Malaysia should take decisive action in response to the US’ tariff threat for failing to prohibit imports made with forced labour. Eliminating such imports is in everyone’s best interest.
Author Archives: yeosiewhan
What Do the US Forced Labour Tariffs Mean for Southeast Asia?
Faced with possible US forced labour tariffs, Southeast Asian countries should remember that the Trump administration’s underlying objectives are to reconstitute the reciprocal tariff regime, discourage economic linkages with China and reduce trade surpluses with the US.
Myanmar’s Overvalued Exchange Rates Are a Recipe for Economic Deterioration
Myanmar’s people will continue to suffer under the ‘new’ government’s vague economic direction.
China and the US: Who Will Better Understand Southeast Asia?
The US appears to be losing to China in the race to understand Southeast Asia. The real test, however, centres on whether a country can sustain the institutions to study the region critically.
To Lam’s Regional Tour: From Hedger to Shaper
To Lam’s regional tour of Southeast Asia shows that Hanoi is shifting to a posture of shaping the rules of the game, rather than merely seeking to mitigate the risks of a fluid strategic environment.
Southeast Asia’s High-Income Aspirants Should Focus on Quality of Growth
The vast minority of middle-income countries graduate to high-income status. Past strategies that prioritised physical capital must give way to a quality of growth approach premised on investment in human and natural capital.
Negeri Sembilan’s Tenuous State Assembly: Procedural and Political Tests
The recent withdrawal of support for the chief minister of Negeri Sembilan raises pertinent questions about the precedent and role of institutions determining state leadership.
Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan: Best Frenemies Forever
Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan are eyeing polls in Johor and Melaka. Due to the importance of these states to both coalitions, it remains to be seen if their pact at the federal level will hold.
May Day 2026 in Jakarta: Contradictions Become Clearer
Indonesia’s labour movement is split in different directions.
When Everything Becomes the 3R: Malaysia’s Problem of Definitional Boundaries
A complaint about a prayer hall in Ampang illustrates how technical disagreements can escalate into controversial questions about identity.