The Breakfast Grille

The past year has seen a seismic shift in the political landscape in Europe, with far-right groups and ideologies gaining momentum across the continent, including in France. Is the French principle of laicite a bulwark or a vulnerability in the face of the far-right movement? We get a better understanding of the concept and how it's implemented with Ambassador Jean-Christophe Peaucelle, Counselor for Religious Affairs at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2025 is the most expansionary in history at RM421bn with the goal of fiscal consolidation while growing the economy through the introduction of new taxes and incentives. To delve into the implications of this budget for businesses, we speak with Tai Lai Kok, Head of Corporate Tax at KPMG, and Datuk William Ng, National President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1MDB is undeniably the largest financial scandal in Malaysia’s history. Malaysian journalist Leslie Lopez has released his first book, The Siege Within, which reveals previously unpublished material from his own archives related to the embezzlement of 1MDB funds. The book explores the roles of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and fugitive financier Jho Low in this political crime. We speak with Leslie about his journey in covering this story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Swiss Re a key player in the insurance business has been providing coverage to insurance companies as a reinsurer since 1863. Paul Murray, CEO of Life and Health Reinsurance at Swiss Re, shares his insights on their role in risk management, growth strategies, and the pricing challenges faced in today’s environment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eligible American voters have just two more weeks to cast their votes for either Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump to be the next resident of the White House. Early voting, either in person or by mail will go on until Nov 5th. Wendy Schiller, a professor of Political Science at Brown University helps us understand what current polling numbers tell us, what issues resonate with voters and who might actually win.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Madani government unveiled the most expansionary budget in history with a federal expenditure of 421 billion ringgit. With a theme; ‘MADANI Economy, Prosperous Nation, Well-being of the People.’, we ask Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican, Secretary General of Treasury at the Ministry of Finance if this budget sets the country on the right path to economic and fiscal reform.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Anuja Kar, Senior Agriculture Economist at the East and Pacific Region Agriculture and Food Global Practice of the World Bank as she helps us unpack the World Bank’s latest Malaysia Economic Monitor report, entitled “Farming the Future: Harvesting Malaysia’s Agricultural Resilience through Digital Technologies”. The report sheds light on why DATs or Digital Agriculture Technologies have the potential to drive economic growth by unlocking extra productivity in the country’s structurally critical agriculture sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the Budget 2025 tabling, we get the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Johari Abdul to give a rundown on the parliamentary agenda this session and what he’s doing to strengthen parliamentary democracy. We will also tackle his decision on the Bersatu 6 and the anti-party hopping laws, as well as how he deals with perceptions of bias.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The theme of this year’s national budget is MADANI Economy: Prosperous Nation, Well-being of the People. It is the third budget by the government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Will it deliver the much needed reforms to improve our fiscal position yet be expansionary? Professor Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry tells us.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Markets have been volatile due to uncertainty over the pace of the Fed Fund rate cut and US elections. Yet, equity markets have been resilient with the S&P500 up by 22% and the Nasdaq by slightly more than that quantum. What can we expect for the last quarter of the year and 2025? George Maris, CIO and Global Head of Equities at Principal Asset Management tells us whilst weighing in on Chinese and Japanese equities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pearson VUE, a subsidiary of the British education conglomerate Pearson plc, is responsible for administering high-stakes examinations in a range of different sectors. How is the company capitalising on trends that will drive digital testing and licensure exams in Southeast Asia for business growth? We find out from Craig McFarlane, Vice President of Australia and Southeast Asia at Pearson VUE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines are claimant states in South China, but they have different relationships and approaches towards China. We discuss how Manila and Hanoi are navigating internal political turbulence as well as broader geopolitical dynamics with the respective country experts. Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 1968, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia advocates for a non-racial, secular, and socially just Malaysia. Once a dominant force, particularly in Penang, the party lost all its parliamentary seats in the 2018 elections and subsequently left Barisan Nasional after more than five decades with the coalition. Datuk Dr. Dominic Lau, the National President tells us about Gerakan’s current influence and why they are part of Perikatan Nasional.