The Breakfast Grille is a business news and interview program that airs weekday mornings from 6am to 10am. It delivers the biggest stories and must-listen-to interviews to help listeners make educated business and investment decisions. The show is produced by BFM Media, a Malaysian radio station.
Episodes
When Encryption Is No Longer Enough
Encryption protects messages, but what happens when identities are compromised and AI can convincingly impersonate trusted individuals? Christine Gadsby, Vice President and Chief Security Advisor at BlackBerry Secure Communications, examines the evolving threats posed by AI agents, cyberattacks and compromised communications. We also discuss Malaysia's growing cybersecurity exposure and why busine
IOIPG REIT IPO: Can The Rent Growth Hold
Malaysia's largest shopping mall is heading to Bursa Malaysia inside a REIT, with IOI City Mall, six hotels and two office parks valued at about RM7.6 billion. Investors are being offered a projected yield of about 6%, but the proceeds go to the sponsor, not the REIT, and the forecasts rely on rising rents and fuller office towers. On The Breakfast Grille, Chris Chong, CEO of IOIPG REIT Manage
NWE Resources: Will Record Margins Drive Revenue Growth?
Fresh off its debut on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market after raising RM28.6 million, NWE Resources Group Berhad presents an unusual financial picture: revenue slid from RM45.6 million in FY2024 to RM41.6 million in FY2026, yet net profit nearly doubled to RM8.5 million as gross profit margins surged toward 56%.Tan Chor Han, Executive Director of NWE Resources Group Berhad, joins The Breakfast Grille t
Winstar Capital Borrowing RM300 Million, An Amount Bigger Than Its Market Cap
Aluminium products maker Winstar Capital wants to raise up to RM300 million through a new sukuk programme, roughly 1.5 times its own market value. Its latest quarter saw revenue jump by a third, but profit grew just 3 per cent, and its factory expansion is running behind schedule. In June, its second-biggest shareholder, solar firm Sunview, sold its entire stake at a discount. We speak to Lee Yong
Can Malaysia's Grid and Water Supply Handle Google's Expansion?
Google has pledged US$15 billion over 2027 and 2028 to expand its Malaysian data centre footprint, a sevenfold jump from the US$2 billion committed in 2024. Ken Siah, Principal for Global Infrastructure, Asia Pacific at Google, tells the Breakfast Grill that 93% of Malaysian workers now use AI daily, Malay-language Gemini prompts have more than doubled in a year, and the build-out is projected to
Navigating AI Frontiers
The field of Artificial Intelligence has had its winters over the decades but today it’s definitely entered an extended summer. Its roiling markets and politics and even philosophy; from return on investment to what makes us human. Those leading the technology’s development promise utopia but also warn of a chance, albeit slim, of existential threats. While the public discourse is dominated by the
Impact Capital Holdings: Sarawak's ICT Builder Eyes Bursa Listing
Impact Capital Holdings is set to list on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market, after more than two decades in the ICT systems integration business. The company's managing director, Winston Chai talks about Impact Capital's growth journey, its financial performance and plans to expand its operations and develop new technology solutions, including digital twin and AI-enabled offerings.See omnystudio.com/lis
Paramount’s Diversification: Growth or Growing Risk?
Paramount Corporation has built its reputation as one of Malaysia's established property developers, but its ambitions now extend beyond property into coworking, hospitality and food and beverage investments. With property sales facing pressure and borrowing commitments rising, can diversification deliver sustainable growth without compromising shareholder returns? Jeffrey Chew, Group CEO and Exec
Navigating National Security Vulnerabilities
When the Prime Minister recently announced restrictions on the use of the navigational app, Waze, for civil servants it received significant pushback from the larger public. Allegations about possible vulnerabilities and targeting by Israel, a country we have no diplomatic relations with, did little to quell the annoyance of a disgruntled segment of the public. Was the move by government not well
UNICEF: Enhancing Social Protection Architecture for Care
Just a few months ago, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development revealed in Parliament that almost 3 million women remain outside the workforce due to family commitments. For the government and policy-makers, the question is how much support is being given to them and what consequences for society and the economy are there if we do not. Today, in conjunction with the International D
East Asia’s AI Boom: Growth or Dependence?
