Morning Brief

We speak to Steve Saxon from McKinsey & Company about China's travel and tourism industry as it grapples with rising Covid cases, while the government continues to enforce their zero Covid policy.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prasarana has announced the closure of 16 LRT stations until 15 November, causing massive disruption and inconvenience to KL commuters. We unpack why this has happened, what are the remedial actions that should take place and who is accountable for with Aziff Azuddin, Independent Urban Mobility Researcher. We also discuss which manifesto has the most comprehensive transportation solution for Malaysia.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No other seat exemplifies the dilemma between party and candidate that voters are faced with better than this seat. It’s a crowded field with 7 contenders for the seat, but all eyes are on caretaker Health Minister Khairy Jamaludin running for Umno, Barisan Nasional  and Datuk. R. Ramanan of PKR, defending what is long seen as the PKR stronghold. The incumbent MP, M. Sivarasa held this seat with an overwhelming majority in GE14 but was dropped this time round. For insights, we speak to Dr Lau Zhe Wei, Assistant Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although Republicans eked out convincing wins in many states and gained control of the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections, it was by no means the bulldozing of the Democrats that some foretold. Meanwhile the race for control of the Senate remains on a cliff-hanger, with seats in Georgia and Arizona currently too close to call. How will these elections impact President Biden’s policymaking for the remainder of his term? We discuss the implications with Dr. Adrian Ang of RSIS.Image credit: EPA-EPESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All three major coalitions for GE15 have finally released their election manifestos. We speak to Dr Tricia Yeoh, CEO, IDEAS to compare and rank their economic initiatives.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In politics, the Malay heartland of FELDA and FELCRA covers 90 parliamentary seats, or 41% of the total seats in the Dewan Rakyat. With the Malay demographic expected to split three-ways between BN, PN and GTA, who will succeed in winning the hearts and minds of the Malay heartland? Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate, Asia Research Centre, University of Nottingham Malaysia weighs in.Image credit: Muaz Jaffar/Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world’s largest annual shopping event, Singles’ Day will see its thirteenth iteration this Friday and has evolved into a multi-day extravaganza. Last year, over the 11-day sales period, Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com set new records, and racked up around USD115 billion in sales across their platforms. With a challenging economic environment and no end in sight for China’s zero covid policy, will the shine of the event this year be hampered by inflation and lockdowns? Catherine Lim of Bloomberg Intelligence weighs in.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week ahead of Nomination Day, the C4 Center presented a research paper highlighting the ways in which business and politics intermingle in Malaysia, and the potential risks that this can pose to our political system without transparency. What safeguards should be put in place to ensure that business in politics is kept corruption-free? We discuss the issue with independent business writer P. Gunasegaram.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gombak parliamentary seat, P098, will be closely watched because of the heavyweights in play. The incumbent MP is Dato’ Sri Azmin Ali, who is running under the Bersatu/Perikatan Nasional ticket. He’ll have to defend his seat against four other challengers, including PKR’s Dato Sri Amiruddin Shaari who is the Selangor Menteri Besar and Datuk Megat Zulkarnain Omardin of Umno/Barisan Nasional. How might this five-corner fight play out? Political analyst Dr. Azmi Hassan weighs in.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although most economies have reopened and port congestions have eased, there have been other snags to the supply chain, such as the war in Ukraine which contributed to the sharp rise in inflation. A few days ago, one of the world’s largest container shippers, Maersk, warned that demand for transport and logistics will fall as a global recession looms. How might this then impact global supply chains - and what’s the state of the Malaysian shipping industry amid all these developments? For answers, we speak to Ooi Lean Hin, Chairman, Shipping Association of Malaysia.Image credit: PixabaySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a record 945 candidates, 108 independents and 39 political parties, we ask Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, Deputy Managing Director, Bower Group Asia about the latest political developments taking place as GE15 campaigning escalates following nomination day.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 21 million voters are eligible to decide the next government of Malaysia in the GE15 but the surge in new voters also means that there is a requirement for more poling agents. We speak to Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director at Tindak Malaysia as to the process to become one, why it's important for democracy and should the political parties have paid more attention to recruitment.