Morning Brief

Today marks the first day of the five-year reign of Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who will be the seventeenth Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He replaced Pahang’s Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah whose reign was marked by political uncertainties and also the Covid-19 pandemic. Lawyer Andrew Khoo helps us understand the role of the Agong in Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy system.

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On Monday, a Hong Kong court ordered property giant China Evergrande Group’s liquidation. The developer is the biggest casualty of a real estate crisis that continues to weigh on China’s embattled economy. Brock Silvers, Chief Investment Officer of Hong Kong-based Kaiyuan Capital tells us what this ruling means for investors and the Chinese economy.

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Bersatu has agreed to amend Article 10 of its party constitution after six Bersatu MPs expressed support for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim without resigning to avoid triggering the anti-defection law. Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy of Strategic Research shares insights into the effectiveness of this amendment and other measures to address the internal conflicts within the party.

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Last week, the government caused a stir when it announced plans to reform the retirement policy for new civil service recruits this year. Instead of pensions, retirement schemes like EPF and SOCSO will be used. Economist Dr. Nungsari A. Radhi tells us why the shift is necessary and how it can and should be better communicated.

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Former Dewan Negara president Tun Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was sworn in as the eighth Governor of Sarawak. He replaces Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud who was the Governor since March 2014, and also Chief Minister. Dr. James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania helps us break down how these two very different men have and will take on this role.

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The Monetary Authority of Singapore has maintained its stance on monetary policy, leaving the currency band unchanged. MAS also retained its 2024 core inflation projection of 2.5% to 3.5%, despite a 1% increase in the GST to 9%. Khoon Goh, Head of Asia Research at ANZ helps us analyse this development.

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Social media platforms are on alert after explicit AI-generated images depicting Taylor Swift went viral. Following this, X announced plans to hire 100 full time content moderators to build a new trust and safety centre to stop the spread of child sexual exploitation materials and address issues like hate speech. Dr Fahizah Shamsuddin, Programme Director & Senior Lecturer, School of Media & Communication at Taylor's University dissects this topic.

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Malaysians might need to brace themselves for more expensive prescription medicines, with reports saying pharmaceutical companies planned to hike prices in the US on more than 500 drugs beginning this month. Professor Amrahi Buang, president of the Malaysia Pharmacists Society talks about why the price of drugs may rise by as much as 10% with half of them imported from overseas, including the US.

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Last week, the Cabinet agreed to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into how the Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and the South Ledge territorial case was handled, leading to the International Court of Justice deciding that Pulau Batu Puteh belonged to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia and South Ledge to the state in the territorial waters in which it is located. Bunn Nagara, director & senior fellow at the Belt & Road Initiative Caucus for Asia-Pacific and Honorary Fellow at the Perak Academy, breaks down the issue.

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Last Friday, the International Court of Justice made an interim ruling on the genocide case against Israel, ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide and to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Could this ruling change the trajectory of the war? We discuss the implications with Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey.

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