Beginning 1st September, Malaysia Airlines is flying-solo having discontinued its partnership with long-term caterer Brahim’s Food Services. However the transition to new arrangements has been turbulent, resulting in public backlash over its in-flight food service. How might this impact MAG’s earnings outlook and reputation? We speak to aviation analyst Shukor Yusof for his analysis.Image Credit: Sean Liew / Shutterstock.com

China issued an updated version of its standard map last week, which extended its territorial claims over the South China Sea, much to the displeasure of other claimant states. What are the implications of this for geopolitical tensions in the region? We speak to Veerle Nouwens from the Institute of International and Strategic Studies for a better understanding of the dynamics at play.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Over the weekend Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim admitted to weaknesses in the Government’s communication machinery. We speak with Dr Benjamin Loh, Senior Lecturer, School of Media and Communication, Taylor's University for his views on whether these criticisms have merits and how the Government should respond.Image Credit: Shutterstock

The New Industrial Master Plan 2030 emphasises the role of SMEs as a key contributor to economic growth, targeting to double SME exports to 25% in seven years. We speak to Datuk William Ng of SAMENTA for his views on the plan and support needed by SMEs to achieve the goals of the NIMP.Image Credit: Shutterstock

As BFM turns 15 years old, we take a look at the local and international headlines that we reviewed and analysed as a radio station from the bad which of course includes 1MDB, the tragic and even the joyful moments in sports and arts.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Last Friday, former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam emerged as the winner of the Singapore Presidential elections with 70% of the vote. What are the implications of this outcome for Singaporean politics? James Gomez of the Asia Centre weighs in. Image Credit: Shutterstock

All this week to mark our 66th Merdeka, we’re imagining what a better Malaysia could look like from different aspects of our lives. Today we’re focusing on social protection, which is becoming increasingly urgent for the severely poor, vulnerable, and marginalised. We speak with Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr Norma Mansor, Director, Social Wellbeing Research Centre of Universiti Malaya on what is needed for a more compassionate and equitable Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock

The national oil company Petronas released its second-quarter results on Wednesday, posting weaker earnings due to lower oil and gas prices. Petronas’s CEO said that oil and gas prices will remain volatile amid an uncertain global economy, but the company will press ahead with its plan to become a net-zero carbon country by 2050. We speak to Kong Ho Meng, Senior Analyst at UOB Kay Hian Research to dissect the numbers and get an outlook for the energy sector.Image Credit: Shutterstock

All this week to mark Merdeka Day, we’re imagining what a better Malaysia could look like from different aspects of our lives. Today we’re focusing on the environment and climate change action, which are existential issues for policymakers. Meena Raman of Sahabat Alam Malaysia weighs in on the policies needed to ensure future generations can inherit a green and clean Malaysia.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Given that banking results are seen as the barometer of an economy, what do the earnings of the sector bode for Malaysia’s economic outlook? Willie Tanoto, Director at Fitch Ratings' Financial Institutions team discusses the increasing downside risks to the credit quality of loan portfolios, and M&A potential in this space.  Image Credit: Shutterstock

Businesses are excited over the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to reshape the business landscape, but many companies are still unsure how to leverage on the technology. How should companies strategise and adapt to the AI revolution?BFM moderated a panel discussion on themes and issues related to AI with Denyu Bostandzhiev, Managing Director of Audi Malaysia; Dr. Nikolai Dobberstein Malaysia Country Head, Global Lead, Communications, Media & Technology at Kearney; and Dr Sia Chin Chin, the programme director, Master of Laws Programme and senior lecturer with the Faculty of Business and Law of Taylor’s University. The BFM CEO Forum AI: An Opportunity for Disruption is presented by Audi Malaysia.

