Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for 97% of all business establishments in Malaysia and employ around 48% of the country’s workforce. While the pressure to provide sustainability-related disclosures and adopt relevant practices has thus far been on bigger companies, SMEs are increasingly affected as well. A special feature in the recent Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) 2023 annual report, titled “Supporting SMEs transition to greener practices”, highlights the risks, opportunities, steps and toolkits for SMEs in this low-carbon transition.

Helping SMEs cope with climate change

The State of Southeast Asia 2024 survey by ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) reveals that China has edged past the US to become the prevailing choice (50.5%) if Southeast Asian countries were forced to align themselves in the ongoing US-China rivalry. The US as a choice declined from 61.1% last year to 49.5%.

Majority of Southeast Asians would rather align with China than the US

The global offshoring industry is undergoing a significant transformation because of technological advancements. There has been a transition from basic functions in the early days of first-generation outsourcing to specialised services.

Global offshoring a catalyst for office space demand in Malaysia

Banks, irrespective of size or credit strength, are consistently ramping up their cyber spending because of an escalating number of incidents. Events such as the ransomware attack on China’s biggest lender, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), demonstrate how critical cybersecurity can be and the potential damage to bank operations.

Banks raise budgets to fight rise in cyber threats

Since 2000, floods have been the cause of 85% of all natural disasters in Malaysia, with the frequency increasing since 2020. The catastrophic floods of December 2021 highlight the significant impact unabated climate change could have on the Malaysian economy and financial sector.

Building resilience against floods in Malaysia

One of Pakatan Harapan’s biggest priorities when it came to power in November 2022 was to address the revenue leakage the government faced while shrinking the size of the shadow economy of illegal and unrecorded income.

The near-future standard of invoicing

Hydrogen is touted as the next alternative green energy solution. There are several projects and plants being developed in Malaysia as envisioned in the Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap, and even more are under development globally.

Exploring hydrogen as an energy source

It pays — literally — to have skills and expertise in artificial intelligence (AI). Findings from a survey of employers and employees by Amazon Web Services — in collaboration with Access Partnership, a UK-based public policy consultancy focused on technology — show that having AI skills could boost salaries, productivity and career growth for workers. However, there is a lack of skilled talent to harness the full potential of AI.

The AI payoff for employees

In the “Informal Employment in Malaysia: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Reform” report by the World Bank in February, a data analysis of the informal employment landscape in Malaysia reveals the vulnerabilities of those in it. Household income surveys conducted between 2009 and 2019 show that women, youth, less educated persons and workers from lower-income households, rural areas and less developed states were more likely to be informally employed. In fact, women across groups were more likely to experience skill-related unemployment, which is defined as the share of those with tertiary education working in mid- or low-skilled jobs in the workforce.

Challenges of women in informal employment

The significant contribution of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia’s pursuit of economic reforms cannot be overstated. However, limited financing poses a substantial hurdle for SMEs to grow and has the potential to jeopardise the development of the entire SME ecosystem. What does the financing landscape for SMEs look like and what are the challenges and opportunities for start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)  and mid-tier companies (MTCs) when it comes to accessing financing?

Market-based financing for SMEs in Malaysia: Issues, challenges and the way forward

The results of the 2024 Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index signal that global trade is at a crossroads as companies struggle to bolster their supply chains through near-shoring, re-shoring, friend-shoring and other production/sourcing strategies. It is not all bad news, though. As World Trade Organization director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says, “The case for strengthening the trading system is far stronger than the case for walking away from it.” Between October and December 2023, Transport Intelligence, one of the world’s leading providers of logistics and supply chain market research, surveyed 830 logistics industry professionals for their opinions on the prospects and challenges that emerging markets face in the year ahead. The following are the findings of the survey.

Sobering findings of the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) continues to evolve, large language models (LLMs) will have increased capabilities, use audio-visual training, transform the workplace and improve conversational AI.

Language of tomorrow

The amount of single-use plastic used and disposed of by individuals and households is alarming. According to WWF-Malaysia, post-consumer plastic waste generation in Malaysia is estimated to be more than one million tonnes and 81% of its value is lost because it is not recovered.

What to do with single-use plastic?

With a host of challenges — from persistent economic headwinds and geopolitical conflicts to technological disruption and climate change — redefining business risk and limiting growth, CEOs are faced with a compelling need to accelerate business reinvention. PwC’s latest annual CEO survey — conducted with 4,702 CEOs globally, of whom 1,774 are in Asia-Pacific, including 44 from Malaysia — indicates that the vast majority of companies are already taking steps towards reinvention.

What Malaysian CEOs are doing to reinvent business

Iran’s foreign minister compared the drones used in an attack by Israel early Friday to “toys”, in comments that aimed at downplaying the significance of the strike on Iranian territory.

Iran downplays Israel’s latest attack as one done by ‘toys’

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has lodged police reports against three individuals, namely Badrul Hisham Shaharin or Chegubard, Mohamad Salim Iskandar (Salim Iskandar) and Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (Papagomo), for making and spreading false accusations about its officers.

