Lays

• A survey of 1,000 IT decision-makers by Alibaba Cloud and NielsenIQ reveals that Malaysia is the only Asian market among eight surveyed where 100% of respondents plan to increase AI investment. • The data highlights a significant regional demand for localized AI, as only about half of the respondents prefer English as their primary language for AI solutions. • Enterprises in Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand identified the scarcity of high-quality local-language models as a primary constraint hindering their AI development.

• Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition suffered a crushing defeat in the Negeri Sembilan polls. • The loss has sparked concerns regarding Ibrahim's political strategy as the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition grows in dominance. • This development is highlighted as one of seven key stories from the South China Morning Post's recent Asia reporting.

• Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) achieved a supermajority victory in the Negeri Sembilan polls by leveraging strong Malay-Muslim support. • Analysts suggest this outcome may prompt the two former rivals to deepen their partnership and formalize a more serious working relationship. • The potential alliance is highlighted by the fact that BN and PN combined for 94 seats in Peninsular Malaysia during the 15th general elections, outperforming Pakatan Harapan's 71 seats.

• Malaysia has emerged as one of the world's four largest net exporters of AI-related hardware, joining South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. • The country's growth is being driven by a surge in AI and semiconductor chip demand, attracting significant foreign investment. • Industrial expansion is evident in regions like Sarawak, where consultants are conducting feasibility studies for new projects, such as Chinese-funded chemical plants.

• Malaysia has emerged as a global leader in AI infrastructure, becoming one of the world's four largest net exporters of AI-related hardware. • According to the International Monetary Fund, Malaysia now shares this top-tier status alongside South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. • This growth is driven by a significant wave of investment in semiconductor chips and AI hardware, positioning the nation as a regional economic standout.

• Malaysia is rapidly emerging as a primary growth standout in Asia by positioning itself as a strategic hub for artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing. • The country's growth is highlighted by a shift in investment trends, exemplified by a manufacturer that pivoted from plans to build a factory in the Middle East to establishing operations in Malaysia. • This turnaround is significant as it leverages global demand for AI-driven hardware and chip production to boost the national economy.

• Asian cinema is increasingly challenging Hollywood's dominance at the Malaysian box office heading into 2026, driven by a surge in regional productions. • Filmmakers from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia are gaining traction by prioritizing cultural identity, emotional depth, and authentic, independent storytelling. • Industry experts, including actress Pearlly Chuah, note that while Hollywood focuses on commercial franchises, Asian films offer distinctive artistic voices that resonate more deeply with local audiences.

• Malaysia is emerging as a regional growth leader as AI and semiconductor demand drive significant foreign direct investment. • A Chinese manufacturer is now conducting a feasibility study for a chemical plant in Sarawak, shifting its plans from the Middle East to Malaysia. • This shift highlights Malaysia's growing appeal as a strategic hub for chip production materials and high-tech infrastructure.

Officials are banning some ‘compressed hikes’ which involve walkers tackling demanding routes in short timeframesMalaysia’s government is tightening hiking rules nationwide after a social media trend left increasing numbers of adventurers needing to be rescued when they became lost or stranded in remote locations.In the first five months of 2026, Malaysia saw 52 cases of lost hikers, an increase of nearly 30% compared with the same period the previous year, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department told local media. Continue reading...

• Political parties are tailoring campaigns to target youth voters in Negeri Sembilan by promising improved public transport, affordable housing, education, and better job opportunities. • The election outcome may depend on the "mobile electorate," consisting of students and workers living outside the state who must return home to cast their ballots. • A victory for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's unity government would bolster confidence in his administration's stability.

• The European Union plans to invest 10 billion euros (approximately $11.4 billion) to construct seven AI gigafactories. • This initiative aims to more than double Europe's current computing capacity, which is presently supported by a network of 19 AI data centers spanning from Finland to Spain. • The investment is a strategic response to a 2025 U.S. assessment indicating that Europe lags significantly behind the U.S. and China in critical AI development sectors.

• Singapore will participate in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, where they are scheduled to face opponents including Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. • The tournament features 14 teams split into two tiers: the Premier Division (Division 1) and the Challenge Division (Division 2), with teams like Vietnam and Thailand competing in the Premier tier. • Head coach Gavin Lee stated that the competition provides the "Lions" a critical opportunity to test their skills and readiness against regional rivals.

• Singapore has been drawn into Group A of the inaugural Fifa Asean Cup 2026, where they will face hosts Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. • The tournament features 14 teams split across two divisions, with the Premier Division taking place in Jakarta and the Challenge Division in Hong Kong. • FAS general secretary Badri Ghent stated that the competition is intended to enhance Singaporean football culture and inspire future generations.

• The European Union plans to invest 10 billion euros ($11.4 billion) to construct seven AI gigafactories to bolster its technological infrastructure. • This initiative aims to more than double the EU's current computing power, which is presently supported by a network of 19 AI data centers spanning from Finland to Spain. • The investment is a strategic response to a 2025 U.S. assessment indicating that Europe lags significantly behind the U.S. and China in critical AI development sectors.

PM will not discuss details but will focus on need to find ‘common ground’ and to build political consensus Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, has said he made an “inadvertent mistake” by sharing an Instagram post of a man wearing a T-shirt featuring an image of a guillotine and the phrase “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, but he repeatedly said he would not apologise to Nigel Farage. Aletha Adu has the story.Good morning. Andy Burnham is this morning giving a speech on social care. He is not going to discuss in any detail at all the sort of reform to the system he wants to implement, but instead he will focus on his intention to build a political consensus on the changes needed. He will say:For decades, governments have kicked this issue down the road because they’ve seen it as too risky, too difficult, and too complicated.Politicians might have different views but I’m serious about fixing this issue and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward. Continue reading...

