Morning Brief

Vietnam’s newly installed Communist Party chief To Lam has announced he will step down as president, a role he took on after the death of his predecessor, Nguyen Phu Trong. The Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai has also resigned, having violated anti-corruption rules. Dr Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow at the Vietnam Studies Programme of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, shares his analysis.

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The 2024 Paris Paralympics commences this week with Malaysia represented by a 30-person strong contingent and a target of four gold medals. Malaysia has achieved Paralympic gold glory since the 2016 Rio Games, but why has this not been rewarded with greater investment in para-sports? We get perspectives from Datuk Dr Ras Adiba Radzi, Chairperson of Persatuan OKU Sentral, and also a former Paralympic Shooter.

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A government has yet to be formed in France more than a month after snap elections in July. This week President Emmanuel Macron rejected the nomination of Lucie Castets from the National Popular Front (NFP), the left-wing coalition that won the most seats in the elections. How long can this impasse last and how will it affect the governance of France? We get an analysis from Dr. Benjamin Barton of the University of Nottingham Malaysia.

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Israel and the Hezbollah group exchanged dozens of rockets and missiles over the weekend, in an escalation that drove fears of an all-out Middle East war to new heights. James Dorsey, Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies assesses the current situation which has now taken on an uneasy calm.

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Digital Nasional Berhad  announced last Friday that Telekom Malaysia’s Share Subscription Agreement (SSA) to acquire a stake in DNB has been terminated as it failed to fulfill the the conditions. We explore the consequences of this and if it derails the country's 5G plans including the rollout of the second network. Professor Dr. Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement at Taylor's University and Former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry gives us his perspective and what clarifications the government should provide for this national utility. 

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For decades the Registration of Criminals and Undesirable Persons Act 1969 has caused difficulties for about a million people on the list, making it difficult for them to get jobs, start a business and to basically reintegrate into society. Jerald Joseph, Chair of CSO Platform for Reform, shares his thoughts on this Act which the Home Ministry is now looking to review to give ex-offenders a real second chance.

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Singapore's residential market appears to have cooled this year, registering a price increase of 2.3% versus a cumulative 8% in 2023. Likewise, the rental index of private residential properties fell for a third consecutive quarter. Alan Cheong, Executive Director at Savills Singapore analyses the reasons for this.

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The Housing & Local Government Ministry is looking to set up escrow accounts for housing projects to ensure payments by homebuyers are used solely for the properties they have bought. The current practice allows a developer to use purchasers' funds for any of their projects. Adriana Abu, the legal advisor of the National Homebuyers' Association Malaysia shares her views on this proposal.

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Today marks the last day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. As Kamala Harris will be making an appearance later, most likely to close out the event, we speak to Mark Rozell, Dean, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University to discuss what issues he might touch on.

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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has just wrapped up a three-day official visit to India, holding meetings with his counterpart Narendra Modi. Both leaders have also agreed to elevate their relationship from an enhanced strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Rahul Mishra, Associate Professor, at the Centre for Indo-Pacific Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University shares his views on the significance of this visit.

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