Morning Brief (BFM Media)

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has turned his sights on affordable homes, stating that the 30% quota imposed on developers is inadequate. We speak with Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research, Khazanah Research Institute, to find what defines a low cost home and what policies the Local Government Development Ministry could review to help affordable housing development.

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The government has made revisions to the negative list with only nightclubs to remain closed during this transition to endemicity, as nightclubs are thought to be at high risk for the transmission of Covid-19. But nightclubs have remained closed since the beginning of lockdowns in March 2020. How should nightclubs navigate through this? Jeremy Lim, Vice-President of Persatuan Pemilik Restoran dan Bistro tells us more. Image credit: Shutterstock.com

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The government scored a hat-trick, but not the kind that is celebrated - instead it was a hat-trick of disappointments, as the new Election Commission Chair was announced without any parliamentary oversight as pledged in previous manifestos. We get reactions from Bersih on how the Madani government can make right on their pledges for electoral reform.

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Daniel Ives, Managing Director for Equities Research at Wedbush Securities, maintains a bullish position on Big Techs like Apple and Microsoft despite heightened antitrust concerns.

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Budget 2021 is the largest to date at RM322.5 billion with goodies for the rakyat and businesses. Sim Kwang Gek, Tax Leader of Deloitte Malaysia, breaks down the details of it, explaining the tax breaks available and also the initiatives that will spur investments.

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The upcoming ‘Himpunan Rakyat Benci Rasuah’ rally has sparked a legal debate, with authorities declaring it unlawful due to an incomplete notice. However, legal advisers insist the rally adheres to the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) 2012. N. Surendran, adviser at Lawyers for Liberty, clarifies assembly-goers' rights in such situations.

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Malaysians have one of the highest rates of diabetes in Asia with our love of sugar. We speak to Dr Rafidah Abdullah, Consultant Nephrologist, Hospital Putrajaya on the consequences of unchecked sugar intake to our own wellbeing and the nation's healthcare system which is already stretched.

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00:05 - Following yesterday's report by Malaysiakini (which has since been taken down) on the cabinet's use of development budgets, we speak to Laurence Todd, Head of Research and Development at the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs, for his thoughts on budget allocations and what they're used for.

06:35 - The Wall Street Journal has published an exclusive report that Goldman Sachs is in talks with the US government about a $2bn settlement, to resolve a criminal investigations into its role in the 1MDB case.

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Bank Negara Malaysia expects to see a moderation in global growth to 3%, rather than a contraction. Are fears of a global recession overplayed?

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The UK is currently seeing its worst riots since 2011, sparked by online disinformation about a deadly knife attack in Southport last week. What is the Labour government doing to quell the unrest and what does this indicate about the socio-economic discontent within British society? Dr Benjamin Barton of the University of Nottingham Malaysia weighs in.

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Last week, Fitch Ratings downgraded Malaysia's sovereign rating from A- to BBB+ with a stable outlook, a move which shocked many who expected the rating agency to take a more lenient stance in light of the global pandemic. The result? It may be more costly now for Malaysia to borrow funds. Having spoken to both Fitch Ratings and the Finance Ministry, we now reach out for a third view, speaking with Dr Ong Kian Ming, Bangi MP and former Deputy Minister of International Trade, for his take on the matter.

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A few days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that the government is keen to bring back the goods and services tax or GST. The GST was introduced in 2015 at a rate of 6% but was replaced by the sales and services tax or SST by the Pakatan Harapan government. So is this the right time to reintroduce GST, and how can it be implemented? Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of Center for Market Education tells us more.

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The booster program has started in earnest to as vaccine efficacy wanes over time. We ask Dr. Helmy Haja Mydin, Consultant Respiratory Physician about the program, whether mixing and matching vaccines is the right approach and what are the risks, if any.

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Langkawi has been receiving negative publicity of late ranging from tourists being stopped for allegedly dressing inappropriately, reports on a ban on alcohol and overpriced food. The island is also not easy to get to, especially for foreign tourists, with few international inbound flights and limited passenger ferry services. Shaharuddin Saaid, Executive Director of the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners, gives us the lowdown on what the real issues are plaguing the island of legends.

