Malaysia

Supporters of the National Front coalition rally outside a nomination center in the Bera district of Malaysia's Pahang state on Nov. 5.
Malaysia election

Malaysian political parties see young voters as decisive in polls

Almost a third of voters eligible for the Nov. 19 national polls are under 30

7 November 2022
Anwar Ibrahim leader of the Hope Pact, second from left, waves to photographers on Nov. 5, after filing his nomination papers in Meru, Perak, Malaysia. (Photo by P Prem Kumar)
Malaysia election

Malaysian parties in complex tussle for parliament seats

Major political parties, coalitions prepare for tough election

5 November 2022
Malaysian ruling party UMNO's leader, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, waves to his supporters at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Malaysia election

Malaysia ruling party drops PM loyalists as candidates ahead of polls

UMNO chief's seeks to outmaneuver Ismail Sabri amid infighting

2 November 2022
Shahril Sufian Hamdan, the ruling United Malays National Organization's information chief, speaks to Nikkei Asia in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo by Hakimie Amrie)
Interview

Malaysia's ruling UMNO aims for 'simple majority' in parliament

Official says party relies not on Najib but on 'grassroots network' in Nov. 19 election

1 November 2022
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who lost an appeal of his conviction on embezzlement charges in August, remains politically popular. 
Comment

Najib's resurgence likely key to Malaysia's general election

Will scandal-ridden ex-PM's growing appeal with young help ruling UMNO?

31 October 2022
Whether Southeast Asia's first-generation startups like Grab and Sea can meet targets and validate business models will test the region's tech ecosystem amid its first-ever market downturn.
Business Spotlight

From Grab to Sea, ASEAN tech confronts end of golden decade

Investors taste first market downturn as unicorn high wears off

28 October 2022
Caring Pharmacy operated 120 stores in East Malaysia and one store in West Malaysia as of 2019, according to its website. (Source photo from Caring Pharmacy website)
DealStreetAsia

Carlyle in advanced talks to invest in Malaysian drugstore chain

Caring Pharmacy is majority-owned by 7-Eleven Malaysia

27 October 2022
Screens in a Kuala Lumpur store show a live broadcast of Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's announcement of early elections on Oct. 10: Voters are less interested in grand political narratives.
Opinion

Malaysian politicians must reckon with a more demanding electorate

Youth and other new voters will determine direction of the country

23 October 2022
The prime minister's office in Malaysia. General elections are set for Nov. 19, the results of which are expected to calm political instability in the country.
Malaysia election

Malaysians to vote on Nov. 19 for next government

Ismail Sabri's UMNO is expected to lead as Anwar and Muhyiddin mount challenges

20 October 2022
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee speaks during a Chinese National Day event on Oct. 1: Lee is scheduled to give his first policy address on Oct. 19 in Hong Kong.
Your Week in Asia

China leadership reshuffle, APEC meeting in Thailand, Hong Kong policy address

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

16 October 2022
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad holds a news conference in Putrajaya on Oct. 11.
Malaysia election

Mahathir, 97, confirms candidacy in Malaysia's upcoming election

Veteran leader says he won't seek PM job, considers this his last race

11 October 2022
A shopper watches a live broadcast of Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announcing the dissolution of parliament for a general election in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 10.
Malaysia election

Malaysia PM dissolves parliament, paving way for election

Ismail Sabri announces move after months of pressure from his own party

10 October 2022
Sushi Oribe Master chef Naoya Kawasaki says chefs are asked to "be more entertaining" in Malaysia. (Photo courtesy of Sushi Oribe)
Food & Beverage

Now hiring: sushi chefs lured out of Japan by higher wages

Growing popularity of Japanese food pushes restaurant job offers up drastically

8 October 2022
Malaysia's Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz presents the 2023 budget to parliament on Oct. 7.
Economy

Malaysia's 2023 budget dangles cash aid, tax cut as election looms

Government compiles record 372bn ringgit plan but nods to fiscal sustainability

7 October 2022
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks with Nikkei Asia at his office in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo by Hakimie Amrie)
Malaysia election

Mahathir predicts UMNO triumph in Malaysia's next election

Former PM considers fresh run at age 97, expects Najib to wield influence from jail

7 October 2022
The main gate of the Federal Court in Kuala Lumpur: Citizenship is a highly political matter in Malaysia.
Opinion

Malaysian women should be equally entitled to pass on citizenship

Courts divided on issue of children born overseas to foreign fathers

5 October 2022
MYAirline is aiming to compete on price in Malaysia's airline industry dominated by AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. (Photo courtesy of MYAirline) 
Transportation

Malaysia new budget airline aims for cheaper fares than AirAsia

MYAirline CEO says time is ripe for growth as COVID travel restrictions ease

4 October 2022
The Thai economy, which depends heavily on Chinese tourists, will be hit by a slowdown in China. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

ASEAN economies seen hit by U.S. rate hikes in 2023: JCER/Nikkei

Economists revise down forecasts to 4.3% for five regional countries

3 October 2022
Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob delivers the 2022 budget speech at parliament in Kuala Lumpur in 2021. On Oct. 7 he will deliver a similar speech regarding the 2023 budget. (Famer Roheni/Malaysia's Department of Information via AP)
Your Week in Asia

Nobel Prizes, Australia rates, Malaysia 2023 budget

Your weekly lineup of Asia's biggest business and political events

2 October 2022
Malaysia accounted for 13.6% of Japan's LNG imports in 2021. (Photo by Ryosuke Hanafusa)
Energy

Japan reaches deal on emergency LNG supplies from Petronas

Economy ministry seeks out fuel from Southeast Asia to prepare for winter crunch

30 September 2022
Singapore-based Affirma Capital says it oversees more than $3.5 billion in assets, investing in buyout and growth opportunities across emerging markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. (Source images by Akira Kodaka and from Affirma Capital website)
DealStreetAsia

Singapore's Affirma targets first Southeast Asia-focused fund

Sources say investment vehicle would also cover India

28 September 2022
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Westminster Hall in London on Sept. 14. The pomp that accompanied the queen's funeral was steeped in the kind of elaborate symbolism and arcane rituals seen in parts of Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Tea Leaves

Why Britain's royal succession resonates in Asia

Queen Elizabeth's funeral highlights similar focus on reinforcing national identity

28 September 2022
The Shang Sisters: Winnie Ho, left, Janet Lee, center, and Mian Tan. Their eponymous second album, released in June, is a mix of originals and covers of old Malay and Mandarin language classics, interspersed with snatches of sounds and conversations from Malaysian history. (Courtesy of the Shang Sisters)
Arts

Southeast Asia leads vintage Chinese jazz revival

A century on, 'indecent' Shidaiqu music is blossoming in Malaysia and Singapore

28 September 2022
Ant Group has partnered with 120,000 merchants in South Korea to accept payments under the Alipay+ program. (Photo courtesy of Ant Group)
Technology

Ant Group allows use of Southeast Asian payment apps in South Korea

120,000 merchants accept e-payments from Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand

28 September 2022
People shop for food in a market in Hanoi: Vietnam's economy is to grow faster than its Asia-Pacific peers this year, expanding by 7.2%, the World Bank said in its latest forecast.
Economy

Vietnam emerges as Asia's growth leader as China slows

Food, fuel subsidies risk long-term distortion, warns World Bank

27 September 2022