https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/523742/feed The latest news and top stories on Bank Negara Malaysia. A Malaysia-based central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is dedicated to promoting monetary and financial stability to foster sustainable economic growth. Its main areas of focus include formulating and implementing monetary policy, ensuring financial system stability and overseeing the nation’s payment systems. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg The Star The Star One of the Malaysians unaccounted for following the devastating floods in Nepal has been confirmed safe and has returned to Malaysia, according to the group representing Malaysians missing in Nepal. Malaysia Solidarity: Families in Hope (Masfih) spokesman Manivannan Rethinam said the person had reported themselves to the Malaysian embassy in Kathmandu. “For Masfih and the other families, the finding of a safe Malaysian 37 days later is an extremely relieving and meaningful development,”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369531/missing-malaysian-found-safe-flood-ravaged-nepal-after-37-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369531/missing-malaysian-found-safe-flood-ravaged-nepal-after-37-days?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 06:45:06 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia once decided Formula One was too expensive to keep, but Bahrain’s displaced Grand Prix has given it an unexpected route back to the calendar, as well as a chance to test whether the sport can still deliver value without the full financial burden of a long-term comeback. Analysts say the one-off race, made possible by the war in Iran and the cancellation of April’s races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, offers Malaysia more than a nostalgic return to Sepang: it provides a timely tourism lift... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362060/how-displaced-f1-race-could-be-malaysias-blessing-disguise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3362060/how-displaced-f1-race-could-be-malaysias-blessing-disguise?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jul 2026 02:38:41 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Iman Muttaqin Yusof,Aidan Jones Malaysia ordered a crackdown on Monday against illegal businesses run by foreigners, joining a growing list of Southeast Asian nations rocked by similar operations amid simmering local resentment. In recent years, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia introduced visa-free entry for foreign visitors following the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to revive their flagging tourism, property and investment sectors. But last month, Thailand removed the 60-day visa-free entry for 93 countries and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3356406/malaysia-tackles-illegal-foreign-owned-firms-regional-crackdown-widens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3356406/malaysia-tackles-illegal-foreign-owned-firms-regional-crackdown-widens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:58:47 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele On Cenang Beach, Mohamad Zaki Najmi sells jet ski rides and boat tours in Langkawi’s turquoise water: adventure activities that have powered the Malaysian island’s tourism economy for years. But costs are rising fast on the popular resort island, and the sea sports operator has been forced to pass them on to customers – a last resort for tourism players in Malaysia as competition for international visitors hots up across Southeast Asia. Higher fuel prices, triggered by the US-Israel war on Iran,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3354496/malaysias-tourism-dependent-langkawi-fears-rising-costs-are-deterring-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3354496/malaysias-tourism-dependent-langkawi-fears-rising-costs-are-deterring-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 07:15:28 +0000 The Star The Star For more than three years, the numbers on their screens told a convincing story. Steady gains, smooth withdrawals and returns of up to 5 per cent every fortnight. Encouraged by the early outcome, many doubled down, pumping in more of their hard-earned savings into a scheme they thought was the answer to luxury and a comfy retirement. Then, almost overnight, the kill switch was flicked and they lost it all to a scheme that swindled ­victims across the globe of close to 100 billion ringgit (US$25... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351077/hundreds-left-broke-after-alleged-malaysian-scammer-vanishes-us25-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351077/hundreds-left-broke-after-alleged-malaysian-scammer-vanishes-us25-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:34:07 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia has so far been spared the worst of the regional energy crunch, but experts say the government needs to move quickly and take more aggressive measures to prevent a worsening economic crisis if the Iran war becomes a drawn-out conflict. Much of Southeast Asia has been hit hard by the energy crisis, with thousands of motorists ditching their vehicles over the lack of fuel and governments burning through billions of dollars and scrambling to find alternative fuel sources to rein in prices... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348948/malaysia-urged-take-more-aggressive-action-tackle-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348948/malaysia-urged-take-more-aggressive-action-tackle-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s central bank has raised its 2026 growth outlook, saying the economy is on track to expand between 4 and 5 per cent despite mounting risks from the Iran war. The revised forecast from Bank Negara Malaysia marks an upgrade from the government’s earlier target of 4 to 4.5 per cent, reflecting stronger-than-expected momentum in the second half of last year and resilient domestic demand. “Malaysia enters 2026 from a position of strength to navigate the challenges,” BNM Governor Abdul... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348505/malaysia-raises-2026-growth-forecast-despite-iran-war-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348505/malaysia-raises-2026-growth-forecast-despite-iran-war-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3348417/malaysias-food-prices-could-rise-50-fuel-costs-soar-traders-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia predicts growth this year is likely to approach 4.8 per cent after a resurgent exports sector defied the impact of US tariffs in the third quarter. The nation’s growth rate in 2025 is set to be “closer to” the upper range of the official forecast of 4 per cent to 4.8 per cent, and may even exceed it, Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said at a briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. An expansion in household spending and sustained investment activity will drive the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332782/malaysian-economys-hot-run-continues-despite-trumps-tariff-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3332782/malaysian-economys-hot-run-continues-despite-trumps-tariff-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:03:12 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysians hoping for a boost from next month’s budget should brace themselves for disappointment, economists warn, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s room to hand out cash and subsidies shrinks with US tariffs starting to bite. Anwar, who is also finance minister, is expected to present a budget on October 10 that bolsters small and medium-sized businesses and scales up Malaysia’s capabilities in the semiconductor, electric vehicles and rare earths sectors. But the projected fall in US demand... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3325990/malaysia-braces-budget-constraints-us-tariffs-weigh-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3325990/malaysia-braces-budget-constraints-us-tariffs-weigh-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:00:49 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysia unveiled its latest economic road map to climb the global value chain on Thursday as it aims to produce premium tech products such as semiconductors and tap into artificial intelligence (AI) in its push for developed nation status by 2030. The “Made by Malaysia” aspiration is central to the 13th Malaysia Plan, the country’s five-year development blueprint for 2026 to 2030, and marks a strategic shift from its traditional role as a low-cost manufacturing hub. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3320275/made-malaysia-plan-targets-premium-tech-ai-developed-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3320275/made-malaysia-plan-targets-premium-tech-ai-developed-status?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 09:00:34 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi In the calm of his kitchen, Christy Yoong once raised a glass to retirement – good wine, imported cheese and the spoils of a life’s work. But as Malaysia’s new tax regime lands with a thud, even these modest pleasures are slipping out of reach. When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim unveiled his unexpected tax on imported luxuries in June, he promised the pain would be felt only by the affluent. The intent was clear: shore up government coffers by targeting the better-off. Yet the reality, for many... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3317007/malaysias-new-luxury-taxes-hit-middle-class-where-it-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3317007/malaysias-new-luxury-taxes-hit-middle-class-where-it-hurts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 00:00:11 +0000