The upcoming state elections in Malaysia represent a referendum on the first eight months of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s ‘Unity Government’. This Long Read assesses possible scenarios for the election outcome in Selangor.
Category Archives: Long Reads
Singapore – Malaysia Economic Ties: Recovering from COVID-19
This Long Read seeks to understand the impact of the COVID crisis on the economic ties between Singapore and Malaysia. It analyses historical trends as well as recent data to assess how the different aspects of the relationship were affected and what the near-term outlook is likely to be.
Rice Production and Food Security in Southeast Asia under Threat from El Niño
The latest El Niño event has just begun. The effects on rice production and supplies are expected to be severe. This Long Read argues for the urgency of putting in place plans for the next year and the following years to allay the worst impacts.
Malaysia’s 2023 State Elections: Projections and Scenarios
This Long Read uses the results of the 15th General Election (GE15) held in 2022 to project the possible outcomes in the upcoming state elections, through the use of various scenarios. A key question for the upcoming polls is the extent to which supporters of former political rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Barisan Nasional (BN) will “transfer” their votes to each other in the upcoming state elections.
Current Key Drivers of ASEAN Integration: Digital Skills and Mobilities
The ASEAN Digital Integration Index (ADII) shows that the area of digital skills and talent is ASEAN’s worst-performing indicator of the six digital integration benchmarks used to measure digital integration. This Long Read offers some analysis of the underlying causes of this dismal performance and identifies three opportunities to enhance digital skills.
Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement: A Cambodian Perspective
This Long Read examines the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA), which came into force in January 2022. It argues that in order to promote industrialisation and export diversification, developing countries need to adopt an integrated industrial-trade-investment strategy. China, as a global trading power, can play a significant role in this process.
Why China Supports the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone
Since 1999, China has expressed its readiness to sign the SEANWFZ Protocol and is the only Nuclear Weapon State willing to do so without reservations. This Long Read explores China’s strategic considerations behind this stance.
Southeast Asian Views on the United States: Perceptions Versus Objective Reality
5-year data trends from the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute’s State of Southeast Asia annual survey suggest that ASEAN countries have remained ambivalent about the US’ regional leadership role on multiple fronts. While there is still a reservoir of goodwill towards the US in the region, this is being depleted in some countries and cannot be taken for granted.
A Strategic Reset?: The Philippines-United States Alliance under President Marcos Jr
The Philippines-United States alliance has been reinvigorated since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was elected president in May 2022. Since Marcos took office, the two countries have increased the tempo of high-level interactions and military engagements. However, an increasingly influential pro-China lobby composed of national and local politicians, pundits and media are acting in concert to undermine this revitalisation.
Move Forward Party Has Won the Election, but May Lose the Premiership Race
The Move Forward Party’s surprise victory in the Thai general election was a major upset for the Pheu Thai Party. However, Pheu Thai may be better positioned to form the next government. It has the flexibility of working with some parties in the Prayut Administration; whereas Move Forward, which is 63 votes short of winning the premiership, has rejected working with all parties in the previous government coalition.