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Dr Lau Cher Han, Chief Data Scientist at LEAD, briefs us on the features and efficacy of Malaysia's contact tracing app and the opportunities that could be tapped further.

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The government is developing new regulations to support the integration of autonomous vehicles (AVs) into public transport. What can Malaysia learn from the experience of other countries in integrating this technology in transport systems? We get insights from economist Dr. Walter Theseira about the potential of AVs to transform the transport landscape.

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With the poultry industry being a victim of government’s several policy u-turns and conflicting messages, we ask Ong Kian Ming how should the government assist local chicken farmers in the short and long term

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Malaysia eases visa rules for China and India, key sources of tourist arrivals as we push for more revenue in this sector. This is on the back of similar proposals by ASEAN neighbours such as Thailand. Is Malaysia competitive enough to pull tourists from our neighbours while the country grapples with inflationary pressures and a higher degree of expectations from global travellers? We analyse this with Nigel Wong, President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents.

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The World Meteorological Organisation is now predicting that the world is more likely to break the key temperature limit of 1.5⁰C between now and 2027, and judging by the heatwave we are experiencing now, it's not hard to imagine that it is likely. Ahmad Afandi, Senior Analyst at the Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS Malaysia), explains what can be done to counter this and whether or not it's too late.

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Tragically, a total of 24 victims have been confirmed dead at last count due from the Batang Kali landslide. Meanwhile, sixty-one people have been rescued while nine are still missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite and investigations have begun. Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change gives us an update on the situation and what steps the government will take to prevent a repeat of this.

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Bernard Aw, Economist for Asia Pacific, Coface, spells out the trade and economic ramifications from the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com

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Although the Finance Minister Tengku Dato’ Sri Zafrul Aziz has said that no new taxes will be introduced until the economy recovers, it’s worth discussing the different options to fill government coffers that have been depleted by the pandemic. To this end, the Ministry of Finance has set up a committee to study various ways to enhance government revenues, including the proposal to reinstate the Goods and Services Tax (GST). We speak to Ng Sue Lynn, Head of Indirect Tax at KPMG Malaysia, on factors the government should consider if GST were to make a comeback.

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Development economist Dr Haniza Khalid unpacks the reasons for food price increases, whether this trend will continue, and what needs to be done to protect food security in Malaysia.

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Incoming President Donald Trump has been vocal with his intentions to impose 60% tarrifs on Chinese imports and duties of 20% on all other imports. What impact will this have on Malaysia's Semiconductor industry? We discuss this with Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association, and Dr. Tay Kheng Chiong, Group Managing Director of D&O Green Technologies Berhad whilst asking if we have the right policies in place to take the sector to the next level.

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According to the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2020 released last week, Malaysia ranked 19th out of 39 countries in terms of how well its retirement system functions. Dr Amjad Rabi, Visiting Fellow at the University of Malaya Social Wellbeing Research Centre, tells us how we can improve our rankings and what are the potential issues that Malaysia will face as the percentage of the ageing population increases.

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The Minister for Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Seri Rina Harun recently said the government did not intend to legislate against child marriage, opting for other measures to curb the practice. We speak to women's rights activist and lawyer Meera Samanther on why legislative reform is necessary alongside poverty reduction efforts to protect children, especially girls. Image credit: Shutterstock.com

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After the Federal Court dismissed Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s final appeal over his sentence and conviction in the SRC International case, mentions of royal pardon have been garnering attention. Edmund Bon, Lawyer from Amer Bon Advocates tells us how the process work and if reform that is required.

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There has been increasing talks of upgrading or setting up new cross-border rail links as its seen as environmentally friendly. Malaysia is not the exception as there are proposals to establish rail links between Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Kunming. Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Professor of Transport Engineering at Universiti Sains Malaysia tells us if we should proceed whilst discussing the woes that KTM faces.

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Catherine Birch, Senior Economist, at ANZ Research discusses why Australia’s economy continues to hold up despite the withdrawal of some support, the rise of Covid-19 variants, closure of international borders, and trade tensions with China.

