Morning Brief

Sarawak is confident in getting 2.2 million of its population vaccinated by August this year but isn’t sure when it can hold its state elections. The state assembly’s term expires on June 6th and a state election will need to be held within 60 days of dissolution. But with an emergency order in place that prevents elections from happening, what option does Sarawak have? For some insight, we speak with Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs and Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Secretary-General. Image Credit: Ismunazif Fendy / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Fazeli from Bloomberg Intelligence discusses the commercial aspects of vaccine pricing and the various considerations to ensure equitable distribution globally. Image Credit: ALDECA studio / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nell Omar from The Centre paints a comprehensive picture and offers practical solutions as to how we can support gig workers immediately and in the long-term. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laurence Todd from IDEAS discusses the merits and demerits of the tiered dividend being proposed for the EPF as well as brings up the broader conversation on the scale and role EPF has to play in providing social protection. Image Credit: syam fireshark / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hang Seng will be making major changes to ensure the index better reflects the range of firms listed in Hong Kong. The index will raise the number of constituents from 52 currently to 80 by mid-2022 with an eventual target of 100 companies. A stock’s weighting will also now be limited to 8% from 10%. Wong Chi Man, Head of Research at China Galaxy International, tells us the rationale for these changes and which companies stand to win or lose. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr James Chin, political commentator and Professor at the University of Tasmania, shares his perspectives on recent political developments in Sarawak and the different political movements taking place. Image Credit: Magic Orb Studio / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we celebrate the centenary of China's Communist Party (CCP), Gary Ng from Natixis gives us some colour on China's ambitious infrastructure plans to double its economy by 2035. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yap Lip Seng from the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) shares his concerns and solutions to get the hotel industry back to recovery mode following the news of the 70% vaccination threshold required before inter-state / inter-district travel resumes. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) declared a 5.2% dividend for conventional savings and a 4.9% dividend for shariah savings for 2020. Pankaj C Kumar, a financial market columnist and former Chief Investment Officer, gives us his views on whether the dividends met his expectations and the challenges in replicating these returns in 2021. Image Credit: Ismail Sadiron Pictures / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The onus now seems to be on Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to call for a Parliament sitting, following remarks from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. How likely is it that we'll see a sitting and beyond that, what options does the PM have to ease the pressure on him? Dr Hamidin Hamid, Research Fellow at the Ilham Centre, shares his thoughts on this, as well as where PAS' allegiance lies, expectation from the UMNO AGM at the end of March, and Pakatan Harapan's strategy. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One month since the military coup in Myanmar, it has become apparent that the economic costs are mounting. The government, now controlled by the military junta, are facing the possibility of further sanctions from Western countries, which would place a dampener on an economy already hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. We speak to Linda Liu, Economist at Maybank Kim Eng, about how the Myanmar economy is expected to hold up amidst these headwinds. Image Credit: Robert Bociaga Olk Bon / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firdaos Rosli, Head of Economic Research at the Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad (MARC), discusses his report that investments in 2021 are unlikely to return to pre-Covid level and also his economic outlook for Malaysia. Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Helmy Haja Mydin, Internal Medicine Specialist at Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur, discusses measures to persuade “vaccine-hesitants” and anti-vaxxers to be vaccinated in order for Malaysia to reach herd immunity. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent spate of cold weather, which crippled Texas’ energy and water infrastructure, has put a spotlight on ageing US infrastructure systems. DJ Gribbin, Senior Operating Partner at private equity firm Stonepeak helps us understand why the US underinvests in public infrastructure, the complexities of federal and state spending, and whether President Joe Biden will make headway in pushing his infrastructure bill. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' Sri M Ramachelvam, Co-Chairperson of the Bar Council Migrants, Refugees and Immigration Affairs Committee, discusses if it was a contempt of court when the Immigration Department deported 1,000 Burmese undocumented migrants despite a stay order from the court. Image Credit: Mamunur Rashid / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With overseas travel on the back burner for now, many 2020 holidaymakers are still waiting to hear back from airline companies on their flight ticket refunds. MAVCOM is pushing this point by saying airlines ought to make full refunds of flight tickets cancelled due to current restrictions, but can airlines afford it? The Morning Run speaks to Khair Mirza, Director of Airport Investor Resource at Modalis Infrastructure Partners, to find out. Image Credit: gracethang2 / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that inflation is soft and there are no immediate plans to start tapering on bond repurchases. Joe Kalish, Chief Global Macro Strategist at Ned Davis Research, discusses the implications of Powell’s statement including Ned Davis’ asset allocation strategies, and the likelihood of a taper tantrum again. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has announced that the provision of 5G infrastructure in the country will be led by a government-owned special purpose vehicle (SPV). To find out whether this is a viable plan for the country's 5G ambitions and what it means for all of us moving forward, we speak with Alexander Wong, Managing Editor and co-founder of the tech news portal SoyaCincau. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The move to reopen schools from March 1st has been met with backlash from parents, who raise virus concerns as well as frustration over money spent on digital devices to enable homeschooling. Opposition lawmakers have also called on the government to have teachers and school staff vaccinated as soon as possible. For some insight into the dilemma parents are facing, we speak to Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson of the Parents Action Group for Education (PAGE). Image Credit: Sharif Putra / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Daniel, Fellow for Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Institute Of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, discusses concerns about Malaysia’s plans to deport some 1,200 Myanmar citizens, and in the long-term, practical strategies to take in and resettle refugees. Image Credit: YuriAbas / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The hottest name in social media at the moment is none other than Clubhouse, an audio-based platform where users are able to hold or listen in on live conversations with others — whether that’s your best friend or Elon Musk. The app has seen such an explosion of growth in recent months, with Clubhouse’s proponents calling it the future of social media, while sceptics say it’s a fad that won’t survive once the pandemic recedes. So who’s right? The Morning Run speaks to Jeremiah Owyang, tech industry analyst with Kaleido Insights, to find out. Image Credit: rafapress / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ties between UMNO and Bersatu have become increasingly strained in recent months. Questions have arisen over whether the parties will continue to work together - and if so, whether Bersatu could survive a general election without UMNO's backing. To find out what this means for the future of the Perikatan Nasional coalition, we speak to Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. Image Credit: Shahjehan / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With President Joe Biden in the White House, how could the US relationship with Saudi Arabia and Iran change? The Morning Run speaks to James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies & the Middle East Institute, for his insights here. Image Credit: Ron Adar / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Rachel Gong, Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute, helps the Morning Run team unpack the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint - the hits and misses. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maszlee Malik, former education minister, lectures us on the complexity of our education and his grand visions and ambitions for our education system. Image Credit: msyaraafiq / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marcus Strom from MEAA Media discusses the impact of Facebook's Australian news ban and the global ramifications of the Australian news media bargaining code, the first law regulating how tech giants and media outlets license content. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vivek Vaidya from Frost & Sullivan helps us navigate the different aspects of Malaysia's ambitions to be an automotive manufacturing hub and what it needs to do to introduce EV vehicles to scale. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S. Pusapathi from MySkills passionately makes the case for the government to take the issue seriously, with the need for robust and innovative solutions to reskill youth to free them from gangsterism. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Howie Lee from OCBC Bank shares with us his outlook for the commodities markets (oil and non-oil), which are seeing across the board rallies. We also discuss whether this is the start of a supercycle and how investors can take advantage of the hot commodities market. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddin Khoo from PUSAKA emphasizes the facilitative role the government needs to take in engaging diverse stakeholders through consultative dialogue to ensure the blueprint's success. Image Credit: msyaraafiq / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s national vaccination programme will kick into gear later this month, with the first batch of some 300,000 Pfizer vaccines set to arrive on February 21st. Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also unveiled the official vaccination strategy handbook yesterday, which details the timeline of the vaccination as well as the logistics of the rollout. There will be many questions on the implementation of the programme, but to answer some of the initial questions, we speak with Prof. Datuk Dr Awang Bulgiba Awang Mahmud, Fellow & Secretary-General of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and head of the Independent COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Committee (ICVAC). Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khoon Goh from ANZ dissects Singapore's 2021 Budget that balances the short-term support in managing the pandemic as well as the long-term initiatives in human capital and sustainability to deliver a resilient economy. Image Credit: Phuong D. Nguyen / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tricia Yeoh from IDEAS shares the structural solutions Malaysia needs to adopt to return the economy to growth in 2021 and beyond. Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The implementation of the Undi 18 law and whether 18-year-olds should be allowed to vote has re-emerged in public discourse. James Chai, Head of Commercial and Research at INVOKE Solutions, weighs in on this. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

