ARTICLES

3 Nov 2025

Malaysia’s Budget 2026: Fiscal Reform or Fragility?

Tricia Yeoh

Malaysia’s 2026 budget continues fiscal reforms but exposes structural fragilities such as heavy operating costs and rising debt. These factors may threaten long-term fiscal stability.

22 Oct 2025

Floating Prices, Fearing Backlash: Economics and Politics of Malaysia’s Petrol Subsidy Reform

Lee Hwok-Aun

Malaysia’s persistently narrow tax base and declining oil and gas revenue underscore the case for fuel subsidy reform. The Long Read assesses the political context and constraints that shape the policy options available to Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani administration.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

10 Sep 2025

The 13th Malaysia Plan: Distinctive and Difficult Aspirations

Lee Hwok-Aun

The 13th Malaysia Plan focuses on the need to thrive based on economic complexity. While the term is fairly new, the challenges of transitioning the economy to a higher value-added one remain the same.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

25 Aug 2025

Fuelling Reform: Bolder Petrol Overhaul is Malaysia’s Best Bet

Amalina Anuar

Malaysia is facing a dilemma when it comes to pushing through the reform of its petrol subsidies. It has to stay the course.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

6 Aug 2025

Saving Malaysia’s AI Dream Amid Shifting US Tech and Trade Policies

Tham Siew Yean

Malaysia must urgently pursue AI chip supply diversification and supply chain vigilance to mitigate the detriments of potential export curbs and tariff hikes.

Artificial Intelligence Malaysia Malaysian Economy

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

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

3 Jun 2025

Plantation Workers Can Barely Live on Malaysia’s Minimum Wage

Alfian Al-Ayubby

Malaysia’s recently raised minimum wage is insufficient for plantation workers, who deserve a living wage to sustain their livelihoods and contributions to this key economic sector.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Malaysian Politics

20 May 2025

Preparing Malaysia’s Toolkit for Trump Tariff Tumult

Lee Hwok-Aun

As trade negotiations with the US continue, Malaysia needs to trot out relief measures and pro-growth measures to mitigate the impact of Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs.

Malaysia Malaysian Economy Tariffs US