MALAYSIA: Pressure is building on the PM
Following the 16 June statement from the king for parliament to reconvene “as soon as possible,” the pressure on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to recall MPs for a parliamentary sitting continues to increase. Yassin has proposed September or October for their return, after the l… Become a member to read the rest of this […]
PHILIPPINES/CHINA: Manila escalates response to Beijing’s maritime activities
Philippine naval activity in disputed South China Sea waters increased more than seven-fold in recent months. President Roderigo Duterte appears to have yielded to pressure from the military establishment to push back more strongly against Chinese military activities in th… Become a member to read the rest of this article
MALAYSIA: A fight over the meaning of ASAP
On 16 June, Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah called on parliament, whose sessions have been suspended since January, to reconvene “secepat mungkin” (as soon as possible) to discuss the country’s state of emergency and recovery plan. He issued the statement after a meetin… Become a member to read the rest of this article
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Countries to watch in the next few weeks
Indonesia’s expected post-Idul Fitri spike has arrived, with targeted local restrictions being enforced until 28 June. Forced to bear the political backlash from slow vaccine deliveries, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha promises to fully reopen Thailand in 120 days. Dis… Become a member to read the rest of this article
MALAYSIA: With politics in dire straits, sultans could swing sentiments
The sultans who head Malaysia’s nine royal households — collectively known as the monarchy — will meet on 16 June to discuss the country’s top political issues: the vaccine rollout, the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, and the end of the country’s state of emergency. The meeting i… Become a member to read the […]
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Vaccines, stimulus and travel reopenings
The outbreak in continental Southeast Asia has already passed eight weeks, increasing the pressure on governments to address growing public disgruntlement at slow vaccine roll outs. Malaysia and Thailand, where leaders could face potentially disaffected voters or protests,… Become a member to read the rest of this article
CHINA: Central bank seeks to manage RMB expectations without intervention
The renminbi has strengthened by 2.3% against the US dollar this year, raising the question of how much appreciation the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) will tolerate. The PBoC probably cares more about the trade-weighted exchange rate than the bilateral USDCNY rate. Auth… Become a member to read the rest of this article
HONG KONG: Weighing the latest evidence on a potential foreign exodus
Hong Kong has purchased enough vaccines for the city’s entire population, but distrust of the government is fueling vaccine hesitancy. As of 1 June, only 21% of the city’s total population of 7.5mn had received at least one vaccine dose, and 16% had received two. Last month, a he… Become a member to read […]
MALAYSIA: Important weeks ahead for Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin defended his government’s decision not to reimpose the strictest version of business and movement restrictions, called movement control orders (MCO) 1.0, despite the rising Covid-19 case numbers and some pressure from the healthc… Become a member to read the rest of this article
CHINA: Crypto crackdown – is this time different?
Three government-backed industry associations ordered financial institutions not to facilitate virtual currency transactions or provide any related services. But the impact is likely to be modest, as the latest crackdown does not go substantially beyond a previous ban in 2017 … Become a member to read the rest of this article