Tan Ai Leng

Tan Ai Leng

MALAYSIA CORRESPONDENT

Tan Ai Leng is Malaysia correspondent at The Business Times, where her reporting encompasses a diverse array of subjects within the country. Her prior experience includes a role at The Edge Malaysia.

The benchmark index FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) ended 2025 largely flat, lagging regional peers.
OUTLOOK 2026

Malaysia equities in 2026: Five themes to watch, from infrastructure to IPOs

Analysts say the year ahead could mark a turning point after a subdued 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim hold up trade deal documents during a bilateral meeting during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, October 26, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Malaysia’s US trade deal: what it means for SMEs, exporters and manufacturers

Pact offers improved access for Malaysian exporters and makes US products more affordable for businesses, consumers

Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's prime minister, at the launch ceremony of the Maharani Freeport at Tanjung Emas in Muar, Johor, Malaysia, on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. The developer of an energy project linked to Malaysia's king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, says it could attract 144 billion ringgit ($35 billion) worth of investment from global investors in the long term and help support the nation's economy. Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg

Malaysian PM Anwar reshuffles Cabinet, taps technocrat to steer trade amid tariffs, Johor-Singapore SEZ push

This includes changes to the positions of trade, economy and commodities ministers

The KL-JB ETS cuts travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru to about 4 hours and 20 minutes, compared with five to seven hours by car or existing diesel services.

Malaysia’s new KL-JB train tickets snapped up ahead of debut; frequency to double in January

‘Further increases’ will follow in the coming months, says the country’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke

Archisen CEO Vincent Wei says young people today want to work with technology and contribute meaningfully to society, whether through food resilience or sustainability.

Malaysia to break ground on Southern Agropolis in January, unlocking ‘plug-and-play’ food hub for JS-SEZ

Farmers from the region are expected to move into the site by Q3 2026, with commercial production slated to begin in 2027

LAC Med chief executive officer Liew Yoon Poh says: "Indonesia is compelling simply by sheer size, supported by its national health insurance scheme."

LAC Med set to list on Bursa with an AI healthcare play across Malaysia and Indonesia

Group’s proposed listing will serve as a springboard to accelerate regional expansion, with Indonesia as the sole overseas focus for now

Retail pharmacies have evolved beyond simple medicine shops, now functioning as front-line primary healthcare centers that offer screenings, disease-prevention advice, and basic diagnostics.

Malaysia’s retail pharmacy boom draws billion-ringgit bets as IPO pipeline builds

The catalyst – news that BIG Caring Group is weighing a blockbuster listing in Bursa Malaysia next year

Malaysia's ageing population is quietly driving a new property frontier, where senior living turns old buildings into hubs of community life.
BRUNCH

Not your typical 80-year-olds: Why more Malaysian seniors are trading in homes for resort-style living

Mindsets are shifting as retirees across the Causeway rethink what ageing can – and should – look like

Tengku Zafrul first entered government service after being appointed a senator under former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin in 2020.

Malaysia’s ex-trade minister Tengku Zafrul appointed as Investment Development Authority chairman

The new role follows the end of his two terms as a senator. He is also expected to be given other responsibilities