It has been a couple of months since Bank Negara Malaysia rolled out its MediAsas pilot programme, previously called the Base MHIT (medical and health insurance/takaful) Plan. The pilot — involving staff of selected statutory bodies, government-linked companies, and small and medium enterprises, six of the largest insurers and takaful operators in the country as well as 10 preferred in-network hospitals in the Klang Valley — began at end-July and will end this month. Nationwide launch is slated for January 2027.

Tong's Portfolio - Fixing medical cost inflation: Change the rules, change the behaviour

Most debates about democracy ask whether democracy is superior to the alternatives. Supporters point to freedom, representation and legitimacy. Critics point to voter ignorance, populism, short-termism and political dysfunction. Others look at countries governed by technocrats or strong states and ask whether expertise and competence might sometimes produce better outcomes than electoral politics.

Tong's Portfolio: Who governs the governors?

For years, the people building the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence systems have warned us that AI could eventually become dangerous. Yet, they continued to race ahead, building companies now worth hundreds of billions — and, in some cases, associated with technology groups worth trillions — of US dollars each.

Tong's Portfolio - First, win the AI race. Then, stop the race?

Malaysia’s economy grew 6% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026. That is the second-fastest pace of growth ...

Tong's Portfolio - Malaysia’s economy is growing faster than expected — but the people are not feeling it. Why?

The pace of progress in artificial intelligence (AI) has been extraordinary. Just a year ago, generative AI was still largely used as a chatbot — useful for answering questions, summarising documents or generating snippets of code. Today, tools such as Anthropic’s Claude Code and OpenAI’s Codex can operate much more like agents: they can read files, write and modify codes, run programs, debug errors and carry out multi-step tasks with relatively little human intervention.

Tong's Portfolio - AI is changing investing — but not its rules

Every investment is a bet.

When investors buy shares because they expect corporate earnings to exceed expectations, they are betting. When traders buy oil futures because they believe conflict in the Middle East will disrupt supply, they are betting. Venture capitalists funding an artificial intelligence (AI) start-up are betting. Banks financing a new factory are betting.

Tong's Portfolio - The political economy of gambling: Who decides which bets society accepts?

Malaysia has a growing pension sustainability problem. We have all read the headlines. Pension payments totalled RM38.6 billio...

Tong's Portfolio - The long shadow of Malaysia’s civil service hiring boom

Is rising leverage in the US equity market combined with elevated valuations a warning sign for investors? Per FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority), total US investor margin debt just reached an all-time high of US$1.5 trillion in June, up by nearly 50% from this time last year and more than double from the start of 2024.

Tong's Portfolio - Leverage won’t cause the next sell-off ... but it could make it worse

Malaysian initial public offerings (IPOs) do not generally perform well beyond their first few days of trading and, sometimes, not even during that period. We have examined and written extensively about the reasons for this disappointing performance, including a valuation methodology that does a poor job of valuing companies because it is backward-looking, focusing on historical profits rather than future growth potential.

Tong's Portfolio - Public markets, private gains: Why the best years of growth increasingly happen before companies go public

The National Automotive Policy (NAP) 2020 and the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 envision Malaysia as an automotive production and export hub for next-generation vehicles, targeting Asean and the wider Asian market. This dovetails with the nation’s broader industrial development plan to raise economic complexity, create high-value job opportunities and deepen domestic linkages.

Tong's Portfolio - The road not taken: Lessons from Malaysia’s automotive industry

Malaysia’s government-linked investment companies see a boost to Bumiputera wealth, better workers’ livelihoods and capital mobilisation from Budget 2027.

Govt investment companies expect wealth creation from Budget 2027

The US government said on Thursday it is suspendingsome major global tech and IT firms including Microsoft and Cognizant from a key green card programme that allows skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residency through their employment.

The tech green-card programme under attack from Trump

There appears to be an internal shareholding realignment in Tiong Nam Logistics Holdings Bhd (KL:TNLOGIS), with two entities linked to founder and managing director Ong Yoong Nyock emerging as substantial shareholders, while his wife Yong Kwee Lian exits the list.

Tiong Nam founder's wife ceases to be substantial shareholder amid family share restructuring

US President Donald Trump's administration imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, hours after one of its former judges won the Nobel Peace Prize, putting Washington on a diplomatic collision course with European allies.

US imposes sanctions on International Criminal Court, hours after former judge wins Nobel Peace Prize

Tax experts said measures proposed under Budget 2027 provide targeted relief to the middle-income segment and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) but may increase the tax load on individuals earning above RM1 million.

Tax experts see targeted relief for middle-income taxpayers in Budget 2027

Network infrastructure and cybersecurity solutions provider Fortesys Holdings Bhd is seeking a listing on Bursa Malaysia’s ACE Market to expand its product portfolio and grow its technical and sales teams.

Fortesys seeks ACE Market listing to expand AI, cybersecurity solutions and teams

Bank Negara Malaysia expects around 9,000 micro, small and medium enterprises to benefit from the RM5 billion expansion of the SME Stabilisation Relief Facility (SME SRF), which was announced during the tabling of Budget 2027 in Parliament on Friday.

