Relooking Malaysia’s Policy: NEP, Happiness, Aging and AI | Dr Lee Hwok-Aun

When someone owes you money in Malaysia, most people send a demand letter and pray. Rudi Cheu has spent a decade recovering debts, and he's discovered something uncomfortable: less than 10% of cases are actually solved that way. Most people think debt recovery is about sending letters or going to court. The reality is far more psychological. It's about understanding how debtors prioritize payments, and making sure you're NOT on the bottom of their list. The TL/DW of this episode: → Why being "nice" is the #1 reason creditors never recover their money  → The three-pronged strategy that forces prioritization (without being brutal) → When to sue and when it's actually smarter to take a tax write-off  → How a woman recovered alimony using the most obscure legal tool in Malaysia CHAPTERS 00:00 - Intro  02:06 - Is a Letter of Demand Actually Powerful?  04:04 - Malaysia's Criminal Code: Can You Get Jailed For Owing Money 07:03 - Three Tactics To Reduce Bad Debts Dramatically  11:03 - How Small Are Small Debts Worth Pursuing?  15:01 - What Makes Creditors Never Get Paid  16:41 - The True Cost of Going to Court  19:03 - Judgment Summons: Jailing People For Debt (Legally) Follow Rudi here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rudicheu/ LinkedIn: https://my.linkedin.com/in/rudi-cheu-82548342 Threads: https://www.threads.com/@rudicheu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rudicheu/

For decades, Malaysia's policymakers have been analyzing inequality with the wrong lens. Dr Lee Hwok-Aun , a political economy researcher at ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute unpacks how lumping rural and urban together, ignoring regional divides, and oversimplifying ethnic categories creates policies that miss the mark (and fuel division instead of solving it). This conversation explores: → Why comparing all Bumiputeras to all Chinese obscures the real gaps (and ignores Indians entirely) → How B40 inequality between ethnic groups is actually narrowing, but nobody's talking about it → What universal basic pensions could mean for Malaysia's elderly crisis ... Follow Dr Lee here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hwok-aun-lee/ ISEAS: https://www.iseas.edu.sg/about-us/researchers/lee-hwok-aun/ Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=n_UUp7oAAAAJ&hl=en More writing at Fulcrum: https://fulcrum.sg/contributors/lee-hwok-aun/ Articles mentioned in video: NEP: https://www.ehm.my/publications/articles/interethnic-income-inequality-in-malaysia-revisiting-old-records-exploring-new-narratives Happiness: https://fulcrum.sg/all-that-money-cannot-buy-patterns-of-satisfaction-in-malaysias-happiness-index/ Aging: https://fulcrum.sg/malaysia-must-address-ailing-security-of-its-aging-society/ ... CHAPTERS 00:45 - Stepping back from the "for or against" trap 03:27 - Defining group advancement vs. need-based policies 07:31 - The data deception: why national averages lie 15:40 - How to explain inequality to your 17-year-old 21:55 - The real scandal of housing discounts and scholarships 25:47 - A balanced approach: merit + need + identity in universities 35:04 - Malaysia's happiness paradox & why Terengganu beats KL 43:04 - Can Malaysia afford universal pensions? 52:59 - The future of work, AI, and group advancement policy

Malaysia's federal model just entered its most unstable period yet. After Sabah's election shock, political analyst Bridget Welsh reveals why East Malaysia's demand for autonomy is a fundamental restructuring of how power flows in this country. The 40% revenue dispute, the kingmaker role of Borneo, and what happens when neglected regions suddenly have leverage. The TLDW of this episode:  → Why the "Madani moment" is actually a fragmentation moment disguised as stability  → How autonomy becomes independence in slow motion (and why that matters)  → The decentralization decade that West Malaysia didn't see coming The uncomfortable truth: Malaysia's one-party dominance era is dead. What replaces it will determine whether we compete with Vietnam or become a cautionary tale. Chapters 0:16 - Three Things Sabah's Election Revealed About Malaysia 2:44 - The 10-Year Decentralization Nobody Noticed 5:36 - The Catch-22 Anwar Can't Escape 12:28 - Why Position Deals Won't Fix This 14:33 - The 40% Revenue Question That Could Break The Federation 20:14 - East Malaysia vs West Malaysia: The Competitiveness Crisis 24:14 - Energy, Resources & Who Controls Malaysia's Future 26:52 - The Xenophobia Problem Hiding in Migration Policy 31:00 - Geopolitics: Why China Matters More to Sabah Than KL 35:02 - Autonomy Isn't Independence (But It's Getting Close) 38:46 - AI Governance: Southeast Asia's Next Fault Line 43:31 - Does Malaysia Have Leaders for the Next Decade?   FOLLOW BRIDGET HERE:  URL: https://bridgetwelsh.com/bio/ Podcast: www.straighttalkseasia.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-welsh-424691a0/ X: @dririshsea MalaysiaKini articles: https://www.malaysiakini.com/en/author/Bridget%20Welsh

