The proposed mandatory build-then-sell model in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) is expected to reshape the property market and lead to industry consolidation over time, says Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) Research.

13MP: New build-then-sell plan means only financially strong property developers will survive — analyst

The government will continue its shift away from race-based policies towards solutions grounded on real needs, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

PM reiterates shift to needs-based policies under 13MP

Malaysia's RM430 billion 13th Malaysia Plan, designed to fuel economic growth and slash the federal deficit, faces a familiar challenge: execution and fiscal discipline. While economists broadly welcomed the massive development spending, they cautioned that the five-year blueprint risks falling short without stringent controls and efficient implementation.

Economists warn execution, discipline will be make-or-break for growth outlined in 13MP

Development expenditure is targeted at RM430 billion, from RM415 billion allocated in 2021-2025.

Malaysia aims for 4.5%-5.5% GDP growth under 13th Malaysia Plan 2026-2030; allocates RM430b for development projects

KUALA LUMPUR (July 31): The government is mulling new legislation to curb rent-seeking activities and expand privatisation under a user-pay model, as part of the fiscal reform agenda outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).

13MP: Govt plans new laws to curb rent-seeking, expand user-pay privatisation model

Malaysia aims to almost double electrical and electronic (E&E) product exports to RM1 trillion by 2030 through various efforts to increase the production of high-value, high-technology products, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

13MP: Malaysia targets RM1 trillion in E&E exports by 2030

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced plans to introduce a higher minimum wage for graduates and semi-skilled workers, to ensure that remuneration efforts are reflective of workers’ skills and qualifications.

13MP: Higher minimum wage planned for graduates, semi-skilled workers, says PM

The government is considering introducing a monthly pension payout under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), in addition to the current lump-sum withdrawal option, to provide retirees with a more stable income stream.

13MP: Govt considers monthly EPF pension payout

Malaysia plans to restrategise its technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system with a focus on high-growth high-value (HGHV) sectors, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced during the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday.

13MP: Govt to restrategise TVET to focus on high-growth high-value sectors

Malaysia will allocate RM40 billion to its healthcare sector over the 2026-2030 period under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), focusing on expanding access to medical services, upgrading public health facilities and driving digital transformation.

RM40 bil for healthcare sector in 13MP; 'health tax’ looms for tobacco, alcohol 

Malaysia will ramp up infrastructure spending under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) with a focus on expanding road networks, enhancing public transport services, and strengthening air connectivity to support economic growth and regional mobility.

13MP: Malaysia to boost infrastructure spending with focus on roads, public transport, and air connectivity

Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), the government will launch new initiatives to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a global Islamic finance hub.

13MP: Malaysia aims to become global Islamic finance hub with digital push, new VC roadmap

Under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), Malaysia aims to increase halal exports to RM80 billion and raise the sector’s contribution to 11% of GDP by 2030.

13MP: Malaysia to set up halal commission, dedicated industrial parks to grow halal exports to RM80b

Malaysia will review the mandatory retirement age as part of its efforts to prepare for the country's transition into an ageing nation.

13MP: Govt eyes higher retirement age, strengthen elder care as nation ages

British finance minister John Healey said banks were central to the country's economic future on Thursday when pressed by reporters about the likelihood of a windfall tax on their bumper profits in his first budget on Oct 28.

UK's Healey says banks are key to economy but keeps tax options open

US retail sales increased more than expected in September, boosted by higher gasoline prices, but spending elsewhere was moderate, which could temper economists' expectations for another quarter of robust consumer spending growth.

US retail sales beat expectations in September on higher gasoline prices

The number of Americans filing new claims for unemployment benefits increased marginally last week amid low layoffs that are keeping the labour market stable.

US weekly jobless claims rise marginally amid low layoffs

Labuan Corporation (LC) has appointed entrepreneur Jeffrey Lim Tau Hoong as chief executive officer of its wholly-owned investment subsidiary, Invest Labuan Sdn Bhd (ILSB), effective Thursday.

Jeffrey Lim appointed Invest Labuan CEO

Brent crude prices fell over 1% on Thursday as potential US steps to ease restrictions on Russia's "shadow fleet" tankers soothed price concerns, but attacks on ships in the Middle East and Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure limited the decline.

Oil prices slips as US weighs easing sanctions on 'shadow fleet'

Microsoft president Brad Smith warned the Trump administration's move to restrict green-card access for skilled foreign workers could hurt US technological competitiveness and drive talent overseas, Politico reported on Thursday.

Microsoft president warns green-card curbs could hurt US tech — report

In his Budget 2027 speech, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced RM1.2 billion in investments by Khazanah Nasional and KWAP to help local semiconductor companies move into higher-value segments, including an investment fund involving Khazanah and the Selangor state government. Separately, Khazanah and InvestPenang will establish a RM100 million Strategic Investment Fund to support semiconductor and advanced manufacturing companies in their early stages of growth. These commitments signal support for domestic industrial upgrading. Yet the speech offers no explicit focus or dedicated measures for precision machining and outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) — two critical pillars of Malaysia’s semiconductor ecosystem that deserve greater attention in the country’s industrial strategy.

Opinion: Budget 2027 — Malaysia must back its semiconductor backbone before the window closes

Corporate governance in Malaysia is entering an enhanced phase. As Malaysia moves towards the forthcoming 2026 revision of the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG), attention is moving beyond boards and directors to the wider governance ecosystem, including the role and accountability of company secretaries.

The shift is significant. In a recent speech, the Securities Commission (SC) Chairman said consultations for MCCG 2026 highlighted the need to strengthen the competence, capabilities and professionalism of company secretaries.

