Here is a brief recap of some business news and corporate announcements that made the headlines on Tuesday.

YTL Power, Ranhill, MPHB, IHH Healthcare, Aurelius, Pestech, CelcomDigi, UEM Sunrise, IGB, FGV, E&O, Supermax, BLand, Magnum, Signature International, Star Media

A Singapore court has sentenced Malaysian John Soh Chee Wen — who was found guilty of masterminding the manipulation of three penny stocks that eventually collapsed and wiped off S$8 billion (RM26.23 billion) in market capitalisation in 2013 — to 36 years in jail. His main accomplice Quah Su Ling, another Malaysian, was given 20 years.

The Edge Says: Singapore gets it right — Severe punishment is the best deterrent against future commercial crimes

The Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) is silent after its third six-month special exemption from Bursa Malaysia for the 25% public shareholding spread in FGV Holdings Bhd expired on Aug 3 2022.

It continues to mop up more shares on the open market in an apparent attempt to privatise FGV on the cheap despite high palm oil prices and record profits.

Felda and privatisation of FGV: No end in sight

KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): To compound or not to compound may very well be the question when it comes to compoundable offences. The decision to compound the four executives in the Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd case has raised a myriad of questions, thoughts, and opinions.

As a general princi...

MSWG CEO: What is the reason for the decision to compound in Serba Dinamik case?

KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): Whilst Gamuda is still considering and deliberating the offer from Amanat Lebuhraya Rakyat Berhad (ALR), and we will duly announce our decision on their offer immediately after our Board has made a decision on it, we would like to make the following comment(s):

Gamuda says everyone wins with ALR's takeover offer

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 8): Last Friday (Feb 4), I took my children to the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur to be vaccinated. Like all parents, whether a pandemic was in progress or not, my wife and I were understandably anxious. Indeed we are always anxious. We worry about the state of the world our children are growing up in and about the future they may have to inhabit. We want the best for them and we live in the hope that somehow, things will get better. We steel ourselves to be ready for anything but we weren't prepared for what awaited us that day.  As expatriate parents, understandably, our anxiousness had added dimensions to it.

A pleasant surprise during my children’s vaccination

Serba Dinamik Bhd’s standoff with market regulators and two major accounting firms over its delayed financial statements is becoming a joke. But it is definitely not funny.

To recap, the problem surfaced after its long-time external auditor KPMG highlighted discrepancies involving trans...

End the standoff: Serba Dinamik should make EY review public to prove it has nothing to hide

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 16): Effective Jan 1, 2022, a proposal to remove tax exemption on income derived from foreign sources and received in Malaysia by Malaysian residents under Paragraph 28, Schedule 6 of the Income Tax Act (ITA) 1967 was announced in the recent Budget 2022.

Look into issues in proposed tax on foreign-sourced income

Money laundering is a process of converting cash or property derived from illegal activities to give it a legitimate appearance. It is a process to clean "dirty" money in order to disguise its criminal origin.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is empowered to enforce recovery of stolen assets via the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).

Understanding money laundering and asset recovery strategies

There are views now being promoted that any prescriptive regulations or employment requirements for vaccination status on individuals militate against the liberty of a person to choose NOT to be vaccinated. And further this is unconstitutional.

Does the Federal Constitution protection of fundamental liberty mean that laws employer cannot prescribe vaccination against Covid-19 be imposed?

MERDEKA!

On the 31st of August 2021, Malaysia will celebrate 64 years of independence. Over the last two years, the usual fanfare associated with the occasion (among others) has been replaced with quieter celebrations at home under what seems to be a perpetual state of lockdown.

Merdeka, in the midst of a pandemic

There is a call to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate allegations of interference on the judiciary. Such a call is wrong and must be rejected.

Setting up of RCI to investigate judiciary is unconstitutional

While grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia has also gone through a very toxic and stormy period of political crisis since the Sheraton coup took place in February 2020. Seventeen months after the parliamentary coup, we have yet another unelected government led by the ninth prime minister (PM), and third in three years, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

An idea of economic governance for new PM

If Daniel Moss of Bloomberg has accurate facts on his hand by just working harder to look at the latest ranking of the Fragile States Index (FSI 2021), he would not have been gloating in his article that Malaysia is staggering down the road to failed statehood.

