Morning Brief
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Morning Brief
Opinion and analysis of today’s international and local news that matter to Malaysians. Everything you need to know to start and plan your work.
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Issue with BNPL Surge in Malaysia
Buy Now Pay Later use is surging in Malaysia. Transactions jumped to 243 million last year, worth more than 21 billion ringgit, with outstanding BNPL...
China's Military Purge Reaches New Heights
China’s military leadership is facing fresh upheaval by the purge of two of its most senior generals including Zhang Youxia, one of President Xi Jinpi...
What's Next for Malaysia's Corruption Fight
Malaysia’s anti-corruption efforts are under renewed scrutiny following claims of billions recovered in stolen public funds. Pushpan Murugiah of the C...
Banks In Singapore Poised to Do Well in 2026
Singapore’s three biggest banks have turned in a resilient but mixed performance as they closed out 2025. But with global rate cuts taking hold, what...
Inside Myanmar’s 2025 (Disputed) General Election
Myanmar has concluded its latest general election under heavy restrictions, with major opposition parties banned and large parts of the country unable...
Middle Powers Need Each Other For Trade and Political Might
Recently, the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that middle powers need to move from being rule-takers to rule-shapers. From a trade and invest...
Making TikTok American
After years of political and legal uncertainty, TikTok has struck a deal allowing it to continue operating in the US under a majority American-owned j...
Malaysia's Civil Service: From Youth to Attitudes
Applications to Malaysia’s civil service are falling even as the Public Service Commission plans to hire more in 2026. Syafiq Ridzwan, Chief of Inform...
Sunway Bid for IJM Gets Complicated
Earlier this month, Sunway Berhad launched a conditional takeover offer for IJM Corporation Berhad, valued about 11 billion ringgit, largely through a...
Can MHIT keep you covered?
Private healthcare costs are rising, insurance premiums have jumped, and the central bank has published a whitepaper proposing a base medical and heal...
Cautious Optimism for Malaysia's Economy in 2026
Yesterday, Bank Negara Malaysia’s Monetary Policy Committee announced that the Overnight Policy Rate remains unchanged at 2.75%, saying the current po...
US Tech Stocks Momentum to Continue
Earlier this week, we saw a wipeout of about 700 billion US dollars from Magnificent 7 stocks due to US-Greenland uncertainty - though there’s been so...
Can Malaysia Afford Its Rail Future?
Malaysia’s rail ambitions are back in the spotlight, not just what we build, but how it performs and what it costs. In the Klang Valley, Rapid Rail ca...
Building Stability in the South China Sea
Malaysia is pushing forward with the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea, with 70% of the framework already completed. But can it truly keep the w...
The US Supreme Courts vs Trump's Tariffs
The US Supreme Court is expected to deliver its ruling on President Donald Trump’s tariffs only by Feb 20, leaving importers, markets, and internation...
FX Markets in A Whirlwind Over TACO Trade
Financial markets are currently navigating what has been dubbed the 'Greenland Tariff Gambit', a significant geopolitical shock triggered by President...
Malaysia's Climate Change Approach
Malaysia is tabling the National Climate Change Bill to give the federal government formal powers to regulate emissions and carbon markets. Climate ch...
The Importance of a Freedom of Information Act.
The government will table a Freedom of Information Act with free access to request documents and other information from government agencies. So, why d...
Unpacking the National Education Plan 2026-2035
Malaysia has launched its National Education Plan 2026-2035, introducing earlier school entry, new centralised assessments and changes across the enti...
Inside Vietnam’s 14th Communist Party Congress
Vietnam’s 14th Communist Party Congress is ongoing in Hanoi and will determine the country’s leadership and policy direction for the next five years....
KL MPs
Kuala Lumpur MPs will now play a more significant role in the city’s administration, as Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh has announced the for...
What’s Next for China’s Retail Sector?
China’s retail sector is showing signs of strain despite repeated stimulus measures. Catherine Lim, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence unpacks...
Greenland: A Test For Transatlantic Ties
President Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland "the easy way or the hard way" has triggered a transatlantic crisis. Dr Benjamin Barton, As...
Board of Peace, A Trump Dream or Reality?
Over the past week, US President Donald Trump has floated a proposal he calls a Board of Peace, a new international body linked to Gaza that would sit...
China's 2025 Economic Growth Meets Target, What's Next?
China closed 2025 meeting its headline GDP growth target of 5%, but beneath the surface the recovery looks uneven with the final quarter, expanding at...
Rethinking Kuala Lumpur’s Public Spaces
The Federal Territories Ministry is partnering with Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia to redesign key urban infrastructure, encompassing public housing layou...
Malaysian Q4 GDP Outperformed
Malaysia wrapped up 2025 on a stronger footing than expected. Flash estimates show the economy growing 5.7% year-on-year in the fourth quarter, beatin...
Viewing Affordable Housing Through A Holistic Lens
Recently, the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Institute announced that homeownership among Malaysia’s middle-income M40 group...
Can UMNO Lead a Grand Collabration for Malays?
Umno’s General Assembly has wrapped, but the political signals are still unfolding. Tough rhetoric on the floor, cooperation at the top, delayed party...
US-Taiwan Deal and Its Implications on Chips
Taiwan will invest $250 billion dollars in US semiconductor manufacturing under a new trade deal, as tariffs on its goods are cut from 20% to 15%. Ge...
Deferred Prosecution, Deferred Accountability?
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is proposing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) mechanism for certain corruption cases, to allow those ac...
Trump's Greenland Ambitions: Why??
Greenland remains a fixation for President Donald Trump, who insists the United States needs the island for national security. A recent meeting betwee...
Is it Time for Black Gold to Shine?
Oil markets have been navigating a complex mix of geopolitics, supply dynamics and demand uncertainty with prices weak in 2025. Is the outlook differe...
Sanae Takachi Bets on a Snap Election
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve parliament next week, triggering a national election for all 465 seats, her first since taking...
UMNO: Di Persimpangan Dilema
As UMNO convenes its long-delayed general assembly, Malaysia’s oldest political party faces critical questions about its role within the unity governm...
Will 2026 Be a Repeat for 2025 for Markets?
Global markets are kicking off 2026 with record highs, shrugging off economic and political uncertainties. Gains in Japan and China, alongside surging...
The New Rules for Expats & Its Impacts
From June 2026, Malaysia is doubling the minimum salary thresholds for Employment Passes, reshaping eligibility, renewals, and the ability for expatri...
What Malaysia’s Judiciary Needs Next
Malaysia’s court system is under mounting pressure with criminal cases surging more than 60% and yet the country has just 147 superior court judges se...
Singapore Property Outlook, A little Spotty
Singapore’s property market ended 2025 with price growth in the private residential segment moderating but what is the outlook for 2026? Will commerci...
Putrajaya's App-solute Solution to Streamline Digital Services
The Malaysian government has been pushing to streamline its digital services, this time hoping that its MyDigital ID can do that job, serving as a sin...