How Malaysia's Subsidies Are Killing Her Middle Class | Manulife's Victor Liew

Most analysts see chaos in Trump's tariffs and Fed threats. Michael Every sees calculated statecraft, a deliberate strategy to remake both the US economy and the global order.  The question isn't whether Trump has a plan, but whether the world can survive it. Michael reveals how stablecoins, Bitcoin reserves, and supply chain warfare form pieces of a grand strategy that either secures American hegemony for decades, or, forces a confrontation no one wants. This conversation explores:  → Why Trump's "chaos" is actually economic statecraft with a specific endpoint  → How dollar stablecoins and a Bitcoin reserve could reshape global finance entirely  → The coming Fed transformation that will redefine what "independent" central banking means  → Why commodity supply chains in Africa and Latin America may become the next battlefield Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:37 - The Method Behind Trump's Apparent Madness  06:09 - From Consumer Nation to Industrial Powerhouse  08:07 - The US Debt Problem Nobody Understands 10:09 - What's Coming Next: The Real Transformation Begins  11:10 - The Federal Reserve's Coming Revolution 14:10 - Asset Prices in the New Paradigm  16:10 - The Fatal Flaw in "Just Buy US Assets" 18:55 - Stablecoins: The Weapon You're Not Watching  22:10 - Bitcoin's Role in the Grand Strategy 24:23 - When Economic Statecraft Becomes Military Statecraft 26:10 - Can the Republican Vision Survive Beyond Trump? 27:13 - The US-China "Peace" That's Actually an Arms Race 28:58 - How to Position Yourself for What's Coming 

MOST Malaysians believe 5.5% EPF returns mean they're building wealth. Victor Liew shows why you're actually losing purchasing power. While official inflation sits at 2-3%, your nasi lemak costs 90% more than a decade ago—that's your real inflation. Add policy drags like SST, subsidy removals, and healthcare premium spikes, and middle-class Malaysians face a 10-15% annual hurdle rate their savings can't clear. The TLDW: → Why your RM1 million at 55 will only buy RM300K worth of goods by 75  → The "shadow inflation" eating 7-10% of your wealth annually while governments report 3%  → How a 31-year-old should invest differently than someone at 51 and why renting beats buying Link to download the ‘How Many Days Till End of Money’ spreadsheet (as referred towards the end of the conversation) https://bit.ly/HowManyDaysTillEndOfMoney Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction: Malaysia's Middle Class Under Siege 00:49 - The Shadow Inflation Truth: Why Official Numbers Hide Real 10-15% Costs 04:09 - The Retirement Math Nobody Tells You: 1 Million Becomes Worthless 07:10 - Investment Strategy: Why Global Diversification Is Non-Negotiable 13:10 - Finding The Right Funds: 15% Returns Over 50 Years Is Possible 18:25 - Life Stage Investing: From Age 21 To Retirement Planning 27:44 - How Much You Really Need: The 2 Million Ringgit Reality Check 29:27 - Investment Psychology: Why Dead Investors Outperform Everyone 33:04 - The Forgotten Middle Class And What To Do Now --- Follow Victor here: Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheAffluentLink/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/victorjliew X: http://x.com/victorliew  

Malaysians trust private insurance to be a safety net until a cancer diagnosis exposes fine print, denied claims, and a broken system. Dato Dr. Ibrahim, oncologist and past president of the Malaysian Oncology Society, reveals how rising premiums, profit motives, and regulatory gray zones have left even the well-insured without care.. and why this crisis burdens both families and the nation. This conversation explores:  → Hidden gaps in health insurance even with million-ringgit coverage  → When profit beats patients: how industry loopholes are exploited  → The regulatory vacuum: who is really protecting Malaysians?  → Collective action for change and the surprising role of doctors, lawyers, and consumers Link to the Minister of Health’s statement on doctors to adhere to duty of care (as referred to by Dato Ibrahim) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JvFY9tDPcmWJJMqH4c09MgD2XYCU5tkp/view?usp=sharing Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:54 - Reality Check: Are You Really Covered? 04:06 - How Insurers Deny Standard Care 09:38 - Profit vs Patient: How Motives Changed 11:18 - Regulatory Gray Zones: No One's in Charge 16:05 - Healthcare Inflation: Who's to Blame? 19:13 - Systemic Consequences: Burden Shifts to Public Hospitals 21:05 - Conflicts of Interest & Profits Before Patients 26:05 - Overriding Doctors: Insurers Dictate Treatment 32:00 - Why Malaysians Don't Speak Up and Why That Must Change 40:22 - What You Can Do: Practical Steps and Legal Advice 54:54 - The Urgent Call for Regulatory Action --- Follow Dato Ibrahim Wahid here: LinedIn: https://my.linkedin.com/in/dr-ibrahim-wahid-bb042310 Beacon Hospital: https://www.beaconhospital.com.my/consultant/dato-dr-mohamed-ibrahim-a-wahid/  

