Malaysia’s Economy Grew 6.0% in Q2 2026: Sector Breakdown and Full-Year Outlook
Malaysia’s second-quarter GDP was revised up to 6.0%, beating both the advance estimate and Bank Negara’s own full-year forecast. Here is the full sector-by-sector breakdown, why the economy is outperforming, and what it signals for businesses, investors, and the rest of 2026. Key facts at a glance Sources: Department of...
Free AI for 100,000 Malaysians: Who Qualifies, What You Get, and How to Claim It
IN SHORT Malaysia’s relaunched Rakyat Digital portal (rakyatdigital.gov.my) carries two headline giveaways for 2026: three months of free access to selected generative AI applications for 100,000 Malaysian youths aged 18 to 30, and three months of free Coursera Global Learning Pass access for 100,000 Malaysians. The free AI track...
How Malaysians Actually Use AI in 2026: Why Most Brands Are Missing From the Answers
Google’s first Southeast Asia AI report and a new Malaysian study reveal a market racing into AI-native search, and a citation gap local businesses can’t afford to ignore. Something quietly historic happened in Southeast Asia’s relationship with technology this year: the way hundreds of millions of people look for...
Malaysia’s EV Market 2026: Every Brand, Price, Incentive and Charging Reality
Quick answer: Malaysia’s EV market has crossed into the mainstream. EVs made up 6.95% of new-vehicle registrations in Q1 2026, roughly one in every 14 new cars, after sales jumped 109% in 2025 to 30,848 units. The market is now led by a home-grown brand (Proton e.MAS), the CBU import-duty exemption expired at the end …...
Johor’s Data Center Boom, Explained: Who’s Building, Where, and Why
In three years, a Malaysian state next door to Singapore became Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing hub for the infrastructure behind AI. Then its own power grid forced a rethink. In short: Johor has gone from a near-standing start to more than 1,500 MW of live data center capacity and a pipeline approaching 5.8 GW, drawing an...
How Much Does It Really Cost to Buy a House in Malaysia? (2026 Full Breakdown)
By SEA Exchange Editorial · Last updated: July 2026 Quick answer: On top of your down payment, budget roughly 4–6% of the property price in transaction costs if you’re a repeat buyer, or about 2–3% if you’re a Malaysian first-time buyer who qualifies for the 2026 stamp duty exemption. On a RM500,000 home...
The AI Reckoning Hits Gaming
Generative tools are already inside the games you play, and the fight over whether players deserve to know is reshaping the world’s largest entertainment industry. For an industry that dwarfs film and music combined, 2026 has been unusually quiet on new blockbusters and unusually loud on a single question: what happens when the...
I Spent Ten Years Chasing Money Launderers. Burnout Nearly Got Me First.
“You don’t look smart.” I received that feedback early in my career, not on my work, but on my mere existence. I’d started in finance as a confident, excitable young professional in compliance. Like a kid walking into a toy store for the first time, whenever I was given a task, I would proactively ask …...
From Tawau to Multi-Industry Leadership: How Datin Saadiah Built with Resilience and Purpose
Datin Saadiah: Sabah Entrepreneur Building Automotive and Tourism Businesses From Tawau to leading automotive and tourism ventures, Datin Saadiah shares how resilience, diversification and purpose shaped her entrepreneurial journey in Sabah. For Datin Saadiah Abdul Rashad, business was never a single path. It has been a journey shaped by...
Hantavirus.
What it is, how it spreads, and what to know. A rare virus has returned to the headlines following a small cluster of cases linked to a cruise ship travelling across the South Atlantic. The vessel carried 147 passengers and crew from 23 nationalities. Several individuals developed symptoms that progressed rapidly from mild illness into...