The injustice of stereotyping Malaysia as a failed state

PERTH (March 26): British Airways is poised to restart daily flights to Kuala Lumpur on April 2 this year, according to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

British Airways to restart daily flights to KL on April 2, 2025

US President Donald Trump said he plans to limit exceptions to his tariff push, the latest cryptic hint about a planned April 2 announcement of reciprocal duties on global trading partners.

Trump now says he doesn’t want ‘too many’ exceptions in tariff push

Nintendo Co shares gained the most in over seven months after Goldman Sachs Group Inc said it expects the upcoming release of its Switch 2 console to drive active users to new highs.

Nintendo shares surge as Goldman sees Switch 2 fuelling users

PETALING JAYA (March 26): Cuckoo International (MAL) Bhd (Cuckoo Malaysia), the local unit of South Korean appliance maker Cuckoo Homesys Co, Ltd, said on Wednesday that it has priced its initial public offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malysia at RM1.29 a share.

Main-Market bound Cuckoo Malaysia prices IPO at RM1.29 a share

YTL Power International Bhd’s (KL:YTLPOWR) artificial intelligence data centre (AI DC) segment could contribute up to RM900 million to its net earnings by mid-2027, provided that it achieves full capacity offtake, according to CGS International.

AI data centre segment could contribute RM900m to YTL Power’s earnings by mid-2027 — CGS International

The two sons of the late Hong Kong billionaire Lee Shau-Kee now control their father’s US$10 billion (RM44.23 billion) stake in property firm Henderson Land Development Co, according to new filings.

HK billionaire Lee Shau-Kee’s sons get control of US$10b Henderson stake

(March 26): The US cancelled two aid projects in Cambodia in late February — one to encourage child literacy and another to improve nutrition and development for kids under five. A week later, China’s aid agency announced funding for programmes to achieve almost identical goals.

China swoops in to replace Asian USAID projects axed by Trump

The heads of some of the world’s top energy traders said they would be open to returning to Russia for business if sanctions were fully lifted, although some expressed caution about the prospect happening any time soon.

Energy trading giants say they will return to Russia if sanctions end

Even as early as 1965, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, the then French finance minister, had complained about the “exorbitant privilege”, a phrase he coined, to describe the massive advantage the US derives from the dollar’s hegemony of international finance. The year 1965 was, of course, when the Bretton Woods currency framework was still in place. Bretton Woods, a gold parity-based, fixed exchange rate system, had the US dollar, which was fully convertible to gold at US$35 per ounce, as its reserve currency.

MySay: Trump’s tariff tantrums necessitate a global alternative to the US dollar

Apple Inc plans to hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) during the week of June 9, when it is expected to announce redesigned iPhone, iPad and Mac operating systems.

Apple poised to unveil new software at June 9 developers event

Police are believed to have called up several corporate figures in Kuala Lumpur and Penang in their investigations related to the money trail of the now-defunct pyramid scheme MBI.

Bukit Aman calls up corporate figures to assist in investigations on MBI's money trail — sources

Chemlite Innovation Bhd (KL:CLITE) fell in its first trade on the ACE Market on Wednesday, adding to a streak of listing day declines.

The Penang-based company, which provides surface finishing treatment services, opened at 23 sen compared with its initial public offering (IPO) price of 25 sen per share. The stock continued to slide, and was down 10% to 22.5 sen as of 9.05am, after more than 20.5 million shares changed hands.

Chemlite dips on ACE Market debut, extends listing flops

Shares of Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd (KL:ASTRO) hit another record low on Wednesday, as investors remained wary of the pay-television operator’s outlook, amid softening advertising expenditure and declining subscription.

Astro tests new record low as results disappoint, analysts flag uncertain future

Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio warned House Republicans of the dangers of rising US deficits and urged them to cut the budget deficit to just 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) or risk debt service costs squeezing government spending.