BNM expects 9,000 MSMEs to benefit from RM5b expansion of relief fund

The full speech by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim introducing the Fifth Madani Budget in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday, Oct 9, 2026.

Anwar's Budget 2027 speech

US consumer sentiment fell in early October and views of current economic conditions hit an all-time low as inflation weighed on households.

US consumer sentiment falls to five-month low in October

US President Donald Trump has formed a committee to investigate Fed governor Lisa Cook over allegations she made false statements in connection with mortgages, according to a notice on the White House website on Friday.

Trump launches committee to probe Fed's Lisa Cook, White House says

Follow our live coverage of Budget 2027 as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tables it.

Highlights of Budget 2027

The government on Thursday has announced key individual tax reforms aimed at reducing the cost of living for the middle 40% of earners (M40).&nbsp;

Income tax relief level raised to RM12,000, tax rate cuts to put RM1,600 into pockets of people 

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): A former company director of a property development company has been charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) for transferring RM100,000 of company funds to himself for a non-existent "director fee".

Former property development company director charged with CBT for transferring RM100k to himself for non-existing 'director fee'

首相拿督斯里安华提呈2027年度财政预算案重点摘要

2027年财政预算案重点摘要

Malaysia will raise the minimum wage to RM2,000 per month in June 2027, from RM1,700 currently.

Minimum wage goes up to RM2,000 from June 2027, MSMEs with below RM50m revenue exempted

Genting Bhd (KL:GENTING) plans to raise RM1.25 billion through a renounceable rights issue to repay maturing debt and fund working capital.

Genting to raise RM1.25b via rights issue to repay debt

Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd (KL:KOPI) could see its share price rise by more than 50%, according to CGS International Securities (CGSI), which expects the cafe operator's expansion and growing packaged food business to drive stronger earnings over the next few years.

CGSI sees over 50% upside for Oriental Kopi on expansion, earnings growth

Malaysia’s retail and tourism sectors are set to benefit as the government increases cash aid and raises the minimum wage to ease cost-of-living pressures in what could be Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s final budget before a national election.

The winners and losers of Malaysia’s 2027 spending plan

Malaysia is proposing a full stamp duty exemption on loan agreements and instruments of transfer for the purchase of first&nbsp;homes priced up to RM500,000.

Govt proposes full stamp duty exemption for first homes priced up to RM500,000

Malaysia is expected to spend 82% of its forecasted record RM459.84 billion budget on operating expenditure (opex) in 2027, leaving RM83 billion, or 18%, for development expenditure (devex).

Budget 2027 expected to hit record RM459.84b, 82% for operating expenditure

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) managing director Wong Thean Soon has cut his stake to 8.245% after selling another 46.88 million shares at 7.5 sen each on Thursday (Oct 8), worth about RM3.52 million.

TS Wong’s Zetrix AI stake falls to 8.25%, exits Excel Force as substantial shareholder

Brothers Datuk Seri Nazir Hussin Akhtar Hussin and Datuk Wira Mubarak Hussain Akhtar Husin have voluntarily gone on garden leave from their executive roles at Avangaad Bhd (KL:AVANGAAD) amid an investigation into their personal business interests.

Brothers Nazir, Mubarak go on garden leave at Avangaad; Nazir also steps aside at Kinergy

Unisem (M) Bhd (KL:UNISEM) and its subsidiary plans to invest RM396 million to expand its semiconductor manufacturing plant in Gopeng, Perak, as the group seeks to capture growing demand for advanced chip packaging used in artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres..

Unisem plans RM396 mil second phase of Gopeng plant expansion

PMB Technology Bhd (KL:PMBTECH), a 58.78%-owned subsidiary of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd (KL:PMETAL), plans to invest RM650 million to build a silicon-aluminium (Si-Al) alloy plant in Sarawak as the group seeks to diversify away from a struggling silicon metal business.

PMB Technology plans RM650 mil silicon-aluminium alloy plant in Sarawak

Despite raising the minimum wage and the economy's recovery since the pandemic, wage progression remains weak beyond the minimum wage floor, according to the Economic Outlook 2027 report. 
&nbsp;

Minimum wage lifts the floor, but Malaysia's 'missing middle' remains

The worsening haze in Malaysia could disrupt manufacturing operations, affect worker attendance and drive up business costs, according to the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM).

Haze threatens manufacturing productivity, raises business costs — FMM

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) on Thursday charged a former unit trust consultant and Private Retirement Scheme (PRS) consultant at the Ipoh Magistrate’s Court for offences relating to unlicensed capital market activities.

Former unit trust, PRS consultant charged with dealing in securities without licence

The government has introduced a range of new incentives and high-value investments to drive energy transition and energy efficiency under Budget 2027, tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday.

Govt unveils incentives, investments for energy transition

The Malaysian Immigration Department (JIM) detained 20 individuals aged between 23 and 47 during a special operation in Taman Datuk Ahmad Razali here on Thursday over suspected involvement in a syndicate abusing foreign worker quotas.

Immigration Dept nabs 20 in probe into alleged foreign worker quota abuse syndicate

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 9): Malaysia's fiscal deficit is projected to narrow to 3.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2027, even as the actual shortfall remains elevated at RM77.5 billion.

Tong Kooi Ong + Asia Analytica

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