Morning Brief

Despite slowing GDP growth, Bank Negara's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held interest rates at 3% for the fifth consecutive meeting. How is the central bank factoring in economic headwinds into its decision-making and what levers do they have to tackle the weak Ringgit? We discuss this with Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid, Deputy Governor of Bank Negara.

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The fate of TikTok in the US is once again in question, with the US House of Representatives set to vote this week on a bill that will force its parent company, China-owned ByteDance to divest from TikTok or face a US ban. We discuss the implications of this bill with Caitlin Chin, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

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In a pivotal ruling by the Federal Court, a private hospital was held accountable for medical negligence, refuting claims of doctors acting as independent contractors. We talk to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO of Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy to offer his insights on the implications of this ruling for our healthcare system.

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Khazanah Research Institute's “Shifting Tides: Charting Career Progression of Malaysia’s Skilled Talent" report highlights that the gender pay gap and wage stagnation still persists. Female graduates also trail behind males when it comes to securing employment. Hawati Abdul Hamid, deputy director of research at KRI takes us through the salient points of the report.

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Bank Negara's Monetary Policy Committee has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate at 3% for its fifth consecutive meeting; it last raised it by 25 basis points in May 2023. Meanwhile, BNM also believe the ringgit is currently undervalued. Julia Goh, a senior economist at UOB helps us unpack the implications of the decision and comments in the official statement that followed.

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According to the World Bank Group's 2024 Women, Business, and Law report, women enjoy less than two-thirds of the legal rights available to men despite the introduction of equal opportunity laws over the past 5 decades. What explains the gap between legal reforms and implementation? We discuss insights from the report with Julia Braunmiller of the World Bank Group. 

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The government is looking to expand preschool education, starting with institutions under the Ministry of Education. What policies are needed to improve the quality of early childhood care and education in the country? We discuss recommendations with Dr. Lydia Foong of Taylor's University.

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This week on Super Tuesday, 16 states and 1 territory held primaries for the presidential race, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump winning comfortably. What does this mean for the November 2024 elections? We discuss this with political scientist Wendy Schiller of Brown University. 

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Recently, the chairman of Bursa Malaysia has advocated for a mandatory disclosure of diversity, equity and inclusivity across all businesses. In a multiracial society where there could be varying availability of a diverse workforce based on different factors, How best can we cultivate a diverse workforce while maintaining a balance with competency? Deepa George, Managing Consultant of MYHRC Services tells us.

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Currently in the palm oil sector, smallholders manage 27% of the total palm oil area in Malaysia. To increase yield, the government  has suggested consolidating them into clusters overseen by medium or large estates. Could this yield the desired results? Khor Yu Leng, Economist at Segi Enam Advisors shares her insights on the merits and drawbacks of this proposed strategy.

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