Morning Brief

The US Commerce Department announced plans to impose tariffs of up to 3,521% on imports of solar panels from four South East Asian countries, including Malaysia. What kind of effect will this have on our local solar industry? We discuss the implications for the renewable energy sector with Shabrina Nadhila, Energy Analyst for Asia at Ember.

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The strengthening ties between Malaysia and Indonesia were once again on display this week, with the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi concluding a three-day visit to Jakarta. How might this visit pave the way for more opportunities for the two neighbours to collaborate amid challenging global conditions? We discussed the trends with Dr. Siwage Dharma Negara of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

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The Youth and Sports Ministry has introduced new SOPs for organising concerts, aimed at curbing drug abuse. The measures include deploying a medical team for emergency cases and displaying trailer messages about the dangers of drugs. To discuss these SOPs, we’ll be speaking with Rahul Kukreja, Director of Talent Booking at RK Live Asia - a concert promoter and talent booking agency.

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The Madani government’s proposed two-term limit for the Prime Minister and revived political financing bill, signal major reform efforts. With no automatic extension to state leaders and ongoing consultations, concerns persist over enforcement, and political will. How might these reforms shape governance in Malaysia? Giving his perspective is Professor Wong Chin Huat, Deputy Head of Strategy, Asia Headquarters of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

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With the U.S imposing up to 145% tariffs on Chinese imports and China retaliating with 125%, the cost of American-made jets, including the Boeing 737 MAX, has surged, leading to delivery delays and even returns to the U.S. Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Aviation Consultant at Frost & Sullivan shares his analysis on the impact of these developments on the global aviation outlook.

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Advance estimates by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia’s GDP growth slowed to 4.4% in the first quarter of this calendar year, easing from 5% in the previous quarter. What contributed to this slowing expansion of our economy, and how might our GDP numbers be impacted by global volatility, especially US tariffs? We get some thoughts from Lavanya Venkateswaran, Senior ASEAN Economist, OCBC.

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US Vice-President JD Vance is currently in India, on a high-profile trip that blends high-stakes trade talks with family sightseeing. Can the visit pave the way for a bilateral trade deal that would avoid the worst of tariffs for India? We discuss what’s at stake for India-US relations with Dr. Amintendu Palit of the National University of Singapore.

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Crude palm oil futures have seen a softening this month, as the threat of higher US tariffs raises concerns over weakening demand for the edible oil. How are industry players navigating the uncertainty? We discuss the outlook for the palm oil sector with Alvin Tai of Bloomberg Intelligence.

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The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will create a special task force with the Economy Ministry to supervise projects approved by the Ministry at the state and district levels to ensure transparency, curb corruption, misappropriation, and abuse of power. Dr. Tricia Yeoh, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Nottingham Malaysia's School of Politics & International Relations gives us view on this move and how this might impact state-federal relations.

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Japan, first in line with trade talks with the US, ended without any conclusion despite the surprise participation of President Donald Trump. What impact will this have on their economy as they face twin pressures of slowing growth and rising inflation? For more insights, we’ll be speaking with Stefan Angrick, Head of Japan Economics at Moody’s Analytics.

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