Morning Brief

Recognising Sarawak's energy supply potential - both renewable and conventional - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has requested the state to begin supplying its excess electricity to the southern Philippines through Sabah, starting next year. Dr Renard Siew, Climate change and sustainability expert, shares his views on this development.

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The government allocated funds under Budget 2025 to build 44 new schools, the highest in four years. How much would this alleviate overcrowding in public schools, especially in urban centers? We discuss the policy measures to tackle overcrowding in the education system with Chan Soon Seng of Teach For Malaysia.

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered the country’s expansionary Budget for 2025 amounting to about SGD$ 143 billion dollars, constituting almost 19% of GDP with a nod towards alleviating cost of living pressures whilst making the city state a centre for new ventures. But are these measures enough to help Singapore navigate the choppy waters that is 2025? Selena Ling, Chief Economist, OCBC Bank tells us her perspective.

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The Reserve Bank of Australia cut benchmark interest rates for the first time since November 2020, lowering the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% as softening inflation allows room for easing policy. Sophia Angala, an economist, ANZ Research, shares her perspective on the decision and what can be expected in an uncertain 2025 for the global economy.

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Last week, US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all steel products imported into the country, which the Malaysian Iron and Steel Industry Federation (MISIF) said would lead to steel and aluminium imports being dumped on our shores. Roshan M. Abdullah, President of MISIF joins us to paint a picture of how this could impact local steel players.

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The Trump administration's efforts to resume direct communication ties with Moscow and open negotiations to end the war in Ukraine has raised concerns that Kyiv and Europe would be left out of the discussions. We discuss these developments and possible foreign policy implications with Dr. Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University.

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The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is in talks with investment bankers, stockbroking companies, rating agencies, and other market participants to revamp existing fee structures and impose a levy on revenue from regulated activities. We ask

Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder of Tradeview Capital if this is timely, and the panacea to the SC's financial deficit.

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As the DAP party elections on March 16 draw near, tensions within the party are reaching a boiling point, with Lim Guan Eng's leadership under scrutiny. At a recent dinner honoring Lim Kit Siang, an incident involving Lim Guan Eng’s aide and potential Penang chief minister candidate Steven Sim raised questions about the party's direction and leadership. Dr Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser at Pacific Research Centre joins us to discuss the impact on DAP and its future.

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Sarawak's move to launch AirBorneo is sparking discussions about the future of its aviation sector. As the region looks to chart its own course, the real challenge is not just growth—but ensuring sustainable success. We take a closer look at what’s ahead for AirBorneo with Khair Mirza, Head of Airport Investor Resource at Modalis Infrastructure Partners Inc.

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The Malaysia Padi Farmers Brotherhood Association or PeSawah, has voiced concerns that the newly announced floor price of 1,500 Ringgit per tonne is insufficient, believing additional incentives are necessary in the face of rising input costs. Dr. Sarena Che Omar of the PNB Research Institute joins us to discuss if the new floor price helps or hurts paddy farmers.

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