Morning Brief

Brazilians went to the polls to vote for a President, which ended in a runoff which is now scheduled for October 30th. The main candidates for Latin America’s largest economy could not be more different in personality and policy. Clara Ferreira Marques, columnist, at Bloomberg Opinion gives us her opinions on President Jair Bolsanaro and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and who might win.Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has made requests to attend the current Dewan Rakyat sitting and to visit his constituency in Pekan while serving his 12-year prison sentence. What are the rights of a convicted Member of Parliament? We pose this question to criminal lawyer Goh Cia Yee.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Malaysia Retail Industry Report for September 2022, Malaysia’s retail industry recorded a growth rate of 62% in retail sales in Q2 versus 18.3% in the prior quarter. But will consumer sentiment remain high as inflation bites? We speak to Tan Hai Hsin of Retail group Malaysia on retail players’ Budget 2023 wishlist.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss how controversies in crypto markets will impact Singapore’s bid to become a financial hub for digital assets with crypto watcher Varun Mittal following the collapse of stable coin TerraUSD this year that has triggered a downward spiral for the crypto markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With UMNO sending the strongest signal yet that GE15 will be called before the end of the year, we speak to Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Centre for analysis, and what an earlier GE15 will mean for the incumbents and the opposition.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Bank Negara announcing a series of new measures last week to help safeguard against financial scams, we speak to Aznan Abdul Aziz, Assistant Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia about the implementation of these measures.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SMEs were hammered during the pandemic, struggling with limited cash flow and reliance on brick-and-mortar operations. The government sought to help them with multiple assistance packages amounting to billions, as well as the record Budget 2022 of RM332 billion. With the country’s economy still on shaky ground, what can we expect from Budget 2023 that might help SMEs recover and grow? Chin Chee Seong, National Secretary General, SME Association of Malaysia gives us his budget wishlist for SMEs.Brought to you by MahSing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With North Korea carrying out 4 ballistic missile launches next week, which some security observers say could be a precursor for nuclear tests later this month, we discuss what this means for the region with William Pesek, columnist with Nikkei Asia, and what Kamala Harris's trip to South Korea mean for US-Sino relationship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Although diners have returned to restaurants and eateries with the full reopening of the economy, current economic conditions are far from ideal for the F&B sector. Cost pressures, including higher raw material expenses and labour shortages, have put F&B operators in a dilemma given inflation is also constraining consumers' wallets. Can Budget 2023 provide a boost? We speak to Datuk Garry Chua of the MRCA for their budget wishlist.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has changed the nature of work permanently with hybrid work becoming the norm. But what about the 4 day work week? Will employers accept this? And what are the challenges of implementing this? Mariam Salman, Campaign Officer at 4 Day Week Campaign in the UK tells us about its feasibility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With general elections around the corner, talk of seat allocations and which candidates will run where is rife. PKR President Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim recently signalled that he would not be defending his seat in Port Dickson, and may instead aim for a seat held by defectors from Pakatan Harapan. On the other side of the aisle, PAS has indicated that they will decide next week on which team to side with during GE15. We speak to political analyst Dr Oh Ei Sun for his analysis on these developments.Image credit: YuriAbas/ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even with the full reopening of the economy, Malaysia's automotive sector remains beleaguered by the after effects of the lockdowns, supply chain disruptions and chip shortages. Can Budget 2023 provide impetus for the sector's recovery and growth? We discuss the auto sector's budget wishlist with Datuk Aishah Ahmad of the MAA. Brought to you by MahSing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saudi Arabia’s 86-year-old king has appointed his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to replace him as prime minister, continuing a gradual transfer of power of the world’s largest oil exporter. Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies tell us the reasons for this whilst weighing on the recent protests in Iran. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports by Malaysiakini and the watchdog Rimba Disclosure Project revealed that over 800 hectares of forest land in Bukit Lagong will be cut down to make way for 27 quarries, involving three developers linked to the Selangor state government. What does this signal about the state government’s commitment to green conservation? We discuss the implications of the quarry development for Bukit Lagong with forestry researcher Dr. Lim Teck Wyn.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From October 11 onwards, Japan will finally open its borders to individual tourists, and resume visa free entry for short term travellers, thus marking the end of their cap on daily arrivals. Will this mean Japan’s tourism sector seeing a light at the end of the tunnel? We speak to Denise Wong, Equity Analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence for some outlook on Japan’s prospects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The full reopening of the economy has seen the return of road congestion and mounting frustration over the lack of commuting options in the Klang Valley. What policies would best address the gaps in urban public transport? Aziff Azuddin, independent urban mobility researcher give us his prescription for Budget 2023.Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to police statistics, more than 71,000 scams amounting to over RM5.2 billion in losses were reported between 2020 and May 2022. In response, Bank Negara is introducing a slew of initiatives to curb financial scams, including instructing banks to migrate away from SMS OTP authentication. How effective are these measures? We get reactions from Munira Mustaffa of Chasseur Group.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2022 received the highest allocation in the nation’s history at RM332 billion. Malaysia witnessed a 6.9% growth in the GDP for the first half of 2022 and is projected to exceed annual growth targets this year. How much of this is due to the implementation of Budget 2022 policies? Farah Rosley of EY gives us her review.For more information on Budget 2023, visit budget.mof.gov.my.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's tourism industry is finally starting to recover, with Tourism Minister Datuk Nancy Shukri projecting a new target of 9.2 million tourist arrivals for 2022. But with global economic conditions set to take a downturn, how can Budget 2023 help tourism players position themselves to compete with international offerings? Nigel Wong of MATTA gives us the outlook for the sector and their wishlist for the budget.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Saktiandi Supaat, Head of FX Research, Global Markets, and Maybank Singapore on how emerging market currencies will perform with strengthening US dollar as UK’s newly announced mini-budget sent the pound sterling to record lows.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chairman of the Election Commission estimated GE15 could cost RM1 billion ringgit. How much should the price tag factor into the timeline of the elections? We ask Danesh Prakash Chacko of Tindak Malaysia what he thinks on this. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Umno President Dato’ Sri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was acquitted of 40 bribery charges last Friday, when the Shah Alam High Court ruled that the prosecution had failed to show a prima facie case against the politician. While his legal issues are far from over, the victory no doubt gives his supporters a morale boost and gives him a lifeline ahead of GE15. We discuss the prospects for Zahid Hamidi and implications of his acquittal for Umno with Dr Bridget Welsh of the University of Nottingham-Asia Research Institute Malaysia.Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With record property transactions in the 1H 2022, we ask Datuk NK Tong, President of The Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (REHDA) on whether the property market will remain resilient and what would be his wish list for Budget 2023.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the inevitable global economic slowdown, what options does the Malaysian economy has to sustain growth? With a RM1 trillion debt and an election pending, are our options limited? Dr. Nungsari A. Radhi, Economist gives us some ideas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A group of residents has issued a Letter of Demand to KL City Hall and the Federal Territories Ministry for information on flood mitigation measures being taken. Because let's not forget how last year's monsoon season led to the worst incidents of flooding in the Klang Valley. The latest Attorney General’s Report published last month, also revealed that DBKL has only implemented 7.7% of flood mitigation measures detailed in the 2017 flood management master plan. Lim Wei Jiet is representing the residents.Image Credit: RustyR / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hike in interest rates is positive for banks but less so for neo banks. What then is the path to profitability and how innovative do digital banks have to be to achieve market share? Tamma Febrian, Director of Financial Institutions at Fitch Ratings tells us.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite claiming to champion Malay-Muslim Unity and ostensibly being in the same government, Umno, Bersatu and PAS are constantly at odds with one another. The latest manifestation of this dysfunctional relationship is the war of words between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri and his predecessor, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of Bersatu. What does all this finger-pointing signal about the timing of GE15? We speak to political analyst Dr. Azmi Hassan for insights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Jerome Powell determined to bring inflation down and taking on very Volcker tones, markets were spooked with 2 Year Treasuries surpassing 4% for the first time since 2007. However will these aggressive rate hikes push the US economy into hard landing? Khoon Goh, Head of Asia Research at ANZ tells us whilst giving us insight into how Asian central banks and also currencies will react.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Wisma Putra, there have been 301 reports on job scam cases in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand to date. Many are initially lured by ads promising easy work and extravagant perks, but are then held against their will by human trafficking syndicates and forced to conduct online criminal activity. What policy responses are needed to stamp out trafficking job scams? Adrian Pereira of the North South Initiative weighs in.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the newly launched National Energy Policy, the government targets to increase the use of electric vehicles to 38%. How achievable and practical is this? We hear from energy policy specialist Shahrol Halmi for his views.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GLC and GLIC heads as well as the judiciary will now be required to declare their assets to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. We get reactions on this announcement from Cynthia Gabriel, Executive Director of C4 - Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Biden declared in an interview with CBS that the pandemic is over in the US. Yet, CDC data shows that an average of nearly 400 Americans a day continue to die from COVID-19. So is the pandemic in retreat? Professor Dale Fisher, Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases at National University Hospital Singapore tells us.