East Asia's economy is proving more resilient than expected, with the World Bank forecasting growth of 4.5% this year, supported by surging demand for AI-related exports and investment. But with much of that growth concentrated in semiconductors and electronics, could the region become dangerously dependent on a global technology boom? On The Breakfast Grille, we examine the risks of excessive AI
emart24’s Vuitton Pang: Leaving Mamee & The Road to Profitability
Self-described "ex-nepo baby" Vuitton Pang, CEO of emart24 Malaysia, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss stepping out of the Mamee family business, entering the capital-intensive convenience sector, and whether the venture fits a broader family investment thesis.When he left Mamee-Double Decker in 2021 to launch emart24 in Malaysia, the target was 300 stores in five years. Five years on, the cha
The Space Economy: Beyond the Hype
The global space economy could reach US$1.8 trillion by 2035, as private companies transform an industry once dominated by governments and national space agencies. But where is the money actually being made, and can commercial space ventures become profitable without relying heavily on public funding? On The Breakfast Grille, we explore the economics of satellite services, private spaceflight and
Europe at the Crossroads
Bloomberg Economics estimates that the cost of a war between NATO and the Russian Federation resulting from direct destruction in the warzone, higher energy prices as oil supplies reduced, and expected selloff in financial markets could cut global output by 1.3% or USD$1.5 trillion in the first year of the conflict. This is just one incentive to avoid war quite apart from the massive loss of life.
EGH International: Growing An Interior Fit-Out Company
EGH International is an interior fit-out company that recently made its debut on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market and is looking to expand its business after having secured prestigious jobs like the Merdeka 118 Park Hyatt Hotel. Its Managing director Datuk Weslie Lim joins us to discuss the company's financial performance, growth ambitions and what it will take to turn its expanding portfolio into sust
RedPlanet Berhad: Mapping Grids, Patents And LRT Safety Systems
RedPlanet Berhad straddles two unusual businesses: mapping electrical grids for utility companies, and holding the patent on Malaysia's Platform Intrusion Emergency Stop System, which halts LRT trains when something falls onto the tracks. The company recently moved from the LEAP market to ACE, raising RM13.3 million at RM0.19 a share, an offer oversubscribed 85 times. Its order book stands at roug
Bersama's Shadow Budget: Solutions or Just 'Syok Sendiri'?
A Shadow Budget With No Seats in Parliament, But Plenty of NumbersWhile the federal opposition opted against tabling a shadow budget for Budget 2027, Parti Bersama Malaysia, a party with no current parliamentary representation, introduced its own comprehensive alternative fiscal plan. Their shadow budget proposes replacing blanket fuel subsidies with consolidated monthly cash allowances, reintrodu
China, America, and the Future of the South China Sea
The South China Sea is at the centre of growing strategic competition between the United States and China. But does a stronger American military presence make the region safer, or risk escalating tensions? Brent Sadler, Senior Research Fellow for Naval Warfare at the Heritage Foundation, discusses China's maritime ambitions, America's role in the region, the Trump administration's foreign policy a
Budget 2027: From Across the Aisle
We have had a week of discussion since the Budget 2027 was tabled last Friday. Criticisms of MPs from across the Parliamentary aisle have been well telegraphed. Did it tell as much about the Madani government’s thinking as it did about its critics? Was criticism of Perikatan Nasional’s failure to produce an alternative budget, when fledgling Bersama offered the public its tome, a valid one? And is
Can Malaysia Navigate a Fractured World?
Malaysia's exports and foreign investment are growing strongly, but escalating US-China trade tensions, rising protectionism and the AI investment boom are reshaping the global economy. On The Breakfast Grille, we speak to Professor Dr Evelyn Devadason of Universiti Malaya and Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, about Malaysia's dependence on foreign markets, whether invest
HSS Engineers: Positioning for Malaysia's Next Infrastructure Cycle
HSS Engineers is positioning itself for Malaysia's next infrastructure cycle, expanding beyond traditional engineering consultancy into project management, data centres, water infrastructure and overseas markets. Executive Director Sharifah Azlina discusses the group's growth strategy as well as what it will take to deliver greater value for shareholders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf
Budget 2027: Can Malaysia Spend Big & Cut the Deficit?
