Morning Brief

The government's MyKiosk initiative may have started with good intentions, but its patchy implementation and the number of vacant units highlight deeper issues in how support for small businesses is designed and delivered. Chin Chee Seong, President of the SME Association of Malaysia, weighs in on the challenges and the potential solutions that could emerge from the MyKiosk experience.

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The Malaysian Bar’s peaceful walk titled “Walk to Safeguard Judicial Independence” on July 14 comes amid unexplained delays in judicial appointments and growing concerns over potential interference in the judiciary. In June 2022, the Bar organised a similar walk to defend judicial independence. Helping us better understand the broader significance of judicial independence is Anand Raj, Vice President of the Malaysian Bar.

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Russia launched its biggest drone attack yet as President Trump resumed military aid to Ukraine, frustrated by failed talks with Russian President Putin. Meanwhile US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrovat the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur amidst these tensions. Dr. Julia Roknifard, Senior Lecturer, School of Law and Governance, Taylor’s University joins us for an update on this. 

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Malaysia culminated in the signing of a strategic civil nuclear cooperation agreement, signaling Washington’s intent to deepen ties with Southeast Asia amid rising geopolitical competition. Elina Noor, Senior Fellow with the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, helps us make sense of what this means for the region.

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The Home Ministry has announced plans to introduce a national refugee registration system known as the Refugee and Asylum Seeker Database, or DPP. Will this pave the way for greater rights and protections for refugees in Malaysia? To help us unpack this database, we speak with Aslam Abd Jalil, Senior Lecturer at the International Institute of Public Policy and Management, Universiti Malaya.

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Bank Negara Malaysia has lowered its Overnight Policy Rate from 3% to 2.75%, its first rate cut since 2020, citing downside risks from slowing global trade and fresh US tariffs. Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at AmBank Group, helps us unpack the central bank’s latest policy move and its impact on Malaysia's growth.

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As Kuala Lumpur hosts the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, senior officials from the US, China, Norway, Australia and Russia are in attendance. Can regional leaders find common ground on escalating tariffs and mounting geopolitical tensions? Sharon Seah, Senior Fellow, ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, shares her insights on what to expect from this high-stakes gathering.

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President Donald Trump has issued a flurry of letters warning that steep import tariffs will take effect on August 1, unless they can agree to new trade deals with the United States. We speak to Katrina Ell, Director & Head of Asia-Pacific Economics, Moody's Analytics on what impact this will have on the economies of Asia Pacific and if a round of GDP downgrades are to be expected.

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The war in Gaza has raged for nearly two years with no lasting ceasefire. U.S President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pushing a proposed 60-day truce but face tough issues over aid and security guarantees. We get insights from Dr. Ferooze Ali, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law and International Relations, Sultan Zainal Abidin University.

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Malaysia is set to roll out its Guidelines for Responsible AI Communication, aimed at media, public relations, and digital content professionals. What must be included to ensure meaningful protection against misinformation and manipulation? We speak to Professor Dr Joanne Lim, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and lecturer in Digital Media, Communications, and Cultural Studies at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

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