ARTICLES

31 Jul 2025

Malaysia Must Address Ailing Security of its Ageing Society

Lee Hwok-Aun

Malaysia’s retirement fund system is ailing and will not serve the retirement needs of the populace adequately. It is time to consider a basic pension scheme.

30 Jul 2025

Musa Aman Redux: Disquiet and Apathy in East Sabah

Vilashini Somiah

The return of Musa Aman to Sabah’s politics underscores the fact that, as time moves on, little has changed in the state’s political culture of patronage and corruption.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics Sabah

30 Jul 2025

Why Students from China Are Picking Malaysia over Traditional Destinations

Koh Sin Yee

Mainland Chinese student numbers in Malaysian universities have surged recently, driven by affordability, proximity, and cultural familiarity, as well as restrictions in traditional study destinations such as the US.

China China-Malaysia Relations Education Malaysia

22 Jul 2025

Malaysia’s Push for the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit: Connecting Past and Present

Kuik Cheng-Chwee

Malaysia’s initiative to establish the ASEAN-GCC-China summit underscores a long-standing desire to connect past and present.

ASEAN China Malaysia Malaysian Politics Southeast Asia

21 Jul 2025

Rethinking GenAI Visuals in Government Communications

Brandon Tan Jun Wen

Governments are turning to generative AI to assist in public communications, sparking backlash from the public over the quality and intent of such visuals. A better approach would be to pair GenAI with human expertise.

Artificial Intelligence Malaysia Singapore

17 Jul 2025

Manufacturing Malaysia’s Future: Hope or Hype?

Liew Chin Tong

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun and Malaysia Studies Programme Coordinator Francis Hutchinson speak with Liew Chin Tong, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. Their conversation spans Malaysia’s challenges in engineering a second industrial take-off, implementing reforms, and navigating global uncertainties.

Dialogues at Fulcrum Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

10 Jul 2025

Data Centres, Energy Demand and Sustainability: Can Malaysia Strike the Right Balance?

Sara Loo

Malaysia’s ambitions to be a digital powerhouse demand urgent consideration of rapidly increasing energy demands. Based on current figures, Malaysia appears to have overcommitted to data centre expansion, especially in Johor, without sufficiently robust sustainability guidelines in place.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Sustainable Development

10 Jul 2025

Mahathir Mohamad at 100: Monumental Achievements, Mixed Legacies

Tricia Yeoh|Francis E. Hutchinson

To live a long political life in Malaysia is not unusual; to have a century’s longevity and the lengthiest career guarantees its two-time former premier ‘Dr M’ a unique place in the history books.

Malaysia Malaysian Politics

4 Jul 2025

US Duties on Southeast Asian Solar Panel Exports: Where the Sun Does Not Shine

Archanun Kohpaiboon

The US has imposed new duties on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian countries to address unfair Chinese trade practices. The duties will continue to be part of Washington’s arsenal of options.

Antidumping Cambodia China Malaysia Solar Imports Thailand US Vietnam

25 Jun 2025

Thorny Issue: The Durian Economy and Land Tussle in Pahang

Wong Sook Wei

There has been an ongoing dispute between the Pahang state government and farmers cultivating durians on encroached state land. With a new player in the fray, however, the dispute looks closer to a settlement.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics