The Breakfast Grille

Today we have with us on the Breakfast Grille, Tan Sri Datuk Eddy Chen Lok Loi, the managing director of MKH Bhd. MKH, formerly known as Metro Kajang, is a well known property developer, comprising townships that range from Kajang, Semenyih to Bangsar, Damansara. To date MKH has undertaken mixed development projects with a value exceeding 4 billion.We ask him about upcoming developments, challenges and the outlook for the palm oil business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boh Boon Chiang, the COO of Khind Holdings Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the current business environment ahead of the GST hike next year. Best known for its range of home appliances, Boh talks about controlling its costs and new markets it intends to tap. He also elaborates on investing in people and capex for the year ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A brand synonymous with luxury and the pinnacle of opulence, Regional Director Asia Pacific , Paul Harris explains why the 110 year-old brand is still a credible force in the industry not to be taken lightly.  He also sheds light on the market catalysts  for the luxury carmaker in the the face of much uncertainty and unrest in the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the existence of giants like Amazon, eBay and Alibaba, there are enough nuances within the Asean market which iBuy wants to assail. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Collaborations with prestigious medical educational institutions like Johns Hopkins University and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is one small step in addressing the country's dire healthcare needs. Professor Dato’ Dr. Sothi Rachagan also discusses the perennial issue of funding a social cause. The University also plans to grow other relevant courses like International Trade and Genomics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Health Minister takes on questions ranging from the “bloated” Cabinet, the ability of his party to represent ethnic Indians, as well as concerns about the privatization of health care services, the over-supply of doctors and nurses, links with private health-care colleges and the private sector- public divide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Brown, the deputy CEO of 7-11 Malaysia Holdings Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the business of convenience. The company recently completed its IPO where it raised RM731.8 million for the expansion of its stores and services. He talks about intense competition from not only its peers, but from the likes of hypermarkets and petrol stations. He talks about not only growing the number of stories but also refurbishing the existing stores, growing its revenue streams and making its customers experience richer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Simon Davies, VP for Asia, Salesforce.com, discusses its anti-Oracle-like business model as a Software as a Service (SAAS) model, cloud computing, its Marc Benioff-inspired company culture, revenue targets, 'New Industries Strategy', (relatively) low Asia penetration and its '1+1+1' philanthropic efforts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winston Choe, Managing Partner, Tech Growth Ventures, the growth accelerator and funding firm, discusses its business model, target industries, areas of focus, (outbound-Asian firms or vice-versa?), the addressable market for venture and government-linked funds, its standards of corporate governance / anti-corruption measures, investors sought and their profile, its investment promises, track record and exit strategies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Barathan Pasupathi the CEO of JetStar Asia comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the current challenges facing the industry and how the company intends to overcome it. Currently based in Singapore, low-cost carrier JetStar flues to 23 destinations on the back of its fleet of 18 A320. He talks about how JetStar aims to keep its costs down, its ancillary initiatives and the question of overcapacity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Syamil Fahim Mohamed Fahim, Chief Operating Officer at Kumpulan Media Karangkraf, discusses the company ethos, its five business divisions (printing, books, magazines, newspapers and digital), challenges (political interference, newsprint costs, the death of print, family business challenges like succession planning, corporate strategy, exit plans and the move online and into digital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The construction sector benefits from the government's active infrastructural stance and demographic support for property. Econpile benefits from this as piling is the foundation for construction projects in a space that is plagued by short supply. But with expanding debt and so many projects having been announced, is growth in this space sustainable?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Unity Consultative Council notes that the majority of Malaysias are concerned about social mobility especially for their children and “are more preoccupied with the quality of education and the infrastructure in their communities rather than ethnic and religious issues” which politicians and the media too often focus on. BFM asks what went wrong with the Education system and why. And if all the money being poured into the Ministry of Education is being well spent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brazil won hosting rights to the World Cup in 2007 under the Presidency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Current President Dilma Rousseff says that this will be the “Cup of all Cups”. For many it’s only natural for Brazil to host the Cup. After all, Brazil is acknowledged as the spiritual home of football. Some say it represents the gold standard of football – combining beauty and impact. But while on the surface it does seem like there are potential gains for national pride, for personal political mileage from hosting such global sporting events, is there a downside? Are the promised gains from this UDS11.5 billion going to be realized? Moody's Investors Service, the credit rating agency, argues that new infrastructure spending associated with the event is small for the $2 trillion economy, and benefits to businesses will be fleeting. Has the Brazillian government been able to get the buy in from citizens? Is the violence in June last year during the Confederations Cup evidence of dissatisfaction with the high level of government spending? Brazil can expect intense scrutiny during the Cup – is it ready?