With the government targeting up to 5.2% GDP growth and narrowing the fiscal deficit to 3.3% of GDP, questions remain over how long-term fiscal consolidation can be sustained as government revenue isn’t keeping pace with the size of the economy and debt-servicing costs stay elevated. UOB Malaysia Senior Economist Julia Goh joins The Breakfast Grille to go beneath the headline numbers.She evaluates
MOF on Budget 2027: Subsidies, Goodies & Waad Nasional
Budget 2027 delivers record spending, yet the MADANI government says that the fiscal deficit will fall to 3.3% of GDP next year, even though petroleum subsidies have ballooned to RM40 billion. As the government balances pre-election expectations against fiscal discipline, Tan Sri Johan Mahmood Merican, Secretary General of Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, joins The Breakfast Grille to unpack t
Budget 2027: Pre-Election Goodies or Fiscal Discipline?
As the MADANI government prepares to table Budget 2027, what are the key fiscal numbers and political signals you should be paying attention to? Former Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Dr. Ong Kian Ming and Dr. Tricia Yeoh of the Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, join The Breakfast Grille to discuss.They explore whether this will ac
RT Pastry: IPO, Dividend Pause, & Kuantan Expansion
RT Pastry raised RM16.5 million from its ACE Market IPO to fuel expansion into new markets like Kuantan, but why did this profitable, formerly dividend-paying, cash-generative business tap the public capital market instead of using its own cash?Mike Tia, COO of RT Pastry, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss. We dive into why RT Pastry chose Kuantan over Johor or Penang, declining same-store sale
Easybook: Can AI & Government Deals Drive Its IPO?
After 20 years of selling bus tickets online, Easybook is making a major move into government business, installing its own AI-powered cameras at terminals to catch off-the-books passengers and stop revenue leakages. William Lee, Founder and CEO of Easybook, joins The Breakfast Grille to unpack why the company is betting big on managing physical terminals and public infrastructure instead of just s
Censof : From Government Software to a Broader Tech Play
The Bursa-listed Censof Holdings has spent decades building a strong government financial-management software business. Now, it is looking to broaden that franchise through cloud, AI, automation and a new partnership with Microsoft. Ameer Shaik Mydin, Censof's Group MD discusses the firm's evolution and what investors can expect from its next phase of growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy
Can Malaysia Turn Film Success Into an Industry?
Malaysia’s film industry is enjoying renewed momentum, with local productions attracting larger audiences and government incentives helping to bring international shoots to the country. But box-office success and foreign productions do not necessarily create a sustainable domestic industry. We speak to FINAS CEO Dato’ Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib about the effectiveness of public funding, developing lo
Global Conflict: Signs of Escalation?
Two days ago the US completed its withdrawal from Iraq, two decades after its invasion, in a move the American historian Paul W. Schoeder then called, “the fatal leap”. What will analysts be making of this American adventure in Iraq beyond the body count? And just as US President Donald Trump’s “war of choice” has put the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab El Mandeb on our lips, the Russian enclave of
Is F1 Worth RM300 Million a Year? Sepang CEO Responds
Nine years after Formula 1 last roared through Sepang, the pinnacle of motorsports makes a surprise return to Malaysia, not as the Malaysian Grand Prix, but as the Bahrain Grand Prix. Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of the Sepang International Circuit, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss what it could take to justify a RM300 million bill for a permanent slot on the F1 calendar.With ticket demand surg
Why Bermaz Rejects Price Wars for Mazda & Xpeng
As Chinese automakers aggressively expand and compete abroad, legacy automotive distributors face unprecedented market disruption. Dato' Seri Francis Lee, Group CEO of Bermaz Auto Berhad, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss why they prioritise niche, sustainable sales volumes over aggressive price wars.This comes as revenue has fallen from RM3.9 billion in FY2024 to RM2.3 billion in FY2026, whil
Thailand’s Almost Democracy Unpacked
In 2023, Pita Limjaroenrat, a Thai politician grabbed headlines when his party won the largest share of Parliamentary seats in the 2023 General Elections. With almost 4 million more votes than their nearest rivals, he and his party were seen as the face of a Thailand hungry for reform. Yet, he and his party were prevented from taking office in a series of legal manoeuvres that have come to define
When Do We Get Blue Skies Back?
