Morning Brief

When Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revisited the corporate fallout of the late 1990s Asian financial crisis in Parliament, he framed the exits of prominent business figures as the work of a "corporate mafia" run by political rivals.Emmanuel Samarathisa, founder of The Malaysianist, joins The Morning Run to unpack the Prime Minister’s trip down memory lane.He breaks down the resilient nature of family-controlled capital, how corporate patronage has modernised from direct asset transfers into institutional influence, and why Masayoshi Son’s US$50 billion AI pledge demands healthy skepticism given SoftBank's history of walking away from grand announcements.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia wants to double renewables’ share of Peninsular Malaysia’s energy mix, from 11% in 2025 to 22% by 2035. Data centres must now source at least 30% of their energy from renewables and meet a 30% local content requirement. Ahmad Maghfur Usman, Equity Research Analyst at Nomura Securities, explains what this means for utilities, data centre operators and the supply chain, the outlook for Tenaga Nasional’s earnings and dividends, and his top picks in the sector.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia is facing a wave of student-led protests over the government's handling of devastating forest fires, with public anger extending to spending priorities, employment and civil liberties. As haze spreads across Southeast Asia, President Prabowo Subianto faces growing scrutiny over his environmental policies and flagship programmes, including free school meals. Southeast Asia-based journalist Erin Cook examines what is driving the demonstrations, whether younger Indonesians are becoming disillusioned with the government, and how Prabowo is responding to mounting criticism. We also explore whether these protests could develop into a sustained political movement ahead of the 2029 election.The Morning Brief is brought to you by CIMB Private Wealth. Move your wealth forward with personalised wealth advisory and priority access to investment opportunities.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Federal Reserve has held rates at 3.75% to 4% with inflation still above target, and two officials pushing for a hike. With the midterm elections on 3 November and growing questions over the returns on AI spending, investors face a crowded risk landscape. Lawrence Hatheway, Head of Research at Franklin Templeton Institute, discusses what is priced in, whether a divided Congress helps or hurts markets, and where the opportunities lie heading into 2027.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel's election has produced no clear winner, with Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc falling short of a parliamentary majority and Arab parties emerging as potential kingmakers. As coalition negotiations intensify, the possibility of a government led by Gadi Eisenkot raises questions about Israel's political direction and its relationship with the Palestinians. Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, examines Netanyahu's chances of remaining in power, the role Arab parties could play in forming a government, and whether a change in leadership would alter Israel's security policies, relations with Washington and efforts to rebuild an economy battered by years of war.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.