As we continue our Merdeka series on what Malaysia could be in the decades to come, we are taking a look at education as it is the bedrock upon which a country's future is built. CEO of Teach For Malaysia, Chan Soon Seng shares with us the perennial structural problems in the education sector, is decentralisation, the solution moving forward and his vision for the future.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Japan’s decision to release treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean has caused neighbouring countries to be on alert about the safety of consuming Japanese seafood. Malaysia has not banned seafood imports from Japan yet, but we speak to Jeremy Lim, Vice-President & Media Liaisons, Persatuan Pemilik Restoran & Bistro to get his reactions to this development from the local F&B industry.Image Credit: Shutterstock

As part of our Merdeka series, we take a look at how Malaysia's economy might take shape in the next decade or more. Is the Madani Economy framework the right foundation for the next chapter of growth since it has lofty aims of creating a high-value economy? Are we paying too much attention to big projects and not enough on the SMEs? Economist Dr. Nungsari Radhi gives his views on Madani, target setting, and whether will it resolve our structural issues.Image Credit: Shutterstock

The informal alliance known as BRICS comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will gain six new members beginning January 2024. What does the enlarged membership mean for the grouping, which has somewhat nebulous aims to begin with? We get the key takeaways from last week’s BRICS Summit with political scientist Dr. Pradeep Taneja.Image Credit: EPA-EFE

The Generational End Game or GEG is proposed to be implemented in 2024 and is expected to cost up to 305 million ringgit. This law will ban smoking for anyone born after 2007. What are the key requirements in making this implementation effective? Benedict Weerasena, Research Director, Bait Al Amanah shares with us some insights.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Nvidia reported knockout earnings and positive guidance in the recent quarter as it rides high on the generative artificial intelligence boom. Meanwhile, SoftBank-owned Arm this week unveiled plans for the biggest US IPO in almost two years. We delve into the prospects of both tech firms and the broader trends for the industry with Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities.Image Credit: Shutterstock

The political tumult of the past 4 years has shifted the electoral calendar in such a way that it may be a while before we can return to concurrent elections given the staggered terms of Parliament and state assemblies. What are the implications of separate federal and state elections for the medium to long term? We discuss the changes to Malaysia's electoral cycle with elections analyst Dr. G. Manimaran.Image Credit:  Djohan Shahrin / Shutterstock.com

Elon Musk has made a series of changes to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, since his $USD44 billion takeover, but have these moves furthered the cause of free speech as he claims? We discuss how changes to the platform's features could impact the reputation and attractiveness of X to users as well as advertisers with digital media expert Prof. Bradley Freeman.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Thailand finally broke its political impasse as parliament voted in Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai party as the new Prime Minister. On the same day, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatara returned after 15 years in exile. We speak with Dr Greg Raymond from the Australia National University to dissect what these twin developments mean for the future of Thailand.Image Credit: Shutterstock

2023 was supposed to be China’s year to rebound after opening its doors post-pandemic; the first quarter numbers showed promise. But the 2nd quarter numbers paint a completely different picture. To help us make sense of all the economic data points coming out from China and whether markets are overreacting, we speak with Derek Scissors, Chief Economist at China Beige Book International whether China’s GDP growth rate of 5% is still achievable.Image Credit: Shutterstock

The state elections may be over, but politics never stops. The Perak Menteri Besar confirmed a plot to topple his government, Bersatu is upset in Kedah, and Selangor begins a new chapter with a very different mix in the assembly. Meanwhile, by-elections in Pulai and Simpang Jeram in Johor will see PH battle it out with PN yet again. We speak to Adib Zalkapli, Director of BowerGroupAsia to get an update on the latest developments in Malaysian politics.Image Credit: Shutterstock

India has recently imposed an export ban on non-basmati white rice, and this week, followed with a 40% export duty on onions effective until 31 December. India is the world’s largest exporter of these two items, so what impact will this have on the food supply chain and prices? We speak with Priyanka Kishore, Economic and Forum Director at (International Market Assessment) IMA Asia to get some insights on the economic impact and inflationary pressure of India’s decision.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Recently, The Malay Chamber of Commerce called for the reinstatement of GST. We ask their Secretary General, Ahmad Yazid Othman why and what lessons can be learned to ensure that GST 2.0 is implemented properly.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Singaporeans on 1 September will elect their 9th President. There are 3 candidates to choose from, with Former senior minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam touted as the front-runner in the race. But with the People Action Party’s clean image taking a hit from recent scandals, will this have any bearing on voters' decisions? We speak with Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore, about the key issues on the minds of Singaporeans when they go to the ballot box.Image Credit: Shutterstock

We take a look at Bersatu’s performance in the state elections. It managed a win rate of 50% taking 40 seats across the 6 states, and performed better than PKR and UMNO. But when compared to PAS’ 83% win rate, perhaps there is still more work to be done for Bersatu. We speak with Dr Afif Bahardin of Bersatu, who narrowly won the Taman Medan in Selangor seat by a mere 30 votes.

