Morning Brief

Australia has managed to keep infection rates down by closing its borders early but the continuous 28 years of growth has now ended. The government has responded by announcing the most aggressive stimulus last seen in WWII. So we speak to Catherine Birch, Senior Economist, at ANZ Research to find out if this is enough and what other plans the Australian government has to cushion itself from falling commodity prices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peck Boon Soon, Chief Economist at RHB Investment Bank tells us the importance of oil revenue to the country while giving us the lowdown on the ability of the government to repriorities expenditure. He also weighs in what should the government's strategy should be to revive the economy in the post MCO era.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10:11 - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly undergone cardiovascular surgery, throwing the country's succession plans into the limelight. 15:23 - Singapore has extended its Circuit Breaker until June 1st. 19:15 - Oil prices have edged higher, following the collapse seen earlier this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The decision to hold Malaysia's first parliamentary sitting of the year for only one day - on May 18th, has drawn much criticism. In light of that, we speak to Lim Wei Jiet, Constitutional lawyer, about whether this will fulfil the constitutional recommendation for Parliament to meet every six months, and if it violates the spirit of the law itself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trouble continues to brew in Hong Kong as more people are arrested over pro-democracy protests while its unemployment rose to the highest level in nearly a decade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The World Health Organisation has released guidelines for countries looking to end extended lockdowns and ease restrictions. But as the conversation turns to a post-coronavirus world, the question still remains of whether we're ready to return to business as usual. For more on this, we speak to Benjamin Cowling, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Hong Kong, about current country responses to the virus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mohamed Zamri Mohammed, Secretary General, Federation of Malay Hawkers and Petty Traders Association of Malaysia tells us why Ramadhan Bazaars are so important from an income perspective, especially for the many petty traders or Makcik Kiahs. He also tells us what initiatives have been provided as alternatives, including e-commerce platforms and whether they are viable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Germany starting to open up while Spain and Italy continue their lockdown, we ask what model is the best way forward as questions still remain over the trade off between life, health and the economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook is confident that Apple will be able to come out of the global pandemic strong, much as it did after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, and near-bankruptcy in the 1990s. Poised as the company is on the tip of a super-cycle, we speak to Daniel Ives, Managing Director for Equities Research at Wedbush Securities, about Apple's supply chain, efforts to monetize their services segment, and whether or not consumers will have the appetite for their more expensive products in a post-Covid world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 has affected many legal contracts with individuals and companies in limbo as they are unable to fulfill their obligations. We speak to Lee Shih, a corporate lawyer to find out if a Covid-19 Bill similar to the one that Singapore has passed, is a solution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Shankaran Nambiar, Senior Research Fellow at the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research gives us his views on what post MCO exit strategies the government should consider if and when the MCO is lifted. He also weighs in the practicalities of social distancing in essential services and how can it be enforced in certain sectors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With many countries now barring travel save for exceptional circumstances, sailors who man the sea lanes transporting 90% of the world’s trade now find themselves unable to return to their home countries. We speak to Guy Platten, Secretary-General, International Chamber of Shipping about the issues this might cause, as well as the importance of maintaining maritime trade amid the global coronavirus crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The coronavirus outbreak has impacted working life for most of us with most people now forced to work from home, with the MCO estimated to affect 2.4 million jobs, according to the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER). With the reality that work-from-home arrangements are likely to persist for many even after the movement control order is lifted, what does this mean for us? How much work can really be done from home and what happens to those who are not able to do so?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is a leadership change at Bursa Malaysia now the right time especially when capital markets are facing an unprecedented crisis. We discuss if there are other more important priorities. Meanwhile, the Securities Commission releases their 2019 Annual Report while providing details on how they plan to support capital markets during these challenging times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump and New York state governor Andrew Cuoma were at loggerheads on who had the power to direct states to lift restrictions. Nicole Huberfeld, Professor of Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health helps us understand the US Constitution and the potential of remdesivir as a vaccine to treat Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run crew looks at the front pages of the newspapers, and discuss the the impact of Covid-19 on marriages, the news that workers will need to be screened for the virus and Japan declaring a nationwide state of emergency due to the worsening Covid-19 situation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Ir Soam Heng Choon, President, Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA) comments about the government’s move to allow construction projects to resume, safety measures for workers especially foreigners who live in cramped lodgings, and where more clarification is needed. Eg: Do all workers needed to be tested for Covid-19? He also talks about proposals to rejuvenate the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run crew looks at the front pages of the newspapers, and discuss the exam postponement and cancellation by the Ministry of Education, doubts over IMF growth numbers and the US Federal Reserve confirming that economic activity fell sharply with conditions expected worsen in the next few months.