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Covid-19 and Indonesia: Not Quite a Lockdown

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.

Covid-19 in Myanmar: Panic Vigilantism?

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.

Britain and the Asia-Pacific: Global Interests versus Regional Engagement

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.

COVID19 in Malaysia: Pandemic Impacts on the Poor

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.

Fighting Covid-19 in Indonesia: The Nexus of Religion and the State

The positions taken by some Islamic groups on the national policy of social distancing will determine the success – or failure – of the policy.

Singapore-Malaysia Border Shutdown: Counting the Costs

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.

Johor’s New Cabinet Line-Up: More of the Same

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.

Malaysia: Land of the (Increasingly) Self Employed

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