Politics

Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet at the start of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, in May 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia scrutinizes more China-funded infrastructure projects

A fraction of the work has been done but 90% of the budgets are gone

5 June 2018
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad nominated only one person -- Tommy Thomas -- as his choice for attorney general..
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia's new state prosecutor to accelerate probes into 1MDB

Mahathir appoints former critic as attorney general following weeks of deadlock

5 June 2018
(© Nikkei montage/Source photos by Getty Images)
Asia Insight

China emerges as wild card in elections across Asia

Incumbents draw on Beijing's support as opponents tap resentment of its influence

5 June 2018
Daim Zainuddin, Malaysia's former finance minister, is reviewing big-ticket contracts as head of the Council of Eminent Persons. 
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia warns foreign contractors as Chinese deals draw scrutiny

Mahathir adviser welcomes foreign investment but hits out at inflated bids

4 June 2018
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has pledged to be friendly to markets.
Opinion

Before Mahathir looks to the future he must exit the past

Malaysia's prime minister must renounce business-hostile policies he once championed

4 June 2018
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis addresses the Shangri La Dialogue on June 2. (Photo by Simon Roughneen).
International relations

US and China trade barbs over South China Sea island-building

Chinese general fires back at Mattis as Vietnam blasts recent militarization

2 June 2018
Najib Razak, Malaysia's prime minister at the time, and other Malaysian and Chinese officials attend the groundbreaking for the East Coast Rail Link in August 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia spares $14bn China-led rail project from budget ax

Mahathir's finance minister says big chunk of money already paid by Najib government

1 June 2018
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, second from left, studies a model of the East Coast Rail Link at Kuantan Bahang, Malaysia in August 2017.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia rethinks projects linked to railway, Chinese cash and 1MDB

Scrapped high-speed train suggests looming changes for costly infrastructure plans

1 June 2018
Robert Kuok Hock Nien, an ethnic Chinese-Malaysian tycoon, has built a multinational business empire, including his hospitality arm, Shangri-La Hotels. (Photos from Getty Images and Reuters)
Asian Family Conglomerates

Mahathir's 94-year-old top adviser rekindles China connections

Robert Kuok, Malaysian 'sugar king,' takes on new role seen as rebooting empire

1 June 2018
A view of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's newly installed government will establish a trust fund to let the public contribute to easing the country's huge national debt.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia to review and renegotiate projects to slash debt

Aggressive measures aimed to achieve 2.8% deficit-to-GDP target

31 May 2018
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, left, walks with Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on May 19.
Malaysia in transition

Mahathir stress tests Malaysia-Singapore relations

After cancelling rail link, PM rocks the boat on a delicate territorial issue

31 May 2018
Mahathir's supporters celebrated his election victory, but can he meet their expectations?
31 May 2018
Kuala Lumpur's stocks have fallen as investors became concerned about national debt and the state fund scandal.
31 May 2018
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes during a 2014 news conference. The outspoken executive on Wednesday dismissed allegations of wrongdoing by the group's Indian unit.
Companies

AirAsia denies allegations of wrongdoing in India

Budget airline's Indian unit accused of bribery and violating investment rules

30 May 2018
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, right, meets with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Putrajaya, Malaysia on May 19.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia to drop high-speed rail link to Singapore

Mahathir seeks to reduce pull-out penalty of up to $125 million

28 May 2018
Chinese and Malaysian national flags on a lamppost
Malaysia in transition

Mahathir seeks 'pragmatic cooperation' with China

Malaysia's new foreign policy will not be as pro-Beijing as Najib's

28 May 2018
Current and former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad back in 1998: Malaysians expect Mahathir to return the country to the high economic growth it enjoyed in the past.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysians look to Mahathir to bring back the good old days

Nostalgia played a role in the country's first-ever change of government

27 May 2018
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International relations

Protectionism left out of APEC trade ministers' statement

Members call for 'removal of market-distorting subsidies'

26 May 2018
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak gestures as he leaves the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Office in Putrajaya, Malaysia on May 24.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia says state reserves used to pay 1MDB debt

Central bank and Khazanah funds exploited, Finance Minister points out

24 May 2018
Kuala Lumpur's benchmark stock index has fallen as much as 3.7% since the day before the election.
Malaysia in transition

Malaysia's hidden debt and 'insolvent' state fund raise alarm

Investors flee as US rate hikes compound Mahathir's fiscal challenges

24 May 2018
A supporter wears a t-shirt showing Anwar Ibrahim and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at a rally in Kuala Lumpur on May 16.
Opinion

Malaysia's fragile democratic revival

The West must back efforts to pursue reforms and fight corruption

24 May 2018
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24 May 2018
Malaysia's newly elected Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad attends a news conference.
24 May 2018
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives on May 22 at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission headquarters in Putrajaya for questioning over his role in the 1MDB state fund.
24 May 2018
Malaysia's election is a lesson that creeping corruption under entrenched regimes will alienate the electorate regardless of economic performance. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
24 May 2018