Morning Brief

PlanMalaysia, under the Housing & Local Government Ministry (KPKT), is creating a unified app to ease EV charging location and access across providers in Malaysia. What are the pain points in charging that the app aims to address and what’s needed for this to be effective? We get thoughts from Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau.

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A recent cyber attack on Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, has raised concerns about the security of critical infrastructure.

With cyber-attacks becoming more frequent and complex, how can Malaysia enhance its cybersecurity measures and what should businesses implement on their end? CF Fong, Executive Chairman, LGMS Berhad gives us his perspective.

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Fitch Ratings cut its forecast for global economic growth by 0.3 percentage points to 2.3% this year, adding that the expansion of the world’s economy will remain weak at 2.2% in 2026. We speak to one of the authors of this report as to what the impact will be on APAC economies. Alex Muscatelli, Director, Fitch Ratings’ Economics Team joins us.

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Bank Negara’s 2024 report shows labour productivity rose to 2.4%, but wage growth slowed to 2.9%. Despite a recovering job market, conservative wage-setting driven by economic uncertainties raises concerns. Questions remain about the minimum wage’s broader impact and issues in wage stagnation that could affect talent retention and competitiveness. Dr. Geoffrey Williams, an Economist, Founder & Director of Williams Business Consultancy shares gives us some clarity on this matter.

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There have been talks of a potential cabinet reshuffle happening since the end of last year, and after Investment, Trade & Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz confirmed on the Breakfast Grille this month, that he would step down as a minister in mid-December, these rumours have found new life. Dr Syaza Shukri, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science & Madani Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, shares her take on this.

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Bank Negara highlights the need for structural reforms to address rising medical costs, warning of pressure on insurers' underwriting income. With premiums rising and claim payouts increasing, the Health Ministry is reviewing private hospital regulations to promote price transparency. Could this move help curb medical inflation and ensure more affordable healthcare and insurance for Malaysians? Mark O’Dell, CEO of Life Insurance Association of Malaysia shares his insights.

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Buy Now Pay Later transactions in Malaysia surged to RM7.1 billion in the second half of 2024. While Bank Negara says risks remain contained, concerns over consumer debt persist. The upcoming Consumer Credit Bill 2025 aims to tighten oversight and boost protection. We get some perspective from Shereen Hazirah Hishamudin, Senior Research Associate, Khazanah Research Institute.

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Indonesia’s parliament has recently ratified a law allowing members of the military to hold more government roles. This has prompted protests over what is perceived as a threat to democracy. Erin Cook, a journalist for Southeast Asian Affairs, talks to us about what these revisions actually mean.

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Bank Negara has just released its 2024 annual, alongside the Economic & Monetary Review which showed Malaysia's economy demonstrating strong resilience, exceeding initial projections. Julia Goh, Senior Economist at UOB breaks down some of the findings of the report and what we can expect for the rest of 2025.

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Japan, China, and South Korea met in Tokyo for their first economic talks in years, calling it a potential “turning point.” With global trade shifting and US-China tensions rising, the hope is to revive a stalled trilateral free trade deal. Is this real progress or just symbolic diplomacy? William Pesek, Columnist at Nikkei Asia joins us to share his insights and the broader implications.

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