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' Beh Huck Lee, Managing Director, Eupe Corporation Bhd, discusses its plan to move out of its Kedah market, his read of the local property market, demand-supply imbalances, its Klang Valley strategy, its margins, dividend policy and float.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ravi Kashyap, Country Manager and President of Engineering Business, Aker Solutions Malaysia  speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille as its Norwegian parent splits its business into two separate entities in a move to streamline operations and become leaner. He also sheds lights on the how the group continues to support Malaysia's aspirations to be the regional oil and gas hub and why talent retention is still a major concern for him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Lake the CEO of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the business of making movies in Malaysia. Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia is a joint venture between government investment body Khazanah Nasional Bhd and UK-listed Pinewood Shepperton Plc. The company has aims to be a hub for the region, with companies drawn in by a list of incentives but discusses what draw Malaysia will have if the incentives goes. He also addresses the issues of procuring talent and the update on its latest production, Marco Polo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I-Bhd's theme parks in were a way to attract the crowds into i-City in Shah Alam. High-valued property projects soon followed. I-Bhd is now making big bets on further forays into property development and investment with a massive cash call more than 3x the size of it's shareholders' funds. We check out whether the concept of i-City will stand the test of time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The strong growth in the health supplement industry is driven by higher awareness of alternative and preventive care. Shaklee uses the direct selling model which Roger Barnett says is using social marketing to harness sweat equity and turn it into income and growth. Shaklee's combination of product guarantees and green practices to create what looks like a benevolent organisation has paid handsomely with the company's valuation growing many times over Barnett's US$310m 2004 acquisition cost . Should a few bad MLM apples spoil the entire industry? Do health supplements work? Is there a need to make them unversally affordable? These are some of the issues we discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ee Ching Wah, Executive Director of the REAL Education Group comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the landscape of the education sector in Malaysia and the current boom in private education. Established in 1986, REAL Education group is one of the earliest on the scene, and recently saw the entry of CIMB Private Equity as a shareholder. He talks about what the entry of CIMB means for REAL, what is the next stage of growth for the group, and whether going rural is an option.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Wales, Founder and CEO, Wales Capital, discusses the business of crowdfunding, the JOBS Act, the various schemes available, the challenges inherent (such as over-regulation its its nascence), and the opportunities available. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scomi Engineering Bhd's CEO Kanesan Veluppillai comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the progress of the company's monorail projects in both India and Brazil. Scomi is in the business of designing and supplying monorail trains and systems, but has been loss-making for the past three years on the back of forex losses and projects delays. Kanesan talks about how he aims to turn the company profitable in 18 months and what its future project pipeline looks like.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

His Excellency Mario Sammartino, the Italian Ambassador to Malaysia, speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille in conjunction with the nation's National Day which commemorates the birth of the Italian Republic and  also the upcoming EU Presidency which will be chaired by Italy from July to December. He also  discusses Italy's ailing economy, new Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the lack of a Free trade Agreement and Italy-Malaysia trade ties.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lim Kwee Shyan, President of the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association or Margma, comes on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the current state of issues facing the rubber glove manufacturers. From issues of gas hikes to water disruption, he gives his outlook on how the members are coping. Margma, was established in 1989 as a non-profit industry association that extends a range of services to its members comprising Malaysian rubber glove manufacturers and the rest of the ecosystem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ken Myres, president of Romacorp Inc, best known for the Tony Romas line of casual restaurants comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the challenges facing the industry post-2008 global financial crisis. After facing bankruptcy in 2005, he talks about how the company managed to bounce back, its choice to do the franchise model overseas and how Romacorp sees Asia in general.