Morning Brief

Japan’s not the only country having elections this Sunday - our neighbors up north, Thailand, are as well. Against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions with Cambodia and a shaky economy, what’s the mood of Thai voters on the ground right now, and who might be the frontrunner in this race? We’ll be discussing this with Dr. Michael Montesano, Associate Senior Fellow, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

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President Trump has just unveiled a major shift in how the US approaches critical mineral with the launch of Project Vault and  a trade zone with partners such as Japan and the European Union. Trung Ghi, Partner and Head of the Energy & Utilities with Arthur D. Little in Asia Pacific helps us understand how significant these initiatives are and how Malaysia should navigate this with our own mineral earths policy.

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Malaysia is again attempting to reform how migrant workers are recruited, amid longstanding concerns over debt bondage, misleading job promises and weak enforcement. Adrian Pereira, Executive Director of North-South Initiative, shares his views on whether proposals like direct hiring, virtual interviews and AI translation can address exploitation on the ground.

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Hong Kong’s housing market is emerging from a deep multi-year correction, with prices bottoming out in 2025 and rents at record highs. Patrick Wong, Head of Hong Kong & Senior Analyst, Asia Pacific Real Estate, Bloomberg Intelligence, discusses how falling interest rates, a revived stock market and renewed mainland demand may shape what happens.

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Peace talks appear increasingly difficult as Russia ramps up its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and comes at a time when temperatures fall below -20°C. Dr Sonia Mycak, a research fellow, ANU Centre for European Studies shares her views on what realistic solutions could finallwary bring an end to the war, even as peace talks continue in Abu Dhabi.

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PM Term Limits, Just the Bare Minimum

There are plans to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure to 10 years aimed at reducing the concentration of power, strengthening institutions, and responding to public calls for greater accountability. Danesh Prakash Chacko, Chairperson, Persatuan Bertindak Pilihan Raya Bebas Dan Saksama (TINDAK) tells us if this reform is sufficient and if Kuala Lumpur should have mayoral elections.

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The US government has avoided another shutdown after President Donald Trump signed a US$1.2 trillion funding bill, but political tensions remain high. Dr Kathryn Robison, of the United States Studies Centre at University of Sydney shares her views into what Trump's falling approval ratings and other developments mean going into the 2026 midterm elections.

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Malaysia’s digital banks were given five years by Bank Negara to reach profitability and one year has already gone by. Ravi Kittane, Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting, shares his views on the performance of these entities in Malaysia's landscape.

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The New Incentive Framework will replace a system that’s been around since the 1980 with incentives are now time bound, tiered, and tied to national outcomes. Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax, KPMG in Malaysia tells us what to expect from the NIF and how it will be implemented.

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Malaysia has launched the National Food Security Policy 2030, alongside plans for a National Food Security Act to address global food systems affected by climate volatility, geopolitics and rising costs. Professor Datin Paduka Dr Fatimah Mohamed Arshad of Universiti Putra Malaysia assesses if this policy can truly strengthen resilience and safeguard Malaysia’s food security.

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