Morning Brief

With the Malaysian Climate Change Action Council and the National Low Carbon City Master Plan, we ask Alizan Mahadi from ISIS how Malaysia will be able to deliver on its promises and meet COP26 commitments. Image Credit: venimo | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With global economies recovering, luxury good sales have surged reflected in the strong earnings of companies like Kering, LVMH and L'oreal. Deborah Aitken, Senior Industry Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence gives us the reasons why, the markets which will see growth and the trends of the industry. Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MP for Bangi and former Deputy Minister of International Trade, Dr. Ong Kian Ming gives his perspective on what Malaysia really needs to drive more investments and we seek his views on the proposed National Investment Aspirations launched by Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to help Malaysia to become a regional investment hub. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Cardosa assists us in navigating the history and legacy of SMK Convent Bukit Nanas but also gives us a comprehensive take on how our country has and should be looking at preserving heritage sites of implicit and intangible value. Image credit: Liena Kamaruz / Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft officially announced its plans to establish a data centre region in Malaysia, pledging investments amounting to USD 1 billion over the next 5 years. As many as 19,000 jobs will be created but what are the other benefits? Dr Lau Cher Han, Chief Data Scientist at LEAD tells us. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft officially announced its plans to establish a data centre region in Malaysia, pledging investments amounting to USD 1 billion over the next 5 years. As many as 19,000 jobs will be created but what are the other benefits? Dr Lau Cher Han, Chief Data Scientist at LEAD tells us. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Football is the latest casualty of sport's commercialisation, a sad but true reflection of the world's insatiable appetite for contest and content, according to Professor Simon Chadwick, Professor of Eurasian Sport at Emlyon Business School. Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With news of an international bank, Citibank closing shop in Malaysia, what rights do its employees have? Sunitha Ruthram, employment lawyer tells us. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How has the media market in Malaysia managed and survived Covid? Will new entrants like Disney+ / Netflix add further to the disruption? Who has sufficiently evolved their business to weather the rapid changes in advertising expenditure trends? Pritika Modhgil from ‎Kenanga Investment Bank provides the answers. Image credit: Bank Phrom on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the potential 4th wave of covid 19 infections in Malaysia, what lessons have we learnt? Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy tells us what needs to be done on the ground and also how to tackle vaccine hesitancy in this country. Image Credit: siam.pukkato | ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Schwartz of Fitch Rating talks about the consequences (or none) of the first semi-annual foreign exchange report issued by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as the US places 11 economies on the monitoring list for possible currency manipulation. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Pradeep Taneja touches on the multiple challenges faced by India, from its economic impact to implications on its poor as well as its role of being the global factory for vaccines versus how its own vaccination is being rolled out Image credit: Manoej Paateel / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the Maybank Virtual AGM technical glitch, Devanesan Evanson from Minority Shareholders Watch Group (MSWG) weighs in on the current issues, solutions and platforms we can adopt to ensure a more transparent and fair AGM takes place across the diverse business community. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria discusses with us the effectiveness of different strategies and forms of assistance to combat the multi-dimensional challenges in urban poverty as economies reopen and growth becomes unevenly distributed. Image Credit: hkhtt hj / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With work from home themes the big winner last year, will this trend continue in 2021? And with the 5G rollout expected to intensify over the next few years, how can one profit? Sammeer Sharma, Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management at Standard Chartered Malaysia helps us make sense of the options. Image Credit: metamorworks | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run speaks to Tan Sri Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Health, about the rising case numbers, interstate travel ban extension, the vaccination rollout in Malaysia, and Ramadan bazaars. Image Credit: IZWAN IS / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, we learned that the Federal government will return the administration of two islands, Sipadan and Ligitan, to Sabah, while also giving Sarawak full control of its gas distribution. Are substantial steps towards MA63 or just cosmetic? We speak to Dr. Firdausi Suffian, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at UiTM Sabah, to find out, and get the lay of the land of East and West Malaysia politics. Additionally, we attempt to pin down the technical difference between classifying the states as "negeri" vs "wilayah". Image credit: Leo Altman / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, we learned that the Federal government will return the administration of two islands, Sipadan and Ligitan, to Sabah, while also giving Sarawak full control of its gas distribution. Are substantial steps towards MA63 or just cosmetic? We speak to Dr. Firdausi Suffian, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at UiTM Sabah, to find out, and get the lay of the land of East and West Malaysia politics. Additionally, we attempt to pin down the technical difference between classifying the states as "negeri" vs "wilayah". Image Credit: IZWAN IS / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Joe Biden is looking to plug the gap in semiconductor production in the US while China is likewise aiming for self-sufficiency. The trade war is a tech war. Abishur Prakash, Geopolitical Futurist at the Center for Innovating the Future discusses the dynamics of the semiconductor industry and how Southeast Asian countries should navigate between these two superpowers. