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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Some SME's Escape E-Invoicing For Now
SMEs that earn less than 1 million ringgit annually will no longer have to implement e-invoicing. Previously, the income threshold for e-invoicing was...
Amendments To PNPV Act Detrimental To Farmers
Controversy is brewing as the government is reported to have quietly submitted draft amendments to the Protection of New Plant Varieties Act 2004 to a...
Decoding the Dress Code
Should Malaysians be denied public services because of the way they are dressed especially in an emergency. A pertinent question we are posing to cons...
Mixed Picture for Southeast Asian Banks 2026
We’re taking a closer look at how Southeast Asian banks are positioned heading into 2026, a year shaped by shifting interest-rate expectations, uneven...
Beyond the Barrel: The Oil & Gas Outlook
Malaysia’s oil and gas sector has seen much volatility this year, with both external and domestic pressures weighing on the sector - but will these st...
Differentiating Fact from Fiction With Influencers
Idea reports that modern influencers have become central to the dissemination of political messaging, with government and political party machinery in...
Goodbye To Medical Inflation?
With medical inflation rising steadily, the government is reviewing the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act and the way that private hospit...
Going Down Under to See if Banning Social Media for Kids Works
Australia has made history by introducing the world’s first ban on selected social media use for children under 16.
Dr. Joanne Orlando, Digital...
Gloves, Seeing Shoots of Recovery
Malaysia’s rubber glove players saw strong earnings from the latest earnings quarter. Is this a sign that the sector is due for a positive re-rating?...
Malaysia on Course to Fully Eliminate Hardcore Poverty?
Even as Malaysia nears full eradication of hardcore poverty by early 2026, many low-income households remain at risk. To address this, the government...
LRT3 Delays Persist
Recent developments in the transportation space include delays to the LRT3, a potential reduction in parking spaces in new developments near public tr...
China's Record Breaking Trade Surplus
China has just posted a record-breaking trade surplus, more than one trillion US dollars, even as its economy at home shows signs of strain. What’s po...
No Easy Resolution to the Thai-Cambodia Crisis
Thailand and Cambodia have resumed fighting after Thailand launched airstrikes on the Cambodian military. Dr. Greg Raymond, Senior Lecturer at the Aus...
Storm Signals for Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia has been battered by a string of storms, cyclones and heavy rain, resulting in more than a thousand deaths and billions in damage. But...
Hong Kong Property Gaining Momentum
After years of slowdown, Hong Kong’s property market is showing signs of comeback. Rents rose 4% in 2025 and could climb another 5% next year, while h...
MCA Backed Into A Corner?
Over the weekend, MCA held its annual general meeting where arguably one of the most notable resolutions that was passed - it will leave BN if any com...
Consistent and Clear Migrant Worker Policies Needed
Malaysia continues to rely on migrant workers and uses quota applications to recalibrate labour demand. Combined with tighter enforcement on accommod...
Gold & Silver Still Poised to Grow in 2026
Precious metals are stealing the spotlight in 2026, with gold up 60% year-to-date and silver rallying strongly, while palm oil and Brent crude face a...
Carbon Credit System for Malaysian Planters, Workable?
Felda is promoting a carbon-credit system for oil-palm plantations but is this workable in a Malaysian context? Khor Yu Leng, Economist, Segi Enam Adv...
Carbon Credit System for Malaysian Planters, Workable?
Felda is promoting a carbon-credit system for oil-palm plantations but is this workable in a Malaysian context? Khor Yu Leng, Economist, Segi Enam Adv...
Singapore Property Market Still Looking Healthy in 2026
Singapore’s property market saw continued momentum in the third quarter, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority reporting an uptick in both private an...
Australia's Economy Keeps Going
Australia’s economy posted a softer-than-expected expansion in the third quarter, with GDP rising 0.4%, yet the annual pace accelerated to 2.1% — the...
Airbus Technical Glitches a Temporary Turbulence
Airbus has hit turbulence as its A320 jets face a software glitch in the ELAC flight-control system and fuselage panels that don’t meet specifications...
Time for New Malaysia Household Income Classifications
Under the 13th Malaysia Plan, the government is reviewing Malaysia’s household income classifications. Calvin Cheng, Director of the Economics, Trade,...
Underemployment, Not Unemployment is Malaysia's Problem
DOSM has revealed that skill-related underemployment, where graduates work in positions below the level of their qualification, has increased by 3.9%...
Behind the Chow Kit Raid: A Legal Breakdown
The recent raid on a health club in Chow Kit, which resulted in 208 arrests, has raised concerns over privacy and law enforcement protocols in Malaysi...
Lessons in Disaster Response
Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia are facing one of its deadliest waves of floods and landslides in recent memory. Nusrat Hassan, Operation...
Behind the Chow Kit Raid: A Legal Breakdown
The recent raid on a health club in Chow Kit, which resulted in 208 arrests, has raised concerns over privacy and law enforcement protocols in Malaysi...
Local Planning: Who Decides Your City's Future?
We’re taking a closer look at a document that will shape Subang Jaya for the next decade, that is, the Subang Jaya Local Plan 2035. It decides what ge...
The Economic Impact of the Row Between China And Japan
Recent tensions between China and Japan have led to fewer tourists numbers from the Mainland . This might have a signifcant effect as 24% of all touri...
Is the New Sabah Administration Stable?
Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah, unveiled his new cabinet, but some local assemblypersons have expressed anger over key appointments d...
Global Growth Slowing but Not Stalling
2026 appears to be a year of transition as the impact of tariffs and geopolitical tensions take hold with global growth slowing. However are there sti...
What Are The Changes from Finance Bill 2025?
The Finance Bill 2025 introduces new taxes that will directly affect business owners, professionals, and higher-income earners. We’ll speak with Dr. V...
Banner year for the fintech industry
We speak to Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Network to discuss Malaysia's fintech industry, zeroing into critical segments like digital banks...
Freer, Free Trade Agreements Are Needed
The government highlights that a third of Malaysia’s FDI now comes from the CPTPP economies. Is this genuinely improving Malaysia’s trade and investme...
DAP, Soul Searching Begins After Sabah Election Wipeout
DAP faced a wipeout in the Sabah state elections over the weekend, losing all 8 seats they contested in. Is this a trend that will be repeated in othe...
Ignore Fixed Income at Your Peril for 2026
After a volatile year for bonds in 2024, returns have been good for this asset this year especially Malaysia where there was the additional forex gain...
Latin America in Trump’s Spotlight: Is There a Plan?
There is a rising wave of US involvement in Latin America, where public endorsements in Honduras’ election and military deployments near Venezuela mig...
Malaysia’s Perennial Fight Against Corruption
Malaysia has been rocked by high-profile corruption scandals, from the Sabah mining to the FAM naturalisation of players - all this under the current...
Lessons From Hong Kong's Apartment Fire
Last week's high-rise fire in Hong Kong which has claimed more than 140 lives has prompted difficult questions about the safety of densely populated u...