Morning Brief

Over the weekend, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has called for an urgent Perikatan Nasional supreme council meeting, following the recent resignation of Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin as PN chair. That’s not the only meeting that’s happening as UMNO’s General Assembly is set to begin on Wednesday - what outcomes can we expect from these events? Dr. Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow, Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research will be sharing his thoughts with us.

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Johor’s property market is booming, with residential transactions reaching RM9.9 billion ringgit in the first half of 2025. Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur’s office market is under pressure, as new developments add supply and older buildings struggle to attract tenants. For insights on how these shifts are shaping Malaysia’s property market, we speak with Sulaiman Saheh, Director of Research & Consultancy Services at Rahim & Co.

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Malaysia is set to strengthen its economic ties with Europe as the long-awaited Malaysia-European Union Free Trade Agreement nears completion this year. But with neighbouring countries also vying for the same FDI, can Malaysia do enough to stand out? We speak with Donal Crotty, Chairman of Eurocham Malaysia

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Singapore closed 2025 on a strong note - advance estimates show the economy expanded 4.8% for the full year,  beating the government’s earlier forecast of around 4% and marking the fastest pace of growth since 2021.  We ask Selena Ling, Chief Economist, OCBC Bank if Singapore can sustain that pace of growth into 2026, amid ongoing trade, policy and geopolitical uncertainties.

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A month from now, all Malaysian adults will receive the next 100 ringgit under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah, or Sara, initiative. We speak with Economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams on the cost of living and whether government schemes such as Sara and Budi95 have helped alleviate the burden.

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Tensions between China and Japan continue to heat up following Tokyo's comments about Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own province. Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science of the National University of Singapore, shares his perspectives on the latest posturing from China.

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2025 was a mixed year for the auto sector in Asia Pacific, despite growth in China, Japan and India with cost challenges and intense competition. Joanna Chen, Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence tells us what her expectations are for this sector in 2026.

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Malaysia's Armed Forces are under heightened scrutiny following a string of recent controversies, including the suspension of its army chief over alleged irregularities in procurement projects, and viral reports of misconduct at military camps. Ridzwan Rahmat, Principal Defence Analyst at Jane’s, talks about what reforms are needed and implications to national security if ignored.

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After the US’s dramatic abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump has reiterated his ambition to acquire Greenland, citing strategic and security reasons, and not ruling out military action to achieve that. Dr Frederick Kliem, Director for Southeast Asia at the Corporate Network of The Economist, shares his views.

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The government has delayed e-invoicing requirements by a year for small and medium enterprises with sales between  RM1mn to RM 5mn a year, citing high costs and difficult compliance rules. Chin Chee Seong, National President of the SME Association of Malaysia tells us if the policy flip-flopping frustates their members or if they welcome this move.

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