The Breakfast Grille

Borrowers nationwide are days away from recommencing loan payments. But how many are prepared? And what other relief measures exist? Arsalaan Ahmed, a council member of AIBIM and CEO HSBC Amanah Malaysia, discusses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even though property is a favoured asset in Malaysia, it was not spared by the pandemic. The property market declined in the first half of 2020, with the number of transactions falling 28% as value of those transactions fell 32% on-year to RM47 billion. In line with that, property player Paramount Corp’s saw earnings swing to a loss as revenue fell 70% on-year in the second quarter. Is the worst over for Paramount?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Azrul Shah Bin Mohamad - General Manager of Tourism Selangor, discusses the state's plan to attract visitors to the country's wealthiest area. Image Credit: NOOR RADYA BINTI MD RADZI / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Analysts are skeptical of new glovemakers like Aspen Group, the property developer, entering the market. Dato Murly Manokharan, CEO of Aspen discusses numbers and the competitive advantage the group has through the network of its investor partner, CMY Capital, Tan Sri Chua Ma in securing Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), the nitrile glove raw material in extreme short supply. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world's largest glove manufacture, Top Glove's star has rocketed upwards on the back of the pandemic-driven demand for gloves. But what does Top Glove have in store in 2021, and how will the management navigate an increasingly competitive landscape as well as uncertain global economic tensions? We speak with Dato Lee Kim Meow, Managing Director of Top Glove, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As polling day for the Sabah state election draws near, all eyes are on the fervent campaigning happening in the state. How will the Perikatan Nasional government do in its first official showing as a coalition? Who will claim the post of Chief Minister? With all the questions surrounding the outcome of the election, it becomes even more important to understand Sabah's history, and how it has informed its current political landscape. We speak this morning to Dr. Arnold Puyok, Political analyst from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, and Datuk Dr Johan Ariffin, Former Deputy Director, Sabah Foundation for more insight. Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Construction firm Ikhmas Jaya Bhd may have badly mis-pivoted in its attempt to mitigate the impact of slowing government infrastructure projects. But a slew of new investors and an intriguing recovery plan is breathing some new life into the piling, foundation and bridge-making specialist. COO Steven Choi Ah Loy discusses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq has made his intentions clear on formalising his new youth based political party, MUDA. But will this aspirational youth based movement gain any real traction in Malaysia? Many have argued that decades of polarizing belief systems, corruption, and money politics have stalled Malaysia's potential for growth and success. So will the young succeed? Or will the trappings of old politics threaten to infect the idealist in him?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabah is one of the most resource rich states in Malaysia, and frequently within the top 5 largest contributors towards the growth of the national economy. Yet at the same time, poverty and unemployment persist within the state's borders, indicating a deeper disconnect. Why have Sabahans not benefitted from the federal initiatives to uplift the state? In conjunction with Malaysia Day, we're discussing the socioeconomic issues Sabah is currently facing with Datuk Godfrey Joitol, Commissioner with SUHAKAM, as well as Dr. Firdausi Suffian, economist at UiTM Sabah. Image Credit: Augustine Bin Jumat / Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism has been one of the worst hit sectors in Singapore. In the first quarter of 2020, tourism receipts and number of international visitors fell by about 40% year-on-year to S$4 billion and 2.7 million people respectively. Keith Tan, Chief Executive of Singapore Tourism Board discusses his new strategies and priorities in what he expects to be a long winter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The youth have been in the forefront of many recent political discussions, from lowering the voting age to the setting up of a youth party. To discuss this with us, as well as address some controversy over support letters that he recently faced, we speak to Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, who is also chief of Bersatu's youth wing, Armada. Image Credit: Azlan KamarazamanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has impacted all of us, but it has hit low-income families harder. And while the government has stepped in, there are still gaps in their efforts. So how do we close these gaps & address urban poverty going forward? Roshan Kanesan discusses on this edition of The Breakfast Grille with Tengku Aira from the UNFPA and Dr Muhammed Abdul Khalid of DM Analytics. DM Analytics was the lead researcher of the Families on the Edge report, jointly commissioned by UNICEF and UNFPA. Dr Muhammed is a former Khazanah Research Institute director and was economic adviser