The US recorded its deadliest wildfire incident in over a century when the Hawaiian island of Maui was razed last week, killing at least 100 victims. What caused the Maui wildfires to be so deadly, and how must we adapt to an environment more prone to wildfires due to climate change? Bushfire scientist David Bowman discusses the policy actions needed to mitigate wildfire risks amid climate change.Image by: Shutterstock

PKR won 26 out of the 58 contested seats in the state elections with losses in Selangor, Kedah, Kelantan and even Penang while winning no seats in Terengganu. Wong Chen, MP of Subang and KEADILAN Central Leadership Council Member explains this outcome to us whilst telling us what will be the Unity Government's focus to win the hearts and minds of voters.Image Credit: Facebook/Wong Chen

Why did the High Court quash the four charges of abuse of power against former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin? Criminal lawyer Tiara Katrina Fuad unpacks the procedural rules at play and what might happen next in the trial.Image Credit: EPA-EFE

VinFast, a Vietnamese Electric Vehicle company has barely exported 3 thousand units to North America and has just started constructing a plant in North Carolina that won’t be ready until 2025. But on the day of its Nasdaq listing, it was valued at 85 billion US dollars, making it more valuable than US giants Ford and General Motors. We speak with Ken Foong, Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence to find out what is going on with VinGroup and VinFast.Image by: Shutterstock

Gerakan, won 1 out of 36 seats it contested in at the recent state elections. Datuk Dr Dominic Lau, it's President reviews their performance and their role in the Perikatan Nasional despite being a multi-racial party.Image by: Dr. Dominic Lau Hoe Chai | Facebook

Mention sovereign funds and names like Norway’s Government Global Pension, Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, and Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional come to mind. Starting next year, Sarawak’s Sovereign Wealth Future Fund will join the mix. We speak with Elsa Satkunasingam, Senior Business Development Advisor, Executive Education, of the Asia School of Business to understand the best practices that go into setting up a sovereign wealth fund.

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. Image Credit: Shutterstock

On paper, DAP was one of the winners of the state elections, winning 46 of the 47 seat they contested in. But what strategy should they adopt for GE16 and what are the lesson learnt from these state polls as PN made significant inroads into Selangor whilst dominating Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu. Liew Chin Tong, DAP secretary-general and Strategist tells us his views whilst weighing in on the longevity of this Unity Government.

The Minister of Education Fadhlina Sidek recently announced that the government is looking to make secondary education mandatory in a bid to curb school drop-outs. How would this policy be implemented? We speak to Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services for her views on how and when this should be rolled out.

Country Garden, one of the largest property developers in China, saw its shares plunge by more than 16 percent after it missed bond payments and warned of multibillion-dollar losses for the first half of the year. Louise Loo of Oxford Economics tells us what options are left for the builder to avoid collapse, and what this could mean for the broader Chinese economy.Image by: Shutterstock

Last Saturday, all of MUDA’s 19 candidates suffered heavy defeats and lost their deposits. It appears the decision to part ways with the Pakatan Harapan coalition and go solo has backfired. With no signs that it can win any election as a stand-alone party, what can the party do from now till GE16? We’ll be speaking with MUDA’s President Syed Saddiq to share his thoughts and analysis.

