SHOULD migrant workers in Malaysia go on strike, the economy would literally collapse. That is how heavily dependent we are on foreign cheap labour.

For many decades now, the government has talked about reducing the number of foreign workers.

Temporary employment pass statisti...

Cover Story:  Do we need so many foreign workers? 

IT has been widely reported that to secure work in Malaysia, migrant workers need to save a significant sum of money to pay off several layers of middlemen and government officials.

Some claim that workers from Bangladesh need at least RM20,000 to cover various fees, with a chunk of tha...

Cover Story: An agent’s perspective

IT is an open secret that the foreign worker recruitment process is complex. Its complexity has eluded researchers trying to pin down the exact amount of money that is involved in the entire process.

“The recruitment chain is long and complex, deliberately so, because the longer and mor...

Cover Story: Overhauling The billion-ringgit migrant worker industry 

President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive economic strategy reminiscent of the 1985 Plaza Accord, aiming to weaken the US dollar and rebalance global trade in America’s favour. Dubbed the Mar-a-Lago Accord, this initiative seeks to tackle what Trump sees as the overvaluation of the dollar — an issue he believes has contributed to America’s persistent trade deficits and weakened its manufacturing sector.

From the Plaza Accord to the Mar-a-Lago Accord: Trump’s high-stakes gamble to reshape global trade and currency markets

Shipping companies have all-but stopped buying dry bulk commodity carriers that were built in China as the industry waits to see if President Trump will press ahead with historic port charges on vessels constructed in the Asian country.

Sales of China-built ships collapse as industry sweats over US ports plan

QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of KFC restaurants across Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia, said there are "no sales process currently being pursued or planned" by the group, and that it has been seeing encouraging signs of recovery in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q2025).

QSR Brands refutes report on sale of KFC, says it is seeing encouraging recovery signs

Israel announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones, accompanied by large-scale evacuations of the population.

Israel to seize parts of Gaza as military operation expands

Food delivery company Grubhub is reviving the quarter-century-old Seamless brand in New York, its biggest market, in a bid to drive growth in a key city as it lags behind rivals nationally.

Seamless, founded in New York in 1999, remains a recognisable brand in the area, even after merging with Grubhub in 2013.

Grubhub revives Seamless delivery brand in key NYC market

President Donald Trump on Wednesday is set to announce the most expansive US trade restrictions in a century, at a stroke upending the postwar global trading system and posing difficult-to-predict economic risks.

Trump tariff rollout opens new era of risk for global economy

Wall Street's main indices fell on Wednesday as investors worried about the potential impact of US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on the global economy, corporate earnings and inflation.

Wall Street falls as tariff jitters grip markets

SIX Group AG, the operator of the Swiss and Spanish bourses, is weighing a switch to the trading technology of Aquis Exchange plc, a smaller UK exchange it is in the process of acquiring.

Swiss bourse turns to smaller UK exchange for trade tech revamp

The recovery work in the area of the gas pipeline blaze at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya is currently safe as no gas content has been detected in the pipeline, said Subang Jaya district police chief Wan Azlan Wan Mamat.

Gas pipeline blaze: No more gas content detected, recovery work safe — police

A brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Wednesday.

Petronas Gas, Gas Malaysia, IJM, Rohas Tecnic, T7 Global, ICT Zone Asia, Capital A, YNH Property, OCK Group

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): The police will soon call in the contractor who is believed to have carried out development work near the site of the gas pipeline fire at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights, Subang Jaya on Tuesday, after confirming their identity.

Police to investigate contractor in connection with gas pipeline fire at Putra Heights

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): Yinson Holdings Bhd’s (KL:YINSON) slipped on Wednesday after the oil and gas services firm announced weaker than expected results, while analysts tamper their optimism for the stock’s upside.

Yinson's shares slip, analysts tell investors to look past underwhelming results

SINGAPORE (April 2): The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded a street-hail service operator licence (SSOL) to GrabCab, a subsidiary of Grab Rentals and sister company of GrabCar, which holds a ride-hail service operator licence (RSOL) and a car-pool service operator licence (CSOL). &nbsp; &nbsp;

Grab obtains Land Transport Authority licence to operate taxis in Singapore

Just when the chapter on MBI was about to be reduced to a page in the history books of investment scams in Malaysia, the investigation into the money trail of one of the longest-running pyramid schemes in the country came back to life.

