Malaysia’s Consumer Credit Bill (CCB) aims to regulate non-bank credit providers, particularly buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services, as household debt climbs to RM1.63 trillion. Personal loans have surged over tenfold since 2007, often used for emergencies and debt consolidation rather than planned expenses. Meanwhile, BNPL transactions nearly tripled in two years, with easy access to credit fueling spending, raising concerns over unregulated lending and consumer debt risks. Doris Liew, Economist and Assistant Research Manager at IDEAS Malaysia, joins us to break down the impact of the bill and what it means for consumers and lenders alike.

Other stories we covered:

• Civil Court to hear Orang Asli forced conversion case: The Bateq Mayah tribe in Pahang alleges that the Orang Asli Development Department threatened village leaders with eviction and the destruction of their homes and crops if they refused to convert to Islam. Children of those who complied were automatically registered as Muslim, despite never practicing Islam and continuing to follow their indigenous spiritual traditions. The Court of Appeal has ruled that the case falls under the Civil Court’s jurisdiction rather than the Syariah Court, as the plaintiffs are not seeking to leave Islam but claim they were never Muslim in the first place. Lawyer Surendra Ananth, representing the Orang Asli plaintiffs, joins us to discuss how the law defines religious conversion.
• Post-flood cleanup underway in Johor: Over the past week, more than 13,000 people in Johor were evacuated due to severe flooding following continuous heavy rain since last Wednesday. As floodwaters recede, authorities have launched a large-scale cleanup operation to assist affected residents. Thousands of volunteers have been deployed in Johor Bahru since March 22, utilizing government resources such as water jets and lorries to speed up the process. We check in with Kartiyaini, Special Officer to ADUN Perling, and Liow Cai Tung, ADUN of Johor Jaya, to see how the situation is looking on the ground.
• The "oyen" that's going extinct: The Asian golden cat, or kucing tulap, is one of Malaysia’s seven wildcat species and remains elusive in the wild. Despite its mysterious nature, this rare oyen is increasingly under threat due to deforestation and a rise in poaching. We reached out to Elizabeth John, Communications Manager at TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, to understand what’s driving the demand for their meat and body parts.
• Malaysians say "kosong-kosong" to their bank accounts for Raya: AKPK or Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit has reported a surge in Malaysians seeking financial assistance, particularly due to festive season spending. Many are struggling with credit card debt and personal loans, with some taking out up to RM4,000 in loans to keep up appearances for Raya. We explore the pressures of festive spending versus financial responsibility and discuss the culture of luxury and FOMO.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

Produced by: Alia Zefri, Sudais Ferhard, Dashran Yohan, Juliet Jacobs, Sneha Harikannan

Presented by: Sharaad Kuttan, Dashran Yohan

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Categories:  technology,  economy,  managing,  politics,  government,  international,  environment,  corruption,  Law/Activism,  controversies,  culture,  History/Heritage,  financial wellness,  young finance

Tags:  ccb,  consumer credit bill,  credit card debt,  emergency funds,  unregulated lending,  bateq mayah,  orang asli conversion,  orang asli development department,  registered religion,  indigenous traditions,  malaysian indigenous people,  asian golden cat,  kucing tulap,  malaysian wildcat,  near extinction,  floodwater cleanup,  raya spending,  credit score,  personal loans,  household debt,  debt consolidation,  cost of living,  bnpl,  buy now pay later,  civil court,  deforestation,  poaching,  endangered species,  johor floods,  raya,  akpk,