Dalio warns GOP of ‘dire’ debt as lawmakers weigh tax cuts

The fiscal strength of the US&nbsp;is stuck in a multi-year slide and “has deteriorated further” after the country’s sovereign rating received a negative outlook in late 2023, Moody’s Ratings said.

US fiscal strength seen weakening further, Moody’s says

The two sons of the late Hong Kong billionaire Lee Shau-Kee now control their father’s US$10 billion (RM44.23 billion) stake in property firm&nbsp;Henderson Land Development Co, according to new filings.

Asian stocks posted modest gains on Wednesday as investors search for a clear direction amid weaker US consumer confidence and a late rally in US equities.

Asian stocks edge up as traders seek new direction

SYDNEY (March 26): Petroliam Nasional Bhd, known as Petronas, is aiming to raise up to US$3 billion (RM13.27 billion) in a three-tranche dollar bond transaction, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.

Petronas aims to raise US$3b in dollar bond deal — Reuters

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/KYIV (March 25): The United States reached separate deals on Tuesday with Ukraine and&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;to pause their attacks at sea and against energy targets, with Washington agreeing to push to lift some sanctions against Moscow.

Russia, Ukraine agree to sea, energy truce; Washington seeks easing of sanctions

PETALING JAYA (March 26): Cuckoo International (MAL) Bhd (Cuckoo Malaysia), the local unit of South Korean appliance maker Cuckoo Homesys Co, Ltd, said on Wednesday that it has priced its initial public offering (IPO) on the Main Market of Bursa Malysia at RM1.29 a share.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 26): MISC Bhd (KL:MISC) could potentially pay out higher dividends from this year onwards from a cash flow boost from a project in Brazil, Maybank Investment Bank said on Wednesday.

MISC could potentially pay out higher dividends starting 2025 — Maybank

Oil edged higher after an industry report signalled a major contraction in US crude stockpiles, while the market weighed the prospect of a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire in the Black Sea.

Oil gains as industry report points to big drop in US stockpiles

A rally in most big techs drove stocks higher on Tuesday, though gains moderated after one of the market’s best days in 2025 as traders assessed economic risks amid the threat of a trade war.

Stocks eke out gain as tech drives late-day bounce

SYDNEY/BEIJING/SHANGHAI (March 26): Chinese battery giant CATL&nbsp;said it had received approval from China's securities regulator for a share sale in Hong Kong that sources have said&nbsp;could raise&nbsp;at least US$5 billion (RM22.12 billion), the largest listing in the city for four years.

China's CATL Hong Kong listing approved, could raise at least US$5b — Reuters

(March 26):&nbsp;The US cancelled two aid projects in Cambodia in late February — one to encourage child literacy and another to improve nutrition and development for kids under five. A week later, China’s aid agency announced funding for programmes to achieve almost identical goals.

WASHINGTON/BRUSSEL (March 25): The European Union's (EU) trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic met with US President Donald Trump's top trade officials on Tuesday to try to avoid steep US. tariffs on EU goods next week, but results of the talks were unclear.

EU trade chief meets with Trump officials to try to head off 'harmful' tariffs

YTL Power International Bhd’s (KL:YTLPOWR) artificial intelligence data centre (AI DC) segment could contribute up to RM900 million to its net earnings by mid-2027, provided that it achieves full capacity offtake, according to CGS International.

US&nbsp;grains merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland is making a fresh wave of job cuts this week at its largest unit, the grain trading and oilseed processing division, according to three sources briefed on the matter.

ADM cuts jobs in grain trading division, sources say

A group of public finance bankers, who have so far largely focused their attention on Congress, are now reaching out to the Trump administration to make their case for keeping state and local government debt tax free.

Muni bankers look to woo Treasury, Trump team to keep tax break

Morgan Stanley strategists raised their outlook for Chinese stocks for the second time in a little more than a month, citing upside for valuations amid an improving outlook for earnings.

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