Oil has been on a 7-week winning streak which has surprised pundits as demand conditions are still soft with China facing deflation and global growth slowing. We go behind the headlines with Ho Pei Hwa, Regional Energy Analyst at DBS Bank for the reasons for this price appreciation and who will be the listed winners.Image Credit: Shutterstock

We take a close look at the battle for Malaysia’s richest and most developed state, as its outcome will be closely scrutinised by the local and international community. Dr James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania tells us if the tried and tested PH government can safely keep Selangor.Image by: Shutterstock

Negeri Sembilan is a unity government stronghold with all 36 seats held by UMNO and PH parties. But can the PH-BN coalition afford to be complacent as PN seeks to make inroads into the state? We speak with Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research to gauge the prospects of both coalitions.

Penang has been a stronghold for Pakatan Harapan since 2008, with DAP holding the biggest share at 19 out of 40 seats in the state assembly. However, following the shake-up in DAP candidates and a recent high-profile exit from the party, can PH retain control of the state or could PN make inroads?  We speak to Dr Azmil Tayeb of Universiti Sains Malaysia for his projections in Penang.Image by: Shutterstock

What’s the role of a lead prosecutor in a criminal case? We discuss this and other procedural matters with criminal lawyer Sreekant Pillai in light of the change in the prosecution team in the Yayasan Akalbudi trial involving Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Image Credit: Shahjehan / Shutterstock.com

The trio Singapore banks of DBS, OCBC and UOB have all concluded their second quarter earnings recently with record profit thanks to rate hikes. We speak to Sarah Jane Mahmud of Bloomberg Intelligence for her take on which bank is outpacing peers and whether growth prospects are sustainable amid weak global economic conditions.Image Credit: Shutterstock

With almost 3 million youth votes at stake in the state elections, political parties have been working hard to convince this cohort that their needs and demands will be addressed. Dr. Syaza Shukri, Associate Professor and Political Science Researcher from the International Islamic University Malaysia discusses how the youth experience could influence voting trends on August 12th.Image by: Shutterstock

Perikatan Nasional completed their launch of state election manifestos last Friday, the final coalition to do so midway through the campaign period. Can PN win voters with its manifesto promises and how confident are they of making inroads in states beyond the Green Belt of Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah? We discuss this with PN Deputy Youth Chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal.Image Credit: Shutterstock

As part of BFM's debate series for the Selangor state elections, we feature all the candidates of N34, Bukit Gasing. In the hot seats were VKK Raja (Muda), Nallan Dhanabalan (PN) and Rajiv Rishyakaran (PH) as we uncover where they stand on the critical issues like development, environment and local council elections.

Early voting starts today in the state elections for approximately 97 thousand Malaysians, mainly those serving in Armed Forces and Police. The remaining 5 days of campaigning will see intensified efforts to entice voters to the ballot box - with ceramahs and tik tok platforms thrown in the mix. We speak with Thomas Fann, Chairperson, Bersih for his observations on the election campaign, why your vote matters, and his expectations for turnout this Saturday.Image by: Shutterstock

Perikatan Nasional has launched its manifesto with the theme of ‘Selangor Baharu Kita Bangkit’. With all coalition party manifestos announced, the battle to win over the 3.7 million Selangor voters intensifies. We speak with Datuk Dr. Marzuki Mohamad, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, International Islamic University Malaysia and former Principal Private Secretary to the 8th Prime Minister to share his views on the fight to win over the voters.Image by: Shutterstock

Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli launched Phase 1 of the National Energy Transition Roadmap, also known as NETR with 10 flagship catalyst initiatives. With 25 billion ringgit in total investments and 23,000 job opportunities in the pipeline, who are the beneficiaries? Anand Pathmakanthan, Regional Head of Research at Maybank Investment Bank will tell us.Image by: Shutterstock

The N39 Kota Damansara constituency will witness a three-corner fight between Izuan Kasim of PH; Radzlan Jalaludin of PN; and Sivarajan Arumugam of PSM. Tune in to the fiery debate between the candidates to find out why they should be elected as representatives, what are their positions on policy issues affecting Kota Damansara.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have started an investigation on Sam Waltman’s OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, and echoes calls that AI needs to be regulated by Elon Musk and Geofrey Hinton. Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Malaysia will also consider an artificial intelligence regulatory framework. We speak with Zachary Scully, Partner of RHTLaw Asia and HMS Law to get his views on the rules we may expect to see in an AI regulation framework.Image by: Shutterstock