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With the Malaysian political imbroglio continuing, Professor Mahendhiran at Department of Econometrics & Business Statistics from Monash Malaysia tells us us the consequences of this impasse including the increase of specific country risk and whether this would reduce our attractiveness as an investment hub.

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A majority of property developers said they were affected by the current economic scenario in the first half of 2019 with fewer launches held, while the number of unsold units remained high.

The main reason cited for unsold lots were buyers’ end-financing issues, followed by unreleased Bumiputera units and low demand/interest.

As a way to help boost property sales, REHDA has proposed that the government allows home buyers to use more money from their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) for the down payment of the property.

08:23 - LTAT is the latest in a long list of GLCs found to be mired in financial irregularities from the past administration. We discuss where LTAT fell short and how much it would cost the government to revive it.

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One of the key revelations from the recent release of 9 audio recordings by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, was that senior officials in the Attorney-General's Chambers appeared to be complicit in covering up corruption allegations against ex-Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. This has since raised questions about the power of the PM to appoint people to these key independent posts. For more, we speak to Professor Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmood, Professor of Law at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, about the consolidation of these powers in one person, accountability, and the legality of MACC's decision to release the recordings.

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Alex Chia, Head of Regional Equity Research at RHB Group tells us the potential of  Halal and ESG investing and puts to rest the argument that such investments don't necessarily under-perform while giving us his top picks.

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The first round of France's snap parliamentary election has concluded with Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally leading with 34% of the vote, the left-wing New Popular Front coalition with 29%, and President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble third with 20.5%. Professor Peter McPhee, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Melbourne, analyzes what might happen when the second round takes place on July 7th.

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In March, the World Bank said that Malaysia would become a high-income economy between 2024 and 2028. Geoffrey Williams, Professor at Malaysia University of Science and Technology discusses how the pandemic sets us back, and other more pressing issues to address.

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The Trump Administration has announced its 2021 budget proposal as the US federal elections ramp up. Meanwhile billionaire Michael Bloomberg will soon throw his hat into the presidential fray.

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PKR had been plagued by infighting, particularly between Party President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Deputy President Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, as it approached its National Congress this weekend. Then, late on Wednesday, the two parties made up and seemed to arrive at a truce. But how will the party proceed from here on out? We speak to Dr. Hamidin about this and more.

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Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced last week that development allocations for MPs would be reduced by 65% to RM1.3 million as part of efforts to control government finances. What are the implications of this move for MPs and their constituents? Two-term former MP Ong Kian Ming explains the potential consequences.

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The Anwar Ibrahim administration has its work cut out as rising competition for a limited share of the FDI pie from Indonesia and Vietnam. So far, Malaysia has attracted RM54 billion in net inflows for the first nine months of this year. But what will the strategy for this new government look like as it banks on the existing strong infrastructure and a slew of incentives to attract multinational companies to the country. Daniel Bernbeck, CEO of the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce & Industry talks about what MNCs want versus what might be offered.

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President-elect Joe Biden has already made overtures with regard to the Iran nuclear deal to restart negotiations, but has this ship sailed? Will the Iranian government be more amenable to deal after facing economic hardship since the imposition of the sanctions, made worse by Covid-19? Professor James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, gives us his views.

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A-share Chinese stocks listed in New York and Hong Kong are at all-time lows amid concerns over the economy, the continuation of the zero-Covid policy and common prosperity theme. This coincides with China’s ruling Communist Party Congress where Xi Jinping is expected to continue a third term. Should investors start nibbling China equities or is there no near term visible catalysts? For answers, we speak to John Lau, Portfolio Manager, Affin Hwang Asset Management.

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Facebook is changing its corporate name to Meta, as it broadens its reach beyond social media to include virtual reality. Can the rebranding help its flagging reputation, amid whistleblower allegations that it prioritizes profits over safety? We discuss name change and growth prospects with Mandeep Singh of Bloomberg Intelligence.

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China’s recent cut to the seven-day reverse repo rate aims to boost its struggling economy. With the country facing its slowest growth in over a year, there’s a pressing need for immediate economic support. Gary Ng, APAC Economist, Natixis shares his analysis on how China can balance long-term goals with urgent economic needs and the fiscal policies required to complement the rate cut and ensure sustainable growth.

