Morning Brief

Heated nation-wide protests have erupted in the Philippines as frustration grows over unmaterialised flood-control projects despite billions of pesos allegedly being poured into them. To help us unpack what these protests reveal about sentiment and corruption in the Philippines is Erin Cook, Journalist for Southeast Asian Affairs.

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Dr. Deborah K. Elms, Head of Trade Policy at the Hinrich Foundation, says it is time for ASEAN countries to tackle non-tariff barriers to strengthen intra-regional trade,  as external pressures from the Trump administration intensify.

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Media authorities have fined Sin Chew Media and Sinar Karangkraf RM100,000 each. What does this mean for press freedom, and do we need clearer guidelines as AI becomes more mainstream in journalism? Joining us to discuss is Dr Benjamin Loh, Course Director of the Bachelor of Digital Media and Communication at Monash University Malaysia.

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Election spending limits under the Election Offences Act 1954 have remained unchanged since 2023. Bersih Chairman Faisal Aziz outlines his proposals for updated spending caps and the reforms he believes should be in place ahead of the next general election, GE16.

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China’s consumption recovery is losing steam, with August retail sales rising only 3.4% and falling short of expectations yet again. Policymakers are leaning on vouchers, cheaper credit, and holiday demand to revive momentum. Will this be enough to turn sentiment around? Catherine Lim, Senior Analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, shares her analysis.

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Three out of four local manufacturers are already feeling the pinch from U.S. tariffs on their exports. Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA), describes how SMEs are responding by collaborating and sharing facilities to cut costs and stay competitive.

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Global rice prices have fallen to their lowest level in eight years, with the UN’s All Rice Price Index shedding 24% in August compared with the same period last year. Helping us make sense of what’s shaping global rice markets is Lucrezia Cogliati, Agribusiness Analyst from BMI.

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US President Donald Trump has just completed his second state visit to Britain steeped in royal ceremony, but also met with public protest and diplomatic friction. Dr Benjamin Barton, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia looks at what’s at stake for London, Washington, and beyond.

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Sabah has been hit by heavy rain over the past week, resulting in a series of floods and landslides in areas of the state. Ariff Adi Putera, Research Officer, Institute for Development Studies (Sabah) discusses reactions to government aid efforts and how this might inform voter decisions in the upcoming state elections.

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Malaysia wants at least 30 tech companies to be IPO-ready by 2028, under a new initiative led by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Ng Zhu Hann, CEO and Founder of Tradeview Capital, shares his views on this ambition for tech firms to broaden access to capital markets, create more listed champions, and strengthen the digital economy.

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