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?Image by: Shutterstock

The general election in Myanmar that was supposed to be held this month has been delayed, as the military junta extended the state of emergency in the country for six more months. We speak to Hunter Marston of the Australian National University for an update on what this means for the country and the developments related to NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Image by: Shutterstock

Earlier this year, the government promised to absorb 12,800 contract doctors into permanent positions. The first batch of 4,200 doctors reported for duty at the end of July. However, the placement of these doctors have been fraught with controversy, leaving many hospitals understaffed and relocation claims not reimbursed. We speak with Dr. Timothy Cheng of the Malaysia Medical Association on problems with the relocation exercise and implications for public health services.Image by: Shutterstock

Former President Donald Trump is facing a third tranche of indictments over his efforts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election results. What accounts for Trump’s enduring popularity, despite facing legal scandal after scandal? We discuss factors influencing voter sentiment with independent pollster John Zogby.Image by: EPA-EFE

MUDA is striking it alone in the state elections, aiming to mainstream its "new politics" tagline. We discuss elements of its manifesto and the policy direction of the party with Teacher Thanusha, Muda's candidate for the Sentosa state assembly seat in Selangor. 

China’s factory activity contracted for a fourth consecutive month in July, while non-manufacturing activity slowed to its weakest this year. In response, the government has made a number of pledges to boost its flagging economy. Gary Ng of Natixis discusses whether the measures introduced are sufficient to spur growth.Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Last week, Economy Minister Mohd Rafizi Ramli launched Part 1 of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), with 10 flagship projects generating 25 billion ringgit in total investments, creating 23 thousand job opportunities, and a reduction of over 10 thousand Gigagrams (Gg) of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent. We’ll speak with Azril Zainal, Energy Leader in Malaysia, Arup to help us digest the announcement, notably on the solar front.

There have been a flurry of high level visits between the US and China over the past months, raising hopes that better ties will prevail between the arch-rivals. However geopolitical analyst Bunn Nagara is less sanguine about the positive momentum, and we discuss what's the root cause of the longstanding tensions.Image Credit: EPA-EFE

Perikatan Nasional has unveiled their candidates list for the state elections, with names like Azmin Ali and Rina Harun contesting in Selangor. But could the green wave make its way here and in Penang? And With the recent freezing of Bersatu's bank accounts by the authorities, how will this impact the state election machinery? Dr Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid, Deputy Director, Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia shares with us her insights.Image by: Shutterstock

Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the Madani Economy economic framework yesterday, with the goal of catapulting Malaysia’s economy into the world’s top 30 within the decade. We get reactions to the announcement from economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams - an economist at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology.Image by: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim

Hong Kong’s top officials and business leaders are visiting Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia this week, as the territory aims to increase bilateral trade and gain support to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. We speak to Dr Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, to find out how Hong Kong aims to regain its status as Asia’s premier financial hub.Image by: Shutterstock

Tesla is the first EV manufacturer to be exempted from approved permits under Malaysia’s new Global Battery Electric Vehicle initiative. But why should high end EV vehicles be exempted from duties and taxes? And why does the government intend to maintain the AP system? Does the AP system still make sense in the push for higher EV adoption and making Malaysia a regional hub for manufacturing? We discuss all thousand more with Daniel Fernandez of the auto news portal dsf.my.

President of the Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos Jr held a three-day state visit this week. Thomas Daniel of ISIS Malaysia gives us his take on key bilateral issues between the two countries, including the South China Sea and Sabah dispute, as well as new opportunities for trade cooperation.