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The Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs has made the case that the government should ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, better known as the CPTPP. The think tank argues that Malaysia's GDP could be boosted by as much as 1% if the government ratifies the deal- So we reached out to Tricia Yeoh, CEO of IDEAS, to ask her about this, and more.

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According to police statistics, more than 71,000 scams amounting to over RM5.2 billion in losses were reported between 2020 and May 2022. In response, Bank Negara is introducing a slew of initiatives to curb financial scams, including instructing banks to migrate away from SMS OTP authentication. How effective are these measures? We get reactions from Munira Mustaffa of Chasseur Group.

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The Health Ministry wants to expand private wings at public hospitals as part of a hybrid model termed “Rakan KKM” to address the financial sustainability of public healthcare. Critics argue that this could undermine universal healthcare which the government assures won't happen. Anwar Anis, Honorary Secretary at the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia shares his insights.

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India is currently in the second of seven phases for its parliamentary elections, with the outcome slated for early June. Sanjay Mathur, Chief Economist for Southeast Asia and India, ANZ Bank tells us what set of challenges await for the incoming government, and the economic outlook for the world’s most populous country.

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The US Democratic Debates are heating up, with all of the top contenders set to take the stage together at the party's third primary debate. Who will finally be given the party ticket?

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All projections for the UK elections indicate that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party are on the cusp of defeat - but the question is, will it be a wipeout? Ahead of the polls, we catch-up with Philip See who’s in London to gauge the mood of UK voters.

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Deep reflection occurs at PKR’s Annual Congress as the party changes tack after being on the opposition benches for 25 years. The economy remains the focus while leadership manages dissent and dissatisfaction among the grassroot. Will PKR find its true north without damaging its alliances in the Unity Government? We speak with Syaza Farhana Mohamad Shukri, Associate Professor at the International Islamic University of Malaysia and Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

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Last week, US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all steel products imported into the country, which the Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (MISIF) said would lead to steel and aluminium imports being dumped on our shores. Roshan M. Abdullah, President of MISIF joins us to paint a picture of how this could impact local steel players.

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We talk to Hoe Lee Leng, Regional Plantation Sector Head from RHB Research about rising CPO prices, demands from India and China, and risks in the industry. We also ask her about her top picks for the palm oil sector.

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The global tech outage on Friday plunged the world into a pre-technology world that felt unfamiliar and primitive, with flights grounded, health services disrupted, payment systems crashing and access to Microsoft services effectively blocked. It was eventually traced back to a cybersecurity firm called CrowdStrike, which provides software to a wide range of industries. CF Fong, executive chairman of LGMS Bhd, with the benefit of hindsight, talks about what happened, its impact and how we can prepare if this happens again.

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Professsor Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah, Professor of Transport Engineering, USM shares his thoughts on the federal government's announcement to allocate 1.8 billion ringgit for maintenance of federal roads throughout Malaysia for 2022,

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Public trust and confidence in charities has been shaken due to alleged governance issues at a large NGO. Many will start questioning how much of their donated funds do end up at the target beneficiary. We speak to Raymon Ram, Certified Fraud Examiner & Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, Graymatter Forensic Advisory to understand that compliance checking is everyone's responsibility.

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In the US, politicians across the aisle are at odds over a new stimulus package. Republicans have introduced a $1 trillion package, which is smaller than the $3 trillion plan Democrats put forth earlier. A key contention is the amount of unemployment benefits. We speak to Ed Clissold of Ned Davis Research for a view on how this might play out, as well as its impact on the US economy.

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The Public Accounts Committee’s latest report on pandemic procurement by the Ministry of Health revealed a RM505 million ringgit loss from the expiry of 8.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses and the shoddy procurement of 136 ventilators by Pharmaniaga Logistics. We speak to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy to understand why this happened and how to balance the need to be expedient in a health crisis yet not waste public funds.