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarawak is Malaysia's largest state by land area yet it contributed only 9.1% to the country's GDP last year. That is now expected to change with the state having invested some RM20 billion ringgit to develop its infrastructure so far. Timothy Ong, CEO of the newly established InvestSarawak, shares his vision to bring sustainable investments into the state known for decades for its oil & gas industry, as well as for developing homegrown SMEs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scania has been in Malaysia manufacturing heavy commercial vehicles like lorries and buses from its sole assembly plant in Port Klang since the 1970s. Joyce Antar, recently appointed the managing director of Scania Southeast Asia three months ago, shares her vision of where she wants the company to go in terms of growing its sales volumes while ensuring the overall net zero ambition targets remain in sight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solar District Cooling Group Bhd specialises in supplying building management systems, solar thermal systems, and energy-saving services. Listed on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market, following an IPO that was oversubscribed by 144 times we asked Managing Director, Edison Kong about their post-listing plans and if there is still upside to the share price after a strong debut.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple Vacations is one of Malaysia's largest outbound travel agencies with a history dating back to the mid-1990s when travelling on group tours was the preferable and indeed more affordable option. Dato' Sri Lee Ee Hoe, the co-founder and group executive chairman of Apple Vacations, talks to us about surviving the Covid-19 lockdowns, adapting to changing travel preferences and the process of putting in place a succession plan for the firm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany celebrates Unity Day today but 34 years after the creation of a United East and West Germany, what challenges does the EU's most powerful member state face? We speak to their ambassador to Malaysia, H.E. Dr Peter Blomeyer, to find out if populism is once again challenging the foundations of modern Germany whilst talking about relations with Malaysia as we are their largest trading partner in Southeast Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has earned both flowers and brickbats in his interactions with foreign leaders, most recently with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. How is Malaysia’s foreign policy shaping up under the Madani Government? We discuss the developments and policy signals with our panel of experts.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monash University Malaysia has the distinction of being the first foreign university in the country and celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. With the landscape for international higher education evolving dramatically since 1998, what is Monash doing to defend its brand reputation in an intensely competitive sector? I discuss these themes with Prof. Dato' Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, the Chief Executive Officer of Monash University Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft, Alphabet and Amazon Web Services are just some of the biggest names that have invested in the development of data centers in Malaysia, but will this industry really complement the transformation of this country’s digital economy, and will we see positive spillover effects? Amy Wong, Executive Director at Knight Frank & Ong Chin Seong, PIKOM Chairman joins us for a look behind the curtains of the sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Housing and Local Government is responsible for addressing a wide range of issues important to Malaysians, including affordable housing, sustainable development, the circular economy, and local governance. How are Madani Government policy initiatives being translated on the ground? We hear from Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Government.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are living in the Asian century, with the meteoric rise of China, India and ASEAN economies heralding the era of multi-polar geopolitics. Is this an era of optimism for the international order, or is it as some say the most dangerous time in geopolitics since the end of the Cold War? We discuss these themes with Professor Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. His latest book is, “Living the Asian Century: An Undiplomatic Memoir."Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has appointed Alan Vallance as its new Chief Executive. He joins us to discuss his vision for leading the largest professional accountancy body in Europe. This discussion will also explore the role of artificial intelligence in accounting and the declining interest among young people in pursuing the profession.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Otis Elevator Company is responsible for installing elevators in some of the most iconic buildings in the world, including the Petronas Twin Towers. Given its long history in Malaysia spanning back to 1909, how has Otis' presence here evolved and what trends are driving growth in the vertical transportation sector? We discuss this with Pradeep Nair, General Manager for Otis Malaysia and Brunei.