ASEAN Speaks

We kick off our conversation if the US dollar will end its dominance by the end of this decade. We also make sense of the economic data that was released in China, Malaysia and Singapore, and beneficiaries of Chinese tourists visiting ASEAN.  00:21 - Roundup - Chua Hak Bin 03:20 - USD vs CNY dominance - Suhaimi Ilias 10:47 - MY GDP - Suhaimi Ilias 12:37 - China GDP - Brian Lee 16:31 - SG GDP - Lee Ju Ye 19:14 - Cambodia GDP - Brian Lee 21:23 - ASEAN tourism - Samuel Yin 24:14 - PH banks - Rachellen Rodriguez 26:39 - CPO outlook - Ong Chee Ting Producer: Noelle Lim, Maybank IBG

In this episode, we take a closer look at the ambitious goal of "Improving the lives of 1 million households across ASEAN by 2025," as seen through the lens of Maybank. Chief Sustainability Officer Shahril Azuar Jimin expands on this goal as well as outlines Maybank’s mission of “Humanising Financial Services”. Speaking with our guest, is esteemed moderator and interviewer, Nadia Azmi. Here’s what you will learn: Maybank's mission to "Humanise Financial Services" has driven us to identify the needs of the communities in ASEAN. Through the goal of improving the lives of 1 million households across ASEAN by 2025, various initiatives and programmes were launched to promote financial literacy and inclusion. By incorporating ESG factors as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals into our operations and decision-making, we are committed to being transparent and accountable in our sustainability journey. The ‘coffee shop bank’ is set to be a driving force for good in the ASEAN region. Check out other amazing stories by listening to our show, ‘The Social Circle’ on ASEAN Speaks by Maybank. Thank you for joining us on our journey to learn about the goodwill of others.

In this insightful episode, we explore the innovative concept of social enterprise; a model that combines the noble intention of doing good with the practicality of sustaining a living. Host Sam Yeow is joined by Kim Lim, the Co-Founder of Pichaeats which provides food delivery services with dishes cooked by refugees. We discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that social enterprises face, highlighting how they balance profit and purpose while advocating for the causes they support. Here’s what you will learn: Understanding the Social Enterprise model: We provide an in-depth look at this hybrid approach that merges business and karmic impact, explaining how it offers a sustainable way to give back to the community. The hidden challenges of social enterprises: We delve into the lesser-discussed challenges faced by social enterprises, including defining 'profit,' recognising different scales of impact, and their role as advocates for the causes they support. Balancing good and business: We explore the complex process of navigating the balance between purpose and profit in social enterprises, discussing strategies for success and long-term sustainability. Listen to the inspiring story from ‘The Social Circle’ on ASEAN Speaks by Maybank.

In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the world of social advocacy, moving beyond the traditional approach of providing handouts to the needy and disadvantaged. Host Sam Yeow is joined by our guest, Heidy Quah, who leads Refuge for the Refugees, a movement that campaigns for basic human rights such as education and healthcare for refugees. We'll hear from a passionate social advocate, exploring their focus, challenges, and how we as a society can navigate effective advocacy for those in need. Here’s what you will learn: Rethinking the approach to helping the disadvantaged: We discuss the limitations of handouts and donations and explore more sustainable solutions like education, opportunities, and tailored programmes that empower people in need. The power of social advocacy: We deep dive into Heidy’s cause, challenges she faces, and how she’s using her passion to create meaningful change Overcoming the challenges of social advocacy: We explore the obstacles that social advocates face and discuss strategies for overcoming them in order to create a more effective and lasting impact. Listen to the inspiring story from ‘The Social Circle’ on ASEAN Speaks by Maybank.

