Morning Brief

Yesterday, the Federal Court dismissed Semantan Estate’s appeal to reclaim ownership of the 263-acre plot in Bukit Semantan, Kuala Lumpur. Haniff Khatri, practising lawyer explains why the court made that decision and how compensation might be determined.

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Sabah heads to the polls at the end of this month with nomination day tomorrow. We break down the shifting alliances and explore what’s at stake with Professor James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of Tasmania.

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If successful, Visit Malaysia Year 2026 could contribute as much as 16% to Malaysia’s GDP next year. Imran Yusof, Head of Research at MBSB Research, discusses the key growth drivers, potential risks, the sectors poised to benefit, and shares his top five stock picks tied to this theme.

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Private credit has expanded rapidly since the global financial crisis, growing into a US 1.7 trillion dollar market as tighter banking regulations pushed more lending activity outside traditional finance. Thomas Cheong, President of Principal APAC & Middle East and Executive Vice President of Principal Financial Group helps us understand where the opportunities are in this asset class and what investment strategy to adopt.

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Felix Neoh, Director of Financial Planning at Finwealth Management, explains the objectives and expected impact of the new 15-minute financial education module that consumers applying for personal loans above RM100,000 will be required to complete starting in 2027. Nonetheless, there isn’t a test at the end.

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The BBC’s ongoing controversy comes amid rising licensing fees paid by UK viewers and increasing scrutiny over the company’s editorial integrity. Dr. Benjamin Barton, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, outlines the challenges facing the broadcaster and believes it is unlikely to settle former US President Trump’s US$1 billion lawsuit threat.

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There is news that the government plans to amend the MARA Act 1966 to improve governance and centralise oversight. The 59-year-old agency has faced scrutiny over transparency, overlapping functions, and underperformance. Ahmad Yazid Othman, Senior Fellow at the Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu (MTEM), shares his views on this.

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Malaysia has had some recent wins from the strength of the Ringgit to strong economic growth despite the geopolitical tensions and trade war. So,  has Malaysia found its glory days again. A question that was posed by Daniel Moss, a Bloomberg commentator in his op-ed piece entitled "Malaysia Got Its Mojo Back. But for How Long?" . We ask him why he wrote the article and if there are challenges ahead.

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Associate Professor Dr Te Kian Keong, Principal Practitioner and Director of Traditional & Complementary Medicine Centre at UTAR Hospital tells us about the new law regulating traditional and complementary medicine facilities. Active dialog between the regulator and practitioners is key to ensuring this law effectively improves standards and safety for patients.

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Asian equities have delivered one of the strongest rallies globally this year, but weeks of volatile trading across Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, seem to indicate some hesitation. Vis Nayar, Chief Investment Officer at Eastspring Investments, talks about the factors behind Asia’s market momentum, the outlook for 2026, and where investors should be positioning next.

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