When cancer strikes Malaysian families, they face two crises: medical survival and financial ruin. Jonathan Teoh created Kelsis to solve this; converting home equity into healthcare funding while families keep living in their homes. This is impact investing that makes Malaysia's RM4.2 trillion capital markets work for ordinary people. This conversation explores: → Why 1 in 10 Malaysians will face cancer & and why even the insured are going bankrupt → How a "reverse annuity" lets you unlock your home's value while staying in it for life → The future of tokenization: how everyday Malaysians could invest with as little as RM50 Chapters: 00:00:00 – Intro 00:03:11 – Why Are So Many Malaysians Getting Cancer Younger? 00:07:56 – When Good Health Insurance Isn’t Enough 00:10:59 – The Birth of Kelsis: Turning Homes into Lifelines 00:17:19 – Can Profit and Compassion Actually Work Together? 00:21:18 – Malaysian Healthcare is Broken. Can We Really Fix It? 00:25:45 – How the Kelsis Solution Actually Works 00:33:24 – What If You Want Your Home Back? Kids, Inheritance & Options 00:35:36 – Can Ordinary Malaysians Join as Investors? 00:38:54 – Malaysia’s “White Flag” Spirit: Can We Institutionalize Kindness? 00:42:11 – Tech, AI & The Future of Affordable Healthcare 00:49:42 – What’s Next: Shariah Compliance & Doing the Right Thing 00:53:36 – Can One Radical Idea Really Change the System? 01:04:00 – Closing Thoughts (Shoutout to @Ruma for the chairs keeping us comfortable through these long conversations. Makes a difference when you're not thinking about your back the whole time. Explore Ruma Home’s collections: https://ruma-home.com/) --- Follow Kalsis here: TIKTOK = https://www.tiktok.com/@kalsismy FACEBOOK = https://www.facebook.com/people/Kalsis/61560268836767/ INSTAGRAM = https://www.instagram.com/kalsis.my/ LINKEDIN = https://www.linkedin.com/company/kalsis/ YOUTUBE = https://www.youtube.com/@KALSIS-MY

Most people drift into midlife following rules that no longer work, but this episode exposes why playing safe with money and career often leaves you stuck. We unpack the real reasons smart people end up behind: outdated financial advice, loyalty to companies that won’t protect you, and mistaking busyness for progress. Walk away with a new mental playbook to build freedom, master your money, and make your next move your best one yet.

John Huo of VUCA Insights returns to the show to share his perspective on navigating today's rapidly evolving investment landscape. With markets more dynamic—and demanding—than ever, John emphasizes why it’s critical for individuals to actively explore and diversify their investment opportunities. In this episode, he breaks down his fund’s strategic approach to adapting in a high-pressure environment and offers practical insights into building long-term financial security. Whether you're just getting started or rethinking your path to retirement, John shares actionable ideas on how to position yourself for a comfortable and confident future — and reveals why he strongly discourages people, especially young adults, from investing in real estate. CHAPTERS 00:00 - The necessity to invest money  02:00 - The issue of inflation 05:33 - Money is constantly losing value  11:13 - The importance of working with credible partners  15:53 - The risks of investing in mainstream outlets  23:03 - How drawdowns can induce panic  33:56 - Meta earnings are growing exponentially 38:07 - How VUCA insights ensures consistent returns  43:18 - Desktop research is not enough 46:21 - Market forecasts 50:53 - 3 things to do to ensure a comfortable retirement   Follow Chuang here:  URL: http://www.domore.my/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsu-chuang-khoo-ab199343/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/khoo.chuang/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/khoohsuchuang/ --- Follow DoMore here:  WEBSITE: https://www.domore.my/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoMoreToday.Official ITUNES: https://apple.co/2lQ47mS GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3b1l8iO SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/y6zufvcp PODBEAN: https://domoreasia.podbean.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/domore.today/

