The Breakfast Grille

Research consultancy Crescent Rating projects that global Muslim tourist numbers will swell to 230 million by 2028, accounting for USD$225 billion tourist spend. How much of a headstart does Malaysia have in courting this lucrative segment and are we doing enough to stay ahead of the regional competition? We find out from the newly minted Director General of the Islamic Tourism Centre, Nizran Noordin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GEMILANG is a Johor based manufacturer of bus bodies and bus assemblies, and with over 30 years of experience, the Group has become one of the leading companies of its kind in Malaysia. We speak with Pang Jun Jie, Executive Director, Gemilang International Ltd on how the company has been transitioning from the domination of diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the merger of Celcom Axiata and Digi.com in December last year, CelcomDigi now forms the single largest telco in the country as well as the largest local-listed technology company on Bursa Malaysia. CEO, Datuk Idham Nawawi shares with us updates on the integration of two networks, whether we will see products being streamlined, and updates on the 5G rollout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the International Energy Agency, energy accounts for more than three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions, with oil and gas operations alone making up 15% of that pie. Is there a pathway for the energy sector to achieve the ambitious target of Net Zero Emissions by 2050? We discuss these themes with Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global halal market is already worth 3 trillion US dollars and is expected to grow to 5 trillion by 2030. Malaysia should be in a position to capture a large share of this market due to the already existing halal ecosystem but are we catalysing our natural strengths? Khairul Azwan Harun, Chairman of Halal Development Corporation tells us this and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you do with your used cooking oil? More often than not, it will probably end up going into the kitchen sink or drain, but should this be the way we dispose of the waste? Or can we make some money from recycling it? Today, on the show is FatHopes Energy Sdn Bhd and we speak with Founder and CEO, Vinesh Sinha to talk about the business regulations, customers of recycled used cooking oil and the biodiesel industry value chain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Open universities pioneered distance learning long before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted higher education. However with more institutions delivering flexible courses online and amid a sea-change in attitudes regarding the necessity of university qualifications, are open universities still relevant in the education landscape today?We discuss this and more with Prof. Dr. Ahmad Izanee Awang, President and Vice-Chancellor of Open University Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, Muar MP Syed Saddiq announced that he will be a third force opposition as a sign of protest against the dropping of 47 charges against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi in the corruption trial. This leaves the ruling coalition with 147 seats in Dewan Rakyat, one seat short of a two-thirds majority. We ask Syed Saddiq about the future of the party after suffering major defeats in the six-state election and the rationale behind his decision to quit the government bench. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with Malaysia Day, we discuss the business of a sport loved by many Malaysians, football. Stuart Ramalingam is the CEO of the Malaysian Football League as well as the road-to-gold programme coordinator. He speaks to us about the financial health of MFL and its clubs since the privatization exercise, income from broadcasting rights, and how realistic is our target of an Olympic gold.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Mid-Term 12 Malaysia Plan, 3 key themes: Sustainable, Prosperous and High-Income Nation were introduced. The Government also recognizes the need to regain trust by ensuring good governance. Lofty and worthy goals but are they achievable? Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli joins us to make his case.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an environment of shrinking adex, Media Prima has seen a challenging 1st half. However is the worse over for this media conglomerate. Rafiq Razali their Group Managing Director tells us while we discuss if AI is a threat or opportunity, the fight for eyeballs and the value of their digital media brands.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eye specialist service provider, Optimax has obtained a licence from the Ministry of Health Malaysia to offer plastic surgery and aesthetic services. We will discuss this decision to pivot to other services, their latest financial results, and share price performance with 2nd generation leader Sandy Tan, the CEO of Optimax Holdings. And whether this new vision of aesthetic services will help turn around their share price which has dropped 13% year to date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Belgium will take up the Presidency of the European Council in January 2024, where the topic of EU expansion will likely heat up. H.E. Peter Van Acker, Ambassador of Belgium to Malaysia discusses what's at stake in enlarging the membership, and weighs in on areas of opportunity in Malaysia-Belgium bilateral ties.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's largest independent power producer has seen losses for the last 2 quarters. We check in with Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib, their CEO as to why this is happening since IPPs are supposed to be a defensive business. We also ask if Malakoff's Transformation plans are robust enough to compensate for their ageing power assets as the country moves towards a carbon-neutral future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hup Seng ping pong biscuits are no stranger to most Malaysian households as they are a classic snack that we grew up with, dipping the biscuits into our favourite hot beverage. We speak with the family’s 2nd generation, Kerk Chian Tung, Executive Director of Hup Seng Industries Berhad, to share with us the legacy of the company, maintaining product quality, keeping true to its brand values, dividend yields, and how it intends to stay profitable in these challenging times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence advanced manufacturing solutions and technologies are used to design and make 95% of the cars and 75% of the smartphones manufactured around the world. Lim Boon Choon, President of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence for Korea, Asean, Pacific and India shares with us the company’s outlook, and the Swedish company’s mergers and acquisition strategy to keep ahead of the competition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the