Morning Brief

Jimmy Lai, founder of the now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a national security trial. He has been incarcerated since December 2020 for alleged fraud and involvement in a vigil to mark the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Elaine Pearson, Asia Director of Human Rights Watch shares with us concerns about how the fundamental rights of Hong Kongers are slowly but surely eroding.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year could be a good year for SMEs - Budget 2024 saw RM44 billion ringgit allocated for these businesses which remain the backbone of the Malaysian economy. Dato’ William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises' Association talks about the challenges expected amid rising input costs from wages and raw materials, among others.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Central Database Hub or PADU has gone live, with several security flaws discovered in the hours after its rollout. Former MP Ong Kian Ming shares his experience registering for the account, as well as his concerns about the security issues and the overall system's effectiveness in ensuring subsidies do indeed reach the targeted segments of society.Image credit: Padu.gov.mySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fintech industry continues to see strong growth with the total number of companies increasing to over 300, according to the Malaysia Fintech Report 2023. Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Malaysia tells us which segments we should pay attention to, how challenging it is to turn profitable and what are some of the trends to observe in 2024.Image credit: Fintech News MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim officially launched the long-awaited Central Database System, or PADU. This marks a pivotal move towards establishing a centralised database for 32 million citizens and an essential avenue for eligible Malaysians to access targeted subsidies. Dr. Nur Ain Shahrier, Senior Lecturer of Economics & Finance at Sunway University, shares her insights on this system.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Streaming and media companies have faced a tough year in 2023, with the biggest Hollywood Strike stopping productions for months. For 2024, impatience is setting in with investors as their attention turns to profitability. Geetha Ranganathan, Senior Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence shares with us the outlook, if more M&As could be in sight and whether cable TV is dead. Image credit: Koshiro K / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Going into 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim aims to boost the economy by emphasising good governance, streamlining business processes, and a reduction in bureaucracy to attract both domestic and foreign investments. Julia Goh, Senior Economist at UOB shares her outlook for the Malaysian economy with these pledges amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was recently chided for being insensitive to the Indian community after quoting from the Hikayat Hang Tuah, using a term considered offensive to them. Praba Ganesan, Chief Executive of KUASA, a democracy outreach organisation, talks to us about the wider issues the Indian Malaysian community continues to face and why they remain one of the more marginalised. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2024 is a year of elections with more than 1/2 of the world choosing new leaders, including our ASEAN neighbor, Indonesia. Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, Fellow at the Wilson Center and Founder of the weekly ASEAN Wonk Newsletter tells us what the geopolitical challenges that ASEAN faces are as it maintains its politically neutral ideology.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Locals have been found to lease their business licences to foreign workers without fulfilling the required criteria. Due to this situation, the government is considering the implementation of an “Anti-Ali Baba” law aimed at Malaysians, to tackle this issue. Professor Emeritus Dr. Barjoyai Bardai, Economist at Universiti Tun Abdul tell us what strategy should be employed in managing this issue.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last month marked one year of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister. We review the year with Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at Pacific Research Center of Malaysia and discuss how political dynamics might play out in 2024.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s equity market has been far from stellar with no blockbuster IPOs lined up for 2024. However, manufacturing and export numbers like in the semiconductor sector show a more positive story. We spoke with Geoff Howie, SGX Market Strategist to look for the silver lining that can help build more investor interest in the Singapore equity market.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysia Competition Commission has imposed a RM415 million ringgit fine on five major chicken feed companies, its largest fine to date. They were found guilty of forming a cartel aimed at increasing the price of poultry feed, consequently impacting chicken prices, a staple protein source for Malaysians. Iskandar Ismail, the CEO of MyCC breaks down the case for us.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interest in Bitcoin may rise further as the ETF approval comes closer to fruition. As the cryptocurrency leans to become a mainstream product, there will be more regulation and eventually acceptance by the investing public. We speak to Sam Reynolds, senior reporter at Coindesk for his thoughts on the matter.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year, almost on schedule, parts of Malaysia get inundated causing untold damage and sometimes, tragically, loss of lives. This year is no different, with climate change playing a very noticeable part. Nora Kantin, an Orang Asli resident of Kampung Lambok in Kuala Betis, Gua Musang, Kelantan is among those deeply affected by this natural disaster. She shares her experience.Image credit: Nora KantinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stronger non-oil export numbers and manufacturing activity drive Singapore’s economy to achieve stable growth in 2024. Positive tailwinds in the semiconductor space help propel it further. Adrian Loh of UOB Kay Hian shares his views on Singapore’s economic and market outlook.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China has been experiencing strong outflow from its economy as foreign fund managers maintain only core exposure to their equity portfolios. Marvin Chen, Senior Asia Equity Strategist, Bloomberg Intelligence shares his views on why they are underweight on China and what will drive the country’s market in 2024.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang are seeing some of the worst flooding in recent years, with tens of thousands of people evacuated from their homes. We get updates on the situation on the ground with Dato’ Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus of Mercy Malaysia, as well as recommendations for longer term policy action needed for flood mitigation. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On December 18, Menara Ilham, a building owned by the family of former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, was seized by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. According to news reports, the seizure was in response to Tun Daim’s refusal to declare his and his family’s financial holdings to the MACC. We speak with Dr Edmund Terence Gomez, Former Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Administration of Universiti Malaya on the background of this investigation.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ASEAN markets have been lacklustre this year, beset by both internal and external developments that have dragged investor sentiment. Some of the headwinds include the absence of the much anticipated economic recovery in China, while US economic strength dominated foreign investor interest. We speak with Jerry Goh, Asean Equities Investment Manager, ABDRN for a view of the equity market.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Federal Reserve raised rates 11 times since 2022 to pause since July at 5.25- 5.50%. This slowdown in rate rises led to a rebound in global bond markets including Malaysia with the S&P Malaysia Bond Index up 5.9% on a year to date basis. But can we expect a repeat for 2024? Ang Beng Kuan, Head of Investments, Hong Leong Islamic Asset Management tells us.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Magnificent Seven were the main catalyst of a US equity market rally this year. Dan Ives , Managing Director of Wedbush Securities shares his insights on whether this trend will continue into 2024, his Christmas wishlist and if one should buy into the AI frenzy.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly appointed Human Resources Minister Steven Sim has recently announced that the ministry will be drafting the country’s first National Human Resources Policy. Dr Geoffrey Williams, Economist & Professor, Malaysia University of Science and Technology tells us what should be the priorities and deliverables of this new policy.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Magnificent Seven were the main catalyst of a US equity market rally this year. Dan Ives, Managing Director of Wedbush Securities shares his insights on whether this trend will continue into 2024, his Christmas wishlist and if one should buy into the AI frenzy.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian cyber laws are not updated as fast as the change in technology. Increased cyber threats put our personal data at risk, adding a hurdle to Malaysia’s digital journey. We speak with Dr Selvakumar Manickam, Associate Professor, Universiti Sains Malaysia to hear what is needed to ensure our data is safe and make those who are negligent more accountable.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In March, law and institutional reform minister, Datuk Seri Azalina appointed Farah Nini Dusuki as the Children’s Commissioner to Suhakam for a 3 year role. We speak to Datuk Dr Hartini Zainuddin, Co-Founder, Yayasan Chow Kit to find out what should be the priorities of this role and is there sufficient interministerial coordination of policies related to children.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysians' access to nutritional food is getting tighter due to food price inflation. Coupled with shrinking agricultural land and a smaller farming community, the country's food security is at risk. We speak to Deepak S. Moorthy, Expert Associate Partner, Head of Food and Agriculture, McKinsey Southeast Asia on how Malaysia can expand its food production to feed its population.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia Pacific economies are hoping for a China recovery in 2024 but they do not see a clear roadmap towards this. China’s Government plans to address the downturn their own way but the market thinks otherwise. Furthermore, state owned banks may be asked to bail out property developers which will strain the financial system. Peter Lewis, Founder & Director of Peter Lewis Consulting gives us an overview whether 2024 will be the year of the China dragon.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia Pacific economies are hoping for a China recovery in 2024 but they do not see a clear roadmap towards this. China’s Government plans to address the downturn their own way but the market thinks otherwise. Furthermore, state owned banks may be asked to bail out property developers which will strain the financial system. Peter Lewis, Founder & Director of Peter Lewis Consulting gives us an overview whether 2024 will be the year of the China dragon.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CGS CIMB expects Malaysia's Economy to be in better shape in 2024. This on the back of policy clarity and rollout of Budget 2024 with the execution of its various projects which will help propel the local equity market upwards. Chehan Perera, Head of Research and Strategist, CGS- CIMB Securities speaks to us about what is driving the upside and where we should position ourselves as we face a recovery in 2024.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been calls by the government to reinstate local council elections, starting with the capital city first in efforts to strengthen democracy in the federal territories. Newly appointed FT Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has said she will discuss the proposal but that she has other pressing priorities. We check in with Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director, Tindak Malaysia as to why there should be no delay to this.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was declared the victor in Egypt’s presidential election for a 3rd time winning 90% of the vote. With an economy in crisis as inflation reached record levels of 40% in August and food prices up 65% on year, what will be Sisi's legacy be? Dr James Dorsey, Senior Fellow, S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies tells us.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid numbers are rising again. Patient numbers are still manageable and public health practitioners do not see the need of an MCO. Assistant Professor Dr Farhan Rusli, Public Health Medicine Specialist, International Islamic University Malaysia speaks to us about the right strategy for Covid-19 management, why the public ought to get booster shots and whether MySejahtera could make a comeback.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has relaxed the requirements for the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme. Now featuring a three-tiered system, would the revised measures be able to attract a wider pool of applicants? We speak to Andy Davison, founder and CEO of The Expat Group Media for his thoughts on the revamped programme.Image credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, four of the five biggest shipping companies in the world have suspended passage through a Red Sea strait due to attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Kenneth Loh, APAC shipping & logistics analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence discusses how this could impact the global freight shipping industry, and his 2024 outlook for APAC players.