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global vehicle sales have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels due to a slew of issues such as supply chain constraints, chip constraints and on-going sporadic lockdowns which shuttered factories and dealerships. However, one bright spot however has been in the electric vehicle space as global sales doubled in 2021 from the previous year to a new record of 6.6 million. So with less than 2 months left till 2023, how will the following year look like for the automotive sector? For insights, we speak to Arushi Kotecha, Automotive Analyst at Economist Intelligence Unit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, there are a series of high-level meetings taking place - the COP27 in Egypt, as well as the ASEAN and APEC Summits in Indonesia - without Malaysia having a formal government to represent its views and interests. Is Malaysia missing out on a chance to influence global discussions and how do the various political coalitions differ on foreign policy issues? We discuss the intersection of foreign policy and politics with Thomas Daniel of ISIS Malaysia. Image credit: zmpixes / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Sunday, leaders from government, business and civil society spheres will convene in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt for the United Nations Conference of Parties climate summit, or COP27. Although countries pledged to implement more ambitious climate change plans after last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, only 24 countries out of 193 have actually submitted updated plans to the UN. As the world experiences more extreme weather patterns and natural disasters, will leaders prioritize action over rhetoric to combat climate change? We discuss expectations for the summit with sustainability expert Dr Renard Siew. Image credit: rafapress / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As widely expected, Bank Negara raised the overnight policy rate yesterday by 25 bps, bringing the OPR rate to 2.75%. But with the Fed warning of a higher peak Fed Funds Rate, can BNM continue its gradual increase in interest rate or does it need to adopt a more aggressive stance? We discuss implications of monetary policy tightening with economist Firdaos Rosli. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pakatan Harapan launched its manifesto for GE15 with 10 key objectives with a focus on improving livelihoods and eradicating corruption. We speak to Fahmi Fadzil, Communications Director, PKR as to whether it's too idealistic and whether their promises will be kept.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has produced 5.5 million graduates from higher education institutions to date. But are universities producing graduates with the skills and critical thinking to thrive in our economy? We speak to Dr Sharifah Munirah Alatas, Senior Lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia on much-needed reforms in higher education.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US mid-term elections act as a temperature check for the President in power, and historically the mid-terms tend to favour the party in opposition to the government. The Democratic Party stands to lose their control of both Houses of Congress as a wave of discontent over the economy sours opinions on Joe Biden. How might the outcome of these polls shape the direction of US policy moving forward? We speak to Bob Shapiro of Columbia University for insights ahead of November 8th. Image credit: Marlin360 / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both Barisan Nasional and Perikatan Nasional announced the bulk of their candidates for GE15 in parallel events last night. What does the candidate line-up tell us about their respective strategies for the elections? We discuss the emerging political trends with Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at University of Nottingham Malaysia. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bread and butter grievances like rising inflation, unemployment and stagnant wages continue to be voters’ main concern as we head into GE15. Even though Malaysia witnessed an 8.9% growth in GDP for the second quarter of this year, we continue to see the weakness of our currency as between January and September this year, the ringgit has depreciated by 10.2% against the US dollar. And with the global economy slowing down in 2023, can Malaysia’s economy sustain its growth momentum and what should be the economic priorities of the next government? For some answers we speak to Dr Geoffrey Williams, Economist, Malaysia University of Science and Technology. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The China property market appears to be in a perfect storm. Monthly National sales decline continued to decline by 15.3% year-on-year in September 2022, narrowing from a 20.8% year-on-year decline in August. Developers' liquidity will also remain under pressure. But the Chinese government introduced new stimulus measures in late September to encourage homebuyers to purchase new properties. Will this be enough to lift near term sentiment or is the sector spiralling into a long term structural decline? For answers, we speak to Bernard Aw, Economist for Asia Pacific, Coface. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent Merdeka Center survey points to a decline in Barisan National’s popularity. We ask Ibrahim Suffian, programme director of Merdeka Center, on the reasons for this and who stands to benefit. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Covid-19 pandemic experience underscored the importance of prioritising healthcare issues in government policy. In addition to over 30,000 lives lost to the virus, the pandemic revealed the gaps in Malaysia's creaking public healthcare infrastructure. What should the next government be looking to prioritise in public health policy? Azrul Mohd Khalib of the Galen Centre gives us his election manifesto wishlist. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brazil’s next president will be Luis Inacio Da Silva, commonly known as Lula, after he won the run-off race by a majority of less than 2%. Both candidates represent the ends of the left and right spectrums and are controversial characters in the country, and these elements spilled over into the long campaign. We discuss what to expect next with Clara Ferreira Marques of Bloomberg Opinion. Image credit: EPA-EPESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Nomination day looms nears, we examine the candidates named so far with Adib Zalkapli, Director at BowerGroup Asia. We also take a closer look at the hot seats like Gombak and Ampang which are currently held by MPs who defected to Bersatu after the Sheraton Move.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the global IPO market falling off a cliff in 2022, we discuss the outlook for IPOs with Kevin Chew, Senior Executive Director, Strategy and Transaction, Ernst & Young and whether it will rise from the ashes in 2023.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the retail sector saw a rapid recovery since the economic reopening, most retailers are bracing for a gloomy 2023. This is after two surveys were conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) on the mid-term of SMEs and retailers’ outlook for next year. SAMENTA said most respondents were far less optimistic, with two out of three retailers expect a drop in both sales value and volume in 2023. Hence, it is crucial that the new government comes into power to implement measures that can protect businesses from these short term challenges as well as address long term issues to ensure growth. For insights, we speak to Datuk William Ng, Chairman of SAMENTA. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News on seat allocations of the different political coalitions have started to trickle in as we approach Nomination Day on 5 November. We discuss the candidate announcements coming from PKR, DAP, Umno and Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) with political analyst Dr Azmi Hassan.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past year, Malaysia has witnessed more natural disasters stemming from extreme weather patterns, which has put the spotlight on how government authorities have been managing environmental resources as well as what they’re doing to mitigate climate change consequences. Will political parties and coalitions take this opportunity to prioritise environmental issues in their campaign? We speak to Meenakshi Raman of Sahabat Alam Malaysia on what issues should be prioritized in election manifestos.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Alphabet reported numbers which disappointed the street. Punishment was swift with share prices coming under pressure but is it time to bottom fish? Daniel Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities tells us if he is still a tech bull or bear.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This GE15 will see 14 days of intense campaigning by the various political parties and candidates before Malaysians make their decisions that they will have to live with for the next 5 years, on November 19th. This time around we can expect the same mud-sling between the warring parties as they also talk up the plans they have for the nation if they win. Tai Zee Kin, Digital Political Communications Consultant, talks to us about his observations and how we can tell fact from fiction, in this age of social media. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Out of 222 seats in Parliament, women fill fewer than 15% of seats - only 33 MPs are women. This is despite the often cited rhetoric that politicians support the target of 30% women in decision-making roles. With GE15 Nomination day less than 2 weeks away, there is a resounding call from civil society for political parties to actively champion women candidates and to support incumbent MPs for re-election. Why must the pledge to have more women in politics be more than just lip service? Dr Rabi'ah Aminuddin of IIUM makes the case for more women in politics.Image credit: YuriAbas / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government is working on enacting a Consumer Credit Act to provide better protection for credit consumers, including the growing number of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) customers. How are industry players engaging with authorities as the regulations take shape? We get an overview of how the BNPL industry is developing from Arvin Singh of hoolah, now known as ShopBack PayLater.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As GE15 heats up, both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan are vying for East Malaysia support by dangling the deputy prime minister position as an incentive. How significant is this role in the government line-up and will this actually strengthen East Malaysian representation in the corridors of power? We discuss this with Dr. Wong Chin Huat of Sunway University.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all saw the reports of how flight ticket prices for the weekend of GE15 surged as soon as the Election Commission announced the dates of when that will happen. In response, Putrajaya tasked the Malaysian Aviation Commission with regulating the prices of flight tickets to ensure that airlines don't hike up prices arbitrarily. Is that within their powers, though? Pushpalatha Subramaniam, Director of Consumer Affairs, at MAVCOM talks to us about what its roles are in ensuring air passengers' consumer rights are protected.