The haze pushed the air quality reading in Serian past 500, triggered an emergency and closed hundreds of schools, and Sarawak is still choking. So when do we get our blue skies back? With a Super El Niño set to peak between November and January, we ask what's coming next for our heat and water, and whether MetMalaysia's RM242 million upgrade will warn us in time. We speak to Ambun Dindang, Deputy
Mondelēz International : Inside the Chocolate/Snacking Business
Cocoa prices, changing consumer habits and increasingly complex supply chains are reshaping the business of snacking. Simon Crowther, Managing Director for Malaysia and Singapore at Mondelēz International, joins us to discuss the cost pressures facing chocolate makers, how the company is responding through its new RM90 million Crumb Tower in Shah Alam, and the challenges of sourcing commodities su
Can Jotun Paint Its Next Century of Growth?
As Jotun enters its second century, Malaysia is playing an increasingly important role in the Norwegian coatings maker’s Southeast Asian strategy. With local manufacturing and R&D capabilities already established, the company is looking to opportunities in data centres, infrastructure and more sustainable coatings while navigating volatile raw-material costs and intensifying competition. Can J
GSMA on $1.2T Telco Capex, 6G, & Spectrum Policy
With global mobile operators facing a $1.2 trillion capital expenditure cycle alongside flat revenue growth, GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath joins The Breakfast Grille to examine the changing economics of mobile connectivity.Vivek addresses who actually captures economic value as telcos fund the digital infrastructure, why regulators should not maximise monetisation on spectrum pricing and w
Can Public Trust in the Police Be Restored?
Over 137 thousand personnel are part of the force, about 100 thousand less than teachers in our country. But one troubling feature of the force is what the study called the “persistent challenge of police misconduct within our criminal justice system”. In a new study titled “Restoring Public Trust: A Policy Analysis of Police Misconduct and Governance Frameworks in Penang and Selangor, Malaysia” r
The Business Of Watching Vehicles
Cartrack tracks 2.8 million vehicles across 24 countries, listed on the Nasdaq through its parent Karooooo, and has been in Malaysia since 2014. But just over two million of those subscribers sit in South Africa — a business built on a crime rate and an insurance market that don't work the same way here. So what actually makes a Malaysian operator buy, and where does Malaysia rank in the region? W
Can Maersk Navigate a Fracturing World?
Maersk is transforming itself from a container shipping giant into an integrated logistics business, with Malaysia playing a growing role through new warehousing capacity and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas. But geopolitical conflict, disrupted shipping routes, volatile freight rates and pressure to decarbonise are challenging the assumptions that have shaped global trade for decades. How resilient is
Malaysia: Reluctant, Resilient, Reflective?
As we celebrate the country’s achievements since Independence but also reflect on its shortcomings. But how do we do so without resorting to the now threadbare vocabulary and conceptual frameworks that have guided us thus far. And where are new frameworks and ideas being generated to drive the next leg of development. What intellectual resources do we have to draw on and what kind of leaders do we
Sarawak's Economic History: From James Brooke to Independence
A single English adventurer with an inherited ship and a handful of crew became sovereign ruler of Sarawak in 1841, launching a dynasty that governed the territory for over a century before handing it to Britain after World War II. Oil struck at Miri in 1909 became the empire's only find within British-controlled territory, while a Foochow rubber boom that same year turned a failed rice experiment
Hilding Anders: Slumberland, Premiumisation, & B2B Growth
Despite mattresses being an infrequent, high-durability purchase, how are heritage bedding brands navigating aggressive price competition and changing consumer habits across Southeast Asia? Justin Lim Tiong Kiong, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at Hilding Anders, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss how the Swedish-headquartered group is driving growth behind legacy brands like Slumberland
SD Guthrie: Can Land & CPO Keep Record Profits Going?
With record profits driven by strong CPO prices and surging industrial development returns, how is SD Guthrie balancing its legacy plantation core with the race for high-value land monetisation? Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of SD Guthrie, joins The Breakfast Grille to discuss the strategic evolution of the 200-year-old palm oil giant.Haris outlines efforts to
Whither the Rule of Law?
The demand for rules-based governance and the end of the arbitrary use of power is central to any functioning democracy. This has elevated the role of lawyers as a professional group in many democratic societies, as they emerged from feudal rule. The Malaysian Bar is no exception. Despite decades of authoritarian rule, our laws and legal institutions are being reformed to reflect democratic aspira
Is Jabil Malaysia Just A Warehouse Hub For The Group?
