The Breakfast Grille

We speak to Adam Brimo, founder & CEO of OpenLearning on the future of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) in Malaysia. OpenLearning is an online learning platform that helps digitise education in the country, by working closely with local universities. Do MOOCs help with the democratisation of education, or does it turn universities into businesses? Even if this is so, is it an entirely bad thing? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lim Kok Hing, Founder & Executive Director of the online payments provider iPay88, says the smartphone will be the wallet of the future, as money goes digital and cash diminishes in usage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holstein Milk Company is the appointed anchor company for Khazanah Nasional's NKEA Project in the Agrifood sector. We speak to their CEO, Loi Tuan Ee on how they plan to provide fresh farm dairy products to the people of Malaysia, and beyondSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smartly, a robo-advisor set up in Singapore, allows customers to invest cheaply and speedily. The disruptive forces of fintechs will pose a great challenge to the traditionally high-cost fund managers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ThinCats is Australia's first online market for secured business loans linking retail lenders and investors with SME borrowers. We speak with their CEO, Sunil Aranha on how this business might work here in MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MKH Berhad, formerly known as Metro Kajang Holdings, started out as a property developer of townships in Kajang and Semenyih but have now diversified into the plantation business with 16,000 hectares in Indonesia. Tan Sri Eddy Chen, the managing director of MKH, discusses how the group plans to weather the current property down cycle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today as polls closed across the USA we cross over to three Malaysians in the thick of the battle for political control of the world’s only Superpower. We examine issues of ground sentiment, White identity politics, control of the Senate and the implication of either a Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton win for global dynamics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stockspot is an Australian-based robo adviser disrupting the investment scene. By charging low fees for investing in Exchange-Traded Funds, they are championing the fintech revolution. We speak to Stockspot's Founder & CEO, Chris Bryki to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The author of the best-selling book titled “When China Rules the World: the End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order,” joins us to catch up on developments since 2012 when his books was published. The book has been translated into fifteen languages and has sold several hundred thousand copies.  The book has been shortlisted for two major literary awards and his TED talk on how to understand China has had over 2 million views. On the back of the trip of Prime Minister Najib Razak to Beijing and the RM144 billion worth of deals signed, we ask if we should exercise caution even as China’s extends its hand in trade and investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PM Najib Razak’s week-long visit has international observers taking note of the Administration’s agenda on trade and defense in terms of the balance of power in the region. One analyst suggests that Malaysia has become a “wobbly domino” while another suggests that we are pursuing a “balanced approach” towards China and the new realities in the region. Yet others point to the cooling relations with the US following the July move by a unit of the US Justice Department known as the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative announcing it was investigating 1MDB. Today we learn from the Administration its view of this third high level visit to China by the Prime Minister.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Lee, CEO, Ombudsman for Financial Services comes under the radar for his dispute-mediation role in Bank Negara's newly formed division that was formerly known as the Financial Meditation Bureau. The Ombudsman's independence, the financial industry's burden of responsibility, and consumer knowledge and rights are among the topics discussed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the recent Legislative Council elections and the even more recent refusal by elected members to 'play by the rule book' at the swearing in, we take a brief survey of a complex conversation the people of Special Administrative Region are having with themselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rita Benoy Bushon has been an illustrious, vocal advocator for the rights of minority shareholders during her 8-year tenure as CEO for the Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group. Given lingering governance issues and the dominance of GLCs in corporate Malaysia, the question of whether an appropriate successor can be found to fill the shoes of the outgoing CEO comes to the fore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, Khazanah introduced the 12-Point Malaysia Airlines Restructuring Plan. In it, Malaysia Airlines planned to shed over 6,000 jobs. The Corporate Development Centre (CDC) was created to help reskill and retrain those who exited MAS and help them better prepare for the job market. Listen to CDC's CEO, Shahryn Azmi explain the progress of the programme, and help us better understand the current job market in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Known as the de facto capital of the European Union, the biggest political & economic decisions are decided in Brussels, Belgium. H.E. Daniel Dargent discusses the relevance of the EU post-Brexit, as well as how the country is tackling new challenges in immigration & terrorism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More needs to be done to clarify the rationale of the biodiesel policy which might have environmental, costs and inflationary considerations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BCM Alliance Berhad is involved in the distribution of commercial laundry equipments and supplies medical