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Tan Say Jim, Group Managing Director and Group CEO of IRIS Corporation Bhd, discusses his core e-passport business, high trade receivables, its primary contribution to group revenues and the reasons behind its pursuit of business with African nations. He also discusses its expansion into education with Stamford College, renewable energy, property development (in the Pacific islands) and its Rimbunan Kaseh projects, its agro-technology efforts. He also discusses the entry of FELDA, which purchased a 20% stake in the company earlier in 2014.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jayant Menon, Lead Economist at Asian Development Bank, discusses the ADB's role and efficacy in funding the development of poorer, developing nations. He also questions the GLC phenomenon in Malaysia, and argues that their presence and growth is detrimental. He says GLCs crowd out the private sector, drives up prices and reduces the country's competitiveness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As GST dawns upon us in about a years time, exempt list, zero-rated items and unscrupulous profiteering are on our list of concerns. Subromaniam Tholasy, Director of GST at the Royal Malaysian Customs, tries to clarify this along with the question of whether the GST is progressive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The strong outlook for the Malaysian insurance landscape is supported by low penetration, bancassurance, takaful and regionalisation. Maybank is well-represented on all fronts: Etiqa Insurance and Takaful is an amalgamation of all previous incarnations and acquisitions that has exposures in the life and general businesses as well as Islamic and conventional products.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mandarin Oriental brand is well-known and respected. Richard Baker, Executive Vice President and Operations Director – Asia, talks about what it takes to achieve that. The ultimate objective is still profitability where pricing power that comes with brand recognition complements an occupancy strategy. The rise of social media sites like Tripadvisor that rates hotel quality is also explored.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Koh Pee Seng, Managing Director, Milux Corp, talks about his company's transition from low-margin electrical appliances into metals and mining.  An industry known for its capital-intensive nature and unstable prices, is this the turning point for the group to return to profitability?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tan, group managing director of Ken Holdings Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about its status as a boutique developer and how it plans to build on that going forward. Currently the company boasts a landbank of just over 47 hectares, and in 2012 recorded RM55.8 million in revenue and RM20.9 million in net profit. He talks about Ken's plans for the future and how the the company plans to weather the storm currently faced by the property players. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morten Lundal the new CEO of Maxis Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how the country's largest telco is undergoing a change. Once considered the top dog among the telcos, Maxis has been suffering from declining market share and sluggish earnings. Morten talks about transforming Maxis, what the future holds for the company and how he intends to regain the top dog position.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have teachers become the new whipping boy for all our frustrations with our education system? What responsibility does Government bare in declining standards?  And are parents themselves guilty of conflicting values and priorities that undermine teachers in their role to create well-rounded students? We speak to Shahnaz Al-Sadat. Appointed Trustee at Yayasan Amir in 2010, this lawyer and accountant devotes her time to educational reform. She currently serves on various Boards of education-related entities such as Teach for Malaysia, PINTAR Foundation and MINDA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look into whether tourism's growth motive may be at odds with the quest for sustainability. David Scowsill, President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, also gives his views on how Visit Malaysia Year 2014 will pan out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise of Asia is perhaps the singular developmental and political story of our era, attracting praise and criticism, wonder and skepticism,” Professor Quah is reported to have said on the announcement of the new inter-disciplinary center. He speaks about Western obsessions over ‘ballot box democracy’, the importance of the performance dimension of governance, what will be a game changer for Southeast Asia and why Malaysians are given to so much self-loathing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prof. Michael Heise, Chief Economist, Allianz SE speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille on the group's decision to move its regional office to Singapore to spearhead growth in the region and his chief advisory role to navigate the group in times of great turbulence and political instability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, Russia, the US, and the UK confirmed, in recognition of Ukraine becoming party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and in effect abandoning its nuclear arsenal to Russia, that they would: respect Ukrainian independence and sovereignty within its existing borders; refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine; and also refrain from using economic pressure on Ukraine in order to influence its politics. Have they breached an agreement they themselves agreed to? Can Russia deploy the argument of supporting self-determination and democratic will without jeopardizing the perhaps more important principle of national sovereignty? We speak about the crisis in Ukraine and the threat of a Second Cold