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2020 was initially thought to be a transformative year for Malaysia's regional security outlook, but the twin crises of politics and a pandemic have dampened that outlook somewhat. We speak to Thomas Daniel, Senior Analyst at ISIS Malaysia, about Malaysia's defence positioning in the region, key issues, and its 'strategic wiggle room' when it comes to the South China Sea.

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This week marks 100 days since Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri became the ninth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He came into office at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, with more than 20,000 cases of infection reported every day. Daily cases are now down to around 5000 and the political situation also seems less tense compared to Tan Sri Muhyiddin's term. What does this say about Ismail Sabri's leadership? We assess his achievements with political commentator Dr Hamidin Abd Hamid. Image credit: EPA-EFE

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UK Prime Minister Liz Truss looks set to abandon her deeply unpopular mini budget and its tax cuts after weeks of volatile financial market. We speak to Douglas McWilliams, Chief Executive and Founder of CEBR, for his views on this, and whether the Governor of the Bank of England will keep to his promise to end the bond purchasing program.

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Amidst alls for GLCs to lead an economic recovery post Covid-19, lingering concerns over a lack of governance and political patronage remain.

Prof. Edmund Terence Gomez, Professor of Economics, University Malaya explains.

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China's National Day celebration kicked off with a parade featuring the latest additions to its military arsenal—several intercontinental ballistic missiles. For more on this, and how developments in Hong Kong will affect Beijing and vice versa, we speak to Andrew Mertha, Director of the China Studies Programme at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, for his insight.

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Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad says, of the 550 people tested for Covid-19 in the country, only 18 were found to have the virus. South Korea however has now advised its citizens not to travel to Malaysia and several other countries, due to the coronavirus outbreak.

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Gary Ng, Asia-Pacific Economist, Natixis explains China’s dual circulation strategy of spurring Chinese self-reliance, and its impact on global supply chains and on countries like Malaysia that exports heavily to China.

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Thomas Daniel, Fellow for Foreign Policy and Security Studies at the Institute Of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, discusses concerns about Malaysia’s plans to deport some 1,200 Myanmar citizens, and in the long-term, practical strategies to take in and resettle refugees.

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Although Republicans eked out convincing wins in many states and gained control of the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections, it was by no means the bulldozing of the Democrats that some foretold. Meanwhile the race for control of the Senate remains on a cliff-hanger, with seats in Georgia and Arizona currently too close to call. How will these elections impact President Biden’s policymaking for the remainder of his term? We discuss the implications with Dr. Adrian Ang of RSIS.

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Despite the SME sector receiving a financing boost of RM40 billion ringgit and a RM3.2 billion ringgit micro-loans support for small traders, the introduction of more sales / sugar taxes, a higher minimum wage and a 2% dividend tax raises concerns about increased financial pressure on consumers and businesses. Chin Chee Seong, National President of SME Association of Malaysia shares his perspectives on why Budget 2025 was off the mark for MSMEs.

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Eddin Khoo from PUSAKA emphasizes the facilitative role the government needs to take in engaging diverse stakeholders through consultative dialogue to ensure the blueprint's success.

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Laurence Todd, Director of Research and Development at IDEAS, comments on the implications of the impending MCO and how else the government can better support businesses.

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Budget 2023 was the highest spending allocation ever at RM 386.1 billion (or 20.4% of GDP) compared to the initial budget tabled last year which was RM 372.2 billion. The revised budget will see the government spending RM289.1 billion on operating expenditure and RM99 billion development expenditure. However, given there was an absence of GST and target rationalisation of subsidies, did this maiden Budget by the Unity Government hit the mark when it came to its objective whilst keeping to its fiscal consolidation promises? For answers, we speak to Julia Goh, Senior Economist, UOB Malaysia.

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Malaysia and Brazil are partnering in the semiconductor industry for integrated circuit (IC) design activities next year.

With joint ventures (JVs) between Brazilian and Malaysian companies spearheading that, we speak to Dato' Seri Wong Siew Hai, President, Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association as to how this might help us achieve our goals as stated in the National Semiconductor Strategy.