DAP released their candidate lineup for Selangor, Penang and Negri Sembilan with many new faces. A move copied by other political parties. What is the strategy behind this move and does it help with the outcome or even voter turnout. Dr Wong Chin Huat, Political Scientist, Sunway University weighs in.Image by: Shutterstock

Last Monday, Russia withdrew from a deal that allows the safe export of Ukraine's grain via the Black Sea. We speak to Evghenia Sleptsova, Senior economist, Oxford Economics on how this will impact Ukraine’s economy and will we see a u- turn this time?Image by: Shutterstock

Most legal fees for conveyancing transactions in Peninsular Malaysia have increased from 1% to 1.25% since July 15th, affecting transactions involving non-contentious matters like the sale and purchase of movable and immovable properties, financing and tenancies. The Malaysia Competition Commission is questioning this hike, calling it uncompetitive. Karen Cheah, the president of the Malaysian Bar, gives us the legal fraternity's side of the story and how lawyers are coping with increasing operating costs.Image by: Shutterstock

In the course of a divorce proceeding, couples with children will have to navigate through issues related to custody, visitation rights, and child support. And NGO Sisters in Islam has raised an alarming trend on the ​​prevalence of parental child abduction. We speak to Nizam Bashir, Syariah Lawyer on the complicated process surrounding child custody battles and are the child’s best interest taken into consideration by the courts.Image by: Shutterstock

Australia's central bank took a pause on its interest rate hikes last month after raising it 12 times in the past 14 months hoping to reign in inflation which is at a still-elevated 5.6%. For now property owners have a bit of respite. Mohsen Crofts, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence Australia, talks to us about how the RBA's fight against inflation is affecting the country's real estate and consumer markets, and what expectations are for the months ahead.Image by: Shutterstock

Recently, we saw reports that a rape victim was denied entry to the one-stop crisis centre of a government hospital and was told to lodge a police report first, which did not tally with the advice from Women’s Aid Organisation. So we speak to Zati Hanani, senior advocacy officer at WAO on what is the process in handling victims of rape and sexual assault and how can the process can be streamlined to consider the trauma the victim has suffered?Image by: Shutterstock

News of Russia terminating the Black Sea grain corridor agreement gave an immediate uplift to crude palm oil prices last week. But is this knee jerk reaction sustainable or will the sector fundamentals continue to place downward pressure on CPO price? We ask Alvin Tai, Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence this question and where he sees CPO pricing headed moving forward?Image by: Shutterstock

The Education Ministry launched the Dual Language Programme in selected schools in 2016 for STEM subjects such as Mathematics and Science to be taught in English. However there are reports that at some top national full DLP schools, non-DLP classes have been introduced. We speak to Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim, Chairperson, Parent Action Group for Education as to the reasons for this and what are the consequences.Image by: Shutterstock

Asian central banks have been striking very different tones on their monetary policy versus the Federal Reserve and even their European counterparts. Stephen Chiu, Chief Asia FX and Rates Strategist, Bloomberg Intelligence tells us what this means for currencies and also the bond market.Image by: Shutterstock

A revision in the Solicitor’s Remuneration Order (SRO 2023) will allow lawyers to charge more for conveyancing transactions increasing the conveyancing fee from 1% to 1.25% effective July 15th. This will affect the sale and purchase of movable and immovable properties, financing and tenancies. Iskandar Ismail, CEO of the Malaysia Competition Commission tells us why MyCC think this will unfairly impact consumers.Image by: Shutterstock

Thailand's General Elections were held on May 14th and more than 2 months later, the kingdom still has no prime minister. Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward party which won the most seats, has lost his final bid after lawmakers blocked a second vote on whether he should be PM. Dr Greg Raymond, Senior Lecturer, Australia National University talks about what happens next for Thailand as conservative voices appear to trump the people's will.Image by: Shutterstock

With just under a month before voters in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu head to the polls to elect their representatives for the next 5 years, political parties are positioning themselves for battle. Eyes are on how a Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional partnership might fare, whether or not Perikatan Nasional might make further in-roads post-GE15 and if MUDA's gamble to contest solo will bear fruit. Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at Pacific Research Centre shares with us his views.Image by: Shutterstock

