The Breakfast Grille

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 to unpack the strategy behind intentionally sacrificing volume for higher-margin product mixes and client contracts ahead of their listing. He discusses how the group is deploying its IPO proceeds across product development, working capital, and R&D, addresses doubling receivable days, and outlines when the company expects top-line revenue to finally resume growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Zhi, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Winstar Capital, about why profit hasn’t kept up with sales, what the new borrowings will fund, and what Sunview’s exit means for the company. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 support 37,000 jobs annually during construction and over 9,000 once operational, alongside a planned one gigawatt of new clean energy for the grid. Yet the expansion lands as regulators weigh whether Malaysia's grid and water systems can absorb 117 already-approved projects plus 24 more pending applications. Siah addresses how Google squares its growth with that strain and what accountability looks like for a data centre operator paying full tariffs with no incentives. Tune in to hear him lay out Google's answer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 these desires and fears, and questions of exploitation and exclusion being ignored. And is the push for AI sovereignty a realistic one? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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/listener for privacy information.

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 Executive Director of Paramount Corporation Berhad, discusses the outlook for Malaysia's property market, the group's investment priorities and its approach to managing debt and capital allocation. We also examine whether Paramount's expanding portfolio can improve profitability and deliver on its ambitions for 2030. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 thought out, or was it triggered by genuine security concerns that have yet to be shared with the public? How does the government navigate the democratic demand for transparency and a domestic security architecture which requires restrictions on information to be effective? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Day of Care and Support, we discuss a proposal to shift the burden of support for women who have given birth from being reliant solely on employers to a system based on shared responsibility. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 investment, rising energy costs and the region's slow adoption of AI among businesses. We also explore whether data centre investment can deliver lasting economic benefits, why smaller firms are struggling to adopt AI and what the technology could mean for productivity, employment and the skills of tomorrow's workforce. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 chain has only reached 111 outlets, discovering an unexpected growth engine not in central urban hubs like the Klang Valley, but deep in the East Coast, powering revenue to more than double year-on-year to RM114 million in FY2024. Vuitton reflects on walking away from traditional eldest-son expectations at Mamee, candidly sharing why his brother Pierre was the better fit to lead the family business. He also charts the road to group-level profitability after the most recent financials show RM20 million in losses in 2024. He breaks down strategies to help expand margins, his thoughts on an eventual IPO to fund growth,…

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 emerging technologies, the growing influence of commercial operators, and whether countries such as Malaysia can capture meaningful opportunities in the global space industry without investing billions in their own space programmes. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. However the signs of an escalation are everywhere; what will the belligerents choose? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 sustainable earnings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 roughly RM52 million, while managing director Lian Wah Seng estimates the addressable market at over RM10 billion. Yet a government directive to install platform screen doors across LRT stations could eventually make Red Planet's safety system redundant, and a profit guarantee on its AZTI subsidiary runs out this December. How the company plans to defend its margins, deploy its fresh capital, and push into new markets once that cushion disappears is the question at the heart of this conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Shadow Budget With No Seats in Parliament, But Plenty of Numbers While 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, reintroducing a 5% GST, and addressing long-term structural fiscal constraints. Sum Dek Joe, Economist and Policy Spokesperson for Parti Bersama Malaysia, joins The Breakfast Grille to examine the modeling and feasibility behind their proposal. He discusses why the party chose to table an alternative budget, explains how their proposed monthly fuel, cost-of-living, and child allowances aim to leave 80% of households better off, and outlines the economic rationale for replacing SST with a streamlined GST. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and what the rivalry means for Malaysia and ASEAN. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 there a danger that the Budget will be passed? We put these questions to the Leader of the Opposition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 investment is building genuine domestic capabilities, and the competing arguments for government intervention versus market-led growth. Can Malaysia remain competitive while preserving its economic independence, and does ASEAN offer a credible way forward? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 information.

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 middle-income tax reliefs, the durability of the AI and data centre investment cycle, domestic supply chain integration, indirect tax shifts, and whether potential inflation and rising fixed operating costs threaten the government's medium-term fiscal goals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 the trade-offs and calculus behind Budget 2027. He addresses speculation surrounding a pre-election budget, explains why SST compliance and e-invoicing are being favored over a GST comeback, , and discusses how the government plans to manage growing salary, pension, and debt-servicing bills on top of this year’s surge in subsidies. He also explores strategies to plug subsidy leakages, alongside governance reforms including the State-Owned Enterprises Act and mandatory procurement disclosures See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 act as a pre-election budget, analyse critical indicators and numbers to watch, and discuss the mechanics of GST versus SST. They also highlight the structural reforms they hope the government will spend its political capital on. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 sales performance, and how shifting consumer spending is impacting product strategy. We also explore why the company raised RM16.5 million in public capital despite already generating strong cash flow and the reasons behind changes in its dividend history following a payout pause in the year before listing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 selling tickets online. He shares the tough lessons learned from trying to scale across Southeast Asia, and explains how landing higher-margin government contracts might finally clear the runway for their long-awaited IPO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 information.