announcement that the Progressive Wage Policy (PWP) will be voluntary, incentive-based and productivity-linked, we speak to Dr. Geoffrey Williams is an economist and a Professor at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) to get his insights and perspectives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After almost 19 consecutive quarters of losses, there is urgency for Pos Malaysia to transform itself. We speak to their Group CEO, Charles Brewer on what their other revenue sources will be as the core postal business faces a structural decline in an era of digitalisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 26 years, Secret Recipe has a global and local footprint of 500 stores. We speak to 2nd generation Managing Director, Patrick Sim on their strategy for the next phase of growth, the challenges of the F&B industry and their monetisation plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian outbound travel agency Apple Vacations was making over RM270 million in sales pre-pandemic, but the Covid-19 pandemic torpedoed revenues amid prolonged lockdowns and border closures. One year after the reopening of borders, have they managed to return to 2019 highs? We speak to Group Managing Director Dato' Sri Koh Yoh Heck on the travel group's fortunes and how the company is adapting to changing consumer preferences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FMCG company Mamee-Double Decker, now helmed by the third generation of the Pang family, and boasts a range of food products sold in over 80 countries, including iconic brands Mamee Monster and Mr. Potato. What’s their recipe for longevity in the fast-paced consumer goods sector? We find out how a homegrown Malaysian company conquered the ASEAN snack market with Pierre Pang, Group CEO of Mamee-Double Decker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the six-state election now behind us, what institutional reforms and policies must be the focus of state government moving forward, and should Parliamentary Select Committees be formed and institutionalised at the DUN level in all states? Questions we pose to the CEO of IDEAS, Dr Tricia Yeoh.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Ukraine celebrates 32 years of independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country's chargé d'affaires, Denys Mykhailiuk, talks about what it means as war to defend his homeland from last year's Russian invasion continues, the ongoing counter-offensive to retake annexed territory annexed by Moscow and what a post-war future might look like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 5 years, Capital A’s logistics venture has propelled itself to market dominance by disrupting this already competitive industry. We speak to its CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak as to what are the next stages of growth, whether they have the balance sheet for it and their monetisation plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the mercury rises to unprecedented levels due to global warming, air-conditioning is fast becoming a necessity rather than merely luxury. But given that air-conditioning also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, how are industry players responding to make air-con use more sustainable? We pose these questions and more to Kintaro Izumida of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the United Nations, 1 in every 45 people on the planet will need humanitarian assistance, especially with the rise of natural disasters and geopolitical tension. To mark World Humanitarian Day 2023 last Saturday, Dato' Dr. Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia shares with us their efforts to help those in need, difficulties in securing fund and measures to keep effective administrative expense ratio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slovenia has been a trading partner with Malaysia for a decade, with increasing imports and exports over the years. Marko Ham, the Ambassador of Slovenia, shares with us his views on bilateral trade and what the future holds for relations with Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China launched its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative or BRI some 20 years ago, with around 148 countries signing up to participate in the trans-regional connectivity project, including Malaysia. A recent report from IDEAS investigates narratives surrounding the BRI in Malaysia and what this reveals about government procurement for development projects. We discuss the findings and recommendations from the report with our panel of experts.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CyberSecurity Malaysia is an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digital, and provides a range of specialised technical services. With the unprecedented rise in online attacks, we ask CEO, Dato’ Ts Dr. Haji Amirudin bin Abdul Wahab on their role and responsibilities in the realm of cyber security and digital transformation, whether there is a lack of agency coordination, and the apparent lack of disclosures and prosecution taken against cyber criminals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Capbay, a Malaysian home grown multi-bank supply chain finance and peer-to-peer financing (P2P) platform has surpassed the milestone of disbursing over RM1 billion to more than 400 underserved SMEs in Malaysia. We speak with Director and co-founder, Darrel Ang who joins us to share his outlook for investor return rate, collection and recovery strategy, regional expansion, and whether they can grab the #1 spot in market share leadership from their local rivals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final tally of the six state elections on Saturday resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional retaining control of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while Perikatan Nasional held on to Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. Although this status quo outcome was widely expected, what do the granular results indicate about voter sentiment towards the main actors in Malaysia’s political theatre? We discuss the takeaways from the state elections with former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming and the former Principal Private Secretary to the 8th Prime Minister Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SNS Network which was listed in September 2022 is now trading below the IPO price. We speak to Ko Yun Hung, it's Co-Founder and Managing Director if the market misunderstands the business model and is it an undervalued gem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bravo Transport is Hong Kong Island’s largest bus company and Templewater owns more than 90% of the group. Cliff Zhang, the chairman of Bravo and CEO of Templewater shares with us the transport infrastructure in place for a region that is highly reliant on its public transport, as well as its sustainability agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FWD