devices to hospitals. They are heading for an IPO this October. Listen to their Managing Director, Liaw Chong Lin, as he outlines his company's growth plans following the listing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hanley Chew, CEO of Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, joins us on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how he plans to shake up the hospitality industry to meet the needs of a new breed of travellers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Keen, Head, School of Economics, Politics & History at London's Kingston University, says massive global accumulation of private debt puts the world economy on the cusp of financial collapse. He also talks Brexit, AEC, gold as a currency whilst also debunking Islamic Finance's supposedly safe characteristics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kuantan is quite literally and perhaps metaphorically at the centre of Malaysian and China relations. Kuantan port's strategic location saves 1 to 1.5 hours over Port Klang and Singapore en route to China. The Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) was set up to take advantage of such a relationship. We find out how this, along with the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), which covers Kuantan, has benefitted the region. There is also the question of how China's expansionist policies in the South China Sea affect business relations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Islamic economy is a scope that covers a wide range of sectors and issues. However, over the last half century, the topic on developing Islamic economy has been dominated by the role of Islamic finance, and within that, Islamic banking. To tell us about the larger elements of what Islamic Economics can bring to the world, we speak to Prof. Aslam Haneef, Director of the Centre of Islamic Economics, IIUM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Islamic fund managers are now in a dilemma. Having invested predominantly in the Oil & Gas sector, they have been forced to move their funds elsewhere to more favourable sectors. We speak with Iqbal Khan, CEO of Fajr Capital to see where these funds are heading to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

REDtone International Berhad is a broadband and voice solutions provider. They are heavily focused on the digital future; discussing this and more, we speak to their Managing Director, Dato' Wei Chuan Beng. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the people who brought you the Subang Jaya Medical Centre, cost-cutting will be a major strategy to deal with the competition as well as possibly healthcare affordability. The group is also looking into acquisitions at a time when assets prices are expensive and parent Sime Darby looking into financial rationalisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Golf has seen a steady decline in Europe since 2010 according to a report by KPMG. This also comes on the back of Adidas and Nike winding down the golf business. We ask the question of how golf can expand its appeal and at the same time how the European PGA can grow the business. Keith Pelly offers a few game changers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' M. Murly, founder and CEO of Aspen Group, an affordable housing-focused property developer, talks about making the sector profitable, and how lackluster market conditions has seen them innovate, making technology services an integral part of its revenue streams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Samir Gupta, CIMB's Group CEO of Consumer Banking explains how the banking institution will operate in the age of increasing digitalisation. From fintech to data analytics, we scrutinise CIMB's strategy to capitalise on ASEAN's young and vibrant consumer market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Strategy-wise, Celcom operator Axiata, has not received the kind of reporting prominence as Maxis and Digi, the local leaders in respectively in the post- and pre-paid markets. The huge holdings in regional mobile service providers are a wildcard that may offer strategic funding. Axiata is also making small but possibly meaningful investments into the digital future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 1905, German cosmeceutical company Dr. Wolff is now shifting its gaze to Asia as part of its new growth markets. Eduard R Doerrenberg, the great grandson of company founder Dr. August Wolff, tells us what it takes to keep a company in the family for 111 years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vitrox has a market capitalisation of RM 900 million. With customers like Intel, Fujitsu, and Cisco, they boast a niche business that is set to soar to greater heights. We speak with their CEO, Chu Jenn Weng to see if the company is set for the challenges that lie ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tune Talk is one of the smallest virtual telco players in the country. However, they are tied to large and potential strategic partners in AirAsia and Axiata. We speak to their CEO, Jason Lo, to see how the company survives in an intensely competitive environment, and how they can find synergy with their stakeholders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karim Raslan, founder and CEO of Southeast Asian public affairs consulting firm KRA Group, has authored many books, including the long-running ‘Ceritalah’ column. He joins us on the Breakfast Grille to share some of the stories he has discovered across the region, whilst writing his new 'Ceritalah ASEAN' columns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The RM3.2b impairment losses EPF wrote down in the second quarter isn't so much about the losses itself but what it means for the fund's investing philosophy and whether there are opportunities for further foreign investments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the first woman Vice Chancellor, Dr Sharifah broke the glass ceiling on the professional trajectory of women in the country. We take a look at women and education in Malaysia. As part of 'The Breakfast Grille Unity Series' we celebrate the accomplishments of women while recognising the dangers of forces of intolerance that seek a roll-back on the advancement of women. