Morning Brief

A string of headlines highlighting bullying, physical violence, and even murder in schools has shaken public confidence in the safety of our education system. Are our national schools truly equipped to protect their students? We explore the policies and frameworks necessary to ensure that every child can learn in a safe environment, with Alina Amir, CEO & Co-founder of Arus Academy.

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Bersatu ranks have been shaken by the expulsion of key leaders, including Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Saiful Wan Jan and four division chiefs, as well as the suspension of Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fahysal for one term. What does this mean for party unity and also the Perikatan Nasional coalition? Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director of Merdeka Centre, shares insights on this political fallout.

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China’s EV companies are seeing slowdowns in their sales domestically, even though their numbers are positive overseas. What’s causing this downturn in the sector at home, and what is its outlook in the coming months? Joanna Chen, Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence shares her insights.

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Business writer Pankaj C. Kumar says the lack of substantive tax reforms and the continued rise in debt service charges are among the key issues Budget 2026 fails to address. He also highlights other missed opportunities in the latest budget tabled by the Madani government.

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The government’s 40% increase in doctors’ and dentists’ on-call allowances under Budget 2026 is long overdue, says Dr. Khor Swee Kheng, CEO of Angsana Health and Public Policy Specialist. He provides an in-depth analysis of the key healthcare initiatives introduced in the budget and their potential impact on the sector.

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Two years after the events on October 7th, the remaining Israeli captives have been released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees under phase 1 of President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza. But is the hardest part still to come in securing lasting peace and independence for Palestine? We discuss this with Dr. James Dorsey of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

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East Malaysia took center stage in Budget 2026, with Sabah receiving RM6.9 billion ringgit and Sarawak RM6 billion ringgit in record allocations. But is this enough to address the region’s development challenges? Dr. Saizal Pinjaman of Universiti Malaysia Sabah weighs in.

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The government is targeting RM270 billion in tax revenue next year, but with no new taxes introduced, can this be achieved? 

Sim Kwang Gek, Country Tax Leader at Deloitte Malaysia tells us her perspective whilst also weighing in on incentives to help businesses and also the goodies for the rakyat.

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Budget 2026 marks the first under the 13th Malaysia Plan and possibly the last before the next general election. With spending rising to RM419 billion and the deficit narrowing slightly to 3.5% of GDP, can Malaysia strike the right balance between fiscal discipline and growth? Dr Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, Bank Muamalat's Chief Economist shares his insights.

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Budget 2026 has been lauded as a positive and pragmatic plan for Malaysia’s small and medium enterprises, with billions channelled toward financing guarantees, microloans, digitalisation, and export expansion. Chin Chee Seong, President of the SME Association of Malaysia, unpacks he opportunities and challenges for SMEs under this fourth MADANI Budget.

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