The region is finally showing clear signs of recovery from the multi-year pandemic but 2025 portends more serious headwinds against which regional governments and businesses will have to steer.
Author Archives: Lyd w
A Return to Political Chaos? The Philippines’ Impeachment Saga
Vice-President Sara Duterte’s upcoming impeachment trial will have a major impact on whether political stability in the Philippines is upended or maintained.
‘Gangster’ Politics? Examining Protest, Power, and Poverty in Indonesia
Fulcrum editor and Coordinator, Indonesia Studies Programme, Julia Lau speaks to Dr Ian Wilson about power, politics, and popular culture, including the phenomenon of ‘preman’ in today’s Indonesia.
Thailand’s Left and Right: Never the Twain Shall Meet
Fulcrum editor Dr William Choong speaks to Dr Napon Jatusripitak, Acting Coordinator of the Thailand Studies Programme at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, about the recent political shifts in Thai domestic politics. They examine the rise of Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJP), the BJP’s awkward partnership with the People’s Party (PP), and competition between the country’s political left and right.
Anti-Shia Conspiracies in Malaysia: The Need to Study the End of Times
Growing anti-Shia sentiment in Malaysia underscores the prevalence of apocalyptic views among Muslims in the country.
Trump’s Tariffs Take Effect – What Now?
Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun speaks with Stephen Olson, Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, on making sense of the Trump tariffs and thinking through the unpredictabilities.
Nusantara: Policy Continuity and Institutional Readiness in Indonesia’s Capital City Relocation
Fulcrum editor Julia Lau talks to Dr Yanuar Nugroho about the progress of and myriad challenges facing Indonesia’s new capital city, Nusantara.
Manufacturing Malaysia’s Future: Hope or Hype?
Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun and Malaysia Studies Programme Coordinator Francis Hutchinson speak with Liew Chin Tong, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. Their conversation spans Malaysia’s challenges in engineering a second industrial take-off, implementing reforms, and navigating global uncertainties.
The European Union Looks East Towards the Indo-Pacific
Fulcrum editor William Choong talks to Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS), about the European Union’s evolving approaches to the Indo-Pacific.
A Malaysian Minister’s Clarion Call to Save the Planet
Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun converses with Minister Nik Nazmi about the urgent challenges of sustainability and climate change from Malaysian and ASEAN perspectives. Recorded on 28 April 2025.