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bursa Malaysia-listed HSS Engineers has had an illustrious 40 year journey transforming Malaysia one infrastructure project at a time - it was involved in the PLUS Highway, KLIA as well the KL MRT lines. Tan Sri Kuna Sittampalam, the firm's founder and executive vice chairman, talks about future plans for HSS, including its overseas expansion with the Baghdad metro lines in Iraq, its most ambitious undertaking yet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parti Pribumi Bersatu was born from the internal strife of UMNO in 2016 and over the course of 5 years  rose to the pinnacle of Malaysian politics under the premiership of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin leading the Perikatan Nasional coalition.Following Bersatu's exile to the Opposition bench post-GE15, what are their plans to stage a comeback in the next general elections? We speak to Bersatu Secretary General Dato' Seri Hamzah Zainuddin for a better sense of the party's identity and vision.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Singapore Exchange-listed Centurion Corporation is in the business of owning, developing and managing purpose-built workers' accommodation as well as students' accommodation assets in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the UK as well as the US. Its CEO Kong Chee Min talks about the company's plans to expand in Malaysia where it already owns several assets in Johor, a state that is set to be a main focus with the Singapore-Johor Special Economic Zone set to take centre-stage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the war in Ukraine drags on over multiple years, how has the conflict with Russia shaped Kyiv's foreign policy direction? We speak to Hennadiy Maksak, Executive Director of the Ukrainian Prism, a non-governmental foreign policy council on how Ukraine is navigating relations with US and EU allies as well as efforts to bridge the divide with ASEAN member states that have pro-Russian leanings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has the distinction of being at the forefront of Islamic finance, with the third largest market for Islamic financial assets, behind only Iran and Saudi Arabia. One of the homegrown bodies contributing to the vibrancy of the Islamic finance industry through human capital development is the International Center for Education in Islamic Finance or INCEIF University. Is Malaysia doing enough to maintain its leadership role in this sector? We discuss the trends in Islamic Finance with Prof Emeritus Dato' Dr Azmi Omar, President & CEO, INCEIF University.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LH Plus Sdn Bhd is a local plastic manufacturing company that produces products like OEM parts, and home & kitchen products, among others. Its chairman & CEO Callum Chen discusses the details of LH Plus's business and how they intend to future-proof their operations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Invest Selangor is the one-stop agency for international investors keen to put their money into the state. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, how have they fared with the Covid-19 pandemic being one of the most challenging time for it? Dato’ Hasan Azhari Idris, Invest Selangor's CEO, takes us through the agency's plan to navigate the future as competition heats up not just with other states in Malaysia but with other countries in the region as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steel Hawk Bhd is the first company to undergo a listing transfer from Bursa Malaysia’s LEAP to the ACE Market under the new market transfer framework. Shares of this oil and gas services firm doubled on their ACE market trading debut. We speak to Dato' Sharman Kristy Michael, Founder & Executive Director, Steel Hawk Berhad for their growth strategy, the use of the IPO proceeds and whether is there still an upside to the share price.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Music consumption today has long shifted from the age of physical music media like vinyl, CDs and cassettes, and so too has the discovery of new talent from songwriting to performing. Kenny Ong, the managing director of Sony Music Entertainment for Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Special Projects Southeast Asia shares his insights into how the music recording industry has evolved and how the (possible) return of live concerts to Malaysia will move the needle (or not).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s telecommunications sector was reshaped when Celcom and Digi merged in December 2022 with dominance over 47% of the market. Almost two years down the line, have the promised synergies come to fruition and how is CelcomDigi staking its claim on the ever-evolving 5G landscape? We get updates from CelcomDigi CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Industrial parks are a sweet spot in the property space with the sudden deluge of data centres and logistic warehousing demand in Malaysia. But do we have world-class industrial parks in this country? We speak to Dylan Tan, Group CEO for AME Elite Consortium for their views, their strategy for growth and why their share price is underperforming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ace listed, MN Holdings Berhad, engaged in underground utilities and substation engineering services and solutions has seen their share prices soar by 70% on a year to date basis. We ask, Managing Director, Clement Toh what their strategies of growth are and is there more upside to their stock price.