It restarted two weeks ago with the police summonin...

Alternative Views: Questions abound as the ghost of MBI walks again

Professional bodies on Wednesday urged a comprehensive review of safety measures for fire-prone facilities near residential areas, following a Petronas gas pipeline breach that caused a massive blaze on Tuesday, injuring hundreds and damaging numerous properties.

Gas pipeline blaze: Professional bodies call for thorough review of safety measures, better risk management 

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): Capital A Bhd (KL:CAPITALA) has been granted an extension until April 15, 2025, to issue the shareholder circular for its proposed Practice Note 17 (PN17) regularisation plan.&nbsp;

Capital A given until April 15 to issue shareholder circular on regularisation plan

Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK) has firmly denied any relation to the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, on Tuesday.

Indah Water denies responsibility for Putra Heights gas pipeline fire

As risk aversion rises, investors are increasingly seeking shelter in Malaysian bonds to weather the slump on Bursa Malaysia and other stock markets.

Investors turn to bonds amid Bursa rout

Al-Aqar Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trust (KL:ALAQAR) faces risks of an earnings decline with the proposed renewal of leases for five key properties, CIMB Securities flagged on Wednesday.

Al-Aqar REIT faces earnings risks with lease renewal of key properties, acquisition — analysts

T7 Global Bhd (KL:T7GLOBAL) said on Thursday that to the best of its board’s knowledge there is no ongoing investigation into the company.

Responding to a query from Bursa Malaysia Securities regarding Tan Sri Tan Kean Soon’s sudden resignation as T7 Global's executive deputy chairman, the company said it had only received his resignation letter and that he had not informed the company of any investigation.

T7 Global: No ongoing investigation into company

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): Telecommunications network solutions provider OCK Group Bhd (KL:OCK), whose share price dropped to its lowest in more than one year last Friday (March 28), said the recent earthquake in Myanmar has only caused limited damage to its tower network, with only four sites affected and no disruption to service.

OCK Group says Myanmar quake caused minimal damage, only four towers affected

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): Rising United States&nbsp;tariffs are expected to affect growth across Asia Pacific (Apac), according to S&amp;P Global Ratings’ latest economic update.

US tariffs expected to affect Asia Pacific economic growth – S&P Global

Gas Malaysia Bhd (KL:GASMSIA) on Wednesday said it has cut back on gas supply to several areas to manage supply disruptions brought about by the temporary closure of gas facilities due to the gas pipeline blaze incident in Putra Heights on April 1, assuring that it will not have a material impact on earnings this financial year.

Gas pipeline blaze: Gas Malaysia reduces supply to some areas, assures minimal impact on earnings 

A brief recap of some corporate announcements that made the news on Wednesday.

RHB Banking Group has announced a strategic organisational realignment, involving key leadership changes across five senior roles, as part of its new three-year corporate strategy (2025-2027), known as “PROGRESS27”.

RHB announces organisational realignment to drive growth

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has confirmed that no construction activities were taking place at the gas pipeline explosion site in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, at the time of the incident on Tuesday.

No construction work at gas pipeline fire site — CIDB

A summary of how key Bursa Malaysia indices and the ringgit performed on Wednesday.

FBM KLCI up 0.85% to 1,526.52 on April 2, 2025

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): theedgemalaysia.com highlighted five stocks with momentum. Three stocks showed positive momentum while two stocks showed negative momentum at Bursa Malaysia's noon break on Wednesday.

<h3>The stocks with positive momentum were:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Pappajack Bhd (KL:P...

Stocks with momentum on April 2, 2025: Pappajack, MHC Plantations, Malaysia Smelting Corp, Leong Hup, Velocity Capital

KUALA LUMPUR (April 2): The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) is seeking an appropriate and effective mechanism to address the housing woes of the victims of Tuesday's (April 1) gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

Putra Heights blaze: Housing Ministry studying best way to help displaced victims

US President Donald Trump's new tariff plan has the ocean shipping industry on edge as he stokes a trade war destined to stanch transport demand and send companies scrambling to manage the fallout.

Esther Lee and Ahmad Naqib Idris