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 local talent and intellectual property, and how FINAS balances its roles as both industry developer and regulator. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Kaliningrad is now coming into view. Tucked between Poland and Lithuania, it is home to the Baltic Fleet and sits 600km away from the main body of the Russian Federation. President Vladimir Putin has warned NATO that Russia is prepared to use all weapons in its arsenal including nuclear options if this enclave is attacked. East Asia has its signs of rising tensions too. So where is the world headed? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 surging past 95,000 thanks to F1's booming global popularity, Shafriman takes us behind the scenes of Sepang’s unique commercial arrangement with the Bahrain International Circuit and the logistics behind pulling this off on a compressed two-month timeline. Plus, he tackles the ultimate question: does a single-weekend economic boost justify spending RM300 million annually on a regular spot on the F1 calendar? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, while net profit has fallen from around RM350 million to RM106 million. Francis outlines Mazda’s shift toward premium positioning and hybrids, details the strategic boundaries set for Chinese EV partner Xpeng, and explains how conservative balance sheet management supports the company’s dividend record. Can Bermaz Auto’s commitment to sustainable volumes & protecting brand value hold up as Chinese marques reshape the automotive landscape? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Thailand’s democratic deficit. With a ten year ban to wait out, the telegenic businessman turned politician splits his time between Bangkok and Boston, where he is Senior Fellow at Harvard University. He has just launched the English edition of his memoir, “The Almost Prime Minister”. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Director-General (Operations) at the Malaysian Meteorological Department for insights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 such as palm oil responsibly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Jotun maintain its premium positioning while using Malaysia as a platform for its next phase of regional growth? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 whether further market consolidation is inevitable. He also discusses how satellite networks and direct-to-device connectivity are disrupting traditional boundaries. Image Credit: GSMA See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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” raises this issue and more. Interestingly, the study notes that in disciplinary cases from 2020 to 2023, the vast majority were in the category titled “Integrity and Standards Compliance Breeches”. Surprisingly there were only 1% under “Direct Bribery and Financial Corruption” cases. We take a deeper look at the study. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? We speak to Carmen Calisto, Co-CEO at Cartrack Asia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Maersk’s strategy in this new environment, and can Malaysia strengthen its position as a major regional logistics hub? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 have to ensure that the failures of the past are not repeated in the future? Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 into sudden, outsized wealth. Yet the Brooke Rajahs consistently blocked the capitalist exploitation that enriched colonial Malaya and Java, and the question of whether that protective instinct stunted or shaped Sarawak's foundations lingers into the present. Professor Ooi Keat Gin joins the Breakfast Grill to trace that tension from James Brooke's first sail up the Sarawak River to the eve of independence. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and Vono. He details the region's operational performance following post-pandemic headwinds and outlines how the company balances direct-to-consumer e-commerce with its traditional dealer network. He also explores tailwinds in the five-star hospitality sector, the rise of health-focused sleep awareness, and why category premiumisation remains central to their long-term regional strategy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 break through stagnant national yields through high-performing seed varieties, labor estate rehabilitation, and mechanisation. He also addresses the structural limits of land expansion, the ideal "sweet spot" for CPO pricing to prevent global demand destruction, and how the company plans to monetise strategic land banks for business parks and data centers without losing its plantation identity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 aspirations. But is reform moving fast enough and can what's being put in place pass the test of global standards? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 buying Malaysia a bigger seat at the table — or just more floor space. We speak to Tan Siew Jin, Managing Director of Jabil Malaysia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Sulairee Hasnan Termizi, Group CEO of Northern Gateway Sdn Bhd, about whether Delapan becomes the bigger story in the north. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 satellite business and build a meaningful regional SpaceTech platform? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 reinsurance co-underwriting. Yen Ming breaks down the economics of their higher-margin reinsurance strategy, their renewed push into consumer brand building, and how they deploy AI automation in operational workflows. He also addresses the long-term potential of Bank Negara’s Digital Insurer and Takaful Operator (DITO) framework, and considerations for an eventual liquidity event for investors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and why he believes Asia’s AI boom is ripe for a pause. Stefan also explores why tariffs are here to stay and whether central bank policies themselves risk amplifying global supply shocks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 by the CEO's two daughters. We also get into the four-month deadline to vacate Subang, the Safran certification the business depends on, and why a major shareholder is selling down half the offer-for-sale. We speak to Dato' Nonee Ashirin binti Dato' Mohd Radzi, Managing Director and CEO of GTA Holdings Berhad. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Settlements, Federated and Unfederated States. While the experience of colonialism wasn’t singular, we can nevertheless think about it and draw lessons from it that’s productive for a discussion of our future. Image Credit: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 privacy information.