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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Will the War on Iran Spiral Further?
Escalation of the War on Iran is spreading across the Gulf, threatening energy routes and regional stability. Ryan Bohl, Senior Middle East and North...
SMEs Stay Afloat Amid Middle East Turbulence
Malaysia SME sector is feeling the ripple effects of rising tensions in the Middle East through shipping delays, higher costs, and supply chain disrup...
Tourism In Turmoil: When Middle East Tensions Take Flight
Although Malaysia is far from the conflict between the United States and Iran, the country is feeling its impact as disruptions at major Middle East t...
US Sidestepping IEEPA In New Probe?
Yesterday, it was reported that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has initiated investigations into several economies, inclu...
MAGA at War, Rejuvenated Dems, Life After Trump
Washington is wrestling with the fallout of the Iran conflict as Brent crude stays above $90 a barrel, threatening a 0.3% inflation spike for every $1...
AI Governance : Can Malaysia Keep Up?
Malaysia aims to establish AI standards within the next year as part of its broader ambition to become an AI-driven economy by 2030. Dr Jun-E Tan, Sen...
AI, Gold & Robots? China’s New Spending Reality
Spending in China has shifted from volume to value, creating a complex landscape for global investors. We explore whether Alibaba’s massive $1.4 billi...
Seats of Power, Gaps In Federal Statutory Bodies
A recent report by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) revealed that 78% of chairperson roles on federal statutory bodies lacked...
Balancing Act for Japan Economy
Japan’s economy grew 0.3 percent quarter on quarter in the fourth quarter, stronger than first estimated, with domestic demand and business investment...
GE16 Snap Polls? Bersatu Purges & Umno’s Open Door
With mounting speculation that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may call early GE16 elections to coincide with state polls in Melaka and Johor, we speak t...
China Eyeing New Growth Drivers
China is setting its economic course under the 15th Five-Year Plan, with a stronger push toward technology led growth, industrial upgrading and effort...
Winners & Losers of Higher Oil Prices
War in the Middle East has pushed oil prices sharply higher, fuelling concerns about supply disruptions and volatility across financial markets. How m...
Airlines Brace For Prolonged Middle East Disruption
Escalating tensions in the Middle East are disrupting global aviation and tourism, leaving thousands of travellers stranded and forcing airlines to re...
Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei, The New Iran Supreme Leader?
Nine days after the US‑Israeli strikes that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Assembly of Experts in Iran has named his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as its...
The RM6 Trillion Question: Is CMP4 Achievable?
The Securities Commission's Capital Market Masterplan 2026-2030 was launched yesterday, a five-year roadmap to build a larger, more inclusive, sustain...
Brent Crude at US$100, Impact on Malaysia
Brent crude oil futures have surged amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, almost hitting US$110 a barrel before easing on hopes of de-escalatio...
Urgent Reforms Needed Before GE16
The defeat of the Prime Minister’s term-limit bill failed in Parliament last week has cast doubts on the Madani government’s commitment to pass much n...
China Contends with Multiple Challenges
All eyes were on the political elite of China as they convened for the annual Two Sessions meetings last week. The 2026 growth target was set at 4.5 t...
Singapore Banks Remain Resilient Despite New Headwinds
After reaping the rewards of a “higher for longer” interest rate environment over the past few years, the banking sector is facing new headwinds as lo...
Will Philippines continue to outperform?
Philippine equities are among the stronger performers in ASEAN this year, but questions remain over whether the rebound signals a lasting recovery. Al...
Will Philippines Continue To Outperform?
Philippine equities are among the stronger performers in ASEAN this year, but questions remain over whether the rebound signals a lasting recovery. Al...
Nepal Votes: What Comes Next?
More than 19 million Nepalese voters went to the polls yesterday in the country’s first general election since the 2025 protests that toppled the gove...
OPR To Remain At 2.75% In 2026?
Bank Negara Malaysia has kept the OPR unchanged at 2.75%, maintaining the level set after last year’s July rate cut as policymakers judge the current...
Public Transport Delays : Who Pays The Price?
Putrajaya has warned that the main contractor for the LRT3 Shah Alam Line could incur RM475 million in penalties for the continued delay in the operat...
US-Israel War on Iran: Europe’s Deep Divide
As the Israel-Iran War intensifies, Europe is faced with big questions. University of Nottingham Malaysia's Dr. Benjamin Barton unpacks the continent'...
Lynas' Licence Renewal: Another Change of Mind?
The government has renewed Lynas’ operating license for 10 years, allowing the Australian firm to continue producing rare earths at its Gebeng plant....
Geopolitics and the Crude Oil Reaction
Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, Brent crude has surged past $80 a barrel, reigniting the geopolitical risk premium. Sim Moh Siong, a...
The Devil Is In The Details For The Separation Of AG & PP
The debate for the bill to separate the AG and PP was put on hold after the government announced a Parliamentary Special Select Committee to discuss t...
Impact of Middle East Conflict on the Global Economy
Middle East tensions are driving oil higher, lifting volatility and reviving safe haven demand. How far could this shock spill into global growth, inf...
Will US / Israel or Iran Prevail in the Battlefield?
With the launch of Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion, the United States and Israel have moved beyond containment to a direct military campaign for...
New Zealand, Stemming its Brain Drain
In 2025, more than 60,000 New Zealand citizen left the country including their former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern and her family. Sharon Zollner, C...
Madani Reform Agenda Stalled?
Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s political reform agenda hit a setback yesterday, when the bill proposing constitutional amendments to cap th...
Passenger Rights When Geopolitics Grounds Travel
The escalating war in Iran perpetrated by the US and Israel have shut down airports and airspaces in the region, impacting Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha,...
Shipping Stricken by Hormuz Blockade
The recent attack on Iran by the US and Israel has not only caused oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices to soar, but also shipping carrier rates...
Middle East Conflagration Throws Region in Chaos
Iran is confronting its most serious leadership crisis since 1979 after the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israel air strikes...
Do Americans Support the US War on Iran?
Is the American public onboard with President Donald Trump's military strikes on Iran? We discuss public sentiment and how the Middle East conflict co...
Vantris Energy : Rescue Or Bailout?
News that the government is setting aside RM480 million from the 2025 development budget to support loss-making Vantris Energy Bhd, ostensibly to safe...
EPF’s 6.15% Dividend : Not High Enough?
The Employees' Provident Fund has declared a 6.15% dividend for 2025 for both its shariah and conventional accounts, which some contend as being below...
Higher Education System Requires Major Revamp
Malaysia is set to revamp its pre-university admissions with a “single window, single offer” system and standardise First Class degree awards. But wil...
World Leaders Making a Beeline for Beijing
The start of 2026 has signalled a diplomatic "thaw" as a parade of world leaders, including those from the UK, Canada, and Germany, descend on Beijing...