Morning Brief

The government scored a hat-trick, but not the kind that is celebrated - instead it was a hat-trick of disappointments, as the new Election Commission Chair was announced without any parliamentary oversight as pledged in previous manifestos. We get reactions from Bersih on how the Madani government can make right on their pledges for electoral reform.

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The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has launched its first-ever loan restructuring campaign,offering a minimum payment of RM300 to encourage borrowers to settle their arrears. Dr Hassanudin Mohd Thas Thaker, Associate Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), joins us today in examining the campaign and whether it will successfully solicit more repayments.

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In recent days, Brent crude oil prices have been on an upsurge after a slow start in June. We speak to Vandana Hari, Founder & CEO, Vanda Insights to find out what is driving black gold's price momentum. We also ask about EA's projection of an oil supply glut by 2029 and how that contrasts with OPEC's more optimistic outlook.

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ASEAN has become a beneficiary of trade diversion resulting from US-China tensions, especially in the semiconductor and green technology sectors. However with China being the largest trade partner and the US the biggest investor for most of the region, will ASEAN ultimately lose in prolonged trade tensions? We discuss this with Dr. Maria Monica Wihardja of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

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In the last month, the FBMKLCI has corrected by more than 2%.  Andrew San, Head of ASEAN Equities, Amundi Malaysia tells us if there are reasons to be worried or if this presents a buying opportunity. We also try to understand why markets like the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia are all in negative territory on a year to date basis.

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Seismic changes are happening at social media platforms, X and TikTok for different reasons. We examine each in detail with Dr. Fahizah Shamsuddin, Programme Director, School of Media and Communication, Taylor’s University to uncover if both can survive in the midst of intense competition and regulatory scrutiny.

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The Dual Language Programme (DLP) for the teaching of science and mathematics in English has sparked controversy since it was launched in its current iteration in 2016. Do the new guidelines that require DLP schools to have one class that teaches the two subjects in Bahasa Malaysia strengthen or weaken the aims of the programme? We discuss the issue with Chan Soon Seng of Teach for Malaysia.

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The Sg. Bakap polls will see a straight fight between educator Dr. Joohari Ariffin of PKR and businessman Abidin Ismail of PAS. What might the demographic make-up of the constituency reveal about who holds decision-making power? We discuss expectations for the Sg. Bakap by-elections and expectations for the Parliament session that opens today with Danesh Prakash Chacko of Tindak Malaysia.

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In Southeast Asia, elections don’t necessarily guarantee stability, as seen in Thailand and the Philippines where fragile alliances are on the brink. We unpack the political developments and what to watch with journalist Erin Cook.

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The Sungai Bakap by-election is set for July 6th, with nomination day this Saturday. Both Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) coalitions have unveiled their candidates, setting the stage for a closely fought contest due to a narrow 1,563-vote margin in 2023. We gaze into the crystal ball to discuss potential outcomes with Arinah Najwa Ahmad Said, Director, BowerGroup Asia.

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