Politics

Smooth and effective implementation is the key to the success of CPTPP.
Opinion

The Unsexy Challenge of CPTPP

Members must focus on implementing the trade accord, or risk embarrassment

23 January 2019
Tan Cheng Bock announced the formation of a political party to challenge the ruling party's dominance.
Politics

Singapore politics heats up with speculation over early election

Former presidential candidate ignites challenge to city's longtime ruling party

21 January 2019
Sri Lanka is in dire straits as the debt-strapped country confronts a looming balance of payment crisis.
Economy

Sri Lanka seeks regional bailout as balance of payments crisis looms

Colombo looks to India and China for financial assistance and renegotiates with IMF

21 January 2019
Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said the choice of joint-lead arranger was based purely on merit. 
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia drops Nomura from samurai bond issuance

Kuala Lumpur also demands Goldman Sachs cough up $7.5bn for ex-banker's fraud

18 January 2019
China's reputation suffers as the 1MDB scandal shows.
Opinion

1MDB probe shines uncomfortable light on China's Belt and Road

Scandal is only latest example of dangerous lack of transparency in showcase program

18 January 2019
Singapore postponed a meeting with Malaysia to discuss joint developments after Johor's chief minister visited a Malaysian vessel parked in disputed waters.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore-Malaysia spat sets back joint development projects

Bilateral meeting canceled despite agreement to de-escalate tensions

14 January 2019
State investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad's Tun Razak Exchange development in Kuala Lumpur in May 2015. 
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia to probe claims that China bailed out 1MDB

Scandal-hit state fund supported by overvalued deals, according to WSJ report

8 January 2019
An airport employee prepares to board a Singapore Airlines plane. The city-state's strategy to ramp up airport capacity has sparked a major backlash from Kuala Lumpur.
International relations

Malaysia and Singapore set month of truce to settle airspace spat

Foreign ministers also agree to set up working group to discuss maritime dispute

8 January 2019
1MDB case highlights need for greater financial transparency. (NurPhoto/Getty Images)
Opinion

1MDB scandal -- a call to redouble Asia's fight for transparency

Companies and governments must stop tolerating lax local standards

7 January 2019
A ceremony for the first China-ASEAN Maritime Exercise, held in October 2018: Many Southeast Asians say China and the U.S. are on a collision course in the region.
Trade war

Southeast Asians feel caught in US-China fight for hegemony

Survey of opinion leaders finds skepticism of Belt and Road runs deep

7 January 2019
Scott Morrison's first trip overseas as Australian Prime Minister was to neighboring Indonesia in August.
International relations

Australia's canceled Israel embassy move shows country's Asian concerns

Government buckles amid backlash from Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia

5 January 2019
Seletar Airport, located in the northern part of Singapore, is used for chartered flights. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Malaysia in transition

Singapore-Malaysia tensions still simmer ahead of bilateral talks

Kuala Lumpur sets restricted airspace near border to exclude civil flights

3 January 2019
Mahathir Mohamad, center, defeated onetime protege Najib Razak in Malaysia's election last year, ending over 60 years of one-party rule (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
2018 in review

Elections in Southeast Asia signal uncertain future for democracy

Votes in Malaysia and Cambodia bring starkly different outcomes

29 December 2018
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad needs a plan to unite his countrymen.
Opinion

Mahathir's deep dilemma for 2019

Can he win over the dominant ethnic Malays and halt the growth of Islamist forces?

27 December 2018
Qatar is planning an ambitious new initiative with Malaysia and Turkey to serve the $2 trillion global Islamic finance market.
Economy

Qatar partners Malaysia, Turkey to conquer Islamic finance market

Gas-rich Gulf state aims to escape blockade by diversifying economy

22 December 2018
Friday evening on one of downtown Kuala Lumpur's busy commercial streets.  (Photo by Simon Roughneen)
Economy

Malaysia on track to developed country status -- but has far to go

Other Southeast Asian nations face being stuck in middle-income trap

21 December 2018
The lifetime ban against Tim Leissner is an extension of the 10-year prohibition that Singapore issued against him in March 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore orders lifetime ban on ex-Goldman banker for 1MDB scandal

Tim Leissner charged in US with conspiring to embezzle funds, bribe officials

19 December 2018
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, right, has promised to hand over the premiership to Anwar Ibrahim, but tensions are rising within their coalition.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia opposition meltdown threatens fragile ruling coalition

Exodus of MPs to Mahathir faction portends possible revolt by Anwar forces

19 December 2018
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad took center stage at the launch of the Proton X70 on Dec. 12. (Photo by CK Tan)
Companies

New Proton SUV to put Malaysia-China relations to the test

Joint project offers Geely route to crucial Southeast Asian markets

19 December 2018
Goldman Sachs faces charges related to the sale of bonds by Malaysian state fund 1MDB.
18 December 2018
A plane takes off from Singapore's Seletar Airport. Cranes are seen in background a few kilometers away in Malaysia. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
International relations

Singapore's SE Asian airport hub ambition lies behind spat with Malaysia

Plans to boost capacity of little-known airport spark backlash by Kuala Lumpur

15 December 2018
Seletar Airport, in the north of Singapore, is typically used for chartered flights. Cranes can be seen in the background, a few kilometers away in Malaysia, across a narrow body of water. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia takes airspace spat with Singapore online

Kuala Lumpur reduces vessels in disputed waters ahead of bilateral talks

12 December 2018
A 1MDB logo is set against the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia arrests former CEO of 1MDB over alleged audit tampering

Arul Kanda to be charged with former PM Najib Razak on Wednesday

11 December 2018
A Singapore naval vessel embarks on a search and rescue mission in 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Singapore-Malaysia maritime dispute enters second week

Both sides seek to cool maritime tensions, but fail to withdraw vessels

11 December 2018
A Singapore Police Coast Guard vessel patrols lanes near freight ships off the coast of Singapore. 
11 December 2018