Morning Brief

Days into the new year and Bitcoin is leading a surge in the cryptocurrency market. TM Lee, Founder of CoinGecko, discusses the reasons behind the rally and whether Bitcoin will ever hit the mainstream.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Floods are an annual affair in Malaysia, displacing thousands and with devastating consequences for those affected. Dato' Dr Ahmad Faizal Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia, tells us what the situation on the ground is like, what state governments are doing and whether Covid-19 further complicate issues. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Merdeka Center survey recently showed that most Barisan Nasional supporters want Umno to remain part of the Perikatan Nasional government. But ties between Umno and splinter party Bersatu have become strained of late, and questions have arisen over potential partnerships that Umno may forge as it positions itself for GE15. We speak to Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director at the Merdeka Centre, for more insight. Image Credit: Aisyaqilumaranas / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News of the Georgia runoffs was eclipsed by the siege at the US Congress after a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the building and forced the debate on President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the Electoral College to be suspended. Robert Shapiro, Professor of Government at Columbia University, tells us what happened and the impact that it might have on the Republican party while weighing in on what priorities a Biden administration might have, now that the Democrats have control over the Senate. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The competition for foreign direct investment (FDI) will be fierce this year, as every economy strives to chart a sustainable path to recovery in the wake of the pandemic. But there are concerns that Malaysia is falling behind in terms of attracting FDI, both in long-term and short-term investments. We discuss Malaysia’s comparative advantage (or lack thereof) compared to regional peers with Firdaos Rosli, Head of Economic Research at the Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad(MARC). Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent cancellation of the High-Speed Rail project connecting Kuala Lumpur to Singapore has raised questions over the conduct and transparency of megaprojects here in the country. Mixed messages, opaque governance, and political appointments to the GLCs surrounding these projects do not make matters easier, so we reached out to Tricia Yeoh, CEO of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs, to weigh in on the matter. Image Credit: MyHSR CorporationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2020 saw a record number of sovereign rating downgrades by Fitch Ratings. James McCormack, their Global Head of Sovereign Ratings, tells us the reason for this and their outlook for global recovery in 2021. Image Credit: Willy Barton / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports have filtered in this week that two of Indonesia's biggest tech startups are looking to tie the knot. Ride-hailing and payments player Gojek and local e-commerce platform Tokopedia are said to be in merger talks, which could create a company valued at as much as $18 billion. We speak to Varun Mittal, Global Emerging Markets FinTech Leader at EY, about what both sides stand to gain from this, as well as what Tokopedia might bring to the table for Gojek that Grab does not. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sarawak state election is expected to take place this year. Frequent political commentator James Chin weighs in on the evolving contesting coalitions, issues that will take centre stage, and the feasibility of holding GE15 this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2021 is poised to be a year of recovery for many industries, but the fact remains that the pandemic will continue to be a challenge for most people and businesses. To find out the outlook for SMEs and the challenges ahead, we speak with Datuk Michael Kang, President of the SME Association of Malaysia. Image Credit: Aisyaqilumaranas / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil prices have recovered from the lows seen back in April last year when Brent fell to US$16 per barrel, while WTI hit negative US$40. The price crash resulted in OPEC instituting the biggest production cuts in history, slashing 10 million barrels of oil per day. But in 2021, will OPEC continue to maintain its production cuts, and what is the outlook for oil prices? Yong-Liang Por, Consultant at Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA), tells us. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The digital divide has grown larger this past year, with so many children unable to physically attend school. Now that the government has announced that schools will reopen in the country over the first quarter of the year, we ask Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, about the feasibility of this move, as well as whether parents, students, and teachers will be able to cope. Image Credit: Mhilmi Osman / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a decade of expansion in the global automotive industry to a staggering halt, resulting in widespread plant closures and job losses. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) predicts double-digit growth for the sector, but can it make up for the losses seen in 2020? To find out, we speak with Arushi Kotecha, Research Analyst at the EIU. Image Credit: seyephoto / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project is officially off the table after an agreement failed to materialise between both countries. P. Gunasegaram, Editorial Consultant for the news portal The Vibes, gives us his views on whether the HSR is viable and if it should continue if the line stops in Johor, or if the funds can be put to better use. Image Credit: FreshStock / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Securities Commission has issued a new guidance note to clarify what constitutes legal and licensed investment advice. Linnet Lee, CEO of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM), weighs in on this and highlights what to look out for when seeking investment advice. Image Credit: William Potter / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The continued SST exemption is good for the car industry, but for how long? What are structural issues that need to be addressed to spur the industry in the long-term? The Morning Run speaks to Daniel Fernandez, founder of automotive news website dsf.my and co-host of BFM's Cruise Control, about this. We also get into the key trends and biggest winners from the SST exemption, as well as Daniel's outlook for 2021. Image Credit: Mikbiz / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Gasiorek, Professor