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Despite Indonesia’s outgoing president Joko Widodo convening is first Cabinet meeting in the country's planned new capital on Monday, Nusantara is still some way away from being completed. Made Supriatma, Visiting Fellow, Indonesia Studies Programme at the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute shares his insights into the challenges this ambitious project to carve a new city from the jungles of Borneo and the future fate of the current capital, Jakarta, which is one of the fastest-sinking cities in the world.

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Under the MCO, schools will remain closed until further notice. Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson, Parents Action Group For Education, discusses the possible effects on schoolchildren.

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The full reopening of the economy has seen the return of road congestion and mounting frustration over the lack of commuting options in the Klang Valley. What policies would best address the gaps in urban public transport? Aziff Azuddin, independent urban mobility researcher give us his prescription for Budget 2023.

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The sun continues to shine on Japan, as it recorded an impressive 2nd quarter GDP growth of 6%, driven by surging exports. However, not all is well as the yen continues to fall and the domestic economy remains weak. We speak to Vishnu Varathan, Head of Economics & Strategy at Mizuho Bank for an economic outlook, and whether its central bank will intervene on the Yen.

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The government recently announced that there are no plans to enforce a mandatory build then sell concept for housing developers, but as the nation continues to battle with abandoned housing projects, what is the best method moving forward? We ask Datuk NK Tong, President, Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association on his perspective as well as the outlook for the real estate market.

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Working from home appears to be the new normal but there are obvious and some not-so-obvious ramifications for doing so.

Siti Aiysyah Tumin, Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute, discusses.

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Following a report that a man had fired a gun at the KLIA terminal building, injuring one person, and another involving an Israeli national who was in possession of 6 guns, we take a look at what gun control is like in Malaysia. Criminal lawyer, Goh Cia Yee, explains Malaysia’s legislation surrounding firearms and ammunition.

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Yesterday marked the Opening Ceremony of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Meetings in Vientiane, Laos. Regional leaders, including our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, have arrived to participate in the discussions. This year’s summit tagline is “Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience.” Bunn Nagara, Director and Senior Fellow at the BRI Caucus for Asia-Pacific, will join us to share his perspective on the summit. He is also the Honorary Fellow at Perak Academy.

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With only 18 MPs having a perfect attendance record in parliament, we ask political scientist Dr. Wong Chin Huat about the consequences of missing parliament and why it's important for an MP to attend parliament sessions frequently. Image credit: Shutterstock.com

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The Health White Paper was passed in parliament on 15 June, detailing the current state of our healthcare system, the gaps, issues and constraints plaguing the sector. The paper outlined reform strategies and proposals for the next 15 years but lacks details and data. Unpacking the details or lack thereof, we speak with Dr Farhan Rusli, Public Health Medicine Specialist at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and who should be leading this critical reform.

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The Deputy Prime Minister has signalled that the government is looking to pen an agreement with the UNHCR regarding its roles and responsibilities for refugees and asylum seekers. We discuss the policy implications of this with Lilianne Fan of Geutanyoe Malaysia.

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According to Fitch Solutions, the global rice market is heading towards a record shortfall this year. What factors underpin these projections and what does this mean for the global 3.5 billion rice consumers? We discuss the trends with Priyanka Kishore of IMA Asia.

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Although the inflation rate is slowly moderating, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli believes that consumers can do more to arrest price increases. He recently singled out restaurant dining as one of the main contributors to inflation and urged customers to make educated purchases. Economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams weighs in on how smart consumerism can temper inflation as well as other policies the government can consider.

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We talk to Petaling Jaya MP, Maria Chin Abdullah on the recent Selangor State Government's decision to de-gazette half of the Kuala Langat North forest as a permanent reserve which has been met with heavy criticism for the lack of transparency.

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00:05 - According to a recent report from Fitch Ratings, the banking sector in Asia Pacific will continue to be challenged by global macroeconomic factors next year. Tania speaks to us about her expectations and what she views as the key challenges to profitability in the industry.

09:22 - Plus, The Morning Run team also speaks about the upcoming Saudi Aramco IPO and OPEC Plus meeting.

