The Malaysian public healthcare system is at its breaking point, with medical staff overstretched and burnt out due to the various demands on their time and expertise without commensurate reward. What policy measures are needed to resolve the long-term crisis in public sector healthcare staffing? We discuss a proposal to introduce a rotational system in medical placement and other recommendations with Dr. Timothy Cheng of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).

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South Korean markets have had a dismal 2024, as the country’s benchmark stock index, the Kospi, has lost over 9% on year-to-date basis making one of the worst performing main exchange in Asia. This was made worse by the recent declaration of martial law which was rescinded. Marvin Chen, Senior Asia Equity Strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence tells us if it's time to bottom fish or will that perennial Korean discount continue.

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Controversial figure Tun Musa Aman, who served as Sabah’s Chief Minister from 2003 till 2018, has been appointed as the state’s governor with the backing of the current Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. What does this development signal about the evolving landscape of Sabah politics? We get analysis from  Ariff Adi Putera of the Institute for Development Studies (Sabah).

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International ratings agency, Fitch has reaffirmed Malaysia’s long term currency issuer default rating at BBB+ with a stable outlook. We speak to Kathleen Chen, Associate Director Fitch Ratings’ Asia-Pacific Sovereigns who is also the primary Sovereign analyst for Malaysia as to the reasons for this and what is required for us to achieve an upgrade.

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The government launched a National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), which is a brand-new agency under the Digital Ministry. According to its website, the office is expected to serve as a centralised agency for AI, providing strategic planning, R&D, as well as regulatory oversight, among others. So, how will this agency fit into Malaysia’s agenda of accelerating AI adoption? Dr. Jun-E Tan, Senior Research Associate at Khazanah Research Institute shares her perspective.

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The healthcare sector has been making headlines recently, with many calling for regulatory and systemic reforms

as insurance premiums are expected to rise by up to 70% next year. As a result, the Health Ministry has proposed that diagnosis-related group pricing system, (DRG) be implemented. Oong Chun Sung, Equity Research Analyst, RHB Investment Bank tells us if DRG will be a boom or bane for earnings and which listed companies stand to benefit.

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It's expected that the Thai Economy will only expand by less than 3%, lower than that of its Asean neighbours.

Poon Panichpibool, Markets Strategist, Krung Thai Bank tells us whether the recent debt support measures and cash handouts will boost consumption and in turn growth for 2025. We also ask what we can expect from their equity markets which are one of the worst performing in Asia.

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Late last week, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the opposition, accusing it for repeatedly undermining the Constitution. This on the back of the Congress party attempting to impeach the Vice President. Dr Mishra, Associate Professor at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi helps us unpack the latest political developments and what we can expect from US-India relations with Trump 2.0.

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Rumors were swirling last week about how Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry and Umno Supreme Council member Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul might be joining PKR. How might his departure impact the party and the broader Madani coalition? Giving us his thoughts on the matter is Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research.

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The Chinese government concluded its Central Economic Work Conference last Thursday, promising a number of policy changes to meet major economic benchmarks next year. They include a higher fiscal deficit ceiling, more treasury bonds and cuts to interest rates. So are these pledges enough to restore investors’ confidence in Chinese stocks? Brock Silvers, Chief Investment Officer of Kaiyuan Capital joins us to discuss if 2025 will be a repeat of 2024.

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