to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the age of rapid digitalisation, Nasdaq-listed CrowdStrike has seen significant stock price optimism as cybersecurity has become much more important. With only 9% of revenue derived from Asia, Roshan Kanesan explores Crowdstrike’s expansion in the region, its presence in Malaysia, and its role in the cybersecurity ecosystem. Image credit: : Rawpixel.com / ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honda Malaysia has maintained is number one position in the non-national car segment but is their pole position at risk of being lost? We ask Sarly Adle Sarkum, President and Chief Operating Officer of Honda Malaysia what is their strategy to stay ahead of the competition and what does it take for Malaysia to be the Asean auto hub. Image Credit: Hafiez Razali / Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Perikatan Nasional govt's unprecedented ouster in July of the Speaker of the House of Representatives - the Dewan Rakyat - took Malaysia and the world by surprise. Six weeks after the act, Tan Sri Mohammad Ariff Md Yusof, who presided over the House's debates, determining which members may speak and which amendments are selected for consideration, finally took some time to share his thoughts about the ouster, the state of Parliamentary and electoral reform in Malaysia, and the future of the nation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ng Sang Beng, the CEO of semiconductor testing firm Aemulus Holdings, outlines his strategy to flatten his earnings curve by entering a new global market for CMOS sensors via a freshly inked China JV.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ami Moris, the CEO of Maybank Kim Eng (MKE) discusses why and how the investment bank could continue to thrive in the long-term if larger Chinese banks encroach into its Asean market, and if fintech companies have greater millennial wallet- and mind-share and more superior technology. She also weighs in on Malaysia's recovery and growth outlook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having recently transferred to a different ministry that will see its focus more centred on technology, while keeping a finger on the pulse of social entrepreneurship, we speak to Dzuleira Abu Bakar of MaGIC to discuss how startups have been affected by Covid-19. We also discuss her plans moving forward and the future of the startup scene in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Malaysia turns 63 years old, much progress has been made on the economics front with the country attaining middle income status. But has enough progress been made and does this post Covid 19 era actually provide an opportunity for a re-set and the introduction of new policies to correct the structural issues that we face. We speak to Lau Zheng Zhou, Research Manager in the Economics and Business Unit at IDEAS and Dr. Shankaran Nambiar, Head of Research at MIER for their views. Image credit: Tyler Casey/UnsplashSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Malaysia turns 63 years old, we take the time to reflect about the state of racial unity. Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi ,Tunku Abdul Rahman Professor of Constitutional Law at University of Malaya and Eddin Khoo, author, frequent commentator on social- cultural issues and founder of Pusaka weigh in on the conversation. They also remind us that we already as a nation have the tools for racial unity; the Rukun Negara and the Constitution whilst talking about the important role of the individual.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China based, NYSE listed Best Inc has recently moved into the Southeast Asian region. Considering the buzz around ecommerce growth over the last few months and the growth potential in Southeast Asia, should you add Best Inc to you watchlist? Roshan Kanesan also speaks to Johnny Chou about Best's expansion, managing the impact of COVID-19, and their financial outlook for the year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Southeast Asia, e-commerce adoption is still relatively low. Gunjan Soni, the CEO of Zalora discusses plans to convert more customers, shape fashion trends and introduce new technologies such as augmented reality See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Video Streaming services saw a boost during the height of the pandemic in Southeast Asia, and streaming player Viu wants a bite of that pie. Backed by the Hong Kong based conglomerate PCCW Group, Viu has grown into a major OTT player, but in this competitive streaming landscape, does it have what it takes to compete for a share of your wallet? To find out, Roshan Kanesan speaks with Kingsley Warner, Country Manager of Viu Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise of Bitcoin, and the talk around Libra - Facebook’s fiat-backed stablecoin - have woken up central bankers to the disruptive potential of digital currencies, and its implications to the financial system as we know it. Roshan Kanesan speaks with Antonio Fatas, Professor of Economics at INSEAD, for his thoughts on the future of money, the role of central banks, dependence on the US Dollar, and the viability of a global unified currency. Image Credit: Pixieme/Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Paola Subacchi, economist and author of her new book "The Cost Of Free Money: How Unfettered Capital Threatens Our Economic Future" discusses the possibility of another global financial crisis if the Federal Reserve does not start co-ordinating its policies with other central banks, and if the US continues on its path of not providing any leadership in multi-lateral co-operation.  Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Paola Subacchi, economist and author of her new book "The Cost Of Free Money: How Unfettered Capital Threatens Our Economic Future" discusses the possibility of another global financial crisis if the Federal Reserve does not start co-ordinating its policies with other central banks, and if the US continues on its path of not providing any leadership in multi-lateral co-operation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli is the new CEO of InvestKL, ascending to the role in an unprecedented era of Covid distress and regional competition. How will KL fare in this beauty contest?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US counts down to its November presidential elections, we take stock of President Trump’s foreign policy direction and his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic with US Ambassador Kamala Lakhdir. What is the US’ end game in its increasingly antagonistic relations with China? How committed is the Trump administration to global cooperation in dealing with the ongoing health and economic crisis? We discuss this and more with the US envoy to Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melvin Ooi left as Head of Alipay in Singapore to join BonusLink Card last year as CEO. We discuss how he's repositioning the company, a pioneer in loyalty rewards, to make it relevant among millennials and whether there are plans to become part of a digital bank license application and its likely partners, or whether it plans to dispose its business, merge with or take up stakes in E-wallets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Knudsen, CEO of Toll Group, the Australian-based logistics firm owned by Japan Post, has been hired to turn around a business that was already ravaged by losses, high debts and cybercrime before Covid-19. Here is his situation report as to the status of the business currently.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent government stimulus packages have thrown a lifeline to a car industry hit hard by the implementation of the Movement Control Order in March. While Total Industry Volumes seem to have recovered since the disastrous 141 total vehilce units sold in April, it's still a long road ahead for many automotive players. So to help us get a sense of what's in store for Bermaz Auto in particular, we speak to its CEO, Dato' Francis Lee, about the impact of government stimulus, their cashflow, and their aims for the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Education Malaysia Global Services is a one stop shop created by the government to accelerate the goal of 250,000 foreign students by 2025. But with Covid 19 and no new student visas being issued, is that target realistic? Mohd Radzlan Jalaludin, the newly appointed CEO tells us how he intends to overcome the challenges, his plans for promoting Malaysia as an education center and why was he appointed despite not coming from a related fieldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DBE Gurney is now Lagenda Properties, and the firm has moved from poultry being its primary business to property. Roshan speaks to Dato’ Doh Jee Ming about the story and the rationale behind this, as well as their outlook for the year, optimism around affordable housing, and injection of assets into the business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global usage of semiconductors is set to increase with increased automation and the onset of the internet of things. But with Covid 19, global supply chains have been disrupted while work was curtailed. So we speak to Chew Ne Weng, Managing Director of QES Group a testing company to find out if despite the challenges there will be growth especially after the weak 2019 earnings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sabah is in the limelight in a big way. Its state assembly has been dissolved- a move disputed by opposition politicians- even while it remains among the most impoverished and hardest-hit by Covid-19. Add its proximity to the South China Sea, a key beachhead for the mounting US-China standoff, and the possibility that its (caretaker) chief minister could be the next Prime Minister, and the plot really thickens. The man of the hour? Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, Founder of Parti Warisan Sabah and caretaker Chief Minister of Sabah, who discusses these issues and more. Transcription: [ PDF ]  [Microsoft Word Doc ] [ Txt ]See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Star journalist to financial analyst to fund manager, Dato' Seri Cheah Cheng Hye’s career has led him all the way from the Asian Wall Street Journal to co-founding what is now an asset management company with $12 billion in assets under management. We speak to him about how his company, Value Partners, is positioning itself in the wake of a pandemic, and what growth opportunities he sees in China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The young may be an important part of the country's future, but jobs, housing and social mobility data shows that Malaysia is doing little for its young, potentially harming its prospects.Listen in as UMNO Deputy Youth chief Shahril Hamdan and Tharma Pillai, Co-Founder, Undi18, discuss how and why this happened and more. Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 25 years of experience in specialist eye care services, Optimax Holdings is now planning to list on the ACE Market, in a bid to raise RM21 million to fund their expansion. We speak to Sandy Tan, CEO of Optimax Holdings, to find out more about their expansion drive, as well as to talk about the choice to list at this point in their corporate life, and how they plan to deal with competition within the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