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ringgit has fallen by 9% to the greenback on a year-to-date basis, levels not seen since the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998. Some view the weakening currency as an indication that Malaysia’s economy is on the rocks, but is that necessarily the case? Business commentator Pankaj C. Kumar helps us make sense of the relative value of currencies, and also highlights the structural issues in the economy that underpin the value of the ringgit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is barred from running for a third term as president, but rumours have surfaced that he may be considering a run as vice-president. We speak to Resty Woro Yuniar of the South China Morning Post on the political developments there as well as look ahead to the G20 Summit in November which Indonesia is hosting in Bali.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development recently disclosed that there is a shortage of child protection officers, with one officer currently handling 50 to 100 cases of child abuse and neglect, compared to the target ratio of one to 30 cases. We discuss the challenges in hiring more child protection officers and other policy measures to strengthen the response to child welfare issues with Ananti Rajasingam of Yayasan Chow Kit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals? And how can Budget 2023 help lower the cost of medication? We discuss the medicine procurement and Budget 2023 with Mark Cheong, Deputy Head at the School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India and China are among the states that continue to buy Russian exports, after the US, EU and allies imposed sanctions isolating Russia from the global economy. However both President Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to distance themselves from Russia’s offensive in Ukraine when they met during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Is this indicative of cracks in Russia’s diplomatic shield against countries opposed to the war? Dr. Pradeep Taneja of Melbourne University weighs in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much has Malaysia’s economic recovery been hampered by the lack of foreign workers? And which listed companies are impacted or even stand to benefit? For some analysis on the impact of the labour shortage, we speak to Jeremy Goh, Head of Research, Hong Leong Investment BankSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, the Special Council on the MA63 endorsed the proposal to increase East Malaysia representation in parliament to 35%, giving Sabah and Sarawak 78 of the 222 parliamentary seats. Would this actually increase effective political representation for East Malaysia? Danesh Prakash Chacko of Tindak Malaysia weighs in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 59 years, socio-economic development in Malaysia remains patchy and imbalanced, especially in East Malaysia. As post-pandemic economic recovery kicks in, what policy measures should be considered to even out development gaps? We speak to economist Dr. Dayang Affizzah Marikan for suggestions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A former chief editor of The Edge, Azam Aris, and contributing editor Shanmugam Muragasu have been slapped with two charges of criminal defamation this week. We ask Sreekant Pillai, Criminal Lawyer as to what is the difference between this and civil defamation and should we repeal defamation laws in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country’s forces have recaptured  6,000 square kilometres of Russian-held territory in counter offensives this week. Moscow has described its troop withdrawal from the region in recent days as a "regrouping", although the explanation is seen as hollow by some observers. Do these developments mark a turning point in the war? Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University gives us his analysis.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, has said that discussions will be held soon between relevant ministries regarding special moratoriums for SMEs. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO for the Center for Market Education tells us if this is the best way to help struggling SMEs or are there other solutions may be more productive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next general election will see over 1 million new voters aged between 18 to 21 eligible to cast their vote. As we head into GE15, politicians from both sides of the divide will no doubt intensify their efforts to attract the most eyeballs to their campaigns on social media, especially among first-time voters. But how effective is social media campaigning, and in a world of fake news and disinformation, could social media campaigning end up backfiring against a political party? Badrul Hisyam Ismail of Iman Research speaks to us about the evolution and future of political campaigning.Image credit: REUTERS/Samsul SaidSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Russia's closure of the Nordstream 1 gas pipeline has ramped up pressure on EU member states to respond to rising prices of gas and electricity. Can the EU come to a consensus on the package of measures to take before the onset of winter? We discuss what's at stake with Dr. Frederick Kliem of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the monsoon season approaching, what should the government be doing to prevent or mitigate flooding? We discuss policy measures to address the social and economic costs of annual floods in the country with Cha-Ly Koh of UrbanmetrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Would a bridge between Melaka and Sumatra bring economic benefits, or is it more likely to become another white elephant? We get reactions to the proposal from economist Dr. Timothy Wong of the National University of Singapore (NUS)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Muda president Syed Saddiq said his party was ready to cooperate with Pakatan in GE15 and contesting in no more than 15 seats. But what has the reception been to this request? Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director, Merdeka Center tell us whilst diving into what Muda as a party stands for.Image credit: shutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can companies listed on the LEAP market graduate to the ACE market? We discuss the proposed framework on the table with Datin Wong Muh Roh of Astramina Advisory.Image credit: shutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.