This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations’ International Year of the Family (IYF). In the decades since the IYF was proclaimed, demographic shifts, technological transformations, migration, urbanization, and climate change have upended societies around the world. Responding effec...

The Frontiers Of Growth: As Families Change, So Must the Safety Net

Recently, the Court of Appeal ruled that it is mandatory to refer an employee’s dismissal complaint to the Industrial Court if the director-general of industrial relations (DGIR) cannot resolve the matter.

Prior to the amendments to the Industrial Relations Act 1967 (IRA 1967), the DGIR...

My Say: What employers must ensure, now that all dismissal complaints must be referred to the Industrial Court

Despite the palm oil industry bending over backwards to green up its act in the last few decades, it is still under fire. Critics cannot shake the image of palm oil as the nemesis of biodiversity, or worse, the big bad wolf of tropical deforestation. No matter how hard palm oil producers try to p...

Bullish On Green: Palm oil is green, but still seen as grey

We knew we had not seen the last of it. Banished 16 years ago, “Game 39” is about to come back to haunt football. Barely noticed amid a welter of headlines as the European season builds to a climax, Fifa has lifted its law blocking a nation’s league matches from being played in another country.

Business Of Sports: Under the radar, but Game 39 is back on the agenda

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the developing world has faced growing public-sector debt vulnerabilities. Interest-rate hikes and limited access to international capital markets have only exacerbated the problem — so much so that even solvent countries are now grappling with liquidity ...

The New Global Economy: The urgency of sovereign-debt restructuring

Governments rarely correct deteriorating public finances until they meet some form of debt market disturbance, but the retreat of central banks from sovereign bond markets may eventually set the scene for a showdown.

Bond markets face struggle to surf 'Treasury tsunami'

This is the final instalment of a four-part series on propelling the Madani economy. To summarise, fuel subsidy rationalisation is a contractionary but necessary move for Malaysia, discussed in Part I (“Taking a systems approach to fuel subsidies”, Issue 1515, March 18). In Part II (“Breaking out...

My Say: Madani-Bersama: Address disparities to unlock powerful engines of growth

In a world of depressing news headlines, how is the Southeast Asian region faring? An examination of the risk environment leads us to a few key assessments.

First, being one of the main arenas for US-China contestation, this region is exposed to potentially nasty scenarios if big power ...

My Say: How risks have changed in Southeast Asia

It was my privilege to have had the opportunity to participate in the Sejahtera Malaysia Forum on April 29, at Le Quadri Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, where the Minister of National Unity Malaysia, Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang, delivered the keynote address alongside distinguished panel speakers such as Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, MP of Kuching, Faye Lim, founder of The Rojak Projek, and Tan Sri Michael Yeoh, president of the KSI Strategic Institute for the Asia-Pacific. I was struck by the profound depth of our discourse.

Appreciation of history: A pathway to national unity

Islamic finance, built on ethical principles and profit-sharing, aims to offer an alternative to the conventional financial system. However, navigating the complexities of modern society presents challenges to its continued growth and accessibility. Addressing these hurdles is crucial to unlockin...

Campus View: Navigating the future of Islamic finance in a modern world

I love Kuala Lumpur, the city where I was born — to be precise, it was in Maternity Ward 3 of the old General Hospital. The wooden structure of Ward 3 has long given way to new medical facilities, but the General Hospital has remained at the intersection of Jalan Pahang and Jalan Tun Razak since ...

My Say: KL’s heritage buildings are in dire need of preservation

Ukraine last week got a vital US$61 billion (RM291.1 billion) lifeline from the US. But it still needs a medium-term funding plan to withstand Russia’s onslaught. Mobilising Moscow’s frozen central bank assets to provide compensation for war damages should be central to this.

Breakingviews: Ukraine’s US$61b lifeline is not enough

What appears to be a common partnership between landowner and developer to develop a parcel of land has turned out to be a transaction where there is more than meets the eye.

Frankly Speaking: YNH raises eyebrows again

So, what can be wrong with the unity government?

It has a two-thirds majority, it is made up of four coalitions of parties, none of whom would be in positions of power if they did not work together, and it is headed by a man who had been trying to become prime minister ever since any Ma...

Picking On The Present: Guidelines for reform and unity: Technocracy, regionality and solidarity

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor apologised to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Cabinet ministers who attended the state-level Madani Aidilfitri celebration on Saturday night.

Kedah MB apologises to Anwar, Cabinet over ‘inappropriate remarks’

The federal government has agreed in principle to proposals to convert agricultural land within the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) area for industrial and commercial development.

Anwar says nod given to conversion of Mada land for industrial, commercial development 

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledged sharp moves in the value of the yen this week, even as she declined to say whether Japan had intervened to support the currency.

Yellen counsels caution on currency intervention after yen surge

Labour wins in the UK’s two biggest cities completed a string of local election successes by opposition leader Keir Starmer that showed his party firmly on course for victory at a general election later this year.

Labour mayor wins cap triumphant election run for Starmer

Paytm appointed new business executives as the troubled fintech firm’s chief operating officer resigned.

Paytm appoints new executives as COO resigns

Warren Buffett said he expects the US government to increase taxes to tackle widening fiscal deficits rather than reduce spending.

Warren Buffett says taxes may rise to offset widening US deficits

Warren Buffett assured Berkshire Hathaway shareholders on Saturday that the executives expected to succeed him were ready for the job, and he heaped praise on Apple although Berkshire trimmed its position in the iPhone maker.

Buffett says Berkshire in good hands, lauds Apple despite lowering stake

China's Ping An Insurance Group Co, the biggest Asian investor in HSBC did not support reappointing chief executive Noel Quinn as a director to the banks board at the its shareholder meeting, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday, as the investor voted against such a move.

Ping An votes against reappointment of HSBC CEO as director — Reuters

Mathew Ngau Jau is not a fan of hectic city life, though there is certainly something to smile about as he visits Kuala Lumpur this week for a very special recognition at the 19th Boh Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA).

Treasure of Borneo

In the May 6 issues of City & Country, the cover story features Eastern & Oriental Bhd’s (E&O) Andaman Island in Penang. The reclaimed island project is taking shape and will come in two phases. Phase one covers 253 acres, while phase two will cover 507 acres. Reclamation work for phase one started in 2015 and was completed in December 2019. Work on phase two is ongoing, with the entire reclamation exercise set to be completed by December 2028.

Developing community living sustainably