https://www.scmp.com/rss/523145/feed The latest news and top stories on Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, the chief economist at Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad. He worked at the Employees Provident Fund and Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad. Additionally, he serves as an academic mentor and advisor to the Parliament of Malaysia’s Special Select Committee on Finance and Economy. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan The energy crisis caused by the Iran war could push food prices up by as much as 50 per cent in Malaysia, trade associations have warned, as soaring fuel costs threaten to wipe out already narrow margins for roadside stalls and restaurants feeding the country’s outsize appetite for eating out. Malaysia’s government coffers have already taken a hit due to fallout from the conflict, with local fuel subsidy costs estimated to spike by more than fourfold to about 3.2 billion ringgit (US$795 million)... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348417/malaysias-food-prices-could-rise-50-fuel-costs-soar-traders-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348417/malaysias-food-prices-could-rise-50-fuel-costs-soar-traders-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:30:23 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele A man in a Mercedes drives up to a Bangkok forecourt, cash in hand, ready to buy an electric vehicle he hadn’t planned on owning. Southeast Asia’s EV revolution has found a new accelerant. “He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to fill up his car any more,” said Samart Prakotkancharna, managing director of Ratchapruek P Car Centre in Thailand’s capital, describing the scene that played out on his forecourt. Cash buyers had been streaming in all week, spooked by rising diesel prices and hunting for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345751/iran-war-oil-shock-accelerates-southeast-asias-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3345751/iran-war-oil-shock-accelerates-southeast-asias-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysians may be asked to retire five years later at 65 but should be spared any sharp tax rises in Friday’s budget, economists say, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces an economy hampered by an ageing population, high youth joblessness and surging living costs at the halfway point of his administration. About 8 per cent of Malaysia’s 34 million population are aged 65 and older, according to government data, firmly placing the Southeast Asian nation in the ageing nation category. At the same... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3328019/later-retirement-expected-2026-budget-malaysia-tackles-economic-pressures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3328019/later-retirement-expected-2026-budget-malaysia-tackles-economic-pressures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:05:43 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysians will be able to buy even cheaper petrol – but only up to 300 litres (79 gallons) per month – from next Tuesday under a sweeping new fuel subsidy scheme announced on Monday, aimed at reducing the country’s bloated subsidy expenditure. Fuel subsidies have long strained the budget, with nearly 20 billion ringgit (US$4.7 billion) spent annually in recent years – about 8 per cent of total expenditure. Under the old system, all motorists enjoyed unlimited RON95 petrol at 2.05 ringgit (49 US... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326338/malaysian-drivers-get-cheaper-petrol-new-monthly-limit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326338/malaysian-drivers-get-cheaper-petrol-new-monthly-limit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 03:39:29 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi,Hai Dang,Aidan Jones Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi,Hai Dang,Aidan Jones As he neared his 40th birthday, Hafiz Sujang took a quick inventory of his life – a loving family, a steady job as an IT consultant in Malaysia’s largest city – and found just one missing piece: a home of his own. But as he took the plunge into Kuala Lumpur’s property market, the dream of escaping the endless cycle of renting quickly receded from view. “Most of the units I see are small and the finishes feel very ‘developer budget’,” Hafiz told This Week in Asia, reflecting on his so-far... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322043/southeast-asias-middle-class-gives-home-ownership-wealth-gap-widens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322043/southeast-asias-middle-class-gives-home-ownership-wealth-gap-widens?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 04:00:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Expertly switching between woks as he whips up appam, the coconut and rice batter pancakes that draw morning commuters to his roadside stall in a Kuala Lumpur suburb, Raj Kumar harbours anxieties that simmer away beneath the calm: petrol subsidy cuts are looming and prices may soon rise again. At 44, Raj feels every shift in Malaysia’s rising cost of living – both in the prices he pays for ingredients and the rueful faces of his customers. “Our suppliers raised prices after diesel subsidies were... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317006/anwars-petrol-subsidy-cuts-test-patience-malaysians-addicted-cheap-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317006/anwars-petrol-subsidy-cuts-test-patience-malaysians-addicted-cheap-fuel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 07:00:09 +0000