Malaysia is now one of the world's four biggest net exporters of AI hardware, and Jabil is one of the companies that put it there. But while the group poured half a billion US dollars into North Carolina and signed a multi-gigawatt AI platform in India this year, Malaysia's headline was a leased logistics hub in Sungai Jawi. We ask whether 14,000 people, silicon photonics and a Perlis plant are bu
The Industry Zone That Nobody Talks About
Everyone's watching Johor. But 4,500 acres of free industrial zone is quietly going up 800 metres from the Thai border at Bukit Kayu Hitam. This is the gateway that moved over RM50 billion in goods in 2024. Phase one is already more than 90% taken up, and after seven years of waiting, the road linking Malaysia's side to Thailand's new CIQ complex finally opened this July. We speak to Razwin Sulair
Can MEASAT Reinvent Itself for the SpaceTech Era?
After three decades in Malaysia’s satellite industry, MEASAT is navigating a market transformed by Starlink, streaming and rapidly changing connectivity needs. COO Yau Chyong Lim discusses the economics of billion-ringgit satellite investments, the push into managed services, AI, IoT and telehealth, and why Malaysia still needs sovereign satellite capability. Can MEASAT move beyond its traditional
PolicyStreet's $26M Series C, Profitability, & Next Phase
Following its $26 million Series C round and hitting net profitability, how is insurtech PolicyStreet planning its next phase of expansion? Lee Yen Ming, Co-founder and Group CEO of PolicyStreet, joins BFM’s Breakfast Grille to discuss how the firm built a business model alongside legacy insurers, pivoting from its direct-to-consumer roots into embedded B2B2C distribution and offshore Labuan reins
AI Saved Malaysia’s Economy, But For How Long?
GDP figures across AI-focused Asian hubs look strong, but they mask a broader economic weakness as weak domestic demand, escalating energy costs, new US tariffs, and high interest rates weigh on the non-AI economy. Stefan Angrick, Head of Asia-Pacific Economics at Moody’s Analytics, joins BFM’s Breakfast Grille to break down the depth of the two-speed economy in manufacturing hubs like Malaysia an
GTA Holdings: A Defence MRO Goes Public
GTA Holdings is heading for the ACE Market, servicing helicopter and aircraft engines out of Subang — with about 95% of that work tied to the military. But the prospectus raises questions: RM46mil in dividends paid out just before asking the public to fund a RM37.5mil building, cash dropping from RM107mil to RM23mil in eight months, and consultancy and software contracts awarded to a company owned
Remembering Our Colonial Past
The colonial heritage of modern Malaysia is a complex one, in large part because the three major territories that now make up the country had distinct histories and came under the sway of different powers over the millennia. Over the last century of the half though the landscape is marked by the North Borneo Chartered Company in Sabah, the White Rajahs of Sarawak as well as Malaya’s mix of Straits
Hernan : Uniting Malaysians (and the World) With Durian
Malaysia's durian industry has gone from struggling to meet demand to dealing with a glut but at the very heart of it, it is very much a part of Malaysia. Datuk Anna Teo, founder and Group CEO of Hernan Corporation, a durian grower, processor and exporter, discusses falling prices, rising costs, and whether Malaysia can build a truly world-class durian industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for priv
Pos Malaysia: A Turnaround, Or A Good Six Months?
Pos Malaysia hasn't turned a profit since 2018 — 32 straight quarters in the red and close to a billion ringgit in accumulated losses. But the first half of 2026 hinted at a shift: losses narrowed to RM63 million, revenue grew 8%, and cash flow turned positive for the first time in years. Group CEO Charles Brewer joins us to explain the pivot from mail to parcels, the push into pawnbroking and dig
Is ADFIM Doing Development, Or Just Lending?
Malaysia's development financial institutions are carrying RM193.9 billion in financing across 1.8 million accounts — and until now, nobody has formally measured whether that money actually did anything. Bank Negara's new framework changes that, testing DFIs on whether their financing would have happened anyway without them. We put the hard numbers to the man who chairs them: impaired loans runnin
Aging Nation: Turning Demographic Shifts into Opportunity
As Malaysia rapidly approaches aged-nation status, managing long-term care, rising healthcare costs, and a shrinking workforce are becoming critical economic and social priorities. Hiroyuki Murata, Professor at Tohoku University's Smart Aging Research Center, joins BFM's Breakfast Grille to discuss how societies can shift from treating demographic aging as a fiscal crisis to leveraging it as a gro
Skechers Malaysia: Growth Beyond Comfort
Skechers has grown from a US comfort footwear brand into a global business, with Southeast Asia playing an increasingly important role in its growth story. Zann Lee, Managing Director of Skechers Southeast Asia, talks about the company's expansion, competition and how to deal with boycott calls it faced in Malaysia over its perceived links to Israel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat
Can Malaysia Unlock Latin America?
