Countries need to mutually recognize each other’s vaccination certificates, harmonize rules on travel procedures, and safeguard public health to manage the pandemic. This will enable the countries to capture new source markets, thus compensating for the revenue loss due to the decrease in Chinese tourists.
Category Archives: Commentaries
Cambodia’s Education System: Looking Back to Move Forward
Cambodia has set ambitious goals to become an upper middle income country by 2030. To achieve this, it needs to rethink its education system to upgrade the skills of its workforce so the country can become a knowledge-intensive society.
School Closures and Child Labour: The Pandemic’s Social Cost
The disruption of face-to-face education and internet inaccessibility may cause children to drop out of school permanently. Children who leave school and start working face greater difficulty resuming their education in the future.
Johor Polls: Old Boys Singin’ the Same Old Tunes
Like evergreen hits, the feuding parties in Johor’s state elections are rehashing old formulations in the form of multi-racial coalitions with Malay-nationalist entities at the helm.
Malaysia’s Focus on When to Raise Minimum Wage Must Not Forget Why
After years of lobbying, Malaysia finally approved an increase in the national minimum wage to RM1,500. While the government has since delayed its implementation, current economic circumstances require the wage floor to be raised sooner rather than later.
Parti Warisan in Johor: Making Waves or Merely a Ripple?
Parti Warisan from the state of Sabah is seeking a foothold in peninsular Malaysia. It remains to be seen whether it will grab the imagination of the electorate.
Japan’s Standing in Southeast Asia: Down But Not Out
Japan has suffered some dips in ranking in the 2022 State of Southeast Asia Survey. That said, Japan’s residual soft power in the region remains undisputed.
Malaysia’s Recent Floods Must Spur Bold and Decisive Action
Reducing flood vulnerability not only minimises economic losses but also consolidates investor confidence. Malaysia can substantially enhance flood resiliency by implementing climate change legislation, a national insurance programme, and an affordable relocation scheme to cope with the mounting costs of more frequent and severe floods.
Timor-Leste’s Presidential Elections: A Quiet or Rowdy Neighbour for Indonesia?
There have been contentions in Timor Leste’s political landscape in the run-up to the presidential elections. But Indonesia has less to worry about, given that political parties across the spectrum support strong relations with Jakarta.
Advancing U.S. Security Commitments to Southeast Asia Under Biden
Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine would accentuate concerns about Washington’s security commitments to Southeast Asia. To gain further traction, Washington needs to invest in individual Southeast Asia countries and expand defence partnerships with allies and partners.