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is constitutionally a federation where there is a strong central government but yet the individuality of states are also maintained. Is that just idealism or is there conflict between state and federal governments and can it be resolved? Lee Chean Chung, PKR MP for Petaling Jaya and Dr. Afif Bahardin, Bersatu Dun of Taman Medan gives us their perspective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kulim, Kedah is the site of what will eventually become the world’s largest 200mm silicon carbide wafer fabrication owned by Infineon Technologies, the German semiconductor manufacturer. Why have they placed their bets on Kulim and Malaysia for their regional expansion, and how might the sector benefit from their presence? We speak to Ng Kok Tiong, Managing Director of Infineon Technologies Kulim to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said is the current minister in the PM's department in charge of law and institutional reform. On this Breakfast Grille, she reflects on her years in politics with the unique insight of having served under three different administrations - Barisan Nasional, Perikatan Nasional & Pakatan Harapan - as well as why it is so difficult to pass the institutional reforms promised in the manifestos of the coalition which eventually took control of Putrajaya.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we gear up to celebrate the 67th National Day tomorrow, we’re featuring a Malaysian brand that’s even older than our country at 139 years old - the pewter craftsmaker Royal Selangor. How are they keeping traditions alive in an era that prizes technological innovation? Executive Director Chen Tien Yue joins us on the Breakfast Grille to share Royal Selangor’s recipe for longevity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is expected to transition to ageing nation status by 2030 where over 15% of its population will be above 60-years-old. Associate Professor Dr Rahimah Ibrahim, director at the Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing (MyAgeing) and Delren Douglas, the president of the Association of Aged Care Operators of Malaysia (AGECOPE), discuss the country's preparedness to face this reality.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof recently revealed that there have been differing legal views between the federal and state levels, as Sarawak demands more rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963 to be fulfilled. These demands were reportedly discussed at the highest council meeting last month. Bandar Kuching MP Dr. Kelvin Yii joins us to discuss Sarawak's interpretation of provisions such as maritime jurisdiction, land, and taxes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our neighbours, Thailand and Indonesia, are facing major political changes with a change in leadership. We discuss the dismissal of Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and whether his replacement can manage the factions with insights from Michael Montesano of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. After which we turn to Indonesia where we analyse Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s legacy and what to expect from his successor, Prabowo Subianto with Erin Cook, journalist for Southeast Asian Affairs.Image Credit: shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Saturday, as we celebrate Merdeka, we speak to Tricia Yeoh, CEO of think tank, IDEAS, about the realities of coalition politics in Malaysia. We also discuss the significance of essential reforms, both institutional and economic and whether the pace of progress is sufficient. We will also explore if Malaysia is on the right path to becoming a nation that truly upholds liberty and justice for all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On August 24th, Ukraine marks its Independence Day while continuing to defend against Russian aggression since Crimea's annexation in 2014 and the invasion in February 2022. We speak with Denys Mykhailiuk, Chargé d'Affaires at the Ukrainian Embassy in Malaysia, and examine Ukraine’s recent bold move into Russian territory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The humanitarian catastrophe as a result of the war in Gaza is impacting millions of Palestinian lives. In a bid to alleviate the suffering, Malaysia has flown in 41 injured Palestinians and their families for medical treatment, a move that has seen mixed reactions. We speak to H.E. Walid Abu Ali, the Ambassador of Palestine to Malaysia for more clarity on the mission and his assessment of Malaysia's policy on refugees.Image Credit: Utusan MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this month, a mass protest movement led by the youth of Bangladesh ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ruling party the Awami League after 15 years in power. What are the hopes of and challenges for the nation of a 170 million people following a tumultuous summer? We discuss the future of Bangladesh with its High Commissioner to Malaysia, H.E. Md. Shameem Ahsan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Studies have found that Malaysia ranked fifth for countries with the most dangerous roads, and third for countries where you are most likely to die on the road. With these figures, we speak to Dr. Rizati Binti Hamidun, Director of Road Safety Engineering and Environmental Research Centre from MIROS and Dato' Professor Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Vice Chancellor, UPM and former DG at MIROS about what does it take to turn this around.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabah is renowned for its natural heritage but also faces the paradox of plenty: despite being resource-rich, it has consistently lagged in economic development. What is Invest Sabah doing to change the investment narrative? We discuss the priorities and opportunities to bring in investment to Sabah with CEO Dr. Firdausi Suffian.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.