Morning Brief

Savage regional competition and policy clarity elsewhere are just two of the many reasons why Malaysia's EV charge is losing steam at a crucial stage of the race for high-value investment. Eddy Do, Analyst at RHB Research weighs in.

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Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, the country's economy has been in freefall - banks and money exchanges have remained shut, prices for basic commodities have surged while economic activity has ground to a halt. What kind of economic landscape could take shape under the Taliban? We discuss the scenarios and whether the international community has any leverage with ANU researcher Dr Charles Miller.

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Despite prolonged lockdowns in several cities, Covid-19 cases continue to rise, raising questions about the sustainability of Australia's "zero-Covid strategy". Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signaled a shift to an endemic strategy once vaccinations reach the 80% threshold. However, the plan is hampered by a slow vaccination roll-out and lack of consensus with state governments on Covid-19 management. We discuss the state of play Down Under with Alyssa Leng of the Lowy Institute.

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The government has ended walk-in vaccinations for foreigners at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, citing crowd-control reasons. This however will make it impossible for undocumented workers to be vaccinated as they are ineligible to register themselves for an appointment in MySejathera. New Su Shern, founder of Project Liber8 discusses possible solutions.

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While restaurants can now open for dine-in for fully vaccinated individuals, many restaurants have opted to remain close. Jennifer Ong, founder and CEO of HAPA Group discusses the reasons and initiatives to further protect workers and patrons.

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The government has ended walk-in vaccinations for foreigners at the Bukit Jalil Stadium, citing crowd-control reasons. This however will make it impossible for undocumented workers to be vaccinated as they are ineligible to register themselves for an appointment in MySejathera. New Su Shern, founder of Project Liber8 discusses possible solutions.

Image Credit: YuriAbas / Shutterstock.com

Despite prolonged lockdowns in several cities, Covid-19 cases continue to rise, raising questions about the sustainability of Australia's "zero-Covid strategy". Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has signaled a shift to an endemic strategy once vaccinations reach the 80% threshold. However, the plan is hampered by a slow vaccination roll-out and lack of consensus with state governments on Covid-19 management. We discuss the state of play Down Under with Alyssa Leng of the Lowy Institute.

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Raising the govt debt ceiling beyond 60% of GDP to help economic recovery is a certainty, especially as elections loom, says Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at the Malaysian Rating Corporation Bhd or MARC.

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The fragility of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's new government likely means a slew of generous cabinet appointments for the MPs who supported his push to the premiership, according to Ben Suffian, Programme Director at Merdeka Centre.

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Many blame Pakatan Harapan for the return of UMNO in the top seat. How should Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and PH re-engage with East Malaysian parties? Should Anwar start to make way for new leaders? Dr. James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania discusses.

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