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s third quarter GDP came in better than expected at 3.9% growth, but this has not buoyed market sentiment for Chinese stocks. In fact, Chinese markets fell sharply following the announcement on Sunday that President Xi Jinping would serve a third term. China’s overall economic recovery also remains bleak amid Covid zero and a looming property crisis. Are the days of booming growth and outperforming Chinese stocks over? We discuss the outlook for Chinese equities with Brock Silvers of Kaiyuan Capital. Image credit: EPA-EPESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GE15 in Sabah is shaping up to be a fight between the two major coalitions: Barisan Nasional and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah on one end, and Pakatan Harapan on the other. Meanwhile, homegrown party Warisan will be looking to retain its stronghold in the eastern part of the state. How might these dynamics play out? We discuss the possible scenarios with political expert Dr. Oh Ei Sun.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legacy media outlets have long been viewed as the mouthpiece of the ruling government, while online news portals are often seen as the other end of the spectrum. How do these dynamics impact news reporting during general elections? We discuss the trends to watch and measures to strengthen media independence with Prof Zaharom Nain of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent rate hikes and a sharp decline on the prices of securities has had an impact on the balance sheets of central banks globally. Brian Coulton, Chief Economist at Fitch Ratings tells us why this is important, and what does this mean for their relationship with their respective governments.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A-share Chinese stocks listed in New York and Hong Kong are at all-time lows amid concerns over the economy, the continuation of the zero-Covid policy and common prosperity theme. This coincides with China’s ruling Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to continue a third term. Should investors start nibbling China equities or is there no near term visible catalysts? For answers, we speak to John Lau, Portfolio Manager, Affin Hwang Asset Management. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the date for GE15 set for 19th November, how will coalitions strategize to win the hearts and minds of voters? Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Malaysia gives a preview of the themes and narratives that could take centre stage.Image credit: Gwoeii/ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MAVCOM is inviting public feedback for amendments to improve the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code, which was introduced back in 2016. What should be included to better protect consumer rights? Baskaran Sithamparam of the National Consumer Complaints Centre weighs in.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Election campaign activities are governed by the Election Offences Act 1954 - but how effective are monitoring and enforcement efforts on this front? We speak to Dr Lau Zhe Wei of IIUM for a better understanding of what constitutes election violations, as well as his prediction of key dates for GE15.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, caretaker Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz announced plans to phase in e-invoicing for tax collection beginning next year as part of efforts to improve efficiency of the tax system. What are the speedbumps and challenges that need to be addressed for an effective transition to e-invoicing? Tax expert Dr Veerinderjeet Singh weighs in.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

XBB is one of the “new class” of Omicron variants that is spreading in the region especially in Singapore. We ask Dr Paul Tambyah, President of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, if this is cause for concern, and what can we do to protect ourselves.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Gabungan Parti Sarawak’s secretary general, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, the party has decided to wait until after GE15 to decide on who to cooperate with. Without naming any parties, Nanta said this has always been the coalition’s principle as GPS wants a stable federal government. We speak to Dr James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania, on the possible thinking behind GPS' strategies. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US introduced export control measures designed to limit US technology transfer to China. This ban will affect chips used in artificial intelligence and supercomputing and will certainly decouple the global semiconductor chain. How will China retaliate and will Malaysia technology companies benefit from China's Plus 1 strategy? We speak to Dato’ Wong Siew Hai, President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association for some insights. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bursa Malaysia’s data have revealed that more than 60% of the new individual Central Depository System accounts were opened by those aged between 25 and 44. We explore how the increased interest in online trading might have contributed to these statistics with Sammeer, the Managing Director and Head of Consumer, Private and Business Banking at Standard Chartered Malaysia. He will also share some pitfalls to look for navigating this new virtual world with real-life consequences. This conversation is brought to you by Standard Chartered Malaysia. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to UNDI18 and automatic voter registration, 6 million new voters will enter the electoral roll. With over 1 million comprising voters aged 18 to 21, political parties are attempting to woo the voting bloc by fielding new, younger candidates. We discuss trends impacting youth voting patterns with Jason Wee of Architects for Diversity.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.