Malaysia’s trade with Latin America and the Caribbean remains relatively modest, but shifting global supply chains and stronger diplomatic ties are opening new opportunities for businesses on both sides. The Latin American and Caribbean Chamber of Commerce has set an ambitious goal of doubling bilateral trade within five years. What is holding companies back today, which sectors offer the greatest
Liberty Insurance : Building Trust Beyond The Merger
Four years after Liberty's merger with AmGeneral, the integration story is largely complete. But the next challenge is bigger than combining two businesses. Puneet Pasricha, CEO of Liberty General Insurance, discusses the evolving risks facing the industry, how tech and AI are reshaping insurance, and why building customer trust remains fundamental.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati
Wawasan vs Bersatu: Divided We Stand?
The split within Bersatu and the emergence of Parti Wawasan Negara have reshaped the opposition, raising questions about how the two parties will navigate their relationship within Perikatan Nasional. On the Breakfast Grille, Sharaad Kuttan speaks with Dr Afif Bahardin, Supreme Leadership Council Member of Bersatu, and Tun Fiqa Mohammad, Wawasan High Council member, about the reasons behind the sp
Can Dassault Systèmes Power Asia’s Industrial AI Shift?
Dassault Systèmes built its global business on 3D design and virtual twins, but its ambitions now extend from manufacturing and mobility into healthcare, cloud software and industrial AI. That expansion comes as Asian businesses contend with tighter technology budgets, shifting supply chains and pressure to demonstrate tangible returns from digital investment. As industries accelerate their adopti
Can Malaysians Still Afford to Own Homes?
Home ownership remains a major aspiration for Malaysians, but affordability pressures, unsold properties and weaker transactions continue to expose the disconnect between what buyers want and what the market provides. PropertyGuru Malaysia sits at the centre of that market, connecting buyers, sellers and agents while wielding significant influence over how properties are discovered and marketed on
Penta Group on Profound Changes of the AI Revolution
The artificial intelligence revolution is underway, but how prepared are governments and businesses to navigate the changes this technology will bring over the next decade? We attempt to untangle some of the threads of policy discourse in Europe and Asia, as well as what this means for business strategy with Conall McDevitt, President of the Penta Group, an international strategy and com
Can Workday Navigate ASEAN’s AI Transition?
Businesses across Southeast Asia are under pressure to modernise their technology while keeping costs under control and managing growing expectations around artificial intelligence. For Workday, that creates opportunities to expand its cloud-based HR and finance platforms, but also challenges ranging from legacy enterprise systems and cautious IT spending to uneven digital capabilities and employe
Becoming More Than A Direct Seller?
DXN Holdings has quietly built one of Malaysia's most international businesses through a global network across some 200 markets. Prajith Pavithran, the company's executive director and group CEO, explains why DXN is investing heavily in manufacturing and expanding across Latin America, while still fundamentally a direct-selling company, or something more?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf
What’s PAS’ Economic Philosophy?
While solidly green, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) is helping create what pundits are calling the Blue Wave. After the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections the role of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia or PAS as part of a future federal government is being entertained as a real possibility. In this conversation with discuss PAS’ current political strategy, the foundations of its economic philosophy, th
Human Rights Watch : Is the Rules-Based Order Unravelling?
Nearly 80 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the institutions created to uphold it are under unprecedented strain. Philippe Bolopion, the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch discusses Gaza, Malaysia, refugees, international law and why, despite mounting challenges, he still believes human rights are worth fighting for.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener f
Scicom's Turnaround: A Call Centre Or Concession Play?
