- KL-JB ETS is on track
- KAF Digital Bank is live
- Trump nak Nobel Peace Prize
IN Malaysia
No use in negotiating at this point
After US President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on semiconductor imports, everyone has called it a day and renounced that we have lived long enough, as the economic chaos coming from Uncle Sam feels like an eternity. We baru je rejoice after getting a 19% tariff (and semiconductor products were exempted from any tariff), but now, surely, there is no reason to smile again. This is because 60% of Malaysia’s exports to the US are in the E&E sector, and within that, 68% are semiconductors. Of that 68%, 65% is exported by American companies operating in Malaysia. In responding to Trump’s announcement, Investment and Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul stated that Malaysian semiconductor exports to the US are exempted from the 100% tariff. BUT, Tengku Zafrul added that he is still seeking clarifications from US authorities to clear the waters. So, mana satu? In 2024, Malaysia exported nearly RM120 bil worth of electrical and electronic (E&E) goods to the US, accounting for about 20% of the nation’s total E&E exports. Of this, semiconductor products alone contributed RM60.6 bil.
So, nak salahkan siapa kali ni?
Shorts
- Kuala Lumpur – Johor Bahru KTM ETS is still on track – Despite the rumours, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that the KTM electrification and double-tracking project (ETDP) is not suffering any delays. At the moment, the first phase of the KTM ETS alignment from Gemas to Segamat opened in March 2025. The second phase will be from Segamat to Kluang, which we intend to open before August 31, while the third phase, Kluang-JB Sentral, will be ready by year-end. The completion of the 192-km Gemas-JB Sentral ETDP will allow ETS trains to travel the entire length of the West Coast Line.
- PLUS to test a new barrierless toll system – Before we start, before exploring new ideas, can PLUS please adopt the open toll payment system first, ya. Okay, coming back to the news, the North-South Expressway (NSE) operator, PLUS Malaysia, is set to pilot the barrierless toll booth system using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology. If successful, the ANPR pilot will serve as a key component in Malaysia’s nationwide multi-lane fast flow (MLFF) toll system, which authorities aim to roll out by 2027. Users must only download a free mobile app, register their vehicle number, and link a payment method such as a credit or debit card.
Business news
- MUI to say BUI to its hotels – Malayan United Industries Bhd (MUI) has struck a deal to sell its Corus Hotel KL at a price tag of between RM250 mil to RM280 mil. The sale, if materialised, will not be a surprise as MUI has been on a divestment journey for the past few years. Last year, MUI sold a 389.7-acre parcel of land near Port Dickson to Gamuda Bhd, a stockbroking and asset management business, as well as a holiday resort in Port Dickson. However, MUI still owns the Corus Hotel Hyde Park in London with a carrying value of RM932.54 mil.
- Another digital bank goes live – KAF Digital Bank Bhd will be the fourth digital bank and the second Islamic digital bank to receive approval from Bank Negara Malaysia to start its operations. The digital bank is operated by a consortium comprising KAF IB and four fintech and tech-based partners — Carsome, MoneyMatch, Jirnexu and StoreHub. Out of the five licensed digital banks in Malaysia, only Ryt Bank (a joint venture between Sea Ltd and YTL Power International Bhd) is still taking its time to go live.
- Khazanah to support growth for mid-tier companies – Khazanah Nasional Bhd will be launching its MTC Growth Innovation Programme (MGIP) by 3Q2025, under the Dana Impak initiative, targeting mid-tier companies (MTCs). With an initial target of impacting 100 companies, applicants must be Malaysian-owned private companies with an annual revenue between RM20 mil to RM500 mil (depending on industry — services or manufacturing), a profitable track record and a demonstrated commitment to innovation. Interested? Click here.
Around the SEA
Cambodia nominates Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize
Cambodian PM Hun Mahet has submitted a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, nominating US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after the US leader threatened to halt trade deals unless the Southeast Asian nation agreed to a ceasefire with Thailand in a recent armed conflict. But, wait a minute, bukan ke PM Anwar Ibrahim that mediated the truce. I guess you cannot trust everything you see on the news. The ceasefire came after five days of clashes that included airstrikes and artillery shelling, which left dozens dead and displaced over 300,000 people along the roughly 800km border. The US president has repeatedly said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in mediating conflicts, including between Pakistan and India and Iran and Israel. For your information, Pakistan also nominated Trump for the prize.
Thailand is struggling to lure in tourists
According to the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the number of foreign tourist arrivals to the country dropped by 6% for the first seven months of the year, compared to the same period last year. So, where did foreign tourists go? The answer was China, Japan and Vietnam. However, China is still the major destination source of foreign tourists to Thailand, slightly above Malaysia at 2.69 mil compared to Malaysia’s 2.66 mil. On a side note, Malaysia need to really step up its tourism game, to at least attract Malaysians to spend their off-days within Malaysia and not abroad. Lagipun, apa je Thailand ada, Malaysia takde, okay except for legal weed jelah.
For your EYES only
Trump is pushing Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign because he is too globalised? Ya lah, Malaysian born, have deep connections with Chinese firms and working at a US company.
US President Donald Trump has demanded the resignation of new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, citing conflicts over the Malaysian-born executive’s ties to Chinese firms.
This follows Republican Senator Tom Cotton’s claims about Tan’s stakes in hundreds of Chinese chip companies and a… pic.twitter.com/OO14t8aM58
— BFM News (@NewsBFM) August 8, 2025
