Morning Brief

Flood risk has been made a key factor in approving all new housing developments in Malaysia as of last week. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof says the move aims to protect homebuyers from projects built in flood-prone areas. How will this affect developers and consumers moving forward? We find out from Dr. Joshua Netto, Director, Blue Stone Management, a company that specialises in construction services.

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The spotlight was on Kuala Lumpur this week as world and regional leaders, including US President Donald Trump, gathered for the 47th ASEAN Summit. While the agenda focused on cooperation and sustainability, ongoing challenges, from the South China Sea to Myanmar, continue to test the bloc’s resolve. We speak to Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Bureau Chief at The Straits Times, for his take on what unfolded

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The United States has imposed new sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Russia’s two biggest oil companies, to cut off funding for Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The decision comes just days after Russia launched 28 missiles and more than 400 drones across multiple Ukrainian cities. Dr. Sonia Mycak, Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, joins us to share her insights.

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The 47th ASEAN Summit will take place shortly in Kuala Lumpur, against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and shifting trade dynamics. We interview Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister, on how global geopolitics and geoeconomics have redefined this summit and Malaysia’s economic trajectory.

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US markets were roiled a week ago amid growing investor concerns of credit risks affecting US regional banks following the failure of  car loan company Tricolor and car parts maker First Brands. We ask Herman Chan, Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence if US regional banks are under stress and which under his coverage are more resilient.

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GLCs and GLICs play an outsized role in the Malaysian economy - but is there more chaff than wheat in the crowded ecosystem? And how can we hold these entities which have both commercial and social mandates to better account? We discuss this with independent business writer P. Gunasegaram.

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As U.S. tariffs take effect, how are China’s tech giants holding up, and can their growth keep pace with or even surpass their American rivals? For insights, we speak with Steven Tseng, senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

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Sanae Takaichi has made history as Japan’s first female prime minister, a landmark moment in a political landscape long dominated by men. Michael Cucek, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies at the Japan Campus of Temple University, talks about how her leadership might reshape Japan’s economy, gender politics, and role on the global stage.

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As China tightens export controls on rare earths, the global supply chain is being reshaped, with the US turning to allies like Australia to secure new sources of this critical resource. To understand what’s at stake we speak with Trung Ghi, Head of Energy and Utilities Practice at Arthur D. Little in Asia Pacific.

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Kuala Lumpur is set to host the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in a few days, the pinnacle of Malaysia’s chairmanship of the bloc. The event is touted as one of the largest in history, with a long-list of world leaders in attendance, including US President Donald Trump. What might be the outcomes of the summit? We discuss this with Dr. Khoo Ying Hooi of Universiti Malaya.

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