The Group of 7 is courting ASEAN in a bid to increase its profile in the Indo-Pacific. It is easy to list the convergences in approaches between the two groupings. But the divergences are more significant.
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Regional Outlook Forum 2022: Regional Disruptions Amidst Global Recovery
Omicron: Threat to ASEAN’s Trade Recovery
The new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus could impact trade in goods and services in ASEAN economies due to increased travel restrictions and the risk of more lockdowns.
The Kunming-Vientiane Railway: A Post-pandemic ‘Deus ex machina’ for the Lao Economy?
The Lao government has committed considerable sums of money and political capital to make the Kunming-Vientiane railway happen. It now needs to secure a return on that investment.
Pakatan Harapan to Retake Melaka: Long Odds?
The Pakatan Harapan faces long odds if it wants to return to govern the state of Melaka again. A deep dive into three key seats illustrates the challenges that the coalition faces in polls due tomorrow.
The Melaka State Election: Unwanted, Unwieldy, and Unpredictable
The upcoming Melaka state election due on November 20 will be a useful barometer of the electoral fortunes of Malaysia’s shifting alliances and overlapping coalitions, particularly on the Peninsula.
Bumiputeras vs ‘the Others’ in Malaysia’s 2022 Budget: Moral Outrage is Not Enough
The UMNO-Perikatan-governed Bumiputera agenda forges on, with a zealousness that, if unchecked, will spell trouble. But the critique must go beyond moral outrage at the ethnic disparities in the budget and grapple with real alternatives.
Technology and Climate Adaptation: How to Fill the Gap
The adoption of digital technology can help Southeast Asian countries adapt to the effects of climate change.
Indonesia’s Budget Stretched to Control a Pandemic and to Revive a Struggling Economy
A massive second wave of delta-variant infections has disrupted Indonesia’s economic growth trajectory. This complicates the government’s budget implementation and planning for 2022. While funds are sorely needed for social spending and economic programmes, fiscal prudence is critical to avoid any downgrading of Indonesia’s risk and debt ratings.
The 2022 Philippine Elections: Like Father, like Daughter-te
The son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the daughter of the current populist president Rodrigo Duterte are seeking to consolidate the power of their inter-dynasty alliance. The formation of an inter-dynasty alliance will have implications for the country’s political landscape for years.