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Opinion and analysis of today’s international and local news that matter to Malaysians. Everything you need to know to start and plan your work.
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The US government shutdown has entered its 29th day, paralysing federal agencies, delaying pay for hundreds of thousands of workers, and threatening key welfare programmes. Bryan DeAngelis, Partner & Head of the Washington Office at Penta Group, talks about the political stalemate gripping Capitol Hill as well as the economic and social fallout.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bursa Malaysia has filed legal action to stop MAA Group from holding an EGM on KNM Group which is a PN17 company. We ask Dr Ismet Yusoff, CEO of Minority Shareholders Watch Group as to what this PN 17 status entails and why does Bursa intervene in cases like this.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As US President Donald Trump wraps up his three-nation tour of Asia, he got nearly $900 billion in investment pledges from Japan and South Korea, in exchange for cutting US tariffs to 15%. Alexis Dudden, Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore, unpacks who truly benefits from these as well as how they reshape America’s economic and strategic leverage in Asia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is back in Asia for the second time since May, visiting Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea in a bid to reinforce Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy amid escalating tensions with China. Thomas Daniel, Director of the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Programme at ISIS Malaysia, analyses the wider implications.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Malaysia's semiconductors were excluded from the recent deal with the US and currently enjoys a tariff holiday. However how long will this exmption remain and how can Malaysia prepare for this? Questions we pose to Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association whilst also getting a 2026 outlook.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Malaysia’s new digital trade agreement with the United States promises closer cooperation in technology and innovation, but comes with the removal of digital taxes, data localisation bans, and trusted supplier clauses. Farlina Said, Director of the Centre for Technology and Policy at ISIS Malaysia, breaks down what this means for Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Over the weekend, the US and China reached a preliminary consensus on easing some of the trade restrictions each had imposed on the other ahead of Presidents Xi Jin Ping and Donald Trump in South Korea next week. Does this indicate the beginnings of a recovery in trade ties between the two countries? Angeline Tan, Analyst, Institute Of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia gives us her view.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Yesterday, leaders of countries in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the first summit since the world’s largest trade pact was signed in 2020. What does this mean for both Malaysia and the region’s economic growth? We ask Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Adjunct Professor at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bersatu’s leadership turmoil shows no signs of easing, as Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah and six other division leaders, publicly urged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to resign as party president. Associate Professor Dr Syaza Shukri, Department Head of Political Science and Madani Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia tells us why this chorus of dissent is getting louder, what it means for internal dynamics and if it still has traction with voters.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
China’s National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays saw a strong rebound in travel and dining, hinting at a long-awaited recovery in consumer sentiment after months of cautious spending. But will that trend continue for retail names as we approach the most important day for retail, Singles Day. Catherine Lim, Senior Industry Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence tells us her perspective and which companies will see top line growth and margin expansion.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A number of trade deals have been signed over the weekend between the US and Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia. China has also indicated willingness to work with ASEAN for China on the success of a 3.0 FTA. For more insights on these trade deals, we speak to Julia Goh, Senior Economist, UOB.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Was the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord truly a landmark peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, as claimed by U. President Trump, or merely a symbolic gesture to project diplomatic success? We speak to Dr. Greg Raymond, Senior Lecturer, Australian National University for his insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Flood risk has been made a key factor in approving all new housing developments in Malaysia as of last week. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof says the move aims to protect homebuyers from projects built in flood-prone areas. How will this affect developers and consumers moving forward? We find out from Dr. Joshua Netto, Director, Blue Stone Management, a company that specialises in construction services.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The spotlight was on Kuala Lumpur this week as world and regional leaders, including US President Donald Trump, gathered for the 47th ASEAN Summit. While the agenda focused on cooperation and sustainability, ongoing challenges, from the South China Sea to Myanmar, continue to test the bloc’s resolve. We speak to Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Bureau Chief at The Straits Times, for his take on what unfoldedImage Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two biggest oil companies, to cut off funding for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The decision comes just days after Russia launched 28 missiles and more than 400 drones across multiple Ukrainian cities. Dr. Sonia Mycak, Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, joins us to share her insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The 47th ASEAN Summit will take place shortly in Kuala Lumpur, against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and shifting trade dynamics. We interview Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, on how global geopolitics and geoeconomics have redefined this summit and Malaysia’s economic trajectory.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
US markets were roiled a week ago amid growing investor concerns of credit risks affecting US regional banks following the failure of car loan company Tricolor and car parts maker First Brands. We ask Herman Chan, Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence if US regional banks are under stress and which under his coverage are more resilient.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
GLCs and GLICs play an outsized role in the Malaysian economy - but is there more chaff than wheat in the crowded ecosystem? And how can we hold these entities which have both commercial and social mandates to better account? We discuss this with independent business writer P. Gunasegaram.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As U.S. tariffs take effect, how are China’s tech giants holding up, and can their growth keep pace with or even surpass their American rivals? For insights, we speak with Steven Tseng, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sanae Takaichi has made history as Japan’s first female prime minister, a landmark moment in a political landscape long dominated by men. Michael Cucek, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies at the Japan Campus of Temple University, talks about how her leadership might reshape Japan’s economy, gender politics, and role on the global stage.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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