of it and if Malaysia should implement a similar scheme.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The threshold for en-bloc sales will be lowered from the current 100% although the final figure has yet to be determined. Allan Soo, Principal of Allan Soo RE Consultants tells us if he thinks this initiative is a good idea and how the rights of property owners can be protected whilst weighing in the recent property initiatives announced in Budget 2024.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, Transport minister Anthony Loke said that an end of life vehicles policy couldn’t be implemented due to its impracticality and our high reliance on private vehicles. Yet, we still aspire to be a net-zero emissions country by 2050. Daniel Fernandez, Managing Editor of dsf.my tells us if there is a contradiction between these two policies?Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the war in Gaza, a digital battle is unfolding on social media platforms. Tech giants have been accused of censoring accounts or actively reducing the reach of pro-Palestine content. In the meantime, fake news and misinformation surrounding this conflict also continues to spread. We speak to Professor Bradley Freeman, Professor of Digital Media, School of Arts at Sunway University about the challenges for social media platforms to battle misinformation while avoiding deliberate suppression of content.  Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Close to a third of water supply dams in Malaysia are over 50 years old while another seven dams are in critical condition with their structural integrity in need of urgent attention. With water supplies potential overstated, what should the country do to ensure water security? Charles Santiago, Chairman of the National Water Services Commission tells us.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is considering introducing a mandatory monthly deduction for repaying PTPTN study loans through an automatic deduction facilitated by IRB. This is as the government agency is saddled with a total debt of RM66.9bn, with no easy solutions to reduce it. Dr Geoffrey Williams, Economist and Professor at Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) suggests some radical solution for this conundrum and why free education is part of that plan.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Tom Emmer, hours after being nominated by the Republican party as the third Speaker candidate in 3 weeks withdrawing from the race for House Speaker, we get reactions to these developments from YS pollster John Zogby on why the Republicans remain deeply divided in selecting their leader.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last weekend, PAS held its 69th annual congress, marking a political party at its zenith of popularity with 42 seats in Parliament and running 4 state governments. Can it expand its reach to non-Muslim voters whom the party alienated in the past? We discuss what lies ahead for PAS with Dr. Azmil Tayeb, Associate Professor at University Sains Malaysia.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite inflation declining to 1.9% in September and the economy accelerating to 3.3% in the third quarter of 2023, the Ringgit continues to weaken. We ask Nazmi Idrus, Head of Economics, CGS-CIMB Securities the reasons for this weakness ad his expectations at the next BNM MPC meeting.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The war in Gaza has entered the third week with no respite in sight for the over 2 million Palestinians trapped there. A Peace Summit in Cairo over the weekend yielded no progress - who are the geopolitical power brokers that can affect a meaningful ceasefire? We get analysis and updates from Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia will hold its general elections on 14th February next year to elect the successor to President Joko Widodo, who is barred from running for a third term under the constitution. Who are the possible candidates and what are their prospects in one of the biggest exercises of democracy in the world? We discuss Indonesia’s political landscape with Maria Monica Wihardja of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The poor attendance records of MPs has prompted Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul to consider making public their attendance records or docking their allowances. Aira Azhari, Senior Manager at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) weighs in on whether these measures will make a difference and should there be other parliamentary reforms to enhance the legislative duties of an MP.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 2019 report by an independent committee appointed by the Pakatan Harapan government was published last week, highlighting issues surrounding the management and recruitment of foreign workers. Adrian Pereira, of the North South Initiative discusses the glaring discrepancies in Malaysia's foreign worker management and the reforms that the government should prioritise.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2024 was the first full term Budget for this Madani government but was it game changer? P. Gunasegaram, Independent Business Writer gives us his honest review and whether a very different Budget should have been tabled on October 13.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has allocated RM72 million ringgit to strengthen the competitive athlete ecosystem, including RM20 million for Malaysia’s Road to Gold programme and RM12 million to support para-athletes in international competitions. Will this be enough to secure the country’s first Olympic gold medal next year? Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh joins us in-studio to discuss her plans for sporting greatness.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s latest GDP figures came in higher than expected at 4.9% in the third quarter, a sign that many are hoping means that the worst is over for the world’s second largest economy. But with beleaguered property giant Country Garden on the brink of default, how much will the real estate sector weigh down on growth? We get analysis on the Chinese economic outlook with Gary Ng of Natixis.Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Thai government is pursuing a $27.4 billion land bridge project in the south that would link the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea through road and railway, giving shipping operators the option of bypassing the Straits of Malacca. How would this impact the Malaysian shipping industry? We get reactions on this and also initiatives to improve the maritime sector in Budget 2024 with Ooi Lean Hin, Chairman of the Shipping Association of Malaysia.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.