Morning Brief

Amy Wong from Knight Frank shares her perspective on how property prices will evolve amid the higher cost of building materials, the recent rise in OPR rates by Bank Negara, and inflation concerns.Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will French President Macron push through key reforms in the assembly following French voters denying him an absolute majority in parliament? Professor Peter McPhee, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Melbourne helps us unpack the challenges Macron will face.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The highest increases in poverty rates were in the states of Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan and Kedah. We speak to Dato Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia to discuss why these states have been left behind in our move towards high income nation by 2025 and what can be done to rectify it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recruitment of foreign workers from Bangladesh continues to be delayed over policy squabbles regarding the companies appointed to conduct the process. Khor Yu Leng, political economist from Segi Enam Advisors helps us understand why is there a delay and what are the consequences of it.Image Credit: Hafiz Johari/Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week the government announced that beginning June 16th, all rides on RapidKL public transport will be free for one month. While rides may be free for passengers, it will cost the government RM155 million ringgit. Will free rides restore public confidence to use public transport amidst crippling traffic jams as the economy reopens? Researcher Aziff Azuddin weighs in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Malaysia has more than 182,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of April 2022. 25% of that figure comprises children under the age of 18. Despite being host to so many people fleeing conflict and abuse, Malaysia does not have an effective legal framework to legitimise the position of refugees. What policies are needed to improve the situation of refugees in Malaysia?Image credit: shutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a sharp Fed Fund rate hike of 75bps and more to come at each FOMC meeting, what are the implications to the US and global economy? Which Asean countries are in better shape to weather the coming economic storm? Suan Teck Kin, Head of Global Economics & Markets Research from UOB tells us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Car deliveries are at a near-standstill following a perfect storm of global and domestic factors, triggering a series of interesting alternative travel, including in public transport and small motorcycles. Daniel Fernandez, Managing Director of the car portal www.dsf.my, analyses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With nationalism and polarisation continuing to rise globally, Dr Ross Tapsell from the Australian National University gives us an overview of developments taking place across ASEAN this year and how social media has shaped the regional political landscape. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) will convene its International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on 23 June, to assess whether the continuing Monkeypox outbreak represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. We speak to Dr. Chan Yoke Fun, Associate Professor and Head of Medical Microbiology at Universiti Malaya as to whether there should be any cause for concern and if Malaysia has a plan in place.Image Credit: Poetra.RH / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With recent economic data showing mixed signals, we ask Gary Ng from Natixis if China’s economy is in recovery mode, or whether the worst is still to come.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sub-humane conditions in Malaysian jails and an apparent lack of political will for reform plague ex-prisoners, curtailing already slim chances of rehabilitation and a return to society. Jerald Joseph, former Commissioner of SUHAKAM, weighs in on the challenges of prison reform and his recommendations on what to prioritise in policy-making.Image Credit: Mohd Izwan Awang / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has lost further ground in the race for global foreign direct investment (FDI), according to IMD's 2022 World Competitiveness Ranking, raising much-needed self-scrutiny into the country's development priorities. Daniel Bernbeck of the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, analyses the factors considered by foreign investors and how Malaysia stacks up against regional peers.Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The past few days have been terrible for cryptocurrency markets, with the market cap of crypto falling below USD1 trillion US dollars, down from USD3 trillion at its peak in November. The sell-off comes as investors rotate out of the riskiest assets due to macroeconomic headwinds and rising interest rates. Once touted as a hedge against inflation and the future of money, can cryptocurrencies rally? We discuss the outlook for the crypto space with fintech expert Varun Mittal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Friday, the Malaysian Bar is staging a “Walk for the Independence of the Judiciary” at Padang Merbok, in response to the anti-corruption probe into Justice Mohd Nazlan Ghazali, the judge who presided over the SRC International 1MDB trial and convicted former Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak. However, given the current climate of political polarisation, how much of an impact will the protest make? We speak to lawyer and activist Dato' Ambiga Sreenivasan on why the legal fraternity is marching. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although Malaysia's economy shows promise post pandemic, it is also time to engage in economic reform with focus on improving fiscal sustainability and improving the level of social protection for the most vulnerable. Dr Apurva Sanghi, Lead Economist for Malaysia at the World Bank tells us how on the back of their recently released Malaysia Economic Monitor report.