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As DAP heads towards its party elections in a couple of months, Adib Zalkapli, Director at Bower Group Asia discusses succession, the party’s reputation as a Chinese chauvinist, and if it can succeed in attracting more Malay members and voters. Image Credit: Gwoeii | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The tender for the MRT3 Circle Line is expected to be opened by August, this year. The ultimate cost of the project is as yet unclear, but reports have emerged that MRT Corp is also considering a private funding arrangement of around 10-30%. We speak to Pankaj C. Kumar, Financial market columnist and a former chief investment officer, about the feasibility of this plan. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dale Fisher, Professor of Infectious Diseases, National University of Singapore discusses the implications of pausing the use of certain vaccines like the ones by Johnson & Johnson and Astra-Zeneca, and the criteria that could guide governments in deciding which to drop. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to Hoe Lee Leng, Regional Plantation Sector Head from RHB Research about rising CPO prices, demands from India and China, and risks in the industry. We also ask her about her top picks for the palm oil sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to Hoe Lee Leng, Regional Plantation Sector Head from RHB Research about rising CPO prices, demands from India and China, and risks in the industry. We also ask her about her top picks for the palm oil sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin reportedly said that federal government doesn’t have much money left after spending for budget and stimulus packages. Did we really spend 600 billion ringgit? We look into this matter with Sri Murniati Yusuf, Research Manager from Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs. Image credit: MUHAMMAD IZZAT TERMIZIE / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Philippines continues to report a new wave of Covid 19 cases while vaccination rollout has been slow to take off. Cleve Arguelles, doctorate candidate at the Department of Political and Social Change, Australian National University discusses the difficulties in fighting the pandemic, and the government’s response. Image Credit:EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of Covid-19 cases in schools, Dr Helmy Haja Mydin, Internal Medicine Specialist at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur discusses the most optimal response, the pace of vaccination, and if Malaysians are becoming too complacent. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world's largest vaccination campaign gets underway, it has become apparent that progress across different countries is uneven, to say the least. Some reports suggest wealthier nations will be vaccinated as much as 25 times faster than poorer ones. We speak to X for more insight into the pace and trajectory of the current rollouts, and the economic implications which could arise. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's Welfare Department celebrated its 75th Anniversary this week with several policy measures to strengthen its services. We speak to Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Norma Mansor, Director of Social Wellbeing Research Centre of Universiti Malaya for her thoughts on our social protection landscape, and what the system needs to survive another 75 years. Image Credit: Ham_Hassan / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, we learned that Celcom and Digi are headed for a merger which would result in Malaysia’s largest telco provider, but as with any M&A deal, the question is: what are the synergies? And what will this deal mean for the rest of the sector? The Morning Run speaks to Tan J Young, Senior Analyst withHong Leong Investment Bank, to find out. Image credit: Mickey12 / Shutterstock.com oleschwander / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are over 100 housing projects that have been abandoned by developers, and the government is looking to amend the Housing Development Act 1996 (Act 118). Khairul Anuar Shaharuddin, lawyer, also discusses policies to protect buyers and take stricter actions against errant developers. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thornton Matheson, Senior Fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center unpacks the technicalities of President Joe Biden’s proposal to impose a global minimum corporate tax rate to fund its massive budget. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sudhir Vadaketh, a political commentator, discusses the implications of Heng Swee Keat’s decision to step aside as designated successor to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and the likely leader to take over. Sudhir is also the co-author of Hard Choices: Challenging the Singapore Consensus. Image Credit: How Hwee Young | EPASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The underrepresentation of women in parliament and state legislative assemblies is a long-standing issue, with quotas typically proposed to raise participation. However, some parties are sceptical of the quota system and its efficacy, so we ask Danesh Prakash Chacko, Director of Tindak Malaysia about other options available to empower women to be more active in politics. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recorded telephone conversation, purportedly between Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has gone viral, causing controversy. Both men have denied suggestions from the audio that Umno and PKR are working together, but is this yet another nail in the coffin of Zahid's leadership of Umno? We speak to Professor Dr. Azmi Hassan, political analyst and professor from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia to find out. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexander Wong, Managing Editor and Co-Founder of the tech news portal, SoyaCincau discusses the government’s plan to accelerate 5G rollout, and the implications of the merger between Celcom and DiGi. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once upon a time, Southeast Asia was one of the most promising regions in the world for economic growth. But that was a pandemic ago. With Covid-19 vaccination rollouts happening across the world and vastly different economic responses seen even within our neighbouring countries, we speak to Joseph Incalcaterra, HSBC's Chief Economist for ASEAN, about what a recovery will look like for ASEAN in 2021. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The water pollution incidents of 2019 and 2020 have shone a spotlight on the inadequacies of the legal framework for environmental crimes. Environmentalists and policy commentators have long-called for an overhaul of the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the cornerstone of Malaysia’s environmental conservation policy. How should the law be updated to take into account the current climate crisis and modern-day environmental problems? Lawyer Kiu Jia Yaw argues for a more holistic and wide-ranging revamp of the law. Image Credit: ZPL PICTURES / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Varun Mittal, Global Emerging Markets FinTech Leader, at EY Singapore gives his take on Grab’s listing via a SPAC merger - why SPAC, why US and how would you value a super app? Image credit: Lens Hitam / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rosli Khan, a transport management consultant discusses the need for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in view that KTM already has dual-tracking lines. The government has decided to revive the project to its original northern alignment involving Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. Image credit: Farizul Hafiz Stock | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To date, Brazil has recorded more than 13 million Covid-19 cases, recently breaking a tragic new record with 4,000 Covid-related deaths recorded in one day. President Jair Bolsonaro's administration has been heavily criticised for mishandling the pandemic, and plunging the country into an economic sinkhole from which recovery seems difficult. We speak to Mac Margolis, Bloomberg Opinion columnist about the politicisation of Brazil's vaccination rollout, what's next in Bolsonaro's political career, and what Brazil needs to rehabilitate its struggling economy. Image Credit: BW Press | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As our administrative capital, Putrajaya is a beautiful, sprawling metropolis- but it lacks the bustling economy of Kuala Lumpur. Now, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa has said that Putrajaya will be developed into an international recreational city over the next 25 years, with reports surfacing of proposals for 'glamping' and a Safari Park. But will these measures turn Putrajaya into a thriving city? We speak to Ihsan Zainal Mokhtar, President of the Malaysian Institute of Planners to find out. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Basel Convention came into force in January this year, aimed at governing the trade of plastic waste to prevent developing countries from becoming dumping grounds. Dr. Agamutu Pariatamby, Professor at the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, Sunway University discusses his concerns about allowing plastic waste imports, and opportunities for improvements in the recycling industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, discusses the implications of Parti Warisan Sabah’s move to dissociate from Pakatan Harapan, and its interest in contesting for seats in Peninsular Malaysia. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, discusses the implications of Parti Warisan Sabah’s move to dissociate from Pakatan Harapan, and its interest in contesting for seats in Peninsular Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vietnam recently confirmed Pham Minh Chinh as the country’s next Prime Minister, once again ensuring a smooth transition. Linda Liu, Economist at Maybank Kim Eng discusses Chinh’s priorities and the challenges he needs to deal with. Image credit: Le Minh Ty / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is Parti Warisan Sabah disassociating itself from the Pakatan Harapan Plus coalition? The Morning Run speaks with Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Warisan's President, to find out. We asked him about potential partnerships with Syed Saddiq and MUDA, Warisan's relationship with PH, and whether he want to be Prime Minister.Image credit: Dolly MJ _ ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alejandra Grindal, Senior International Economist at Ned Davis Research unpacks President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan, and the challenges in pushing it through. Image credit: Lev Radin / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Due to the pandemic and ensuing economic downturn, salaries stagnated and fresh graduates struggled to get employed. To assure fresh graduates, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamad says that they can expect a higher starting salary by the middle of this year. Dr Juita Mohamad, Fellow at Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia discusses options and what must be done to address underlying problems. Image Credit: Yang Zhen Siang | Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Foreign Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammudin Hussein courted controversy during his recent visit to China, when he referred to his counterpart Wang Yi as an “elder brother.” Despite the apparent faux pas, there were several notable outcomes from the visit, including the establishment of a high-level committee for post-Covid-19 cooperation. We discuss the state of Malaysia-China bilateral relations and the calculations being made on each side amid the broader geopolitical tensions between East and West with foreign policy expert Dr. Johan Saravanamuttu. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.