War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lazada is Southeast Asia's biggest online shopping mall, with operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. We speak with Igor Pezzilli, Chief Executive Officer of Lazada Malaysia who discusses the increasingly crowded e-commerce marketplace and coping with fickle consumer trends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia or KR1M is a project funded evenly by Mydin and the government but 100% owned and operated by Mydin. Datuk Wira Dr. Haji Ameer Ali Mydin declares this a loss-making project. This can be beneficial if a relatively small investment can fulfill social objectives like lowering the cost of necessities for the poor. We look into whether KR1M stands the tests of logic, transparency and good policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bas Melssen the National Biomass Strategy Team Leader and Executive Vice President of Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille on his role to mobilise the biomass strategy and the potential for RM 30 billion in contribution to national income. He also discusses what's in it for palm oil growers to partcipate and if innovation is alive and well in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ng Yih Chen, Executive Director of Tomei Consolidated Berhad discusses the group's financial performance and aspirations reeling from a tough year in 2013 and increasingly volatile prices. He speaks on sustainability of gold investment schemes, possible prixe-fixing by giant cartels and increasing the group's retail presence in the market. He also discusses the everlasting appeal of these precious gems and its intrinsic value.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LBS Bina Group Bhd's managing director Datuk Seri Lim Hock San comes on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the property developer's prospects as challenges for the property sector mounts. Listed on the stock exchange with a RM852.7 million market capitalisation, we talk to him about LBS' recent joint venture in Johor's Iskandar, the company's focus in Cameron Highlands as well as its prospects in China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive of Iskandar Regional Development Authority, discusses progress report on “developing Iskandar Malaysia into a strong and sustainable metropolis of international standing”, re Investments and Population targets, secured projects, high-speed rapid-transit link between Singapore and Johor, clean/sustainability ambitions, projects oversight & corruption/leakage issues, social fallout such as income and costs inequality, foreign / regional competition, skilled labor deficit/concerns, source of investment (local/foreign, MidEast/Singaporean), outlook for MY-SG ties, outlook for further govt funding, price bubble concerns and future landmark projects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a lot contractors and the government can do to make the nation a better place, some of which include removing bottlenecks and addressing governance of big projects. We talk to Matthew Tee, President of Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) as well as Group Executive Director of Bina Puri about this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Mohd Nor Idrus, CEO, Kidex Sdn Bhd, discusses the 14.9km Kinrara Damansara Skyway in terms of: the need for another highway, highway vs public transportation (MRT/LRT Line), benefits and business case, the homes, offices and buildings that will be displaced, Health, Safety and Environment issues, public feedback / consensus sought and the social impact and controversy of the project. He also discusses the toll rate, and legislated increases and government compensation issues, the mode of project award and the co-tenderors, the track record of Kidexowners Zabima Engineering and Construction Sdn Bhd and Emrail Sdn Bhd, the funding structure and the reported RTO. He also discusses governance concerns such as the presence of Umno legal adviser Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun and the wife of former Federal Court judge Tun Zaki Azmi as major owners in Zabimah and Emrail.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Petronas is pumping billions of dollars into the Canadian economy through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, Progress Energy Canada Ltd, and Canadian global oil and gas exploration and production company Talisman is here in Malaysia. Is that the extent of the relationship between the two nations? We speak on the recently inked MOU on security as well as plans for Canada to capture a bigger share of the Malaysian overseas tertiary education market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Girish Ramachandran, director of strategy and transformation for built assets consultancy EC Harris. The company helps its clients to make the most from their investment and expenditure in assets in their four main sectors namely buildings, infrastructure, water and environment. He talks about the challenges of playing a middle man when implementation is an issue and his take on the current water situation, among others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' Chevy Beh comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about his family company, one of Malaysia's leading healthcare providers, BP Healthcare Group. He discusses his progression from Ivy League universities to his time on Wall Street, along with BP Healthcare's growth and regional expansion plans to Indonesia and Thailand. What are the implications of an aging Malaysian population on the healthcare industry?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AEON Co Malaysian Bhd's Executive Director Pooh Ying Loo comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the company's growth path and what to expect in the coming months. AEON is already a household name and is gradually strengthening its niche in suburban areas. However, as budgets get tighter, how will the retailer cope?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.