Group is a relative new life insurance player with a presence in 10 countries. What is their strategy for the next phase of growth after a rather phenomenal start and is their delayed listing going to materialise soon? Questions we pose to it's Chairman, Professor Frederick Ma.Image by: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT (KORE) is an office REIT listed on the Singapore Exchange, with a portfolio of 13 assets in major cities such as Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Sacramento, Seattle, and Orlando. So what’s the growth prospects of US office buildings and business premises? We speak with CEO & CIO David Snyder on whether US based REITs still offer attractive dividend yields, and whether their plans for the future warrants us to consider this stock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Integrated logistics provider Swift Haulage debuted on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market in December 2021 amid boom times in the logistics industry. However with slowing trade growth and a weak global economic outlook, will this pose a drag on Swift's expansion plans? We speak to Group CEO Loo Yong Hui on the growth opportunities he's focusing on, including leveraging on the rising demand of green logistics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aesthetic medical services provider DC Healthcare Holdings Bhd debuted on the ACE market on 17 July and closed at an 80% premium against the IPO price of 25 sen, and a market capitalization of 500 million ringgit. Managing director Dr. Chong Tze Sheng shares with us how the proceeds will be used, the fierce competition in the industry as well as the ethical considerations for aesthetics medicine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electronic manufacturing services player Cape EMS debuted on the Main Market in March 2023, raising RM155 million in IPO proceeds. How will Cape utilise the funds to build manufacturing capacity at a time of uncertain global economic conditions? We sit down with Group CEO Christina Tee to discuss the company's prospects and growth strategy in the EMS sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is one of the largest in the world and also in Asia. But it is seeing the lowest number of IPOs in 20 years in the first half of 2023. Nicolas Aguzin, Chief Executive Officer of HKEX shares with us their look north policy, and strategies for growth in a rising competition landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NETR and Ekonomi Madani was launched to much fanfare but will it be the much needed solution to Malaysia's structural issues. Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli answers that questions whilst telling us what the PH strategy is for these state elections and if this is a referendum o the unity government.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a total of 570 candidates vying for 245 state seats in the upcoming state elections, we speak to Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate, Asia Research Institute at the University of Nottingham Malaysia on the election that will be a critical barometer of our political landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JLL is a Fortune 200 company with more than US$20 billion of annual revenue, whose origin dates back to 1760 and is today listed on the NYSE. In Southeast Asia they advise on property deals, specialise in real estate and investment management. Chris Fossick, the CEO of Southeast Asia shares with us what to expect for the property sector amid rising interest rates and competition in the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How have Zoom fortunes fared now that the pandemic is over, and most workers have returned to physical office? What other new products and services can Zoom offer moving forward to retain stickiness amongst its users, be it individuals or corporates? We speak with Lucas Lu, Zoom Head of Asia (ASEAN, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, and Taiwan) to get the answers where they are headed to. Or maybe Claude, Zoom’s new AI can help chart its course.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s net foreign direct investment amounted to RM74.6 billion in 2022, but how can we further improve the ease of doing business here? Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry shares with us the initiatives and targets of the ministry, as well as how prepared is DAP for the state elections.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, the war in Ukraine crossed the 500 day mark since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. How do the events in Russia’s history inform the political developments of today? And what role does the international media and foreign correspondents play in crafting narratives of Russia for the rest of the world? For perspectives on these issues, we speak to former BBC correspondent and author James Rodgers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian are ill-prepared for retirement with only 18% of EPF members having enough savings when they reach 55. We speak with Nurhisham Hussein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Employees Provident Fund as to what are the solutions to this especially as we become an aging nation. We also discuss some of the reforms that EPF is planning to introduce and if these are the much needed solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chery has returned to the Malaysian market and launched two of its flagship models. Country Director of Chery Malaysia, Leo Chen shares with us what is different this time, competition in this country, and their plans to launch electric vehicles here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xendit, an Indonesian payment gateway has started its operations in Malaysia. We speak to their CEO, Moses Lo to find out their plans for Asean expansion, how soon they will turn EBITDA positive and is a listing on the cards?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike 2022, Asean equities markets have underperformed compared to Japan, Korea and US. We check in with our panel consisting of Anand Pathmakanthan, Head of Regional Equity Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group and Patrick Chang, Chief Investment Officer, ASEAN Equities, Principal Asset Management as to the reasons why. We also explore what are the investment themes to consider and the stocks that will outperform in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malacca Securities has evolved from a family run stock broker to offer financial advisory services. 3rd Generation Managing Director Lim Chia Wei, launched M+ Global digital platform 2 months ago as part of the company's expansion plans to trade in both US and Hong Kong markets. We find out how this business intends to stay relevant and profitable, in what some say is an industry in structural decline with shrinking commissions and poor retail participation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.