Most Malaysians own fire extinguishers they've never touched, sitting expired in corners while new fire threats such as EV batteries, power banks & lithium devices, multiply in their homes.  Brian Soo reveals why traditional fire safety thinking fails and how the Mont Kiara fire exposed critical gaps in how we protect our property investments from catastrophic loss. The TLDW of this episode, though we recommend you to watch it :)  → Why smoke kills more than flames & where fatalities actually occur in home fires  → The RM50-100 investment that protects your property wealth (and what makes cheap ones dangerous)  → New fire threats from EV cars and lithium batteries that traditional extinguishers cannot fight Follow Brian here LinkedIn: https://my.linkedin.com/in/brian-soo Fire Fighter Industry Sdn Bhd: https://www.firefighter.com.my/

Most Malaysian IPOs fail before they start. Not from bad businesses, but from founders who treat the listing as a finish line instead of a starting gun.  Stephanie Ng has spent years translating complex enterprises into 300-page prospectuses that unlock billions in capital. Yet she's discovered most investors never read past the financials, and most companies exhaust themselves reaching debut day, then go silent. This TL/DW: → Why 50% of IPO attempts fail (and it's not the business model)  → The "marriage analogy": why debut day is just the wedding, not the relationship  → What minority shareholders actually need to read in those intimidating documents  → How social media storytelling could save Malaysia's overlooked mid-cap companies CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 01:12 - Why IPO Is Like Marriage: One Shot, Years of Consequences 06:43 - The 1999 Certificate That Can Kill Your Listing & Why Half of Companies Quit Halfway 16:32 - The Fastest IPO Takes a Year... If Nothing Goes Wrong 19:01 - The Risk Factors Chapter: Where Companies Confess Everything 26:00 - The Secret Weapon No One Reads (Independent Market Research) 38:00 - Public Bank's 30-Minute Early Habit That Explains Everything 46:22 - Why Strong Companies Go Silent After Debut Day 50:08 - Your Prospectus Has $500K of Ready-Made Content Just Sitting There 55:01 - Why Young Investors Buy Shitcoins Instead of Your Shares 56:22 - Last 7 Days: TV vs TikTok—Where Capital Markets Are Really Happening 01:02:00 - Core Values on Walls vs Real Culture: What Predicts Who Survives Crashes Follow Stephanie here: SMITH ZANDER: https://www.smith-zander.com/team/ LinkedIn: https://my.linkedin.com/in/ngsteph (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/)    

Most professionals treat LinkedIn like an online resume: updated once, then forgotten. Crystal Lim, one of LinkedIn's Top 20 creators, reveals it's actually career insurance. She went from corporate marketer to B2B storyteller through one insight: people don't buy products, they buy the stories behind them. Her "toifie" (toilet selfie) strategy accidentally became her personal brand, proving that authenticity beats perfection. The TL/DW of this episode: → Why your LinkedIn profile matters more than your CV when recruiters decide your salary → How "toilet selfies" taught Crystal that noticing what others notice reveals your hidden strengths  → The corporate storytelling framework that turns employees into company ambassadors without being cringe  → Why starting with zero followers today is actually an advantage in 2025 Follow Crystal here: LinkedIn: https://my.linkedin.com/in/limcrystal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glowlikecrystal/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glowlikecrystal Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:14 - The Accidental Path: From Employee to LinkedIn Creator 07:17 - The “Toifie” Philosophy: When Toilets Reveal Corporate Culture  14:08 - LinkedIn as the New CV: Why Recruiters Check Your Profile First 18:18 - Career Insurance for Regular Employees 23:45 - The Employer's Dilemma: Why Companies Fear Active Employees 29:08 - Starting From Zero in 2025 33:43 - Employee-Generated Content: The UGC Strategy Companies Miss 36:32 - The "I Don't Know What I'm Doing" Connection 39:47 - For the Technical Founders: Bridging Product Excellence with Storytelling 42:19 - Social Capital Over Virality  (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/)

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