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While some businesses have suffered, others seem to have gained on the back of the demand for video conferencing and virtual communication as people work from home. Zoom Video Communications has seen its user base grow from 10 million last year to about 200 million users daily, but its popularity has not been without issues. They have come under increased scrutiny for a series of privacy and security lapses, which has dampened some enthusiasm for the company. That said, the stock has beat the market in recent weeks. Is this short-sighted or is Zoom the next big thing in tech?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alyaa Alhadjri, journalist and representative from Gerakan Media Merdeka outlines her concerns about the government’s directive against fake news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bailouts of Malaysia's carriers have occurred multiple times since the last century. But with a global pandemic that has disintegrated travel worldwide, could this time be different, warranting a bailout, but on economic grounds? Nigel Wong, Honorary Secretary General of The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta), explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run crew looks at the front pages of the newspapers, and also discusses the Enhanced MCO, stock buybacks, the MCO impact to the retail sector, the fight between the US and WHO, and news around 1MDB.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While the oil deal struck this week was historic, oil prices still remain under pressure with Brent prices dipping below $30 per barrel, we speak to Roger for his view on ways to better support oil markets better. We also get into reasons the US has not committed to any cuts themselves, his thoughts around the Bloomberg report that Saudi Arabia slashed its selling prices to Asian customers what this signals for the price war and how far big oil consumers, like China and India, can support demand by adding to their strategic reserves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some 80,000 public university students have to remain on campus during the MCO. However there has been no clear guidelines from the Ministry of Higher Education on how to educate students; lecturers and students are now in limbo. Dr Noraishah Mydin Haji Abdul Aziz, Secretary, Universiti Malaya Academic Staff Union paints a dire picture of what’s happening on ground.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Rookmaaker, Director for Sovereign Ratings, Fitch Ratings, explains why he lowered Malaysia’s outlook from stable to negative for its long-term foreign currency issuer default ratingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has the highest percentage of men tested positive for Covid-19. Social butterflies, please stay at home! Our public healthcare system has not yet reached its limit but MOH Director-General cautions that we only have two weeks of PPE supply due to worldwide shortage. Local university students are not allowed to return home to avoid mass movement of people. But worry not, they will be well fed. And Vaisakhi celebrations continue online. Meanwhile, for the first time, value of local glovemakers have over taken casino and airport operator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OPEC+ announced a record production cut of nearly 10 million barrels per day, putting an end to the price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia that has contributed to the rock bottom oil prices we’ve been seeing these past few weeks. With US President Donald Trump playing a role here, pushing a deal as low oil prices take a toll on the U.S. shale industry. We speak to James to better understand the dynamics involved in the negotiations and its impacts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, Group Managing Director, of Westports Holdings tells his outlook and what’s happening on the ground at Westports as non-essential cargo pile up waiting to be transported out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Focus Malaysia Editor-in-Chief P. Gunasegaram discusses the economic implications of an extended movement control order as well as the threats to meaningful economic reform with the appointment of politicians to key GLC posts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run crew looks at the front pages of the newspapers, and discusses the additional sectors that will be allowed to operate under the third phase of movement control order (MCO), as well as Singapore's stricter measures and Germany's quick response to supporting SMEs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Under the MCO, schools will remain closed until further notice. Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson, Parents Action Group For Education, discusses the possible effects on schoolchildren.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Nurliana Kamaruddin, Senior Lecturer, Asia-Europe Institute Universiti Malaya and specialist in South Korean politics assesses the Democratic Party’s chances of returning to power in the country’s upcoming elections.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With many Malaysians now stuck at home under a Movement Control Order, the Department of Statistics Malaysia has found that average household spending has reduced by 55%. Shoppers' behaviour has also changed considerably and for more insight into this, we speak to Luca De Nard, Managing Director of Nielsen Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run crew looks at the front pages of the newspapers, and discusses plans to ease economies around the world back into motion, once the Covid-19 outbreak comes under control. We also take a look at whether Malaysians are financially prepared, for a potential MCO extension.