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Finance recently issued its 2023 pre-budget statement highlighting the priorities of the government in its annual spending plans. We speak to Julia Goh of UOB Malaysia for hints on what to expect in Budget 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The prefect storm of a war in Ukraine, supply chain shortages and rising energy cost is creating a sharp rise in food prices. We talk to Dr Paul Teng from the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University as to the consequence of this and what are the solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently eyebrows were raised over a RM30 million project to upgrade 200 lamp pole units for DBKL, leading to more questions about the procurement process between DBKL and the contracted parties, Ennova Sdn. Bhd. and subcontractor SCIB. Economist Dr. Nungsari Radhi helps to untangle the complexities of government procurement and the gaps in the process that need to be addressed to prevent mismanagement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The long-awaited Anti-Hopping Bill will finally be tabled during the Parliamentary sitting beginning 18th July. Will this bill put an end to the party hopping that has been part of Malaysian politics? Dr. Azmi Hassan, Senior Research Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research gives us his analysis, while also diving into the prospects for Bersatu and the risk that it may see more defections.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple has announced a slew of hard-and-software upgrades at last week's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), sending waves of optimism that the tech behemoth is best-poised to weather the current storm among other tech players.Daniel Ives, Managing Director, Wedbush Securities, discusses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With inflation at record highs, what policy options does Bank Negara have and should out of the box options be considered? Woon Khai Jhek, Senior Economist at RAM Ratings weighs in and also discusses the possibility of stagflation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Shangri-La Security Dialogue returns to Singapore after a two-year hiatus, and all eyes will be on the competing narratives from the US and China on the future of the Indo-Pacific. We discuss expectations for the security summit with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Chairman of Tricor Malaysia and the Immediate Past President of Malaysian Institute of Accountants explains what is the purpose of the Fiscal Reform Bill. We also dive into the necessity of reforming the taxation system and is this the right time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After two years of pandemic restrictions, Malaysia officially reopened most sectors of the economy on April 1st this year. However, do the twin headwinds of inflation and rising interest rates stifle recovery for SMEs? For a channel check on the state of the economy from the perspective of SMEs, we speak to Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) on the current challenges and outlook for SMEs.Image Credit: PradeepGaurs/Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With ESG investing growing at a rapid rate around the world, how has the trend been like in Malaysia? Are local companies adopting ESG values and framework fast enough? And how should they benchmark their standards and criteria to an international level? Leslie Yap of Nomura Asset Management Malaysia explains. Brought to you by Sun Life Malaysia. Your lifetime insurance and takaful partner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Yen against the US Dollar is at a two decade low. Economic theory tells us that it's good for exports and equity markets but are there downsides? Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy, Mizuho Bank tells us his outlook whilst giving us the house view of the Yen in the short term.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is experiencing a shortage of common medicines across private clinics and pharmacies as a result of high demand and global supply chain issues. Dr. Koh Kar Chai, President, Malaysian Medical Association explains how the supply shortage could affect patient healthcare treatment if the situation is prolonged.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With rising interest rates and a choppy equity market, will the PE market still be buoyant in 2022 for Asia? Tom Kidd from Bain & Company tells us what to look out for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With GE15 expected to be called within the next year, reports of political maneuvering across different parties continue to percolate. We discuss the potential scenarios affecting major politicians and factors influencing Prime Minister Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri's decision on when to dissolve Parliament with political analyst Dr. James Chin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a confidence vote on Monday, but with 40% of Conservative MPs voting against him, his leadership position is far from secure. We discuss the likelihood of Boris Johnson staying in power with political expert Dr. Ben Wellings of Monash University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corruption is a widely acknowledged problem in the country, but how genuine and effective are measures to combat this issue? Former banker Tan Sri Nazir Razak recently suggested that Malaysia model anti-corruption efforts in Hong Kong, including an amnesty for mild corruption followed by a zero-tolerance approach. We discuss the best initiatives to tackle endemic corruption, as well as the costs of tolerating corrupt practices at any level with Aira Azhari of IDEAS.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, the Senior Minister of Education Datuk Radzi Jidin announced that the Form Three Assessment examination or PT3, which was introduced in 2014, will be abolished effective this year. Nina Adlan Disney, Executive Director of LeapEd tells us the consequence of such a decision and what are the challenges from its implementation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sunday June 5th was World Environment Day, but how genuine are government efforts to conserve the country’s natural heritage? This question comes up as yet another urban green lung, the Shah Alam Community Forest is under threat. We speak to Alicia Teoh of the SACF Society on why it's imperative to preserve the forest area and its rich ecosystem. For more information visit shahalamforest.org.