Malaysia Money Matters Daily News Digest 16th Oct 2025
Description
Today’s deep dive explores major corporate wins and growing risks — from NexG’s latest government deal to Tenaga’s regional power ambitions, retail IPO momentum, AI mega-investments, and Malaysia’s narrowing fiscal room. Big infrastructure, big opportunity, and big pressure.
🏢 Corporate Moves & Market Signals
🪪 NexG Lands 3rd Gov Contract, But Board Quits
* 18-month extension to supply foreign worker cards
* Adds to MyKad + passport contracts
* BUT: Five directors resign unexpectedly
🔍 HeiTech Padu Contract Jumps RM58M
* NIISe deal now totals RM1.05B
* New biometric system (ABIS) added
🔋 Tenaga-Sarawak Power Link Plan
* Seeking consortium partners for a 700km undersea cable
* Goal: Transmit 2,000MW of Sarawak hydropower
* 70% of output earmarked for Singapore
🥐 Retail IPOs: RT Pastry & Goldfinch Group
* Both heading to the ACE Market
* Expansion focus: East Coast & Southern Malaysia
⚡️ Infrastructure, Energy & Fiscal Watch
⚡ Power Outage Highlights Grid Fragility
* Lightning strike at Edra Melaka, the country’s biggest gas plant
* Caused blackouts across Klang Valley & Johor Bahru
📉 Fiscal Deficit: On Target, But Tightly So
* Govt sticking to 3.8% deficit target (2025)
* Federal debt at 64.7% of GDP (legal limit: 65%)
* Debt service to hit 17% of revenue in 2026 (legal limit: 15%)
🧑⚖️ Policy & Regulation
👶 Govt to Enforce eKYC for Social Media
* Aims to block under-13 users & curb scams
* 78% of scam content traced to Facebook
🌏 Global Moves & Market Forces
🏅 Gold Hits US$4,200, Copper Surges
* Gold climbs on rate cut expectations + safe haven demand
* Copper may touch US$12,000/tonne
💾 AI Deal of the Year: Aligned Data Centers
* US$40B acquisition backed by Nvidia & BlackRock
* Signals scramble for AI infrastructure control
🎧 Listen Now for a deep dive into Malaysia’s financial gems and global trends shaping 2025!
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