Budget 2027: Can It Back Malaysia's Mid-Tier Firms?

SMEs get most of the attention when we talk about Malaysia's economy, but sitting above them is a group of companies that often gets overlooked: mid-tier firms. These companies contribute to economic growth and are often pushing into new markets, but without the grants and incentives given to SMEs,…

Budget 2027's Startup and SME Wish List

Budget 2027 will be tabled in Parliament on October 9, with the government has already highlighted the need to build more competitive home-grown businesses, with a focus on financing, technology, talent, and helping Malaysian companies enter regional and global markets. We get into: The startup …

The Uphill Battle of Taking On Mental Health at Work

Malaysia's Parliament has put a number on the country's mental health crisis: RM25.3 billion in projected economic burden by 2030 without interventions. Yet unlike physical safety at work, mental health in Malaysian workplaces is still governed almost entirely by voluntary guidelines. Anita Abu Ba…

Building the Boards Malaysia's Companies Need

Across corporate Malaysia, board effectiveness is increasingly being linked to company valuation. Investors are paying attention to the capabilities and competencies of board members, including whether they have the skills the company will need in the future. We get into: Why boards now affect v…

PIDM's Blueprint for a Financial Crisis

After 20 years, Malaysia's Deposit Insurance Corporation, PIDM, has gone beyond simply reimbursing depositors if a financial institution fails. It is now also responsible for preparing for that failure, making sure essential banking services can continue, and working with other parts of the financi…

Can Merchants Survive Online Platform Fees?

Shoppers are turning to e-commerce platforms for almost everything, from groceries and clothes to furniture and car parts. But is it easy for local merchants to do business on them? Are the platforms helping sellers find customers and fulfil orders, or are sellers being squeezed for every sen? With…

Business Coaching: Worth the Investment?

How does a business coach add value to a leader that a mentor doesn't? Every CEO is told at some point in their career to find a mentor. But some business leaders choose something different, a professional coach, with a different set of mechanics, expectations, and accountability. Adrian Ung, Chai…

Climate Risk: The Hidden Business Opportunity

The haze is back, and it's a reminder of the real cost of climate risk. The World Bank says Malaysia could lose up to 8.3% of GDP by 2050 in a worst-case climate scenario, with roughly half of that impact already showing up in the data today. Malaysia is also estimated to need about RM3.5 trillion …

What's Next for Oil Prices and Fuel Subsidies

Brent crude oil prices have swung sharply this year. They spiked past $110 in March, fell back to around $70 by July on US-Iran peace-talk optimism, then surged again past $100 through August and September as fighting between the US and Iran resumed. In Malaysia, unsubsidised RON97 and RON95 petro…

The Business Case for the Customers You Overlook

In the US, DEI programmes are being dismantled. But what if walking away from inclusion means walking away from your next big customer segment? Sudesh Thevasenabathy, Head of Inclusion for Asia and Global Lead of Inclusive Business at Manulife, makes the business case for designing around the cust…