Issues

Malaysia is relying on the project delivery partner model for billion-ringgit transportation projects such as the LRT, MRT and the Penang Transport Master Plan. But questions abound on selection, transparency and the enormous price tags of the PDPs, as KINIBIZ investigates.

Fresh after the prime minister’s speech on Friday afternoon, KINIBIZ presents the highlights of the Budget and the latest economic report as well as immediate reactions from federal ministers, corporate captains, economists and other industry players in a compilation of articles.

Up-and-coming homegrown casual wear label Pestle & Mortar was founded by three high school friends who knew nothing about the fashion business. Creative director and co-founder Hugh Koh shares with KINIBIZ how the label came to be and their ...

The Otomotif College was established in 2004 and is now making a name for itself in the industry of educational institutions. It is a growing automotive college providing its students with learning experience in automotive and motorsport education, as well as a set of ...

Malaysia today faces myriad issues, from rising religious extremism and racial tensions to increasingly entrenched corruption and growing overstepping of constitutional boundaries. In a time when the nation urgently needs to take stock and face painful realities, former ...

AK Nathan, founder of Eversendai, made his name helping to construct iconic skyscrapers such as Burj Al Arab and Petronas Twin Tower 2. Now, he is taking a crack at the oil & gas business. KINIBIZ talks to the steel master.

Proton used to be the poster child of the automotive industry and it was protected to ensure its survival at the expense of quality and affordable cars for Malaysians. But now with Perodua having overtaken it in terms of sales and with the government no longer placing Proton at the ...

Few companies survived the dotcom crash of the late ’90s, and fewer still have managed to reinvent themselves to become true players in the convergence space. However, REDtone International Bhd successfully achieved that, ...

Eight years after a mega merger exercise, the behemoth that is Sime Darby has lost more than a fifth of its market value and is mired in some RM18 billion in debt. Regaining lost ground and advancing beyond likely means another mega ...

Richard Tan quit his profession as a chartered accountant to set up Interbase Resources, which owns one of Malaysia’s most popular e-commerce sites Lelong.com.my. He talks to KINIBIZ about the business surviving the dotcom bust of the early 2000s, how Lelong never made money for the ...

The brain drain is neither new nor unique to Malaysia but have we managed to successfully attract back Malaysian talent from abroad? Perhaps the bigger question to ask is if we’re doing everything to keep existing talent from leaving. KINIBIZ examines the issues involved and ...

At a time when distrust and dissent are rife among the people of Malaysia, the same people hunger for constructive views and a voice of reason, if not hope. Former deputy secretary-general of Finance Ministry Ramon Navaratnam would like to be that voice. A voice that is not afraid to say things as they ...

As Malaysia completes 58 years of independence this year, there is much to be celebrated, yet also much to be mourned. The economy seems on solid ground despite current headwinds, yet pressing concerns remain over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd controversy and the political ...

AirAsia Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd have always had a testy relationship, particularly between the top management. Recently the argument escalated after AirAsia issued a letter of demand to MAHB. The airline believes it is being bullied while MAHB says ...

Hailing from a small town in rural Johor, Puan Chan Cheong was told by his parents early on that a better life was within reach if he excelled in his studies and became his own boss. So that was what he set out to do, eventually establishing ...

Already struggling with softening demand and the government’s cooling measures, the property market is facing further headwinds with weakening sentiments over Malaysia’s economy. Will there be a prolonged turbulence in the industry? KINIBIZ speaks to property players for ...

As negative sentiment weighs down the ringgit to lows unseen in nearly two decades, trade has benefitted with June figures surprising economists and beating expectations. Can the weakening currency turn around what may shape up to be a rough year for trade?

Since the Securities Commission introduced the special purpose acquisition company (Spac) investment model in late 2009, only four companies, all in the oil and gas sector, have employed the model. With only one Spac having graduated into a full-fledged company, is the model ...

Chan Kee Siak, founder and CEO of web hosting service provider Exabytes, quit college when he was 20 years old to grow the business at a time when the Internet scene in Malaysia was still in its infancy. In an interview with KINIBIZ, Chan speaks of his early days in the business, challenges he faced and ...

Boutique headscarf-maker Fareeda has made waves since its emergence nine years ago, proving there is a big business to be done when it comes to headscarves. In an interview, co-founder Aminuddin Basirron shares the humble beginnings of Malaysia's headscarf juggernaut, its rise through the years, and what lies ahead.

The issue of regulation, which was said to have been under “discussions with a timeline”, appears to have blown up in the faces of private ride providers Uber and GrabCar. KINIBIZ believes this warrants a deeper ...

Celcom introduced a new-entry level postpaid plan which not only undercut the competition, it also became the first telco in the country to allow unused data to be carried forward. The three other major telcos ...

There are many issues surrounding the construction of this high-speed rail link to Singapore, although proponents suggest the economic multipliers alone, which could be gained from such a project, are enough to justify its price tag. Critics say the ...

Pat Liew, group chief executive officer and founder of homegrown clothing brand BritishIndia, dabbled in fashion as a young girl designing outfits from leftover fabric. In a recent interview, she speaks to KINIBIZ about her career ...

On June 22, the Singapore dollar hit a high of 2.8 to the ringgit and some are speculating that it will soon hit 3.0 against the ringgit. Others are skeptical. So, what is really driving the ringgit’s weakness against the Singapore dollar? The ringgit hit a ...