Vietnam’s nuanced approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and its refusal to single out Russia’s invasion suggest introspection in Hanoi over its foreign and defence policy calculations.
Author Archives: blackbox
Win Over Renewable Naysayers in Indonesia
Indonesia has the potential to be a vital renewable energy exporter in the region. But it has to first get its ducks in a row on the technical, financial and regulatory fronts.
Tourism in Southeast Asia: Building Forward Better
Countries need to mutually recognize each other’s vaccination certificates, harmonize rules on travel procedures, and safeguard public health to manage the pandemic. This will enable the countries to capture new source markets, thus compensating for the revenue loss due to the decrease in Chinese tourists.
The Intractable Challenges Facing Energy Trade in Southeast Asia
A cross-border power grid offers Southeast Asian countries the potential of greater energy security, affordability and sustainability. But thus far, the lack of urgency in sharing energy to achieve long-term security across the region is palpable.
Cambodia’s Education System: Looking Back to Move Forward
Cambodia has set ambitious goals to become an upper middle income country by 2030. To achieve this, it needs to rethink its education system to upgrade the skills of its workforce so the country can become a knowledge-intensive society.
School Closures and Child Labour: The Pandemic’s Social Cost
The disruption of face-to-face education and internet inaccessibility may cause children to drop out of school permanently. Children who leave school and start working face greater difficulty resuming their education in the future.
Johor Polls: Old Boys Singin’ the Same Old Tunes
Like evergreen hits, the feuding parties in Johor’s state elections are rehashing old formulations in the form of multi-racial coalitions with Malay-nationalist entities at the helm.
Malaysia’s Focus on When to Raise Minimum Wage Must Not Forget Why
After years of lobbying, Malaysia finally approved an increase in the national minimum wage to RM1,500. While the government has since delayed its implementation, current economic circumstances require the wage floor to be raised sooner rather than later.
The Johor State Elections: A Spiderweb of Spats, Splits and Surprises
All eyes will look to Barisan Nasional as Johoreans head to the polls on March 12. Looking at the advantages BN faces going into the election and the fractured state of its opponents, BN has exceptionally strong chances of doing significantly better this time.
Parti Warisan in Johor: Making Waves or Merely a Ripple?
Parti Warisan from the state of Sabah is seeking a foothold in peninsular Malaysia. It remains to be seen whether it will grab the imagination of the electorate.