US President Donald Trump’s directive to scale back the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises with South Korea marks a significant tactical shift in Washington's foreign policy approach. Dr. Gabriela Bernal, Korean Affairs Analyst and Non-resident Fellow at the European Centre for North Korean Studies, joins BFM’s Morning Brief to analyse this development.

She addresses critical questions surrounding regional security and upcoming diplomatic moves, including:

•⁠  ⁠Does making concessions before negotiations give Pyongyang greater leverage?

•⁠  ⁠How is Washington's broader security commitment to South Korea shifting?

•⁠  ⁠What could Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump each seek if a potential summit occurs later this year?

•⁠  ⁠Why could China be an indispensable party to any future permanent peace agreement?

Image Credit: Shutterstock

US President Donald Trump’s directive to scale back the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises with South Korea marks a significant tactical shift in Washington's foreign policy approach. Dr. Gabriela Bernal, Korean Affairs Analyst and Non-resident Fellow at the European Centre for North Korean Studies, joins BFM’s Morning Brief to analyse this development.She addresses critical questions surrounding regional security and upcoming diplomatic moves, including:•⁠ ⁠Does making concessions before negotiations give Pyongyang greater leverage?•⁠ ⁠How is Washington's broader security commitment to South Korea shifting?•⁠ ⁠What could Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump each seek if a potential summit occurs later this year?•⁠ ⁠Why could China be an indispensable party to any future permanent peace agreement? Image Credit: Shutterstock

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.

Opinion and analysis of today&rsquo;s international and local news that matter to Malaysians. Everything you need to know to start and plan your work.

Morning Brief

Is the US Security Commitment to South Korea Shifting?

Calls for reforming constituency development funding are gathering pace, and the recent additional RM1 million fails to fix the underlying issues of executive discretion and unequal funding. Ngeow Chow Ying, Co-Convenor of Projek SAMA, joins BFM’s Morning Brief to discuss why legislating a fair, transparent Constituency Development Fund (CDF) framework is essential for closing local development gaps across Malaysia.

She dives into key questions surrounding funding reform, including:

What core principles must be written into law to guarantee fair distribution regardless of political affiliation?

How can a statutory formula balance equal base funding with the unique needs of large versus small constituencies?

What governance, auditing, and transparency safeguards are needed to prevent constituency funds from being misused for political patronage?

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Calls for reforming constituency development funding are gathering pace, and the recent additional RM1 million fails to fix the underlying issues of executive discretion and unequal funding. Ngeow Chow Ying, Co-Convenor of Projek SAMA, joins BFM’s Morning Brief to discuss why legislating a fair, transparent Constituency Development Fund (CDF) framework is essential for closing local development gaps across Malaysia.She dives into key questions surrounding funding reform, including:What core principles must be written into law to guarantee fair distribution regardless of political affiliation?How can a statutory formula balance equal base funding with the unique needs of large versus small constituencies?What governance, auditing, and transparency safeguards are needed to prevent constituency funds from being misused for political patronage? Image Credit: Shutterstock

Why Equal MP Funding Needs Legislation

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively contested following the expiry of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, while renewed Houthi activity is threatening shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Despite some tankers continuing to navigate these critical waterways, Brent crude has climbed above US$91 a barrel as markets weigh the risk of deeper supply disruption. How much oil is still getting through, how long can global inventories provide a cushion, and what would it take to send crude back above US$100 a barrel?


Image Credit: Shutterstock

The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively contested following the expiry of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement, while renewed Houthi activity is threatening shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Despite some tankers continuing to navigate these critical waterways, Brent crude has climbed above US$91 a barrel as markets weigh the risk of deeper supply disruption. How much oil is still getting through, how long can global inventories provide a cushion, and what would it take to send crude back above US$100 a barrel? Image Credit: Shutterstock

Can Oil Stay Below $100?

Foreign investors pulled RM5.6 billion out of Malaysia's bond market in July — a sharp reversal from the RM4.9 billion they put in just a month earlier. The selling was concentrated in longer-dated government securities, driven largely by surging US Treasury yields, even as corporate bonds kept attracting foreign money for a fifth straight month. It's a useful reminder of how tightly Malaysian yields and the ringgit are tethered to what happens in Washington. We speak to Woon Khai Jhek, Senior Economist and Vice President of Economic and Sovereign Research at RAM Rating Services, on whether the outflows continue.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Foreign investors pulled RM5.6 billion out of Malaysia's bond market in July — a sharp reversal from the RM4.9 billion they put in just a month earlier. The selling was concentrated in longer-dated government securities, driven largely by surging US Treasury yields, even as corporate bonds kept attracting foreign money for a fifth straight month. It's a useful reminder of how tightly Malaysian yields and the ringgit are tethered to what happens in Washington. We speak to Woon Khai Jhek, Senior Economist and Vice President of Economic and Sovereign Research at RAM Rating Services, on whether the outflows continue. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Is the US Security Commitment to South Korea Shifting?

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