Corporate governance beyond the boardroom

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) will start collecting data from banks, insurers and payment firms automatically through application programming interfaces (APIs) in late 2028, replacing the reporting system it has used since 2012.

Bank Negara to replace 14-year-old reporting system with API-based data collection from late 2028

Vestland Bhd (KL:VLB) has secured a contract worth RM225.07 million to undertake river widening and related flood mitigation works in Kelantan.

Vestland bags RM225 mil river widening job in Kelantan

Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will serve the remainder of his prison sentence for the SRC International Sdn Bhd case under home confinement&nbsp;at his residence in Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, with his family, according to several Malay dailies.

Najib to serve remaining SRC jail sentence under home confinement at Langgak Duta, says Shafee — reports

Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda) chairman Datuk Dr Shaik Hussein Mydin has been charged with 15 counts of receiving bribes totalling nearly RM850,000.

Penang development authority chairman Shaik Hussein Mydin charged with 15 counts of graft

IN September 2022, CGS International Securities Sdn Bhd (then CGS CIMB) granted a RM60 million margin trading account facility to Wong Thean Soon, co-founder and largest shareholder of MyEG Services Bhd, now known as Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX).

The facility came with a price cap on Zetri...

Cover Story 2: Insights into margin calls on Zetrix’s Wong

BYD Malaysia has appointed Inokom Corporation Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Bhd (KL:SIME) based in Kulim, Kedah, as its local assembly partner for its planned completely knocked-down (CKD) vehicle operations in Malaysia. 
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BYD Malaysia appoints Inokom as local assembly partner

THE situation at Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) appears to be deteriorating, with more issues emerging. Late last Friday (Oct 2), Zetrix and its wholly-owned unit MyEG Sdn Bhd had their roles as collection agents for the Road Transport Department (JPJ) suspended, effective from 12.01am on Oct 5.
...

Cover Story 2: Heading deeper into the woods

Zetrix AI Bhd (KL:ZETRIX) on Thursday confirmed it is under police investigation following a Bursa Malaysia query about a news report on the probe.

Zetrix AI confirms police investigation into company following Bursa query

CTOS Digital Bhd (KL:CTOS) reversed course toward new all-time low on Thursday as more analysts downgraded the digital services firm following a major cybersecurity incident.

CTOS Digital resumes descent to new all-time low with more analyst downgrades

Malaysia recorded a 4.5% decline in live births in 2025, while the total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.5 children per woman, reflecting a continued downward trend in the country's birth rate.

Malaysia's live births down 4.5%, fertility rate at 1.5 children per woman in 2025 — official data

IN a rare move, Excel Force MSC Bhd ­(KL:­EFORCE) (EForce) has proposed to raise funds of up to RM10.66 million through the issuance of new shares.

According to the company, which last implemented a share placement to raise funds in 2010, the proceeds are required for working capital be...

Cover Story 2: Where did Excel Force’s RM26.6 mil go?

Nasdaq-listed American Resources Corporation (ARC) has appointed Datuk Mark Ling as chief executive officer of its newly established American Resources Indo Pacific, which will spearhead the group's expansion into the region, starting with the development of an integrated rare earth supply chain in Malaysia.

American Resources appoints former Edra president Mark Ling to lead rare earth supply chain development in Malaysia

Sunway Bhd (KL:SUNWAY) property arm, Sunway Property, soft-launched Tower C — the final tower of Sunway Velocity 3 — on Oct 10 virtually, following a 98% take-up rate across Towers A and B within two years. 
&nbsp;

Sunway Property soft-launches final tower of Sunway Velocity 3

Malaysia is considering hosting Formula One (F1) races once every few years, potentially in collaboration with other countries, following the recent Bahrain Grand Prix held at the Sepang circuit that generated nearly RM950 million in estimated economic returns.

Malaysia mulls F1 return after race generates RM950 mil in economic returns

The government plans to introduce a “user-pays” electricity pricing system for large consumers, including data centres and energy-intensive industries, to shield households from rising electricity costs.

Govt plans ‘user-pays’ electricity pricing for data centres, energy-intensive industries

Malaysia’s central bank has greater room to adjust interest rates after changing its policy guidance last month and stands ready to act if inflation pressures intensify as the Middle East conflict keeps energy prices elevated, its governor said.

BNM governor signals room to act as inflation risks rise

Malaysian shares fell on Thursday as a four-day winning streak on the FBM KLCI ended amid renewed concerns over rising US interest rates.

Malaysia shares slip as US inflation worries, foreign selling end four-day win streak

India's sunflower oil imports slumped to their lowest in more than four years in September as war-related disruptions curbed supplies from Russia and Ukraine, prompting refiners to ramp up palm oil purchases to a seven-month high, a leading industry body said on Thursday.

India turns to palm oil as sunflower oil imports hit four-year low in September

Malaysia wants data centre investors to bear the cost of transmission upgrades required by their projects rather than pass the investment to the local players.

Data centre investors must bear necessary grid upgrade costs, says Johari Ghani

Malaysian exporters are likely increasing conversions of their foreign-currency earnings into the ringgit, which stands to boost the local exchange rate through the rest of the year, analysts say.

Exporter dollar sales boost ringgit, analysts say

AWC Bhd (KL:AWC) outperformed the broader market on Thursday after the engineering services firm added another contract related to data centres to its books.

AWC outperforms market after contract win, analysts stay positive

A three-member Court of Appeal bench on Thursday ruled that a commissioned lawyer and partner at a law firm is liable to pay the balance purchase price owed to a house-seller client, despite another partner of the law firm being responsible for the loss.

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