William Pesek from Nikkei Asia channels Japan's frustration in the lack of a vaccination plan and uncertainties surrounding the Olympics with the absence of its new Prime Minister. Image Credit: john smith williams / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economic reflation won't occur even if loan moratoriums are extended, says Dr Geoffrey Williams of Malaysia University of Science and Technology. So what will spur recovery? Image Credit: Holger Kleine / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Julia Goh, Senior Economist from UOB Malaysia, distils Malaysia's GDP numbers, the worst since the Asian Financial Crisis of 2007. We discuss 2021 projections and how rising oil prices might provide some fiscal space. Image Credit: kamarulzamanganu / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luca de Nard from Nielsen Malaysia deep dives into the changing consumption patterns of Malaysians during this festive period and shifting retail experience. Image Credit: Unsplash.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s challenging times for traditional media, and radio is no exception. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, traditional media has been struggling to survive amid the broader digital transformation in media consumption, as audiences turn to streaming and online avenues. This in turn eats into advertising dollars, as advertisers go to where the consumers flock. So, as we celebrate World Radio Day, Meera Sivasothy, General Manager of BFM Media, tells us how the station is evolving to stay ahead of the game. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not surprisingly, Donald Trump was acquitted by the Senate of the charge of incitement to insurrection over the Capitol riot in the Senate. The votes stood at 57 to 43 with 7 Republicans voting to impeach. Robert Shapiro, Professor of Government at Columbia University, tells us what this outcome means for the Republican Party and whether this is the end of the road for Trump. Image Credit: Evan El-Amin / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this week, we saw reports that ministers travelling abroad on official trips now only have to quarantine for three days instead of the usual ten, causing an uproar among some Malaysians who see this as double standards. Health Minister Dato' Sri Dr Adham Baba stood by this, noting that it only applies to ministers who meet certain criteria like following a strictly-controlled itinerary and undergoing multiple COVID tests. That said, does the science back this up? The Morning Run speaks to Dato’ Dr Musa Mohd Nordin, consultant pediatrician and neonatologist who has been closely following the developments around COVID-19, for his thoughts on the 3-day quarantine, but more importantly, to get a grasp of what should be driving SOP changes and the data points we should be paying more attention to. Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A disaster is at hand in the seas as the fate of seafarers who play a crucial role in keeping global trade flowing is being labelled a "humanitarian crisis at sea," as hundreds of thousands of crew are spending extended periods at sea, far beyond the expiry of their contracts. The Morning Run speaks to Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, to get a better understanding of the situation, the challenges going forward, and whether the shipping industry overall is a hotbed for COVID-19 clusters and transmission. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unemployment among heads of low-income families in KL's low-cost housing doubled during the CMCO last year. A joint survey by UNICEF and the UNFPA found female heads of households and Persons With Disabilities also charted significant growth during the period, with poverty rates remaining high. We speak to Stephen Barrett, Chief of Social Policy at UNICEF Malaysia, about the government's performance in this area, and what more needs to be done. Image Credit: Try_my_best / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starting March 1st, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) will have a new CEO, outgoing TNB CEO Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan. This once again brings to mind questions around leadership for Government Linked Companies (GLC) and Government Linked Investment Companies (GLIC), and the process and transparency of these decisions, especially considering there are public stakeholders. The Morning Run speaks to long-time business journalist P. Gunasegaram for his initial thoughts on Amir Hamzah's appointment and what he brings to the EPF, concerns surrounding the GLC and GLIC appointment process, as well as a look at Tunku Alizakri Alias' tenure at EPF. Image Credit: Ismail Sadiron / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of SPACs in 2020 grew fourfold from 2019, and so far in 2021, there have already been more SPACs than the entirety of 2019. What’s driving this, what are the risks, and is a bubble brewing? The Morning Run gets into all this and more with Varun Mittal, Global Emerging Markets FinTech Leader at EY. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Wong Ching Huat, Political Scientist at Sunway University, proposes codifying laws to ensure constituency allocations are fair and equal amongst all MPs. A government MP could apply for up to RM3.5 million while an opposition MP only gets RM100,000 a year. Image Credit: Oliver Le Moal / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A UKM survey of teachers found that online teaching has so far been less effective than face-to-face classes. Nina Adlan Disney, Executive Director of LeapEd, an operator of Trust Schools, discusses the challenges and opportunities to improve education. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, a video purportedly showing logistics workers throwing parcels amid a dispute over pay went viral. The incident spurred discussion over whether the workers' actions were justifiable, and what other recourse might they have had, whether it be strikes, or turning to trade unions for aid. So for a view on this, as well as insight into the role of unions in Malaysia, we speak to Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor, President of the Malaysian Trade Unions Congress. Image Credit: Shutterstocck.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China’s market regulator released new anti-monopoly guidelines on Sunday targeting internet platforms, tightening existing restrictions faced by the country’s tech giants. What are the short-term and long-term effects of these guidelines on Chinese tech? The Morning Run speaks to Brock Silvers, Chief Investment Officer at Kaiyuan Capital, about this, Kuaishou nearly tripling on their first day of trading, where TikTok stands in all this, and other Chinese tech names that could be promising. Image Credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite lockdowns in Malaysia and Indonesia, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin makes his first official visit as head of state to Jakarta to meet President Joko Widodo. The Morning Run team discusses with Siwage Dharma Negara, Senior Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, the necessity of the trip and what more it could have achieved. Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.