SMEs that earn less than 1 million ringgit annually will no longer have to implement e-invoicing. Previously, the income threshold for e-invoicing was set at 500 thousand ringgit, Datuk William Ng, Chairman, Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) explains why this was needed for the sector whilst giving us an outlook for 2026.

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Controversy is brewing as the government is reported to have quietly submitted draft amendments to the Protection of New Plant Varieties Act 2004 to an international body, raising alarm among farmers over their rights and food security. We speak with Nur Fitri Amir Muhammad, Coordinator of Forum Kedaulatan Makanan Malaysia (FKMM), on what these changes could mean for local agriculture

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• Should Malaysians be denied public services because of the way they are dressed especially in an emergency. A pertinent question we are posing to constitutional lawyer Kee Hui Yee from Kanesalingam & Co. 

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• We’re taking a closer look at how Southeast Asian banks are positioned heading into 2026, a year shaped by shifting interest-rate expectations, uneven economic momentum across the region, and evolving credit-market conditions. To help us break down what this means, we’re joined by Rena Kwok, Senior Credit Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence

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• Malaysia’s oil and gas sector has seen much volatility this year, with both external and domestic pressures weighing on the sector - but will these stress factors persist into 2026?   Imran Yusof, Head of Research, MBSB Research gives us an outlook for the sector and his buy ideas, if any. 
  
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Idea reports that modern influencers have become central to the dissemination of political messaging, with government and political party machinery increasingly pivoting towards commercial influencer engagement to reach audiences disengaged from mainstream media. What minimum transparency standards should Malaysians be demanding to differentiate between genuine or paid opinions. Sabrina Firdaus Aloysius, Senior Executive of Research and author of the report from Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) tells us.

This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly better, fly Emirates

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With medical inflation rising steadily, the government is reviewing the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act and the way that private hospitals charge their patients. Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, President of the Association Private Hospitals Malaysia, provides his perspective on the government’s plans.

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Australia has made history by introducing the world’s first ban on selected social media use for children under 16.

Dr. Joanne Orlando, Digital Wellbeing Expert and Author of Generation Connected: How to Parent in a Digital World - At Every Age and Stage tells us the mechanics of the law, if it will prevent harms and if there are alternative models to consider to protect children under 16.

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Malaysia’s rubber glove players saw strong earnings from the latest earnings quarter. Is this a sign that the sector is due for a positive re-rating? Maliana Shaharudin, Equity Analyst, BIMB Securities gives us her perspective whilst telling us her top buy idea for the sector.

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Even as Malaysia nears full eradication of hardcore poverty by early 2026, many low-income households remain at risk. To address this, the government has launched the People’s Welfare Insurance Scheme or SIKR 3.0. We’ll delve into the significance and effectiveness of this programme with Prof. Emeritus Datuk Dr. Norma Mansor, Director of the Social Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Malaya.

This episode of The First Look was brought to you by Emirates. Fly better, fly Emirates.

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