CONTRIBUTORS

Tham Siew Yean

Dr Tham Siew Yean is a Visiting Senior Fellow with ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, and Professor Emeritus, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Articles by Tham Siew Yean (38)

Malaysia Should Channel US Trade Representative Section 301 Pressure Into Forced Labour Compliance

Tham Siew Yean

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.

Malaysia-US Agreement on Reciprocal Tariffs: Calm Before Another Storm?

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia has declared the ART null and void while the US is deploying new tariff instruments, creating uncertainty over new agreements. Malaysia should rebalance lopsided terms – and reduce its exposure to the US market.

Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone; President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto; Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet; Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanah Bolkiah and President of Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr attend the 47th ASEAN Summit to amend the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) in Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 26 October 2025. (Photo by Farid Bin Tajuddin / Anadolu via AFP)

ASEAN Services Liberalisation: Big Promises, Modest Progress

Tham Siew Yean

ASEAN’s slow growth in services trade stems from persistent reservation and diluted liberalisation. Member states need to consolidate the region’s rules-based framework — and facilitate services trade.

From Promise to Peril? The Hidden Risks in Malaysia’s Mine-to-Magnet Rare Earth Push

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia’s push to build a full rare earths value chain faces significant technology, trade, investment, and governance hurdles across the mining, processing, and manufacturing stages.

ASEAN Business Entity: Integration at the Cost of Inclusion

Tham Siew Yean

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.