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The streaming industry was thrown into turmoil when Netflix reported its first quarterly drop in subscribers in its last earnings report and warned of further subscriber losses in the near future. How will this impact the content development and growth strategy of media companies moving forward? We discuss the state of play with Geetha Ranganathan of Bloomberg Intelligence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite renewing a bilateral labour agreement in December 2021, the hiring of workers from Bangladesh has not resumed following suspension in 2018. Labour agents in Bangladesh object to the restriction of recruitment to 25 agencies selected by the Malaysian government, calling for open market access. How does this reflect on Malaysia's broader foreign labour policy? We discuss the issues at hand with economist Dr. Niaz Asadullah.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi said that the coalition is ready for GE15 but Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri who is also Umno’s vice president indicated that he is in no rush to call for a general election anytime soon. So will GE15 be held by this year and how does this split in priorities impact the internal relations of UMNO and BN moving forward? Dr. Hamidin Abdul Hamid, Senior Fellow of Ilham Centre shares his thoughts with us.Image credit: shutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EU's ban on Russian oil ban is a rare show of unity among her 27 member states but economic constraints will test the limits of Western unity in future, says Dr Frederick Kliem, Research Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil markets are under pressure as events this week heightened concerns over tighter supply, just as the summer travel season begins to kick-off. The EU announced further sanctions on Russian oil imports, while Shanghai came out of a two-month lockdown, raising expectations for higher demand. How will these developments impact oil markets in the short-to-medium term? Wayne Tan of Bloomberg NEF weighs in.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The international border of Malaysia reopened on April 1, but as travel demand rise, the hotel industry has been facing difficulties accommodating its guests due to manpower shortages. What’s driving this worker shortage issue and what are the solutions around it? Christina Toh, President of Malaysian Association of Hotels breaks it all down for us.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the government is keen to bring back the goods and services tax or GST. The GST was introduced in 2015 at a rate of 6% but was replaced by the sales and services tax or SST by the Pakatan Harapan government. So is this the right time to reintroduce GST, and how can it be implemented? Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of Center for Market Education tells us more.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The High Court in Kota Bharu this week dismissed a lawsuit by a Muslim group of teachers to declare vernacular schools as unconstitutional, following a similar case filed in Kuala Lumpur last year. Why does the issue of vernacular schools remain controversial? We discuss viewpoints on vernacular education and national unity with Eddin Khoo, Founder of PUSAKA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's security focused charm offensive in the Pacific islands has given Australia further cause for alarm in the context of China's growing influence in the Asia-Pacific.James Batley, Distinguished Policy Fellow, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University, offers a perspective.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Budget '23 looming, Malaysia's budgetary process -- rightfully -- is under scrutiny, given the country's too-average rank on the latest Open Budget Survey, coming in at 57th place out of 120 countries.Sri Murniati Yusuf, Deputy Research Director, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), discusses.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced proposed private sector plans to build three new highways in the Klang Valley to resolve congestion issues. We discuss whether the rationale for more highways holds water and policy measures to ease perennial urban traffic jams with transport consultant Rosli Azad.Image credit: shutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we celebrate World No Tobacco Day, we debate with Tengku Aslahuddin, President of Vape Consumer Association of Malaysia whether vaping is really a healthier alternative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Korea recently launched its 17th missile test this year, hours after US President Joe Biden departed the region after a 5-day visit. With growing concern that North Korea is considering a seventh nuclear test, what options does the international community have to respond to the security threat? We discuss the situation in North Korea with Dr. Hoo Chiew Ping of UKM.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists surveyed by Reuters predict that India’s economy would grow on average by 4% in the January to March period this year, compared to a year ago. Amid higher energy, food and commodities prices, how are the government and central bank navigating headwinds? We discuss the outlook for the Indian economy with Sanjay Mathur of ANZ Bank.Image Credit: WESTOCK PRODUCTIONS / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Vinod Balasubramaniam, Senior Lecturer and Co-Lead, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine & Health SciencesDescriptor: The WHO has declared monkeypox to be a moderate risk to global public health, with around 257 cases confirmed to date. How prepared is Malaysia to deal with a potential outbreak? We discuss what we know about the virus and assess Malaysia's prevention and mitigation measures with infectious diseases expert Dr. Vinod Balasubramaniam.Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With unofficial results showing Rafizi Ramli leading the race for the PKR deputy president, Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs shares his insights on how an Anwar - Rafizi led party would change the fortunes of PKR in the upcoming GE15.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.