Morning Brief

Following news that graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza had been recently barred from leaving Malaysia, despite no official travel ban being issued, questions have been raised about what authorities can or cannot do. Lawyer Kee Hui Yee from Kanesalingam & Co joins us to unpack the legal grounds for travel restrictions and what recourse individuals have when their constitutional rights are infringed.

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The Malaysian Communications & Multimedia Commission had to hold a media briefing to clarify its Mobile Phone Data initiative, after the South China Morning Post reported that MCMC had ordered local telcos to hand over specific data that could be easily misconstrued as personal or private. Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder, SoyaCincau.com, shares his concerns despite MCMC insisting all data requested are strictly anonymised and contain no Personally Identifiable Information.

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From non-revenue water to ensuring sustainable supply amid booming data centre investments, Malaysia has its fair share of water-related challenges. We speak to Adam Saffian Ghazali, CEO of Air Selangor, about how the country’s largest water services provider is managing this vital resource.

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Malaysia’s expanded Sales and Service Tax (SST) will take effect on July 1st, aiming to broaden the tax base and boost revenue for public services. We speak to Soh Lian Seng, President, Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia as to implementation of this and how IRB can ensure a smooth rollout to avoid negatively impacting businesses and consumers alike.

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The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unprecedented scale with people there on the brink of famine. However, the US-Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ostensibly intended to provide aid, has resulted in more Gazans shot on and killed by Israeli military. Akshaya Kumar, Director of Crisis Advocacy at Human Rights Watch explains why HRW views it a as a front for broader crimes under international law, including genocide.

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Petronas announced last week that it will be reducing its global headcount by 10%, amounting to about 5,000 people, as well as implementing a hiring freeze until December 2026. How will these moves affect local oil and gas services and equipment companies? Jamalludin Obeng, President of Malaysia OSV Owners’ Association shares his perspective.

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• The Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN) has once again pushed back the e-Invoice rollout to next year, giving businesses more time to prepare. But how will this delay impact tax compliance, and what improvements are needed to prevent further postponements? We speak with Eugene Chow, Business Process Solutions Leader at Deloitte Malaysia.

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• Senior U.S. officials are set to meet with a Chinese delegation later today in London for the next round of trade negotiations. In addition to tariffs and technology, both countries are now also attempting to break an impasse over global supplies of rare earth minerals. How will this latest round of talks impact the world’s two largest economies? For answers, we’ll speak with Sarah Tan, Economist at Moody's Analytics.

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As digital transformation accelerates across Southeast Asia, the future of payments is becoming increasingly cashless, connected, and inclusive. Join us for an exclusive panel discussion featuring experts and leaders driving change in the region's financial ecosystem.

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The Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) has called on the government to address critical issues affecting operators’ profit margins before rationalising RON95 fuel subsidies. We speak to Dato' Khairul Annuar, President of PDAM about the pain points being experienced and the potential impact on consumers.

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