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although there have been additional stimulus provided for SMEs, there remains gaps with some groups left out. Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry and MP for Bangi tells us what else can be done especially post MCO whilst reminding us of the importance for Parliament as a check and balance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global auto sector is facing challenging times with the coronavirus pandemic as sales plummet while the cash burn remains high. We speak to Bruce Clark, Senior Vice President at Moody’s Investors Service for his views on who the survivors will be post Covid-19 and whether we can expect M&A in this space with the current overcapacity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run Crew takes a look at the front pages of the newspapers, and discusses the latest updates on the Movement Control Order as well as the Democratic Presidential Race in the US.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Kelvin Yii, Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching tells us how the East Malaysian state is coping with the Covid-19 pandemic whilst talking about the plight of the Orang Asal and also how important it is to set aside political differences during this difficult period.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' Mohd Arief Emran bin Arifin, Dispute Resolution Partner at Wong & Partners explains what is a force majeure clause and when can it be invoked while suggesting that the best way forward for Malaysia might be a Covid-19 Bill like the one Singapore has implemented.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is the first global leader to be hospitalised after contracting Covid-19, giving rise to questions over how effective the UK government will be while its leader is indisposed. For insight on how the UK has been handling the pandemic, we speak to Patrick Diamond, Associate Professor of Public Policy at the Queen Mary University of London, about Downing Street's response, economic mitigation, and Brexit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia has reported relatively few cases of Covid 19 despite global cases hitting more than a million. Is this pure luck or a case of under testing? We ask Aaron Connelly, Research Fellow at International Institute for Strategic Studies for his view on what the real situation on the ground is for Indonesia and is their health care system prepared for a pandemic?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Internet usage has surged since the start of the MCO and Malaysians experienced slowdowns in download speeds. However, a survey has shown that consumers are happy with how the telcos have managed their bandwidths.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs gives us his views on the recent appointments, resignations and also dismissals of key positions in government linked agencies. He says that the moves are unsurprising as this was also the case when Pakatan Harapan came into power in 2018 and that despite the health and economic crisis we are facing, more such moves are to be expected.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twenty five million aviation related jobs are at risk globally during this covid-19 pandemic while the survival of Malaysia Airlines is still in question although there may be a white knight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore goes into a 1-month "Circuit Breaker" period starting today after a recent rise in local Covid 19 infections. In response to this which affects as much as one third of all employment, the government has announced the 3rd stimulus package. Lee Ju Ye, Economist at Maybank Kim Eng in Singapore breaks down the details of this package and why was it necessary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The retail sector in the U.S. was already suffering from an "apocalypse" as mall traffic declined and department stores around the country were forced to close. Now, with the COVID-19 outbreak, things just got a lot worse. How will the retail sector emerge from this crisis? Will any of them escape unscathed? We speak to Morningstar analyst David Swartz for insights on the troubled industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Movement Control Order has affected Malaysians from all walks of life but for some, this has had an even more negative impact. Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Nottingham Asia Research Institute tells who these vulnerable groups are and how should we be responding to them in these times whilst also looking at things more holistically to solve the issues in the long run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Perikatan Nasional government has been replacing leadership at various state agencies like Khazanah Nasional, MARA and the Human Resources Development Fund, replacing those appointed by Pakatan Harapan. Meanwhile, Bersatu party elections have been postponed due to COVID-19. The Morning Run crew discusses the top business and political news of the day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The government has recently unveiled an additional RM 10 bil. stimulus, aimed at addressing the concerns of small and medium enterprises as they navigate the struggles of staying above water during the movement control order. Is the package enough and will it be effective? We turn to Michael Kang, President of the SME Association of Malaysia for his thoughts and reactions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:40 - MTUC asks to ensure that the wellbeing of employees are still considered when the additional stimulus package is announced by the government. 06:06 - MAVCOM says that a bailout for airlines should only used at a last resort while the priority is connectivity for Malaysian and the 50,000 employees in the aviation industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.