Morning Brief

We continue tracking Sabah politics as the state heads for election on 26 Sep. Dr Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at Singapore Institute of International Affairs discusses themes and hot seats, and thinks the elections will not stop “frogging” as long as there is no anti-party-hopping law. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a report by Fitch Ratings, spending on 5G will increase over the next two years but the tough economic environment will delay economic returns. The report noted that the pandemic’s effects on 5G will be short-lived as diverging capex patterns have emerged during the pandemic, with 5G priorities advancing in countries like South Korea, China, Singapore and the US. So what does this mean for the rollout of 5G in the Asia Pacific region?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hawati Abdul Hamid, Senior Research Associate, at Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) estimates that informal employees form about 17% of the workforce, and more could be done to encourage them with little safety net (the “precariats”) to contribute to existing social protection schemes. For example, EPF estimates that only less than 10% of 2.7 million self-employed Malaysians are contributing to i-Saraan, and out of that, only 18% contribute consistently. Image Credit: TZIDO SUN / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After stopping work for several months during the Movement Control Order, the construction industry is once again grinding to life- but time is money, and how much have they lost in the interim? Crest Builder Holdings is one such player who fell into the red as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions, but have they managed to pull themselves up now that work has recommenced? How will their existing projects fare, as consumer demand shifts? All this and more on the Breakfast Grille with Eric Yong, Managing Director of Crest Builder Holdings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taps in Klang Valley recently ran dry because of pollution in Sungai Gong that caused the shutdown of water treatment plants in Selangor. In response, the Government is forming a special task force to deal with environmental crimes. Kiu Jia Yaw, Co-Chair of Bar Council Environmental and Climate Change Committee tell us what is lacking in the current laws and is enforcement is more important?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Kantrowitz, the Chief Investment Strategist of Cornerstone Macro, discusses the so-called K-shaped recovery, which describes the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. Image credit: Travis Wolfe / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government's new National Digital Infrastructure Plan known as 'Jendela' intends to be a blueprint for Malaysia’s transition towards 5G technology and high-quality broadband. Question is: will all Malaysians benefit equally from this progress? And how do we ensure equitable access to connectivity? Dr. Rachel Gong, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute, discusses. Image credit: Thomas Jensen on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

57 years have passed since the union between Peninsula Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak. But with many of the issues laid out in the Malaysia Agreement of 1963 yet to be resolved and the political situation still in a state of flux, it’s more important than ever before to understand the federal-state relations with East Malaysia. Tricia Yeoh, CEO, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), discusses. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's unveiling of a Perikatan-led opposition manifesto for the state of Sabah, called ‘Aku Janji’, focuses on reviving the state’s economy, state rights, infrastructure, employment, prosperity and health. But will this opposition manifesto appeal to Sabahans? Dr Azmil Tayeb, political scientist, Universiti Sains Malaysia, dicusses. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscription services are the new battlefield in the tech world as Apple attempts to monetise its database of loyal customers even further. However this will put it in conflict with Amazon and the battle to reign supreme is expected to heat up. Daniel Ives, Managing Director for Equities Research, at Wedbush Securities gives us his views while discussing Oracle's winning bid for Tik Tok. Image credit Worawee Meepian / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government wants to standardise regulations and taxes for hotels and Airbnb operators. For an industry ravaged by Covid-19, these developments can't come any earlier. Yap Lip Seng, CEO, Malaysian Association of Hotels, discusses. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brexit negotiation have started in earnest as the 15 October deadline fast approaches. Michael Gasiorek, Professor of Economics at Sussex University tell us whether UK-EU trade negotiations have been thrown into turmoil over UK Internal Market Bill and what it means for the British economy if no deal is reached. Image Credit: Ink Drop / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Sabah elections hogging the limelight, PAS has been noticeably absent from the headlines. Adib Zalkapli, a director of the Asia-Pacific strategic advisory firm BowerGroupAsia, discusses the party’s standing future with its allies, Perikatan Nasional and Muafakat Nasional. Harris Hamdan / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Budget 2021 set to be tabled in November, will we see a revival of the mega-projects to pump prime the economy? Loong Chee Wei, Senior Associate Director at Affin Hwang Investment Bank tells us who stands to benefit and what projects we can expect.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabah nominations were announced with some surprises. Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute tells us the significance of nomination day and what does this say about Gabungan Rakyat Sabah and also Warisan Plus. She also weighs in on the fact that this time round, the outcome is too close to call and the campaign period is of particular importance this time. Image Credit: Augustine Bin Jumat / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Masayoshi's Son's Softbank is hard on the M&A trail, reportedly revisiting plans to go private, even as it considers selling ARM to NVidia while exhorting another investee, Grab, to merge with GoJek, its super-app rival. Image Credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Masayoshi's Son's Softbank is hard on the M&A trail, reportedly revisiting plans to go private, even as it considers selling ARM to NVidia while exhorting another investee, Grab, to merge with GoJek, its super-app rival. Image Credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) decided to maintain Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 1.75%. The global economy continues to improve but some sectors lag such as the services sector. The overall economy is still subject to downside risks and uncertainty, primarily due to the risk of a resurgence of the pandemic and weaker labour market conditions, according to BNM’s statement. Julia Goh, Senior Economist, UOB Malaysia helps us look ahead and whether she expects further rate cut and her concerns about unemployment. Image Credit: Ismail Sadiron / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Monday, SoftBank's market value fell by about $9 billion after the Financial Times broke news that the Japanese tech investor was the so-called “Nasdaq whale” that drove the US stock market to record highs in recent months. SoftBank had reportedly spent about $4 billion on options focused on tech stocks with an overall exposure of about $30 billion. However, some analysts say it can’t attribute the overall market impact solely to SoftBank. For a better understanding of this and how it all works, we spoke to Ed Clissold, Chief U.S. Strategist at Ned Davis Research. Image Credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the run up to Sabah’s state elections, political parties have been aggressively jockeying for seats. Yesterday we saw some surprising developments like the re-fielding of former chief minister Salleh Keruak. Dr Hamidin Abd Hamid, Research Fellow at Ilham Center helps us understand the messy, high stakes politics in Sabah as its elections might be a barometer of voter sentiment towards the Perikatan Nasional led government. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A visit by China's Defense Minister Wei Fenghe to countries in the Southeast Asian region has raised concerns over what China's strategy is to allay tensions in the South China Sea. We speak to Ridzwan Rahmat, Principle Defence Analyst at Janes, an open-source defence intelligence company, for his thoughts on the timing of the visit, and how it will impact the upcoming ASEAN Summit, where US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be in attendance. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the latest Merdeka Centre survey saw Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin receiving a 69% approval rating for his performance so far, there are doubts about the long-term future of his party, Bersatu. Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs discusses the issues faced by the party to regain political legitimacy. Image Credit: ShuttlestockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the closure of national borders, businesses that cater to Singaporeans are struggling in Johor. Jeffrey Goh, a Johor Committee Member of the SME Association of Malaysia paints a dire picture. Podcast image credit: Lisa_AH / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The redevelopment of KL city has given rise to concerns over the relocation of residents living in the designated areas. Seeing as renters sometimes find themselves in difficult situations when government-owned land becomes due for redevelopment, we speak to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, MP for Setiawangsa, on the challenges of managing residents involved in a redevelopment. Image Credit: Hafiz Johari / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Ng, Asia-Pacific Economist, Natixis explains China’s dual circulation strategy of spurring Chinese self-reliance, and its impact on global supply chains and on countries like Malaysia that exports heavily to China. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin said that the government is planning to impose a new service tax for online shopping at a rate of about 0.02%. Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education and Senior Fellow at IDEAS is not in favour of the move and discusses alternatives for the government to generate more revenue. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With longer working hours becoming the norm and increase women's participation in the workforce, eating out has become an important element of life regardless of income level. However, the fact that the recently-revised Poverty Line Income does not take into account the rising cost of eating out, questions have been raised in a Khazanah Research Institute paper over whether absolute poverty levels have been underestimated as a result. We speak to Christopher Choong, Deputy Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute, for more insight. Image credit: Lano Lan / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As more people work from home, experts are questioning the need for populations to congregate in big cities. Richard Holt, Head of Global Cities Research, Oxford Economics tells if he expects an exodus of people migrating to smaller cities and towns. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political parties are jockeying for seats in the run up to Sabah’s state elections, and while Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s Warisan is expected to win, Professor James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania says it is still too early to tell. Nomination day is on 12th September. Image Credit: Dolly MJ / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Syed Azmi Alhabshi, social activist at Persatuan Untuk Anak Kita (PUAKPayong) discusses the merits and downside of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s proposal to give monthly social aid of RM1,000. Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Several proposed changes to the central bank law in Indonesia have raised concerns amongst investors, over the prospect of government ministers having voting rights and monetary policy meetings. Other recommendations include expanding Bank Indonesia's mandate to cover economic growth and employment, in addition to managing the value o the rupiah. To give us a picture of why these proposals are being put forward at this point in time, we speak to Marissa Abdul Rahman, Executive in Research and Advisory at KRA Group. Image credit: Odua Images/ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unscheduled water cuts since last Thursday due to pollution have affected over 1,200 areas in the Klang Valley causing unnecessary hardship for people and businesses. Charles Santiago, Klang MP and former Chairman, SPAN (National Water Service Commission) discusses the weaknesses in Selangor’s water system, and what needs to be done to deter future water pollution and water cuts. Image credit: fitri iskandar zakariah / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the occasion of its 12th birthday, BFM 89.9 Founder Malek Ali discusses whether radio remains as relevant and engaging as during its halcyon days, before the Internet emerged to disrupt the global broadcasting and media industries. Image credit: Jonathan Velasquez / UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ibrahim Suffian, the Programme Director of Merdeka Centre, dissects his latest poll, which indicates that most Malaysians approve of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and that Perikatan Nasional has been better-received than Muafakat Nasional or Barisan Nasional. Editorial credit: adam yusof / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ethical question facing the Covid 19 pandemic is who deserves the vaccine first? How do we avoid only the rich countries getting first access at the expense of poorer nations? Dale Fisher, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the National University of Singapore tells us that the way forward is mutual cooperation while warning of the failures of vaccine nationalism. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prof Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi, Professor Of Architecture At UCSI University And Social Commentator, discusses Malaysia's stagnant rankings in the Times Higher Education rankings, with with the nation's top institutions Universiti Malaya, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Universiti Kebangsaaan Malaysia falling in 300th place or worse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The country's Entrepreneur Minister wants locals to build and shop at the Malaysian equivalent of Lazada or Shopee, prompting a hailstorm of criticism that this is yet another example of the government trespassing its administrative boundaries into the private sector. Laurence Todd, Director of Research, IDEAS, discusses the pros and cons. Image credit: K X I T H V I S U A L S on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hong Kong is pursuing voluntary mass testing for all its residents. This initiative has been met with objections from NGOs and activists while some questions over the privacy of data collected. Benjamin Cowling, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University of Hong Kong tell us the rationale for this and would this unfortunately lead to a false sense of security. Image credit: Yung Chi Wai Derek / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The April to June 2020 period was the worst-ever for Malaysian retailers, in its worst-ever quarterly performance thanks to a Movement Control Order (MCO) brought on by Covid-19. With spending patterns potentially changing in ways that could well be permanent in nature, how will retailers rebuild after a period that can only be described as a “bloodbath”? Tan Hai Hsin, Group Managing Director, Retail Group Malaysia, discusses. Image credit: hkhtt hj / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq has announced the formation of a new youth platform that intends to disrupt Malaysian politics with a lineup of young, multiracial and tech-savvy leaders. There will be a shift towards new innovative policies and a move away from money politics. Jahabar Sadiq, Editor of The Malaysian Insight tell us the viability of this party and will it change the political scene of the country. Image Credit: NopalSams / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

India announced the worst GDP since quarterly numbers have been available. With a decline of 23.9%, what options are available to restart the economy? Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute gives us his views and the possibility of another strict lock down since Covid 19 cases are still on the rise. Image Credit: Laurentiu Morariu on UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A mere 2.5 million ringgit fine and one day in jail, the sentence meted out to former Transmile Group Bhd CEO Gan Boon Aun for millions lost in white-collar crime committed 13 years ago, has raised necessary questions about the extent of time taken as well as the severity of punishment. Criminal lawyer Sreekant Pillai discusses. Image credit: Tingey Injury Law Firm / UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Restricted Movement Control Order (RMCO) has been extended till year end and with that our country's borders remains closed. With no foreign tourism, how has the travel industry been impacted? Nigel Wong, Honorary Secretary General of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) gives us an outlook and tell us if domestic tourism is enough to compensate for the loss of foreign tourist receipts. Image Credit: Milkovasa / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Republican National Convention was held last week with President Donald Trump officially nominated for re-election, along with Vice-President Mike Pence. Despite the threat of COVID-19, the RNC maintained an in-person audience, with the finale taking place on the White House lawn, which was a controversial decision. Joining us to discuss this is Mark J. Rozell, Dean of the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan's longest serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced last week that he would resign due to health reasons. With his sudden departure what does this mean for the third's largest economy? Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Senior Fellow, Japan Institute of International Affairs discusses. Image Credit: Alexandros Michailidis / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The outcome of the Slim by-elections was no surprise although the majority attained by the Barisan Nasional(BN)candidate was. Ben Suffian, Programme Director at Merdeka Center gives us the reasons for the strong BN win and the future of the Pejuang party. We also asked whether this win will be reflected in the upcoming Sabah election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Financial Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz revealed that 101 contracts amounting to RM6.6 billion were awarded by the previous government via direct negotiations. Dr Ong Kian Ming, MP for Bangi and former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI) explains the bulk of these contracts were awarded by the Barisan Nasional-led government, and justifies the others under MITI. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomorrow’s byelection at Slim will be a litmus test for Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s party Pejuang. Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute discusses the likely results, and the relevance of Pakatan Nasional without Umno. Image credit: AHMAD YUSNI EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US is returning to the movies as cinema outlets slowly open up after a 5-month shut down, but will the industry be able to recover? What does it mean for the $40 billion movie business? Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder, Undi18 weighs in on the prospects of a youth-led organisation like Muar MP Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman’s new party. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.