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China is seeing its inflation indicators trend upwards - its factory-gate prices grew at the fastest pace in 26 years last month, while consumer inflation is rising faster than expected. In addition, the economy is feeling the effects of a property debt bubble, energy crisis and weak domestic consumption. What does this mean for China's economic growth in the coming year? Gary Ng, economist with Natixis weighs in.

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Is Hong Kong's housing market showing signs of recovery, especially in the luxury sector, after a prolonged downturn?

Especially after Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd., the city's largest developer, asold over 200 apartments in one day, and used home sales surged by 60% in early October. Questions we pose to Patrick Wong, Head of Bloomberg Intelligence Hong Kong & Senior Analyst - Asia Pacific Real Estate, Bloomberg Intelligence whilst asking which listed companies stand to benefit.

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Fortunes in Syria have changed overnight, after opposition groups seized Damascus and toppled the 24-year regime led by President Bashar Al-Assad on Sunday. Who will fill the leadership vacuum in Syria and what does this mean for geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East? We get analysis from Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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We look at the health of the US retail sector on the back of the biggest shopping event in the calendar. Over the weekend, inflation-weary American consumers were coaxed by various discounts happening over Black Friday through to Cyber Monday. Poonam Goyal, Head and Senior E-Commerce & Athleisure Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence shares with us what US consumers were buying and which players have been benefiting from this.

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Chinese equity markets started the year on a lackluster note albeit there was a remarkable turnaround in September when the government issued a bevy of fiscal support. However by the last quarter of the year, Chinese equities have returned half of September's 35% gain and remained in a tight trading range. What then can we expect in 2025? Yip Kah Ming, Assistant Portfolio Manager, AHAM Capital tells us.

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Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, better known as AKPK, has noted that debt repayment has been moving towards pre-pandemic levels this month. We speak to Nirmala Subramaniam, Manager at the Financial Education Department, to find out what are the existing pain points that Malaysians are facing especially with the re-imposition of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO).

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IDEAS has proposed a tax reform that focuses on pairing imposition of indirect taxes like GST and capital gains tax with a reduction in direct taxes like income and corporate tax. While this may temper consumption, it has the effect of increasing savings, leading to higher levels of investment which is what the country currently needs.

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered the country’s expansionary Budget for 2025 amounting to about SGD$ 143 billion dollars, constituting almost 19% of GDP with a nod towards alleviating cost of living pressures whilst making the city state a centre for new ventures. But are these measures enough to help Singapore navigate the choppy waters that is 2025? Selena Ling, Chief Economist, OCBC Bank tells us her perspective.

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We’re less than 10 days away until the state elections on Aug 12th, where close to 10 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots. We ask Danesh Prakash Chacko of Tindak Malaysia what are the expectations for voter turnout, how to boost up the numbers, understanding local council elections, and why is it important to elect members of the state assembly and the state government?

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Although Malaysia's economy shows promise post pandemic, it is also time to engage in economic reform with focus on improving fiscal sustainability and improving the level of social protection for the most vulnerable. Dr Apurva Sanghi, Lead Economist for Malaysia at the World Bank tells us how on the back of their recently released Malaysia Economic Monitor report.

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Singapore goes into a 1-month "Circuit Breaker" period starting today after a recent rise in local Covid 19 infections. In response to this which affects as much as one third of all employment, the government has announced the 3rd stimulus package. Lee Ju Ye, Economist at Maybank Kim Eng in Singapore breaks down the details of this package and why was it necessary.

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Thomas Daniel, Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Programme, ISIS Malaysia shares whether the recent short trip by the US Secretary of State will elevate US-Malaysia's relations moving forward. Image credit: Shutterstock.com

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Libertarian economist Javier Milei emerged the overwhelming victor in Sunday’s Argentine presidential elections, defeating his Peronist rival and Economy Minister Sergio Massa by 11% of the vote. Milei campaigned for economic shock therapy to reform Argentina’s beleaguered economy - what does this bode for the country’s policy direction? We discuss the election outcome with political scientist Dr. Tracy Fenwick of the Australian National University.

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With 4 MPs from Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) leaving Sabah Bersatu, lawyer Kee Hui Yee gives her perspective as the landmark anti-hopping law that came into force on 5th October is put to the test.

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