Morning Brief

Morning Brief - Sep 25, 2026 25.09.2026 11m

Morning Brief - Sep 25, 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cheaper Green Power for Corporates? 25.09.2026 9m

Malaysia has revamped its Corporate Renewable Energy Supply Scheme, or CRESS, the programme that lets businesses buy green electricity straight from renewable energy developers. The changes include lower grid usage fees, a new 10-year power purchase agreement, and a deadline for plants to start operating by end-2028. That could improve developers' margins and meet the green power demand coming from data centres, but the timeline is tight. We speak to Royce Tan, Senior Analyst at MBSB Research, about whether the changes will get more companies buying green power, and his top picks in the utilities sector.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extreme Heat Tests Malaysia’s Poultry Farms 25.09.2026 9m

Prolonged hot and dry weather is putting Malaysia’s poultry farms under growing pressure, with heat stress potentially slowing chicken growth, reducing egg production and increasing the cost of keeping birds cool. While extreme temperatures do not automatically mean shortages, more frequent and prolonged heat could test the resilience of the wider food supply chain. How vulnerable is Malaysia’s poultry industry, and what investments and government support are needed to help farmers adapt to a hotter climate?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Bank Indonesia Steady the Rupiah? 24.09.2026 8m

Bank Indonesia has kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75% for a third consecutive meeting, balancing pressure on the rupiah against the need to support domestic growth. With oil above US$100, elevated US Treasury yields and lingering concerns over Indonesia’s policy direction weighing on investor confidence, the central bank faces a difficult external environment. Can it stabilise the rupiah without further tightening, and what could force another change in interest rates before the end of the year?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melaka Votes: Who Teams Up? 24.09.2026 11m

Melaka's state assembly has been dissolved, setting up Malaysia's third state election this year. Barisan Nasional is defending the state after big wins in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, while Pakatan Harapan, which left the state government in July, is talking to Bersatu about a possible "PH Plus" alliance. We speak to Dr Syaza Shukri, Associate Professor of Political Science at International Islamic University Malaysia, about the shifting alliances, what Najib's conditional pardon means for UMNO, and the stakes for Anwar and Pakatan Harapan.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Plantation Stocks Keep Climbing? 24.09.2026 10m

Plantation stocks have beaten the KLCI by almost 20 per cent this year, helped by higher CPO prices and better June-quarter earnings. But palm oil exports are slowing and El Nino is shaping up to be the strongest on record, so can the rally last? We speak to Nadia Subhan, Research Analyst at Affin Hwang Investment Bank, about the second-quarter results, her CPO price forecasts for 2026 and 2027, and her top picks in the sector.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Europe Facing a Second China Shock? 24.09.2026 10m

Europe’s trade deficit with China has surpassed €1 billion a day, fuelling concerns that growing Chinese competition could accelerate the erosion of Europe’s industrial base. While the pressure is particularly visible in the automotive sector, Brussels argues the challenge is spreading across manufacturing and has promised to use its trade-policy tools to respond. With an October deadline approaching, can Europe address the imbalance without provoking Chinese retaliation and a broader trade war?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rethinking Malaysia’s 30% Bumiputera Equity Policy 23.09.2026 12m

The Education Ministry’s decision to remove the 30% Bumiputera equity requirement for private educational institutions under its purview has reignited a much broader debate over Malaysia’s Bumiputera economic policies. Dr Lee Hwok-Aun, Senior Fellow with the Malaysian Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, takes a look at this five-decade-old policy.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the UN Still Shape World Events? 23.09.2026 11m

World leaders have gathered in New York for the UN General Assembly against the backdrop of the US-Iran conflict, the war in Ukraine and deepening divisions between the major powers. Donald Trump has used his address to defend American sovereignty and criticise international institutions, while China’s Xi Jinping is prioritising direct talks with Trump over attending the gathering. Can the UN still build meaningful consensus in an increasingly fragmented world, and what would genuine progress from this year’s General Debate actually look like?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Trump Meets Xi 23.09.2026 9m

US President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, with trade, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and the war in Iran all adding to an already complex US-China relationship. Chong Ja Ian, Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, shares his insights.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morning Brief - Sep 22, 2026 22.09.2026 8m

Morning Brief - Sep 22, 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morning Brief - Sep 22, 2026 22.09.2026 10m

Morning Brief - Sep 22, 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Politics of Najib's House Arrest 22.09.2026 10m

Convicted felon Dato' Seri Najib Razak's conditional pardon allowing him to serve the remainder of his SRC International sentence under house arrest has exposed fresh tensions within Malaysia's Unity Government. Dr Azmi Hassan, Senior Fellow at Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research, analyses these developments and the implications for Anwar Ibrahim's coalition.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Germany’s Political Centre Collapsing? 22.09.2026 12m

Germany’s political establishment is under growing pressure after another bruising set of state elections for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU. The far-right AfD emerged strongest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, while the far-left Die Linke topped the vote in Berlin, highlighting growing fragmentation at both ends of the political spectrum. What is driving voters away from Germany’s mainstream parties, can the political firewall against the AfD hold, and what could these shifts mean for the country’s direction ahead of the 2029 federal election?Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morning Brief - Sep 21, 2026 21.09.2026 10m

Morning Brief - Sep 21, 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Najib : House Arrest and a Lot of Questions 21.09.2026 13m

Twelve years became six. RM210 million became RM50 million. And now the convicted felon and corrupt criminal Datuk Seri Najib Razak could be going home to serve his sentence. Anand Raj, President of the Malaysian Bar Council, talks to us about what exactly does "house arrest" mean in Malaysia and if this creates a template that other prisoners could use.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electricity Bills, Subsidies and the Cost of Relief 21.09.2026 11m

The government has temporarily raised the electricity subsidy threshold from 600kWh to 800kWh as hotter weather and the haze push household consumption higher. Associate Prof Ts Dr Amar Hisham Jaaffar, Programme Coordinator of Master in Energy Management at Universiti Tenaga Nasional, discusses the implications of this development.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.