Palm oil prices have been on a tear for the past year, reaching record highs, amid global supply shortages of edible oils. However not all players have been able to leverage on high CPO prices. Furthermore, analysts forecast prices to moderate in the second half of the year. What does this bode for Malaysian palm oil companies? We discuss the outlook for the sector with Ong Chee Ting of Maybank Investment Bank.

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Pre-pandemic, supply chains were invisible - but the disruptions over the past two years have put these mysterious networks into the spotlight. We discuss how supply chains have been impacted by the three Cs - Covid-19, conflict and climate change - as well as how businesses need to adapt to the challenges with Associate Professor Dr. Shardul Phadnis of the Asia School of Business.

Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Chairman of Tricor Malaysia and the Immediate Past President of Malaysian Institute of Accountants explains what is the purpose of the Fiscal Reform Bill. We also dive into the necessity of reforming the taxation system and is this the right time.

The Shangri-La Security Dialogue returns to Singapore after a two-year hiatus, and all eyes will be on the competing narratives from the US and China on the future of the Indo-Pacific. We discuss expectations for the security summit with Chong Ja Ian of the National University of Singapore.

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After two years of pandemic restrictions, Malaysia officially reopened most sectors of the economy on April 1st this year. However, do the twin headwinds of inflation and rising interest rates stifle recovery for SMEs? For a channel check on the state of the economy from the perspective of SMEs, we speak to Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) on the current challenges and outlook for SMEs.

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Volatility continues to dominate as investors increasingly worry over inflation and the pack of rate hikes. Yet are there still sectors that may outperform. Lee Kian Soon, CEO of Astral Asset Management tells us where to look for these gems.

Join Othniel Ting as he takes you through the discography of our artist of the week, playing some of their most iconic and memorable hits back to back. This week's show takes us to Brazil for a special Bossa Nova episode where we're celebrating the birthday of the late João Gilberto—a true innovator that helped to pioneer and propel the genre to worldwide acclaim.  

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Chega de Saudade 

Bim Bom 

‘S Wonderful

Sorriu Para Mim 

Triste 

Rosa Morena 

O Pato 

Águas de Marçoo 

Aos Pés da Cruz 

Um Abraco no Bonfa 

O Barquinho

Insensatez 

Wave 

KL Sketch Nation is a collective that promotes urban sketching as an accessible entry point to the art scene. We speak to its founder, Ahmad Hakym Ahmad Helmy about how he juggles between his love for urban sketching and his academic ambition, his plans to continue promoting the activity to more urbanites during this endemic phase, as well as his personal thoughts on the city and why he was so inspired by it.

Image Source: Ahmad Hakym Ahmad Hilmy

Stranger Things' latest season has sent Kate Bush's 1980s hit Running Up That Hill surging up the charts again, demonstrating the power of movies and TV shows to define (or redefine) songs. On this week's Supercut, we pay tribute to some of the best known songs from the screen.   

The QS World University Rankings for 2023 are out, accompanied by the usual fanfare around where our local institutions rank. We revisit the merit of such rankings, the impact they've had on our higher education landscape and whether there is a better way to gauge the quality of our institutions.

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