IT IS TIME FOR MALAYSIA TO AIM HIGH

The past few weeks have shown what Malaysia can do when it aims high. The maiden win of national shuttler Lee Zhi Jia who emerged victorious in the All-England Open Badminton Championships, the world’s oldest and most prestigious badminton tournament, is a great metaphor for this kind of spirit – and it should be replicated in the sphere of economic development.

BELENGGU HALT TO SPEARHEAD MALAYSIA'S SUSTAINABLE LANDFILL MODEL

According to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) in Malaysia, around RM430 million has been spent on closing just 17 out of 165 existing dumpsites and promoting the disposal of solid waste to sanitary landfill.

RETHINKING AFFORDABILITY IN THE PROPERTY MARKET

According to Jimmy Doh Jee Ming, Managing Director of Lagenda Properties, the property market has been soft for the past many years, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only delayed any further demand for housing.

GETTING MALAYSIANS BACK ON THEIR FEET AND INTO A JOB

Suthan Mookaiah had to close his tech office and retrench close to 10 staffs during the initial Movement Control Order last March when Covid-19 hit Malaysian shores. It did not stop there, he had to again execute a similar move for his personal project, where 10 staffs who worked in his restaurant were terminated.

HEALTHCARE SPECIAL MULTIPLE IMMUNISATION STRATEGIES - KEY TO SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

Although both online and offline vaccine registrations were introduced last week, low public registration for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) raises concern that Malaysia might not achieve herd immunity anytime sooner.

STRENGTHENING POLISH-MALAYSIAN RELATIONS CAN LEAD TO GREATER OPPORTUNITIES

In 2021 Poland and Malaysia are celebrating the 50 th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, this exceptional year, could be an opportunity to increase Polish-Malaysian economic cooperation mostly thanks to many complementarities of both economies.

BLOCKCHAIN TRACKING THE WAY TO GO IN VACCINE DISTRIBUTION TO REDUCE THEFT AND FRAUD

In his latest post on his blog, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Khairy Jamaluddin says his ministry (Mosti), has incorporated blockchain technology into the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 Vaccine Management System to “ensure every dose ends up in the arms of the rakyat”.

THE DISREGARDED MIGRAINE ON IMPACT OF WORKPLACE ACTIVITY

As clearly demonstrated by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, public and individual health are woven intrinsically into the country’s economy and GDP. During the March to May 2020 nationwide Movement Control Order, the second quarter GDP slumped to an unprecedented 17.1 percent contraction. On the other end of the health-economy nexus, medical conditions such as migraine are frequently underestimated as a significant factor in a workforce’s potential productivity.

FOCUS ON WHAT MATTERS: PRODUCTIVITY

If there is one thing, we can learn from the Covid-19 pandemic is being pragmatic. More often than not petition but saying what we really mean could take us to a different level.

CHANGE, ADAPT AND COMMIT

In early April 2020, MAEPS (the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang) managed by MARDI Corporation Sdn. Bhd. was appointed by Putrajaya to play a very significant role in the fight against the Coronavirus that hit our shores.

THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IS DIGITAL

Southeast Asia is home to 655 million people and two of the world’s largest economies, China and India. The demand for healthcare in Southeast Asia has never been greater, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic. This has accelerated both the adoption and innovation of digital health and is poised for growth.

5 EMERGENCY BACKUP POWER FEATURES TO PROTECT COVID-19 VACCINE STORAGE FACILITIES

The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 50 percent of vaccines go to waste each year because of improper handling, including temperature control problems. New vaccines to fight the Covid-19 pandemic require storage at precisely controlled temperatures, which makes addressing this issue more critical than ever before. In Southeast Asia, temperature control is also complicated by the warmer climate and infrastructure gaps in rural and remote areas.

NAVIGATING DIFFICULT TIMES WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS

BusinessToday speaks to F&B business, I Love Yoo on their take on digitalising during the pandemic and why its important for other businesses to adopt their footsteps now.

MONITORING JENDELA'S NEXT PHASE MORE EFFECTIVELY IN 2021

Although Minister of Communications and Multimedia Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah has confirmed that the implementation of the National Digital Infrastructure Plan (Jendela) has met the targets set for 2020, the implementation strategies and mechanisms for the next phase in 2021 and subsequent years must be continuously and adequately monitored since this is crucial for its sustainability and longevity.