Singapore's 5th ranking in Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2022 is being tested after its Transport Minister S Iswaran was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. This probe also involved hotel tycoon Ong Beng Seng. Additionally, two MPs have resigned resulting in a total of 5 constituencies without a people's representative. James Gomez, Regional Director, Asia Centre dissects these developments for us and how this impacts the performance of the People's Action Party that has been in power for 6 decades.Image by: ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Deputy law and institutional reform minister Ramkarpal Singh has called for amendments to redefine a “mentally incapacitated” individual under the The Mental Health Act 2001. Dr Ravivarma Rao Panirselvam, Psychiatrist at the Hospital Miri Malaysia weighs in on this suggested amendments and if there should be any other changes. Image by: Shutterstock

The US economy has been resilient despite the record hikes in the Fed Fund rate. In the meantime China’s anticipating economic boom post the lifting of covid restrictions have not materialised. What then is the impact on Asia’s economies? Is the street still optimistic? Alex Holmes, Senior Economist At Oxford Economics weighs in on thisImage by: Megan_Rexazin | Pixabay

The EPF has proposed a slew of reforms for its retirement scheme, including mandatory monthly withdrawals and a new Account 3 designed to strengthen income security. Alvin Tan, President of the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia breaks down the rationale for these proposals and whether it will have the intended effect. Image by: Shutterstock

The latest economic data coming out of China has further fueled concerns about the health of the world’s second largest economy. Exports sank by 12.4%, while imports tumbled 6.8%, worse than anticipated by economists. We get analysis from Bernard Aw of Coface on what options Beijing has to prop up the economy.Image Credit: humphery / Shutterstock.com

The government is stepping up its fight against rent-seeking activities, or “Alibaba” culture, which is estimated to cost Malaysia losses amounting to 1% of GDP to corruption. We speak to economist Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, on the kinds of reforms needed to eliminate such activities in the country.Image by: Shutterstock

The two-day NATO Summit in Vilnius concluded yesterday, with mixed outcomes. Sweden will officially join the group after Turkey dropped its objections; but Ukraine’s membership path is far from certain, much to Kyiv’s chagrin. We discuss the key takeaways from the security summit with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.Image Credit: EPA-EFE

As we head into the second half of 2023, how are ASEAN economies faring? We check in with Chua Hak Bin of Maybank Investment Banking Group to find out the GDP prospects of the region and the pre-pandemic realities that ASEAN economies face.Image by: Shutterstock

Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has given a three-month timeline for the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Anti-Drug Agency (NADA) to effectively address the drug abuse problem affecting almost a million Malaysians. We speak with Professor Dr. Vicknasingam Kasinather, Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia to gets his insights on how NADA, the Police and Ministry of Health have been working to tackle the problem.Image by: Shutterstock

In 2019 the Undi18 amendment was passed by parliament, and it was widely expected the young would vote for more progressive and reform minded parties. However, in last year's election, their vote was fairly split between PH and PN for the 18 to 40 age segment, dispelling the homogeneity of the youth. We’ll speak with Shahril Hamdan, former UMNO Information Chief and UMNO Youth Vice Chief, on how the youth might vote in the upcoming 6 state elections.Image by: Shutterstock

Thailand’s inflation rate has dropped dramatically to its lowest level down to 0.2% in June 2023, while the Thai baht has proven resilient against a year of US dollar strengthening compared to other regional currencies. We speak to Daniel Moss, Columnist for Bloomberg Opinion to understand the reasons behind this, and also how the Thai economy will respond to a new government and global headwinds.Image by: Shutterstock

According to the latest data on global economies compiled by the World Bank, Malaysia remains an upper middle-income country; however Sarawak has joined the ranks of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Penang as members of the high-income economy club. We discuss what the data actually reveals with Distinguished Professor of Economics Dr. Rajah Rasiah of Universiti Malaya.Image by: KYTan / Shutterstock.com

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visit to China seeks to mend strained ties with Beijing, with both nations engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war. Is the world big enough for these 2 superpowers? Will they share the spoils, or choose a winner-take-all strategy? We speak to Richard McGregor, senior fellow at the Lowy Institute to find out more on Yellen’s visit and will this set up a meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping during the November APEC meeting in San Francisco?Image by: Shutterstock

