Morning Brief

Indonesian voters have spoken - unofficial results indicate that defence minister Prabowo Subianto has won the presidential election by a comfortable margin. What does this mean for the policy direction of the country? We get colour and analysis from journalist Erin Cook who’s on the ground in Jakarta.

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Recently, Malaysian hoteliers have warned that next month's increase in the Sales & Services Tax (SST) from 6% to 8% will likely result in room rates going up by between 10% and 30%. Shaharuddin Saaid, Executive Director of the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO), explains what the challenges are for the industry which has yet to recover to pre-pandemic.

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This Lunar New Year is China's second without Covid restrictions since the pandemic and official data have revealed that nearly 274 million passenger trips were handled by the country's transport sector on the second day of the dragon year, up 23% from last year. Angela Han Lee, Senior Equity Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence also breaks down how this impacted Macau's recovering gaming sector.

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Donald Trump’s antipathy towards NATO was a well-known feature of his presidency. What would his return to the top job mean for the security alliance? We discuss Trump’s NATO policy and updates on the war in Ukraine with security analyst Alexey Muraviev of Curtin University.

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Tensions between Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and DAP national chairman Lim Guan Eng have started to surface. Will this impact DAP nationwide or is it just a state issue. Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Principal Adviser, Pacific Research Centre gives us his view and if the recent reduction in sentence and fine of Datuk Seri Najib Razak has caused dissatisfaction among its grassroot supporters.

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The recent surge in popularity of energy sticks - nasal inhalers marketed as energy boosting health products - have become a cause for urgent concern. Promoted to minors under taglines such as ‘Snort first, then head to school’, health experts have cautioned they may carry some of the health risks that vapes do. We speak to NV Subbarow, Senior Education Officer, Consumers Association of Penang or CAP for his comments.

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Elections for the world's 3rd largest democracy takes place on 14 February. We examine the legacy left behind by President Jokowi - is he really the king maker in these elections? Erin Cook, a journalist based in Jakarta gives us her views and if it is a foregone conclusion that Prabowo Subianto will emerge victorious.

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Last Friday the S&P 500 hit record highs on the back of investor enthusiasm over tech earnings and in anticipation of Fed rate cuts. Does this tech rally continue to have legs, or is there a reality check ahead? We discuss trends affecting US tech equities with Santosh Rao, Technology Analyst & Head of Research at Manhattan Venture Partners.

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Following the disclosure of the contents of a letter by Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah, the lawyer for convicted former PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak, which purportedly detailed the process in which the decision was made by the Pardons Board, debates have been raging. Arinah Najwa Ahmad Said, Director at BowerGroup Asia breaks down how these developments might affect Umno as well as the Madani government.

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Up to 2.4 million vehicles a day are expected on roads this Chinese New Year, as the exodus from city to hometown begins. How can we quell rising road accidents and fatalities? Professor Dr Kulanthayan K.C. Mani, Head of Putra Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Group, Universiti Putra Malaysia shares his advice for drivers to keep safe this festive season.

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