In this uplifting episode, host Sam Yeow interviews two individuals who share their unique experiences and perspectives on acts of goodwill for the community. We delve into the challenges, barriers, and motivations that drive them to make a difference, demonstrating that no matter your circumstances, you can make a positive impact in your own way. Our first guest, Charis Ding, Co-Founder of MYReaders, shares her journey in empowering children through literacy and providing more opportunities for upcoming generations. We are then joined by Yu Ren Chong, Dep. Executive Director of WAO Malaysia who advocates for women’s rights. Here’s what you will learn: Inspiring stories from those actively working to better the lives of others, highlighting their unique reasons and experiences. Overcoming challenges and barriers: We discuss the distinct obstacles faced in their pursuit of goodwill, and how they overcame these challenges to make a meaningful impact. The power of will and tenacity: This episode emphasises on the point that regardless of circumstance, the will to make a difference can lead to remarkable change. Listen to these inspiring stories from ‘The Social Circle’ on ASEAN Speaks by Maybank.

From our Weekly Briefing, we highlight our ASEAN+ note and outlook on the KLCI. Host: Winson Phoon, Head of Fixed Income Research Guest: Anand Pathmakanthan, Head of Regional Equity Research For the full conversation with other analysts, go to the Weekly Briefing episode on ASEAN Speaks.

Our analysts across ASEAN examine the inflation data in Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and weigh in on the impact of Thai’s elections on its stock market and China’s slower than expected recovery. We also discuss despite the surprise decision by OPEC+ to cut crude oil production, we are maintaining our oil price estimate at $100/barrel for 2023.  00:31 - Roundup - Winson Phoon 04:23 - ID inflation - Lee Ju Ye 07:22 - TH inflation - Lee Ju Ye 09:53 - PH inflation - Zamros Dzulkafli 13:56 - FX outlook - Saktiandi Supaat 19:38 - ASEAN strategy - Anand Pathmakanthan 22:40 - KLCI forecast - Anand Pathmakanthan 23:46 - OPEC cut - Liaw Thong Jung 25:11 - TH banks - Jesada Techahusdin 27:12 - VN strategy - Hoang Huy

A monetary review of Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam following new data and interest rate increases, and also the resilience of ASEAN banks vis-a-vis Silicon Valley Bank. Something we might not be able to escape is El Nino which has a 50% chance of surfacing in July and its impact on currencies and palm oil output. 00:31 - Roundup - Suhaimi Ilias 02:41 - MY GDP - Zamros Dzulkafli 06:08 - MY monetary review - Zamros Dzulkafli 07:24 - SG monetary review - Lee Ju Ye 08:59 - TH inflation, interest rate - Lee Ju Ye 11:23 - VN GDP - Brian Lee 14:04 - ASEAN banks - Thilan Wickramasinghe 16:47 - MY banks - Desmond Ch’ng 19:15 - commodities, FX, climate patterns - Saktiandi Supaat 27:12 - US corn, plantation picks - Ong Chee Ting

Looking at the likely outcomes and implications as Thais vote at their General Elections on the 14th of May - what is the likelihood of Pheu Thai founded by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra coming into power? We also consider the potential depth of Singapore's recession as manufacturing drops more than expected in February. And as banks in the US and Europe continue to dominate headlines, what has been the impact on ASEAN markets, and what are the undervalued stocks? 00:29 - Roundup - Suhaimi Ilias 05:22 - SG macro - Chua Hak Bin 08:05 - CN recovery - Brian Lee 11:13 - TH elections - Lee Ju Ye 14:52 - TH economics - Lee Ju Ye 16:57 - TH banks - Jesada Techahusdin 18:49 - PH economics - Zamros Dzulkafli 22:01 - PH picks - Jacqui de Jesus 24:01 - ASEAN picks - Anand Pathmakanthan 27:01 - Plantations - Ong Chee Ting Producer: Noelle Lim, Maybank IBG

We review possible contagion and currency scenarios, and cut our forecast for Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (NODX) after it extended a double-digit decline in February. Looking ahead, we evaluate the Belt & Road plans for ASEAN that were tabled by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at China’s recent National People’s Congress. 00:20 - Roundup - Winson Phoon 04:05 - Bank of Indonesia updates - Lee Ju Ye 06:54 - ID trade - Lee Ju Ye 08:12 - SG NODX cut - Chua Hak Bin 10:13 - Belt & Road - Chua Hak Bin 14:28 - Contagion, currency scenarios - Saktiandi Supaat 20:46 - PH banks exposure - Rachellen Rodriguez 23:15 - SG REITs - Krishna Guha 24:30 - Plantation - Ong Chee Ting Producer