Siwage Dharma Negara
Jakarta has studied the examples of Malaysia and India and decided not to implement a full lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The social and economic costs are deemed to be too high.
Moe Thuzar
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader, has finally made her debut on Facebook. If managed carefully, this would help to rally efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nyi Nyi Kyaw
Official warnings about the potential of Covid-19 infection stemming from the return of Myanmar nationals has only intensified panic-vigilantism to enforce isolation measures.
James Bosbotinis
Britain has intensified its engagement with Asia-Pacific countries, in particular Southeast Asia. But London’s global interests will limit its ability to project a meaningful presence in the region.
Serina Rahman
The raft of measures announced by the Malaysian government to restrict people’s movements will help to stem the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The measures, however, are having a huge impact on the country’s poor.
Syafiq Hasyim
The positions taken by some Islamic groups on the national policy of social distancing will determine the success – or failure – of the policy.
Francis E. Hutchinson|Pritish Bhattacharya
Recent policy responses effected by Malaysia and Singapore to combat the Covid-19 pandemic have been responsible and measured – and have also underscored the deep and wide economic relations between the two neighbours.
Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang
The new cabinet of Johor closely resembles the traditional Barisan Nasional line-ups in terms of ethnic majority. UMNO’s traditional share of ministerial portfolios is also a blast from the past.
Michael Schaper
The ranks of self-employed individuals in Malaysia has swelled in recent years. The government has to do more to facilitate the growth of such one-person operations
Malcolm Cook
The Covid-19 pandemic has sent the cruise industry floundering. This is hitting maritime seaman hard, in particular, those from the Philippines.