Commentaries | FULCRUM

Court Ruling Against Former PM Will Haunt Thailand’s Cambodia Policy

The Constitutional Court’s ruling against a former Thai premier will constrain how conciliatory the kingdom will be in times of conflict.

Beyond Autonomy: The Ripple Effects of Sabah Elections on Federal Power

Pakatan Harapan’s poor performance at the Sabah state elections has weakened its bargaining power vis-à-vis ruling coalitions in Sabah and Sarawak. It will need their support to form the next federal government.

Critical Mass: The Complexity of Malaysia’s Nuclear Reboot

Malaysia is re-considering the use of nuclear power. But the government will need to tackle questions about trade-offs.

ASEAN Business Entity: Integration at the Cost of Inclusion

The ABE initiative professes to promote regional economic integration via greater intra-ASEAN investments, but ASEAN should focus on attracting high-quality investment, enhancing industrial upgrading, and mitigating geopolitical risk.

ASEAN Power Grid: Gleaning Best Practices from Worst Cases

As Southeast Asia focuses on building the ASEAN Power Grid, there will be a higher chance of success if interconnections are designed to be modular and embedded within a broader regional integration agenda.

Private Investment, Public Burden: Indonesia’s ‘Whoosh’ Lesson

Indonesia’s first high-speed train project is historic but its government now has to prevent it going off the rails as costs spiral and boomerang onto the state and taxpayers.

Indonesia’s Slow Disaster Response: President Prabowo Constrained by His Own Agenda

Poor advice and a seeming refusal to acknowledge the reality and scale of the problem have hampered the Indonesian president’s response to the disastrous floods across Sumatra.

Sabah First? 2025 State Election Shows Voters Want Results Not Slogans

The 17th Sabah elections evinced a mix of the predictable and the surprising. Despite the show of support for the ‘Sabah First’ slogan, the fragmented politics of the state will continue.

Building BRICS? Anwar’s Worldview and Malaysia’s Foreign Policy

Malaysia’s decision to join BRICS demonstrates its long-standing adherence to strategic equidistance. It also bears Anwar Ibrahim’s personal imprimatur.