Morning Brief

From June 2026, Malaysia is doubling the minimum salary thresholds for Employment Passes, reshaping eligibility, renewals, and the ability for expatriates to bring their families. Andy Davison of the Expat Group Media unpacks what this means for employers, foreign talent, and Malaysia’s competitiveness in the region.

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Malaysia’s court system is under mounting pressure with criminal cases surging more than 60% and yet the country has just 147 superior court judges serving a population of 36 million, far below global benchmarks. Constitutional lawyer Lim Wei Jiet talks about the impact of judge shortages and whether Malaysia’s courts can realistically catch up.

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Singapore’s property market ended 2025 with price growth in the private residential segment moderating but what is the outlook for 2026? Will commercial property and also REITs be positively impacted by lower interest rates and stronger economic growth? Ken Foong, Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence gives us his insights.

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The Malaysian government has been pushing to streamline its digital services, this time hoping that its MyDigital ID can do that job, serving as a single hub where users can access multiple government services with one login. Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau, talks about the practical aspects of these ambitions.

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After much speculation, Sunway Bhd will acquire rival IJM in a cash and share deal worth over RM11 billion. We ask

Royce Tan, Senior Analyst, MBSB Research, if the deal is synergistic or value accretive, and what this means for the construction sector. We also ask him for his broad views on the sector and his top buy ideas.

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The Elon Musk-backed chatbot Grok is under global scrutiny after being linked to the generation of sexualised and non-consensual images, including of minors, resulting in Malaysia and Indonesia imposing temporary blocks. Dr Benjamin Loh, Course Director, Bachelor of Digital Media & Communication at Monash University, shares his perspective.

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Iran is facing some of its deadliest unrest in years, with security forces reportedly using live ammunition against protesters, hundreds killed, and thousands detained. Washington has also weighed in, even suggesting military intervention. Dr James Dorsey of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies gives his take on what might happen in the coming days.

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There's news that the Education Ministry plans to bring back the UPSR and PT3 exams, as they unveil Malaysia's Education Blueprint that will shape learning up to 2036. Shahnaz Al-Sadat, Chairperson of LeapEd Services, shares her views on these assessments making a comeback as well as what meaningful education reform should look like going forward.

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The Attorney-General’s Chambers has decided that no further action is required following the discharge not amounting to an acquittal in the Yayasan Akalbudi case involving Umno President and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ragunath Kesavan, Former President of the Malaysian Bar Council, provides insight into the AGC’s decision.

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Electricity demand in Malaysia is rising, but changes in the energy mix are moving more slowly. Coal’s share has gone up, gas is expected to matter more only after 2030. At the same time, data centres are adding pressure and regional power sharing is back on the agenda. So is Malaysia ready for these changes? We’ll tap Cheah Wai Seng, Energy, Resources and Industrials Leader at Deloitte Malaysia, for his insights.

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