Malaysia

The halal industry is a fast-growing and lucrative sector that covers various products and services that comply with the Islamic principles and standards.  According to a 2022 report by the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the global halal market size reached $2.6 trillion in 2020, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% …

Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia since January 2023, faced a new challenge to his leadership in December 2023, when an alleged plot to oust him from power surfaced in the media.  The plot, dubbed as the “Dubai Move”, involved a secret meeting between some opposition leaders and influential individuals in Dubai, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, …

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s prime minister since November 2022, faces a formidable challenge from the “Green Wave”, a term coined to describe the surge of support for the Islamist party PAS and its allies in the recent state elections. PAS, which advocates for the implementation of Islamic law and the preservation of Malay-Muslim supremacy, won a landslide victory in Kelantan and …

Malaysia is one of the first countries in Southeast Asia to develop a code of ethics and governance for artificial intelligence (AI), which will form the basis of AI regulation in the country.  The code of ethics and governance is expected to be ready by next year, and will be aligned with the Seven Principles of Responsible AI, which are …

Malaysia has started to impose a new 10 per cent sales tax on low value goods (LVG) that are sold online and shipped from abroad to customers in Malaysia, effective from January 1, 2024. The new tax, which applies to goods priced below RM500 each, has drawn mixed reactions from online sellers, local businesses, and consumers, who have different views …

McDonald’s Malaysia, the licensee of the global fast-food giant in the country, has filed a lawsuit against a local pro-Palestinian group, BDS Malaysia, for defamation over social media posts that allegedly linked the company to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza¹.  The lawsuit seeks damages of 6 million ringgit ($1.31 million), claiming that the boycott campaign has hurt its business and …

McDonald’s Malaysia has filed a lawsuit against a pro-Palestinian group for calling for a boycott of companies allegedly supporting Israel. The fast-food chain is seeking $1.3 million in damages for alleged defamation. The civil suit against BDS Malaysia, a part of the global Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, was filed on Friday. McDonald’s Malaysia said in a statement that it “does …

Former Malaysian finance minister Daim Zainuddin has accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of abusing his power and launching a politically motivated corruption probe into his assets. Daim, who was a close ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, said Anwar was using the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to target him and his family, after the agency seized his flagship property …

Malaysia’s first crowdfunded film, Pendatang, has garnered more than 400,000 views on YouTube since its release on December 1, 2023, despite being rejected by the country’s film censorship board. The film, directed by Zahir Omar and produced by Adrian Teh, tells the story of four friends who embark on a road trip across Malaysia to escape their personal problems. Along …

Sarawak is a region in Malaysia. The Premier of Sarawak, Abang Johari Openg, announced a remarkable achievement for the state. In 2023, Sarawak’s revenue reached a new high of RM13.1 billion. This is an increase from last year’s record of RM11.9 billion. The revenue of a place like Sarawak comes from different sources, such as taxes, businesses, and investments. When …