Khine Win
Two years ago, and even a year ago in the aftermath of the 1 February 2021 coup, Yangon was not suffering severe blackouts. While there were sporadic electricity cuts for a few hours a day in some of its townships, electricity supply was more stable and predictable than ten or fifteen years earlier. This experience has left city dwellers wondering what accounts for the severe power cuts now.
Tham Siew Yean
Several Southeast Asian countries are racing to produce home-grown Covid-19 vaccines, to reduce dependence on the vagaries of external sources. Local vaccine manufacturers face significant challenges as well as stiff competition. Nonetheless, the technology acquired and lessons learnt are helpful to prepare the region for future pandemics.
Hoang Thi Ha
The animated and polarised discourse on Vietnam’s social media on the Russia-Ukraine war is in stark contrast to the disciplined and scripted coverage in Vietnam’s mainstream media, reflecting the strong appetite among Vietnamese netizens for alternative sources of information.
Serina Rahman
The reopening of the Singapore-Malaysia land border on 1 April 2022 will bring crucial relief to the Malaysian economy, but potential confusion about travel requirements may mar this widely anticipated event.
Michael J. Montesano
Thailand's ambitious plans for a wellness corridor along its Andaman Coast underscores the coming together of different players for the development of the country's regions.
Siwage Dharma Negara|Manggi Habir
World’s largest crude palm oil producer Indonesia faces the challenge of managing the rising cost of cooking oil, as external shocks and supply issues worsen, going into the fasting month of Ramadhan.
Francis E. Hutchinson
The appointment of a relatively junior assemblyman to be Johor’s Menteri Besar is curious. But there are deeper undercurrents at work.
Mohd Faizal Musa|Faris Ridzuan
Malaysia’s Islamists and conservatives, led by PAS, are challenging the country’s legal system, calling for the ‘desecularisation’ of Malaysian law in cases involving religious conversions.
Elina Noor|Huong Le Thu|Sharon Seah
In this episode of Dialogues at Fulcrum, William Choong, Managing Editor of Fulcrum, talks to three scholars about the 2022 State of Southeast Asia Survey, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the United States’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.
Syafiq Hasyim|Hui Yew-Foong
Indonesia has been cautious in granting diplomatic recognition to the new Taliban regime in Kabul. There are good reasons for doing so.