TUC leader says lender’s ‘bonanza’ quarterly profits of £3.3bn mean it ‘can easily afford to pay more tax’Business live – latest updatesBarclays has increased its banker bonus pool by nearly 30%after a rise in second-quarter profits that has fuelled calls for a tax raid on UK lenders to help fund Andy Burnham’s spending plans.Fresh corporate filings released on Tuesday showed the bank put £1.3bn towards its bonus pool for the first half of the year. That figure, which includes annual and deferred bonuses, was up from £1bn last year. Continue reading...

• Thailand secured a dominant 5-0 victory over 10-man Laos in their Asean Hyundai Cup Group B opening match. • Malaysia overcame an early deficit to defeat Myanmar 2-1, driven by two goals from Paulo Josué. • These results establish early momentum for Thailand and Malaysia as they compete for progression in the tournament group stage.

• Japan is actively courting India, Malaysia, and France to establish strategic AI partnerships and reduce its reliance on the US-China technology duopoly. • The initiative follows concerns over foreign software curbs and includes high-level talks in Paris held in June to discuss cooperation with Global South nations. • Key Japanese entities involved in this push include the major tech investor Softbank and the leading AI start-up Sakana AI K.K.

Staley is latest high-profile figure to testify before House amid investigation into Epstein, convicted sex offenderFormer Barclays boss Jes Staley is due to be questioned by US lawmakers on Thursday in a closed-door interview about his past ties to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Staley, who spent more than three decades at JPMorgan Chase before joining Barclays in 2015, is the latest in a series of high-profile figures to appear in front of the House committee on oversight and reform as part of its investigation into Epstein, who died in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial over child sex-trafficking charges. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Elizabeth Warren says it is unclear how bank failed to uncover former CEO’s links with sex offenderThe leading US senator Elizabeth Warren has called for urgent answers from Barclays over what she claimed was its “apparent failure to meaningfully investigate” ties between the bank’s former boss, Jes Staley, and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.In a letter sent privately to Barclays’s chair, Nigel Higgins, and seen by the Guardian, Warren – the most senior Democrat on the US senate banking committee – said it was “deeply unclear how Barclays, supposedly investigating Staley’s connection to Epstein, failed to uncover this decades-long relationship”. Continue reading...

• Hanoi is implementing a digital transformation strategy to establish a new growth model for the capital city. • The city aims for the digital economy to contribute approximately 40% of its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) by 2030. • The Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park will serve as the central hub for research and development to drive this economic shift.

• JD Sports is celebrating its 10th anniversary of operations in Malaysia as of July 22. • The retailer plans to expand its retail footprint and further solidify Malaysia's position as its strategic hub for Southeast Asia. • This expansion signals the company's commitment to growing its market share in the regional sports fashion sector.

• Mira Murati has officially launched Thinking Machines Lab, introducing a new AI architecture called "Inkling." • TSMC is significantly scaling its U.S. presence with a massive $100 billion expansion of its facilities in Arizona. • OpenAI has entered the hardware market with its first branded physical device, a $230 developer control pad created in partnership with Work Louder.

Democrats and advocates sound alarm at Trump rehashing false claims about 2020 election in his primetime addressDemocrats and voting rights groups say Donald Trump’s primetime speech making unverified claims of Chinese interference in the 2020 election are the clearest sign yet that the president is laying the groundwork to tamper with the results of November’s midterms.The upcoming elections to decide the balance of power in Congress and many state legislatures will be a major test of Trump’s appeal to voters two years after he resoundingly beat the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to return to the White House. With polls showing that the president is disliked by majorities of voters and his Republican allies are at risk of losing their control of the House of Representatives, the president’s Thursday evening speech rehashing allegations about the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden sparked fears he was already looking for ways to ensure November’s results are in his favor. Continue reading...

• India's U17 women's national team has been drawn into Group E for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers. • The "Young Tigresses" will face opponents Malaysia, Syria, and Iraq in a series of matches hosted by Malaysia. • The qualifying tournament is scheduled to take place from October 5-11, 2026.

• President Tharman Shanmugaratnam concluded a state visit to Malaysia, emphasizing the need for both nations to collaborate in driving ASEAN's economic growth. • The two countries aim to focus on high-potential sectors, specifically targeting advancements in green energy and the digital economy. • President Tharman highlighted a shared commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring the region avoids splitting into competing geopolitical blocs.

• Malaysia has operated as a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy since gaining independence in 1957. • Long-term stability under a single coalition enabled significant industrialization and the completion of major infrastructure projects like Putrajaya and the North-South Expressway. • Despite economic growth, the era of one-coalition rule faced criticism for fostering patronage and weakening institutional checks and balances.

• Barisan Nasional (BN) achieved a sweeping victory in the Johor state elections, strengthening its influence within Malaysia’s unity government. • The results highlighted vulnerabilities in Pakatan Harapan’s traditional support base and served as a "sobering reality check" for smaller political parties. • Youth-based party MUDA lost its sole state seat in Puteri Wangsa, while the debutant Parti Bersama Malaysia lost its deposits in all 15 contested seats.