Scicom MSC Bhd started life as a call centre. Today it processes the visa for every international student entering Malaysia, and holds a 15-year concession on GITC — the country's first national platform matching TVET graduates to jobs, launched by the Deputy Prime Minister in June. After 3 straight years of falling revenue, trailing twelve-month revenue is up 37%, profit up 96%, and the share pri
PEOPLElogy’s 5 Million AI-Ready Goal
PEOPLElogy just turned 25, and it's marking the milestone with a pledge to make five million Malaysians AI-ready by 2028, roughly one in three working Malaysians. It's a bold ask at a moment when over 52,000 Malaysians have already lost their jobs this year, more than half of them PMETs. But 14 months after listing on the ACE Market, the stock is at 21 sen, below its 25-sen IPO price, and FY2025 n
Beijing & Taipei: Divided Beyond the Straits
China and Taiwan have had frigid relations since Democratic People's Party (DPP) became the ruling party in 2016, currently with President Lai Ching-te at the helm. How are the dynamics between Beijing and Taipei shifting in light of the Trump administration 2.0 policies? We discuss developments with Bonnie Glaser of the German Marshall Fund.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener fo
Negeri Sembilan: Will the “Blue Wave’ Travel Far?
Barisan Nasional’s switch in strategy paid off handsomely, grabbing half the state assembly and with Perikatan Nasional securing control of the state. The question being asked is if this winning strategy can go national and deliver UMNO leadership of the country? Also laid bare several are other political realities: Pakatan Harapan’s weak hold of the Malay ground, Wawasan’s replacement of Bersatu
The Breakfast Grille - Aug 1, 2026
The Breakfast Grille - Aug 1, 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Negeri Sembilan Votes: Strategy, Performance, Loyalty
In 2023, the elections ushered in a Pakatan Harapan-led government with the support of the Barisan Nasional. Neither coalition had sufficient seats to lead the 36-member assembly. In this election, Barisan has switched strategy, forming an informal electoral pact with Perikatan Nasional instead. No doubt the outcome of the Negeri Sembilan vote will be consequential for the people of the state but
Can Malaysia Win the Business Events Race?
As Malaysia Business Events Week 2026 gets underway, the spotlight is on how the country plans to strengthen its position as a regional destination for international conferences, exhibitions, and corporate events. Amid intensifying competition from neighbours such as Singapore and Thailand, success will depend on more than marketing, with infrastructure, sustainability, regulatory efficiency, and
Teladan Group : Growing Beyond Malacca
Teladan Group has spent nearly three decades building homes in Melaka. Now, the Main Market-listed developer is embarking on its most ambitious chapter yet, expanding into Negeri Sembilan, the Klang Valley and industrial developments. Richard Teo, Managing Director of Teladan Group, discusses the company's growth strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pekat Powers Up for the Main Market
Pekat Group Berhad has transformed itself from a lightning protection specialist into a leading player in Malaysia's solar engineering sector, reflecting the country's accelerating energy transition. With plans to move from Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market to the Main Market, the company is entering a new stage of growth amid rising demand for renewable energy and data centre infrastructure. Can Pekat
Wawasan: New Brand, Old Stripes?
The latest entrant to the Malaysian political scene is Parti Wawasan Negara led by Dato’ Sri Hamzah Zainuddin and comprising disgruntled former members of Bersatu. How is Wawasan positioning itself in an increasingly crowded space? We find out from the party’s Secretary General, Dato’ Sri Saifuddin Abdullah.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Malaysian Media Council: A New Era of Self-Regulation
The Malaysian Media Council or Majlis Media Malaysia (MMM) is a statutory body established to uphold journalistic standards, mediate public complaints and advocate for press freedom. How will it shape the contours of the media industry for the future? We discuss the role and aims of the MMM with its newly appointed Chair, Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan, former justice of the Federal Court.
MITI: Stability, Realignment, Hurdles
Recent international trade numbers are record breaking. In the first half of the year, it grew 22.4% year-on-year to a record RM1.796 trillion in the first half of 2026. The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said exports increased 27.5% to RM971.59bil, while imports rose 16.9% to RM824.44bil, resulting in a trade surplus of RM147.15bil. Reports stated that “manufactured goods continued to
Can Malaysia Become ASEAN's Food Hub?
As Food & Drinks Malaysia 2026 opens at MITEC, the food and beverage industry is navigating shifting supply chains, evolving consumer demand, and growing regional competition. Trade exhibitions are also changing, with greater emphasis on delivering measurable business outcomes rather than simply showcasing products. What will it take for Malaysia to strengthen its position as a regional food a
CGS International : Reinventing the Investment House
CGS International Securities Malaysia is looking beyond its traditional roots as a stockbroker to become a broader investment house. Its CEO Khairi Shahrin Arief Baki explains what's driving that strategy, where future growth opportunities lie and why the future of brokerage will depend on far more than executing trades.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