of Economics at Sussex University, discusses the merits of the Brexit deal and ensuing negotiations for the financial services industry to give UK banks equivalent access to the EU market. Image Credit: Melinda Nagy / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The live events industry has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Iqbal Ameer, CEO of Livescape Group, pleas for the government to allow live events and assures that SOP measures can be followed. Image Credit: Sheng Lee / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lockdowns and a pandemic have left both students and teachers in the lurch, trying to adapt to online learning and with no certainty of when national exams will take place. And with borders still shut, private higher education institutions have also been unable to tap the international student market. How will these universities survive the coming year ahead? To find out, we speak to Geoffrey Williams, Professor at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology, and a frequent commentator on issues surrounding the education sector. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why does Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities think that tech will gain 23% in 2021? Find out with The Morning Run on this episode of Market Watch. They get into the justification for Apple's valuation and autonomous ambitions, who will win in the ongoing cloud war between Amazon and Microsoft, whether Big Tech will have to change its business model under increased regulatory scrutiny, and the overlooked tech gems he's watching in 2021. Image Credit: Koshiro K / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There were 18 IPOs in Malaysia this year, down from last year’s record number of 30. Wong Kar Choon, Disruptive Events Advisory Leader at Deloitte Malaysia, reviews the IPOs and his outlook for 2021.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catherine Lim, Asia Consumer Senior Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses retail trends in 2021 - what are the new trends, and who are the gainers and losers? Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selangor has been the hotbed for Covid-19 infections. Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, former Minister of Health and Chair of the Selangor Task Force on Covid-19, discusses responses, other potential vulnerabilities, and vaccine distribution in the state. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prior to Covid-19, the property sector here in Malaysia was already looking sluggish. As soon as the pandemic hit, many Malaysians had to rethink plans, including future purchases and operation of retail spaces. Will this continue into 2021? To find out, we speak to Siva Shanker, CEO of the Real Estate Agency at Rahim & Co International.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amanah seems to be positioning itself as the peacemaker within the opposition. Is this a sustainable strategy, or will they eventually be made to choose sides, given the current factions in the opposition? We speak to Dr Hamidin Abdul Hamid, Research Fellow at the Ilham Centre, for his thoughts here. He also gives us his assessment of Amanah's leadership and strength in the wider political landscape, as well as his political outlook for 2021. Image Credit: Fadzil Yahaya / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Kiernan, Lead Analyst for Energy at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), discusses his predictions for the energy sector and milestones to look out for like the Glasgow Climate Change Conference in November 2021. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been many things for businesses to worry about this year, from the onset of a pandemic to a sudden change of government. Going into 2021, what are these business owners worried about? We reached out to Professor Mahendhiran Nair, Professor of Public Policy Engagement and Econometrics with the School of Business at Monash University Malaysia, to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has launched its National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 with the aim of ensuring the continuity of the country's tourism industry, as well as bringing back Malaysia as the preferred tourism destination at a global level. But is this policy the solution? Nigel Wong, Honorary Secretary General of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), tells us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike in the 2008 financial crisis, the financial sector has weathered the economic turbulence wrought by Covid-19 relatively well. However, the EIU predicts a challenging outlook for the sector in 2021, in light of ultra-low interest rates as well as mounting defaults by businesses and households. We discuss the forecast with lead analyst Steven Leslie. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has been in talks with various pharmaceutical companies on the vaccine procurement, but is there sufficient scrutiny of the process? Kelvin Yii, MP for Kuching and a member of the parliamentary select committee on health, science and innovation, weighs in on this, as well as what further transparency measures he hopes to see. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

90 days after submitting its registration application to the Registrar of Societies (RoS), the status of Syed Saddiq’s Malaysian United Democratic Alliance party (MUDA) remains in limbo. This week, MUDA said that it would launch legal action to compel the RoS to register the party if a decision was not forthcoming in 7 days. We speak to lawyer and co-founder Lim Wei Jiet for MUDA’s perspective on the registration delay, and we also discuss barriers to the formation of political parties in the country. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glove makers have been one of the biggest corporate winners in the Covid-19 pandemic. But while they’re raking in profits, the pandemic has also revealed their failings in upholding employee safety and human rights. Top Glove's managing director, Dato' Lee Kim Meow, joins us to respond to allegations of worker mistreatment and poor employee accommodation. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, a new and potentially more transmissible variant of coronavirus was discovered in the UK, but how dangerous is it, and what does it mean for us? To find out, we speak to Dale Fisher, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the National University of Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Education has decided to delay the 2021 school year to January 20th, which is notably later than usual. What impact might this have on students? Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, President of the Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE), highlights some of her concerns. Image Credit: YM.Ku Shahril / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is rumoured to be planning a Cabinet reshuffle following the corruption charges against two ministers. Will this shake-up provide a positive boost for Jokowi's government, given the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the country’s economy and healthcare system? We discuss Indonesia’s Covid-19 response as well as its vaccination roll-out with Ben Bland of the Lowy Institute. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The F&B industry has taken a hard hit during the pandemic, but is there hope for recovery in the near future? For some insight into what 2021 might look like for the industry, we speak to Jennifer Ong, Founder and CEO of HAPA Group. Image Credit: Magic Orb Studio / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As tensions rise between Australia and China, can the former afford to stay the course in its spat with the latter? The Morning Run Team discusses this with Richard McGregor, Senior Fellow at the Lowy Institute. We also get into how the trade tensions might backfire on China, which side might concede first, and whether China's "wolf warrior diplomacy" will resume under a Biden administration. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With straight losses at each round of the Budget debates, what is the fate of Pakatan Harapan? Is it time for a reset, or even a leadership change? Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director at Merdeka Center, tells us what a reset would entail and whether there is an alternate leader for this coalition. Image Credit: Jasni / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food needs and food security have really come into focus this year, as Covid-19 highlighted concerns about self-sufficiency and access to food. But what has Malaysia's focus been when it comes to agriculture? Sarina Che Omar, Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute, tells us. Image Credit: fiz_zero / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the US, Congress has passed the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which could see Chinese companies delisted from US stock exchanges for not complying with audit oversight rules. Considering there are more than 200 Chinese firms listed in the US with a combined market capitalisation of US$2.2 trillion, we ask Brock Silvers, Chief Investment Officer at Kaiyuan Capital, whether this move will eventually weaken US capital markets or if transparency is a worthy trade-off in the long run. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports have begun to emerge that the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail plan may continue, with the track ending in Johor instead of Singapore as initially planned. Though the Singapore Transport Ministry has since come out to say that both countries are still in discussions over this, the reports have raised questions over the HSR's viability should the news turn out to be true. We speak to Dr Francis Hutchinson, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, about whether continuing without Singapore would be a good decision on Malaysia's part. Image Credit: FreshStock / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the difference between the Pfizer-BioNTech and Sinovac vaccines? What do we know about Malaysia's Covid-19 vaccination plan? We speak to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of the Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy, on the differences between the various vaccines available, and the challenges of rolling out a mass vaccination programme. Image Credit: LookerStudio / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The opposition's failure to vote down Budget 2021 has raised questions about its leadership, but who will step up to the plate? The Morning Run speaks to Warisan president, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, to find out if he would be open to leading Pakatan Harapan, his party's planned expansion into the Peninsular, and Warisan's political allies. Image credit: Dolly MJ / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

News that a Top Glove employee was fired for voicing concerns over cramped dormitories has raised questions about the protections available to whistleblowers, as well as the new labour SOPs. We reached out to lawyer VK Raj for more insight. Image credit: YuriAbas / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disney, the content colossus, has announced massive new content rollout plans, featuring Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar. The move catapulted its shares to a record $171 in New York trading and has raised the question of whether this is a long-term pivot towards streaming services. We speak to Geetha Ranganathan, Senior Media Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, for more. Image Credit: AFM Visuals / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Penjana Kapital announced this week that it had attracted eight international venture capital fund managers to take part in the Dana Penjana Nasional programme, with a total allocation of RM1.57 billion. We speak to Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah of Scale-Up Malaysia on why local start-ups have reasons to cheer these developments. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2020 was initially thought to be a transformative year for Malaysia's regional security outlook, but the twin crises of politics and a pandemic have dampened that outlook somewhat. We speak to Thomas Daniel, Senior Analyst at ISIS Malaysia, about Malaysia's defence positioning in the region, key issues, and its 'strategic wiggle room' when it comes to the South China Sea. Image Credit: noraismail / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2021 has been passed in the Dewan Rakyat by a razor-thin margin - 111 MPs in favour and 108 against, with one absentee. Considering this result is a far cry from the one promised by Pakatan Harapan, we ask Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute, what this result says about the leadership of both Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now that President-elect Joe Biden has sealed his presidency, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has acknowledged Biden's victory, what's next for the Democrats, Republicans, and Trump? The Morning Run speaks to Robert Shapiro, Professor of Government at Columbia University, to find out. Image Credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has pledged to create 500,000 jobs through the JanaKerja scheme, but how realistic is this target? The Morning Run finds out from Dr Amanina Abdur Rahman, Economist at World Bank, Malaysia. She also discusses where jobs might be created, whether the government's priorities are on the right track, how it can encourage private-sector hiring, and how it should reset its labour policies. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.