Kevin Zhang is a Senior Research Officer at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.
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Kevin Zhang
Articles by Kevin Zhang (28)
Booster Shot? Pao Tang Digital Payment and Thailand’s Domestic Consumption
Kanpunnarin Amphunan|Kevin Zhang|Fanzura Banu
Digital payment apps, while facilitating ease of consumption, do not tackle the fundamental issue: limited disposable income of Thais, particularly among those in lower-income groups.
Malaysia’s Nationwide Minimum Wage Omits Crucial Regional Differences
Tham Siew Yean|Kevin Zhang
One of the key goals of a minimum wage is to provide employees with a wage that can sustain their basic livelihood. Therefore, a more appropriate minimum wage scale should create several tiers where wages are calibrated according to state or regional differences.
Credit UMNO for the Rakyat’s Benefits? More Serious Accounting Needed
Kevin Zhang|Lee Hwok-Aun
UMNO and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri are hoping to take credit for recent announcements on hiking the minimum wage and allowing special withdrawals from retirement savings, but the devil is in the details.
Pakatan Harapan in Johor: Fading Fan Favourites
Kevin Zhang|Francis E. Hutchinson
PH’s campaign messaging has consisted of playing its ‘fan favourites’ of good governance and anti-corruption. This is a re-run of the 2018 campaign, which successfully linked Malaysian’s economic woes to the imposition of the Goods and Service Tax (GST), the financial extravagance of former prime minister Najib Razak, and the ill-fated 1MDB.
The Johor State Elections: A Spiderweb of Spats, Splits and Surprises
Francis E. Hutchinson|Kevin Zhang
All eyes will look to Barisan Nasional as Johoreans head to the polls on March 12. Looking at the advantages BN faces going into the election and the fractured state of its opponents, BN has exceptionally strong chances of doing significantly better this time.