Negeri Sembilan is a unity government strong hold with all 36 seats held by BN and PH. On paper, it looks like it will be another clean sweep in the upcoming state elections but the poster boy for the Chief Minister has not been agreed upon. So will PN split the Malay vote and win a few seats themselves? We speak with Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research chimes to get his analysisImage by: Adobe stock

Fahizah Shamsuddin, Programme Director and Senior Lecturer, School of Media & Communication, Taylor's UniversityDescriptor: On Thursday, Mark Zuckerberg launched a new platform, Threads, that is meant to rival Elon Musk's beleaguered Twitter. Will this result in a mass exodus from the blue bird app? Questions we pose to Fahizah Shamsuddin, Senior Lecturer at School of Media & Communication of Taylor's University.Image by: Shutterstock

The 6 state elections will finally go to the polls on Saturday 12 August, 38 weeks after GE-15. 9.8 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including the 600 thousand first time voters from UNDI 18. But with political fatigue and apathy setting in, will we get a 70% voter turnout or will voters just avoid making the long trek home? We speak with Thomas Fann, Chairperson, Bersih to get his views and expectations come polling day, and why your vote remains important.Image by: Shutterstock

On Monday,  Israel unleashed one of its largest military operations in the Palestinian city of Jenin, withdrawing their forces yesterday. This two-day operation has killed at least 12 Palestinians, injured approximately 100 others and caused widespread destruction. We speak to Dr James Dorsey of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies on the implications of this latest escalation of violence by the Israeli militaryImage by: Shutterstock

3 NGOs have filed for a judicial review at the High Court to challenge the Health Minister and the Government on the decision to amend the Poison Act 1952. These amendments allow eCigarette and vapes to be sold to anyone without any legal consequences. So a child can now buy a vape as easily as a packet of nasi lemak. We speak with Sharmila Sekaran, Chairperson from Voice of The Children, on what they expect to achieve in this lawsuit.Image by: Shutterstock

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is visiting Beijing this week as the 2 superpowers continue to keep open communication channels through the tit-for-tat trade war and geopolitical tensions. This visit comes 3 weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden labelling Xi a dictator. We speak with Brock Silvers, CIO of Kaiyuan Capital, on what we can expect from Yellen’s visit and whether the strained ties can be improved.Image by: Shutterstock

Prime Minister Datuk Sri Anwar Ibrahim made a surprise visit to KLIA, for a first hand assessment of the credibility and integrity of the Immigration Department which has been recently criticised due to bribery allegations for foreign tourists to clear detention. We speak with Dr Muhammad Mohan, President, Transparency International Malaysia to get his views on the recent immigration incident and the progress the Madani government has made in its battle against corruptionImage by: Shutterstock

50 days after the May general election, the Thai Parliament convened this week and kicked off the process of forming a government. What are the key events to look forward to and can leading prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat see enough support for his premiership? We discuss expectations with Dr. Greg Raymond of ANU.Image by: Shutterstock

In the 2018 Penang state election, DAP, PKR and Amanah won 35 out of the 40 seats available. And in the run up to the state elections, Penang voters have been feted with news of project approvals, such as the Penang South Islands and the Tanjung Bungah Penang Airport LRT line.Will Penang remain a safe state for PH, or will PN spring a few surprises? We will speak with Dr Azmil Tayeb, Political Scientist, Universiti Sains Malaysia to get a sense of the on ground situation.Image by: Shutterstock

Three years after the killing of George Floyd by police officers in the US, France is facing a similar crisis after a 17-year-old boy was shot dead in a Paris traffic stop last week. The shooting sparked days of unrest, causing French President Emmanuel Macron to cancel a visit to Germany. We discuss the causes and consequences of the protests with Prof. Peter McPhee of Melbourne University.Image Credit: EPA-EFE

With the dissolution of all 6 state assemblies this week, we focus on Terengganu, dubbed as the ultimate swing state, after being run by both PAS and Barisan Nasional in the past 3 decades. Incumbent PAS Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar appears to have the upperhand and is expected to win the majority of the 32 seats available. We’ll speak with Amir Fareed, Director of Strategy, KRA Group to find out more on the politics and voters of the turtle state.Image by: Shutterstock