Morning Brief

Recent high-profile cases have brought domestic and sexual violence back into public focus, raising difficult questions about enforcement, transparency and institutional accountability. Gandipan Gopalan, Advocacy Manager at the Women's Aid Organisation talks about how the existing legal framework operates in practice and the barriers survivors face in seeking justice.

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Malaysia has tabled a constitutional amendment to separate the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor roles, ending decades of concentrated prosecutorial power in a single office. But does it truly strengthen independence and accountability? We speak to constitutional lawyer Lim Wei Jiet to examine the safeguards, the gaps and what this reform could mean for the rule of law in Malaysia.

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After 24 years without revision, the Dewan Rakyat has passed the Capitation Grant Bill 2026, updating how federal funds are distributed to states based on population and introducing a 10-year review cycle. Professor Tricia Yeoh, from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, shares her view on how this marks a meaningful step toward fairer and more transparent state funding.

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The political landscape in Philippines has shifted from a fragile alliance to political rupture, between its two most powerful dynasties, the Marcos and the Dutertes, because the "UniTeam" that dominated the 2022 elections is officially dead. Erin Cook, Southeast-Asia Based Journalist gives us her views on what this means for the country's political future.

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President Donald Trump delivers his first official State of the Union address in his second term on Tuesday. Can his messaging change the mood of the American public that has grown uneasy with his economic and immigration policies? We get a preview of what to expect from Dr Stephen J. Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science & International Affairs, at the University of Mary Washington

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JKOM or the Community Communications Department, is under renewed scrutiny as it sharpens its focus on political security and public trust, raising questions about its evolution and relevance in Malaysia’s crowded digital communications landscape. Dr Benjamin Loh, a lecturer in Media & Communications at Monash University, talks about whether or not JKOM has truly evolved and what its really purpose today is.

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The US Supreme Court delivered a stunning blow to the Trump administration by ruling that the President has no unilateral authority to impose broad tariffs. Although the decision has technically invalidated the legal basis for the trade barriers Malaysia had been navigating for the past year, how should we tread? Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Adjunct Professor at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry gives us his perspective.

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Although US-Iran nuclear talks continue, the US is building up its military presence in the region while Iran has reportedly secured missiles from Russia. Is there a diplomatic path to prevent tensions from boiling over? We discuss these developments with Dr James Dorsey, Adjunct Senior Fellow, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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Perikatan Nasional has appointed Terengganu Chief Minister and vice-president of PAS, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, as chairman of the coalition, replacing Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. What does this signal about the direction of PN? We speak to Dr. Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow at the Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, for insights.

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The US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs imposed under emergency powers. Since then Trump has moved to preserve his trade agenda by raising global tariffs by 15%. We ask Dr. Deborah K. Elms, Head of Trade Policy, Hinrich Foundation the repercussion of this and what this means for existing trade deals.

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