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Wallace Yu and Chris Chia from DARA (Digital Asset Rating Agency) — two experts on a mission to bring structure, transparency, and trust to the wild west of digital assets. With the digital asset space evolving at breakneck speed (and often without a rulebook), DARA is working to build a much-needed framework to evaluate and rate these assets — giving investors the tools and insights they need to navigate this volatile landscape with confidence. If you’re curious about the future of crypto, blockchain-based assets, or just want to understand what makes one project more credible than another — this conversation is for you. 👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. 0:00 - The need for a digital asset rating agency 8:08 - The growth of the digital asset space  10:12 - What goes into setting up a rating agency in Asia  15:30 - The nature of the current crypto bull run  23:55 - How to assess a crypto asset  27:46 - DARA bitcoin products and the Asian crypt market  36:24 - Wealth protection for digital assets  40:36 - How does DARA assess the risk of AI to digital assets?  44:35 - What might convince the Malaysian government to invest in digital assets  ---  Follow Chuang here:  URL: http://www.domore.my/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsu-chuang-khoo-ab199343/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/khoo.chuang/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/khoohsuchuang/ --- Follow DoMore here:  WEBSITE: https://www.domore.my/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoMoreToday.Official ITUNES: https://apple.co/2lQ47mS GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3b1l8iO SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/y6zufvcp PODBEAN: https://domoreasia.podbean.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/domore.today/

EPISODE CHAPTERS; 00:00 - Why investing in a necessity 01:56 - Sharia-compliant wealth growth 04:31 - The appeal of investing globally 07:02 - How do you know if an investment is Sharia-compliant?  10:09 - Are digital assets Sharia-compliant?  12:21 - Thoughts on over-diversification of an investment portfolio 14:45 - Assessing investment risks 18:06 - Investing in digital assets 21:06 - Digital vs Physical assets  26:31 - How are advisors preparing for the future 31:41 - The sandwich generation handling finances 36:11 - Markets always moving is not healthy  42:30 - Is a 15% hurdle rate sufficient?  --- Follow Chuang here:  URL: http://www.domore.my/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsu-chuang-khoo-ab199343/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/khoo.chuang/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/khoohsuchuang/ --- Follow DoMore here:  WEBSITE: https://www.domore.my/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoMoreToday.Official ITUNES: https://apple.co/2lQ47mS GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3b1l8iO SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/y6zufvcp PODBEAN: https://domoreasia.podbean.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/domore.today/

Chapters 00:00 - The current AI landscape 02:57 - How AI is increasing cybercrime 08:00 - Who is most at risk of online scams?  11:13 - What can I do to protect myself against online scams?  14:53 - How hackers steal your data 18:00 - How hackers exploit banking loopholes  25:15 - How secure is your EPF?  26:48 - How common are online scams now?  28:56 - AI evolution vs Human evolution 32:11 - Causes for concern  35:48 - A crazy deepfake scam that took place in Hong Kong  40:41 - Conclusion ---  Follow Chuang here:  URL: http://www.domore.my/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsu-chuang-khoo-ab199343/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/khoo.chuang/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/khoohsuchuang/ --- Follow DoMore here:  WEBSITE: https://www.domore.my/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoMoreToday.Official ITUNES: https://apple.co/2lQ47mS GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3b1l8iO SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/y6zufvcp PODBEAN: https://domoreasia.podbean.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/domore.today/

It’s earnings season once again, and with an anticipated interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve on the horizon, there’s a lot at stake for investors and the broader economy. To help break it all down, we sat down with our good friend and regular contributor Stephanie Leung, CIO at StashAway. Chapters 00:00 - What's in store for the second half of 2025 05:27 - How will the imminent Fed rate cut affect investments  10:20 - Which assets perform well during a rate cut?  15:05 - What does this mean for Bitcoin? 17:48 - Mag 7, AI and Crypto 20:06 - How to use Stashaway to prepare for a rate cut 20:54 - Can Apple drop out of the magnificent 7? 24:35 - Final thoughts on how to use Stashaway --- Follow Steph here: LinkedIn: https://hk.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-leung-hk Hubbis: https://www.hubbis.com/individualprofile/602f607ba1b0dc785089dd20 Tatler: https://www.tatlerasia.com/power-purpose/front-female/top-of-her-game-stephanie-leung-stashaway --- Follow Chuang here:  URL: http://www.domore.my/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsu-chuang-khoo-ab199343/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/khoo.chuang/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/khoohsuchuang/ --- Follow DoMore here:  WEBSITE: https://www.domore.my/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@DoMoreToday.Official ITUNES: https://apple.co/2lQ47mS GOOGLE PLAY: https://bit.ly/3b1l8iO SPOTIFY: https://tinyurl.com/y6zufvcp PODBEAN: https://domoreasia.podbean.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/domore.today/