MCMC lodges police reports against Chegubard, Salim Iskandar, Papagomo over false accusations

A highly anticipated Bitcoin software update called the “halving” has been completed, dealing a potential blow to the companies that make money by ensuring that the digital currency functions smoothly and securely.

Bitcoin ‘halving’ cuts supply of new tokens in threat to miners

The Madani government will look into the hardship faced by the people in Sabah, especially in terms of socioeconomic poverty as well as improvements to infrastructure for the benefit of the people.

Madani govt committed to improving infrastucture in Sabah, says Anwar

Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching cautioned the public on the latest tactics of scammers impersonating ministry officials.

Teo cautions public on scammers impersonating Communications Ministry officials

A huge blast at a military base in Iraq early on Saturday killed a member of an Iraqi security force that includes Iran-backed groups. The force commander said it was an attack while the army said it was investigating and there were no warplanes in the sky at the time.

Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces says base was attacked, army investigates

Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties are required to help the candidate representing the unity government in the Kuala Kubu Baharu state by-election, said BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election: BN component parties have to assist unity govt candidate, says Mohamad Hasan

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor emphasised that the positive economic achievements over the past three years underscore the Sabah government's steadfast commitment to both the administration and development of the state.

Positive economic achievements prove Sabah govt's commitment, says Hajiji

Property developer Scientex Bhd aims to provide a total of 50,000 units of quality housing units at affordable prices nationwide by 2028.

Scientex project general manager (property division) Tang Song Teik said that so far, the company has handed over 35,062 affordable housing units, with about 70% of them sold at prices below RM300,000.

Scientex aims to build 50,000 affordable housing units by 2028

The Madani government is committed to eradicating hardcore poverty in Sabah despite knowing the situation is quite complicated to resolve, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Madani govt committed to eradicating hardcore poverty in Sabah, says Anwar

S P Setia Bhd has officially launched the LakePoint Complex commercial hub at the 1,235-acre freehold township of SetiaAlam Impian in Shah Alam on Saturday. The ceremony was officiated by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

Selangor Sultan officiates launch of S P Setia’s LakePoint Complex at Setia AlamImpian

Approved road transport logistics companies will obtain “fleet cards” from select fuel retailers to purchase subsidised fuel under the diesel subsidy rationalisation programme, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said.

Approved logistics players to get diesel fleet cards amid subsidy rationalisation

Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB), the operator of Malaysia’s 5G telecommunications assets, said the process in relation to the subscription of its shares by five mobile network operators (MNOs) in this country is ongoing.

DNB says process relating to subscription of its shares by five mobile network operators ongoing

Next week’s earnings reports from some of the market’s biggest technology and growth companies could prove an important test for the US stock rally, which has flagged as expectations for interest cuts fade.

'Crowded' megacap trade in US stocks awaits earnings test

Iran’s foreign minister compared the drones used in an attack by Israel early Friday to “toys”, in comments that aimed at downplaying the significance of the strike on Iranian territory. &nbsp;

The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has extended condolences to the family of former inspector general of police Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, who died early on Saturday morning.

Selangor Sultan conveys condolences to Tun Hanif Omar’s family

Elon Musk postponed a planned trip to India where he was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing obligations at his Tesla automaker and saying he aimed to reschedule the visit for later this year.

Tesla's Elon Musk postpones India trip, aims to visit this year

Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties are required to help the candidate representing the unity government in the Kuala Kubu Baharu state by-election, said BN deputy chairman Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has lodged police reports against three individuals, namely Badrul Hisham Shaharin or Chegubard, Mohamad Salim Iskandar (Salim Iskandar) and Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris (Papagomo), for making and spreading false accusations about its officers.

Property developer Scientex Bhd aims to provide a total of 50,000 units of quality housing units at affordable prices nationwide by 2028.

Scientex project general manager (property division) Tang Song Teik said that so far, the company has handed over 35,062 affordable housing units, with about 70% of them sold at prices below RM300,000.

A huge blast at a military base in Iraq early on Saturday killed a member of an Iraqi security force that includes Iran-backed groups. The force commander said it was an attack while the army said it was investigating and there were no warplanes in the sky at the time.

Deputy Minister of Communications Teo Nie Ching cautioned the public on the latest tactics of scammers impersonating ministry officials.

The Madani government will look into the hardship faced by the people in Sabah, especially in terms of socioeconomic poverty as well as improvements to infrastructure for the benefit of the people.

Perikatan Nasional (PN) will hold a supreme council meeting on Monday (April 22) on the selection of candidate to contest in the Kuala Kubu Baharu state by-election on May 11.

Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election: PN to hold supreme council meeting on Monday

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor emphasised that the positive economic achievements over the past three years underscore the Sabah government's steadfast commitment to both the administration and development of the state.

PKR Information chief Fahmi Fadzil said no specific names were discussed regarding the leadership of the Sabah PKR State Leadership Council (MPN) at a special meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Saturday.

No specific names discussed for Sabah PKR State Leadership Council head, says Fahmi

The Madani government is committed to eradicating hardcore poverty in Sabah despite knowing the situation is quite complicated to resolve, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

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