E-commerce transactions for essentials picked up significantly during the MCO. Leo Chow, CEO of Lazada Malaysia and former executive from Taobao discusses plans to maintain Lazada's lead as the biggest e-commerce platform operator ahead of Shopee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Review of Books is one of the foremost intellectual publications in the US. This morning on the Breakfast Grille, we speak to its former editor, Ian Buruma, about his time editing the publication, as well as his long-term observations of the politics in East Asia. Image source: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Esports has become a billion dollar industry. It reportedly generated US$1 billion in revenue for the first time last year, and although COVID-19 presents a stumbling block for 2020, the industry as a whole is expected to continue growing in the longer term. Roshan speaks to Tommy and Kevin to get their views on the state of the industry, the need of a governing body, their views on Dynasty Esports, and whether Malaysia can be an esports hub in the region. Photo Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite a gloomy long-term outlook for the oil and gas industry, Ocean Vantage Holdings saw a strong debut on the ACE market. It was oversubscribed almost 16 times, and jumped from its issue price of 26 sen to close at 53 sen on IPO day, but is this optimism justified? Roshan gets into this with Stephen Yau, as well as their earnings outlook, expansion plans, plans for the IPO proceed, navigating the cut to Petronas spending, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Medical and healthcare stocks have gotten a lot of attention recently, and few can boast the stock returns that medical bed manufacturer LKL International has seen this year. The stock is up 6 times since end-March, on the back of a boom in revenue due to COVID-19, but is this sustainable?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian equity market has recovered from March low's while the broader economy has weakened with rising unemployment and weaker consumption. So why the disconnect? To find out, we speak to Patrick Chang, CIO for Asean Equities, Principal Asset Management & Alexander Chia, Head of Regional Equity Research, RHB Investment Bank. We also take a hard look if there are still gems to be found or has all the easy money been made?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysian equity market has recovered from March low's while the broader economy has weakened with rising unemployment and weaker consumption. So why the disconnect? To find out, we speak to Patrick Chang, CIO for Asean Equities, Principal Asset Management & Alexander Chia, Head of Regional Equity Research, RHB Investment Bank. We also take a hard look if there are still gems to be found or has all the easy money been made?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian car sales have plunged, possibly to 15-year lows, but recent govt stimulus measures and the end of lockdown may have reversed the course, including for luxury cars, according to Nalin Jain, Managing Director of Volvo Cars Malaysia, who also discusses the country's auto policy, reports of a merger with its parent, Geely and global outlook for autonomous cars. Source: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian car sales have plunged, possibly to 15-year lows, but recent govt stimulus measures and the end of lockdown may have reversed the course, including for luxury cars, according to Nalin Jain, Managing Director of Volvo Cars Malaysia, who also discusses the country's auto policy, reports of a merger with its parent, Geely and global outlook for autonomous cars. Source: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After decades of maintaining a National Poverty Line that many criticised was misrepresentative of the true scale of poverty in the country, Malaysia recently made the decision to revise the line to RM2,208. Philip Alston, a vocal critic of the previous line, commends this as a step forward, but is it enough?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Daniel Susskind, Fellow in Economics at Balliol College, Oxford University and author of A World Without Work paints a picture of Big State and less power for Big Tech when machines take over more jobs. Image Source: FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFPSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital payments have picked up steam over the last few years and look to be the way forward, but for most countries it’s a very fragmented market for customers, but also businesses and merchants. Dutch unicorn Adyen, says that they’re the solution, and can better unify the payments space. Roshan speaks to their Asia-Pacific President, Warren Hayashi, about their recent entry into the Malaysian market, the impact of COVID-19 on payments, their 47% EDITDA margin and business model, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.