Morning Brief

The government is expected to table a raft of amendments to the constitution on the issue of citizenship, which civil society and human rights observers criticise will exacerbate the issue of statelessness in the country. We speak to Dr. Farah Nini Dusuki, Children's Commissioner of SUHAKAM about the implications of these proposals for vulnerable groups such as foundlings and abandoned children.

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Singapore’s Budget 2024 recently unveiled saw a renewed focus on skills training and income support. What are the some of the measures to emulate here in Malaysia to address the current skill gaps we have. Anthony Raja Devadoss, Country Managing Director at Korn Ferry Malaysia gives us his suggestions.

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Nurses in Malaysia are frequently described as overworked, underpaid, and undervalued. But in countries like Singapore, long-term retention incentive schemes are being introduced for both local and foreign nurses in the public healthcare system. Dr. Timothy Cheng, Vice Chairman, Malaysian Medical Association or SCHOMOS breaks down why this might amplify brain drain, and how to nurse working conditions to better health.

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The Economist Intelligence Unit released their annual democracy index which provides a snapshot of the state of democracy in 165 countries and 2 territories. This year’s report title which is “AGE of Conflict” is not an auspicious one but aptly describes the current state with Wars in Ukraine and Gaza still raging with no end to the cycle of violence. We speak to Sumedha Dasgupta, Senior Analyst at EIU to find out how Malaysia ranks and is the world becoming more or less democratic.

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We delve into how far Sarawak has come and the economic potential that lies ahead with Adam Mohamed Rahim, Equity Research Analyst, RHB Research as the Land of the Hornbills aims to achieve a GDP of 282 billion ringgit by 2030, double of the value achieved in 2023.

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Even with its relaunch last December through a collaboration with Tokopedia, TikTok Shop remains under regulatory scrutiny in Indonesia. The platform's allowance of direct transactions on social media continues to breach local regulations. Nathan Naidu, Equity Research Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence shares his insights into the implications of this regulatory scrutiny and potential measures to mitigate its impact on their business.

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How should regulating misinformation and protecting media freedoms be balanced, especially in social and digital media? The new code of ethics for journalists was launched this week, sparking concerns over the generic wording which could grant unwarranted powers to the Communications Ministry. We get reactions from media expert Dr. Benjamin Loh of Taylor's University.

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The Israel-Palestine issue is in the spotlight again this week, as hearings on the legality of Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories run from February 19th to 26th at the International Court of Justice. We discuss what to expect from the proceedings with Juliette McIntyre, Law Lecturer, University of South Australia, and whether a ruling can have any material impact on the ground.

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The Ringgit continues to slide against the USD despite the strength of the economy inching perilously close to the all time low seen during the Asian Financial crisis in 1998. We explore reasons for this two decade decline and what should be done to restore the Ringgit's fortunes with P Gunasegaram, independent business writer.

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The widespread availability of unregistered medical devices, notably on e-commerce platforms, is a significant concern for public health and safety. These products may lack adherence to essential quality and safety standards, potentially posing health risks to its users. Dr. Muralitharan Paramasua, CEO, Medical Device Authority shares his insights into these hazards and how they are addressing this issue.

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