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rubber gloves industry is a world leader, exporting over 135 billion gloves in an industry that is worth RM15b in 2016. And yet, MARGMA feels that a little bit of help from the government goes a long way. Denis Low is a featured speaker at the 8th International Rubber Glove Conference & Exhibition (8th IRGCE 2016 ), scheduled to take place on the 6 to 8 September 2016 at Kuala Lumpur Convention CentreSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Unity Consultative Council was set-up to look into issue related to national-unity and our guest was deputy chairman of the initiative. We speak to him about the perennial anxiety about the trajectory of the nation, as part of our series of National Unity Breakfast Grilles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Morning Run celebrates Merdeka and Malaysia Day with 'The Breakfast Grille Unity Series' - conversations with thought-leaders, to take stock of how far we've come as a country and how to keep pushing ourselves to be better. Tan Sri Razali Ismail, the newly-appointed chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) shares his plans to improve the country's track record on issues of human rights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DagangHalal is an e-commerce platform that allows for halal products to be searched and sold effectively over the internet, globally. We speak with their CEO, Hazli Hussain on how the company is faring after their listing exercise in the UK.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in fearful times with the twin threats of terrorism and cybercrime looming over our heads. Secura Group Limited is a listed Singapore based company that provides an integrated suite of security businesses. CEO Paul Lim enlightens on what the state of all things related to security is like in Singapore, and what the future portends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Low Chin Guan, the Managing Director of Adventa Bhd, explains the patience shareholders need to exercise with his company, which three years after disposing of his medical gloves manufacturing business, has yet to turn a profit. His new business? Kidney dialysis machines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The unprecedented growth in Islamic finance has put increasing pressure on the supply of good quality human capital in this industry. Already anticipating the demand for Islamic finance talent more than ten years ago, Bank Negara had, in 2005, set up the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF). Ezamshah Ismail, Dean of INCEIF’s School of Professional Studies joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss what the global marketplace needs for Islamic finance to flourish.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is interesting that the crescendo of rulings and proposals from regulatory authorities like Bank Negara and the Securities Commission on corporate governance is coming at a time when we are still trying to grapple with unfinished 1MDB business. Will businesses be reined in without corresponding action on political corruption?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Integrated poultry company DBE Gurney Resources is making inroads to diversify downstream with its newly-launched HARUMi brand of fried chicken products. Datuk Alex Ding gives us an update of the group's progress on this front and the agreement to supply its products to KFC outlets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Demographics are driving strong property demand in Malaysia and we've seen our fair share of controversial projects that potentially destroy green spaces and native lands. Is there a way to bridge the gap between unfettered money-making and safeguarding social and environmental aspects of living? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In April 2016, the Attorney General proposed amendments to the Legal Profession Act of 1976. The president of the Malaysian Bar, Steven Thiru discusses why he thinks this change has negative ramifications for the legal profession, and how this will undermine the independence of the Bar. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahmad Izham Omar, CEO of Primeworks Studios Sdn Bhd, the content creation subsidiary of Media Prima Bhd, discusses accusations of divisiveness and segregation in the Malaysian media landscape, falling profits and scant corporate support. He also talks about the future, which lies in international audiences and vast possibilities in animated movies and programming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean Murphy, Global CEO, Procurri Group, communicates ambitious plans to be the global, independent sharing platform for data centre equipment and lifecycle services, following its debut on Singapore Exchange's Main Board last month. Sean Murphy discusses how the company plans to continue its growth post-listing and its prospects ahead.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eupe Corporation Berhad is moving beyond its home base in Kedah to the crowded Kuala Lumpur property market, with its maiden housing development Novum in Bangsar South. We ask Eupe's Group Managing Director Dato' Beh Huck Lee if there is still space for new players in the KL property market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AWC is having a watershed year with a RM700m bumper contract renewal from the federal government, bringing total orderbook up to RM1.2b so far in financial-year 2016. The future of AWC's strategic purpose might be to reduce reliance on government-related contracts and build the green waste management and rainwater harvesting businesses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The MRMA-driven (Malaysian REIT Managers Association) proposals under the auspices of the Securities Commission want real estate investment trusts to be allowed do more property development work compared to their largely investing role currently. At stake are the REITs' supposedly low-risk status and the preference of their investing clientele. The SC is seeking public feedback for such proposals with a deadline of 13 September 2016.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.