UNLOCKING THE BIGGER POTENTIAL OF THE HALAL INDUSTRY

In recent years, the Halal economy has expanded beyond the food and beverage market and has branched out to include other industries such as healthcare, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, tourism, fashion, and logistics.

RATING AGENCIES ARE MERELY ISSUING CREDIT OPINION BUT…

It was a devastating news when Fitch Rating downgraded Malaysia’s sovereign rating by a notch to BBB+ in early December. Fitch Rating was of the view that the depth and duration of the Covid-19 crisis have weakened several of Malaysia’s key credit rating namely the fiscal position. This was quite apparent judging from the size of fiscal stimulus totaling RM305 billion compared to RM67 billion when the country faced the 2009 recession.

MILTON RIEDMAN VERSUS STAKEHOLDER CAPITALISM

Milton Friedman was arguably the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century, associated with promoting ‘neo-liberal’, free-market, shareholder capitalism.

DIGITALISATION AND AUTOMATION IS SET TO CHANGE THE AGRO-PLANTATION LANDSCAPE

According to OFO Tech, drone technology represents only one component of the wider spectrum of key IR 4.0 technologies. Other components include artificial intelligence, big data, augmented reality and IoT technology; combined with drones to create robust asset management solutions for key sectors.

NURTURING LOCAL CREATIVE TALENTS IN SABAH

BusinessToday speaks to Geoffrey Sinn, founder of Studio ACE Production on nurturing local creatives talents in the digital creative content industry in Sabah. The company believes that underserved talents should be given opportunities to unlock their potential and shine in the global stage.

COUP D'éTAT: WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENTS?

The recent Myanmar military seizing control of the country on February 1, 2021, and declaring a year-long state of emergency, has sparked some fears in Asia given that this region dominates the foreign direct investment (FDI) profile in Myanmar.

USING DATA AND INNOVATION FOR BETTER YIELD PREDICTIONS

BusinessToday speaks to Aerodyne Group Founder and CEO, Kamarulazman Mohamed on the usage of drones in plantations and how innovation technology could further elevate the living quality of settlers in Felda settlements.

CHINA'S CORPORATE DEBT MARKET IN A STORM

Since early November, the Chinese corporate debt market has been hit by several severe defaults, although on the contrary, without any negative implications at all.

Mental Health And The Effects On The Economy

Jamari Mohtar and Tam Mei Si are part of the research team of EMIR Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.

MAKING THE RIGHT PIVOT TO ADAPT TO CHANGING TIMES

The arrival of the pandemic has disrupted industries both globally and nationwide. Much like its peers, the property industry was left to face an unprecedented number of shifts and along with the shifts, came the impact as well.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW 2020

In an unprecedented year, businesses faced both struggles and opportunities in the midst of a pandemic. With more focus on digitalisation, the business community have found themselves in a shift that is changing the way Malaysian consumers behave with technology, requiring a more seamless and effective experience.

OFFERING USERS A SMOOTHER DRIVE

As a car enthusiast, Gim Teck Yew is constantly looking into changing and with newer models entering the market more often, he found selling his old cars a hassle.

MAKING THE SUSTAINABLE CHOICE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Sustainability has been at the forefront of business discussions in recent years, making it an unavoidable topic that every business needs to be aware of as we preserve our world for future generations in everything we do for our people, planet and community.

LEVERAGE INTERNET PENETRATION TO EXPAND E-COMMERCE MARKET

Sofea Azahar is Research Analyst at EMIR Research, a think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research.

EXIM BANK CONTINUES TO BE PREFERRED TRADE FINANCIER FOR GLOBAL BUSINESSES

Despite the challenging Covid-19 situation and decline in oil prices, Export-Import Bank of Malaysia Berhad (EXIM Bank) continues to be the preferred trade financier and advisor of global businesses, as it finds ways to lend its support to Malaysian businesses by financing their cross-border projects.

DRIVING DIGITAL RECOVERY THROUGH SMES

BusinessToday speaks to Facebook Malaysia’s Country Director, Nicole Tan on the importance of SMEs leveraging digital tools to expand their offerings and why platforms like Facebook hold the responsibility in helping the community