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Palm oil prices have been sluggish this year, with futures hovering at the RM3,600 ringgit mark. Is there any catalyst for the upside in 2024? We discuss the trends impacting palm oil markets with Dr. Sathia Varqa, co-founder of Palm Oil Analytics.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has been tasked to run the FT Ministry. This comes at an important time when there is an urgent need to address the urban poor and for more national level representation of not only Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur but also Labuan. Cha-Ly Koh, CEO and Founder of Urbanmetry discusses with us the many items the new Minister has to resolve from her in-tray.Image credit: BernamaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting Jan 1st, 2024, a 10% tax will be levied on the online purchases of goods from overseas costing below RM500. This is ostensibly aimed at providing a level playing field for local retailers, who have received strong competition from overseas retailers on online shopping portals like Lazada and Shopee, while replenishing the nation's coffers. We speak to Senthuran Elalingam, Indirect Tax Partner at Deloitte for his take on how this new LVG tax would work.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With concerns that the global economy may slow down in 2024, where will the aviation industry land, after having reached 98% of pre-Covid levels as at October this year? Ahmad Maghfur Usman, Equity Analyst at Nomura Malaysia also takes us through its outlook for the related energy sector, which recently saw a downward revision by the International Energy Agency.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s energy sector has traditionally been dominated by state-owned enterprises. While this model of energy supply may be effective in providing reliable and affordable energy to Malaysian consumers, it is not equipped to effectively transition towards renewable energy. We speak to Dr Renato de Lima Oliveira, Senior Fellow with IDEAS and Assistant Professor at the Asia School of Business on the challenges faced by the local energy sector and his suggested reforms to make the industry more competitive.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the recent cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim separated the Communications and Digital Ministry into two independent bodies. Gobind Singh Deo reenters the cabinet as Digital Minister, while Fahmi Fadzil remains Communications Minister within this revised setup. We discuss the expectations and changes in the communication and digital landscape that stem from this division with Alexander Wong, Managing Editor and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the two major superpowers - China and US trying to curry favour with Vietnam, how will the Southeast Asian nation put its 'bamboo diplomacy' into practice as geopolitics become increasingly complex? We speak to Phan Xuan Dung, research officer of Vietnam Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute about what this means for Vietnam moving forward.Image credit: AP PhotosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government released data showing that the gender pay gap has widened since 2020, with women receiving 66 ringgit for every 100 ringgit their male counterparts earn, far from the 96 ringgit reported in 2021. Anis Farid, Research Project Manager, Women’s Aid Organisation shares with us the systemic issues women face in the fight for wage equality.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could President Joe Biden become only the 4th US president to be impeached? We discuss the latest move by the House of Representatives to authorise an impeachment inquiry and how this is impacting the presidential race with independent pollster John Zogby.Editorial credit: Muhammad Aamir Sumsum / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does the new Cabinet composition reflect a strengthened political presence of the East Malaysia bloc? We discuss this with Ariff Adi Putra of the Institute for Development Studies in Sabah.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After two gruelling weeks, countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai have agreed to "shift energy systems away from fossil fuels in a just, orderly and equitable manner", the first time a transition away from fossil fuels has been included. Does this outcome go far enough to avert climate catastrophe? We get insights from Chee Yoke Ling of the Third World Network on what this means for the climate change agenda moving forward.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last Tuesday, former Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad was appointed as the Health Minister once again, taking over from Dr. Zaliha Mustafa. The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim believes that his appointment would strengthen the ministry, which has been burdened with many issues. We ask Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, President, Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia on the reforms that Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly needs to address concerns within the Ministry of Health.Image credit: Free Malaysia TodaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US-China chip war has been ongoing for over a year now. Recently, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has raised concerns over China's breakthrough in advanced chipmaking. Meanwhile, Nvidia's dealings with China have also come under heavy scrutiny. Alex Holmes, senior economist at Oxford Economics shares his updates on how the semiconductor industry is coping amid the ongoing tensions.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato’ Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir took control of the Ministry of Higher Education. His appointment comes amidst the higher education system coming under fire as to whether it prepares Malaysians for the fast changing nature of work and required technical skills. Prof. Zaharom Nain, Professor of Media and Communication Studies, University of Nottingham Malaysia shares his views on the required initiatives to overhaul the higher education system.Image credit: scholarships.afSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced a revamp of his administration. The Madani government now has 31 ministries with the addition of the Federal Territories portfolio and the splitting up of responsibilities at the Communications & Digital as well as the Natural Resources, Environment & Climate Change Ministries. Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director at the Merdeka Centre shares his analysis on this development.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.