General

As widely expected, Bank Negara raised the overnight policy rate yesterday by 25 bps, bringing the OPR rate to 2.75%. But with the Fed warning of a higher peak Fed Funds Rate, can BNM continue its gradual increase in interest rate or does it need to adopt a more aggressive stance? We discuss implications of monetary policy tightening with economist Firdaos Rosli.

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This Sunday, leaders from government, business and civil society spheres will convene in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt for the United Nations Conference of Parties climate summit, or COP27. Although countries pledged to implement more ambitious climate change plans after last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, only 24 countries out of 193 have actually submitted updated plans to the UN. As the world experiences more extreme weather patterns and natural disasters, will leaders prioritize action over rhetoric to combat climate change? We discuss expectations for the summit with sustainability expert Dr Renard Siew.

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With US midterms round the corner, we ask Tim Mulholland, President of TJM Limited what would be the impact of the Democrats losing both houses to the Republicans on the market. We also dive into the impact of the rising Fed fund rate on the bond market.

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Taylor Swift breaking records (yet again) with her release of her tenth studio album, Midnights - becoming the first artist in Billboard's 63 year history to occupy the top ten spots on the Hot 100s chart. This week, we pick out essential tracks from the country star turned cultural pop juggernaut exploring her eclectic tracks over the better part of the decade.

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Wildest Dreams (1989)

I Knew You Were Trouble (Red)

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Red)

Bad Blood (ft Kendrick Lamar) (1989)

cardigan (Folklore)

willow (Evermore)

Back To December (Speak Now)

Fifteen (Fearless)

Fearless (Fearless)

Shake It Off (1989)

The conversation surrounding the development of smart cities may not be as prominent these days, but it has always been there or thereabouts in our collective consciousness. Should we strive to develop a smart city, especially in an age where technological advancements are more prevalent in our lives? Or are there other things that we should prioritise first, while being wary of the potential pitfalls that are there when it comes to creating smart cities? Joining us to unpack this is Ong Kar Jin, Chief Strategy Officer at Nought Labs.

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The adaptation of a beloved book onto the screen is exciting... but also has the potential to go so wrong. In this Supercut, we discuss all the important questions about book adaptations, such as: What makes an adaptation work? Are some books just unfilmable? Can you call yourself a true fan if you've only watched the movie? And, is the book always better than the movie? 

Undi Rosak was born out of a few things: a growing frustration with our politics, the feeling of not having an option, the desire to have a voice of protest be heard. But it's not without controversy: proponents argue that it's a valid way to engage with a lack of options, and still exercise their democratic right, but critics say it's not the right way forward. And in this upcoming GE, there's an emerging group of voters who simply do not see the point in voting, and just want to sit it all out. We explore both perspectives, and look at each side of the equation.

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Do you post where you are and what you're doing online? We explore the real issue of online safety, following a tweet that urged people to be more careful about sharing their life and routine online for all to see.

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Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced PH’s manifesto, Tawaran Harapan, comprising of 10 key pledges to the rakyat. We unpack the manifesto from an economic lens.

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COVID-19 may be endemic, but that does not mean it’s harmless nor that the pandemic is over. As we gear up towards nomination day on 5th November and polling day on 19th November, we speak to infectious diseases physician Datuk Dr Christopher Lee to find out how political parties and candidates can campaign safely, and how we can enable voting to be done safely to avoid igniting yet another COVID-19 wave. 

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