ASEAN remains in need of infrastructure investment to drive growth and better connect the region’s markets. This is even more salient as countries seek to recover from the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) and the Asian Bureau...
Datuk Hajiji Noor from the Bersatu party was sworn in as Sabah’s chief minister following the fiercely contested Sabah election, which was seen by many experts as a bellwether for the country’s politics. A record 447 candidates contested for the 73 assembly seats. Prime Minister...
Speaking at the “Infrastructure of the Future: Financing Sustainable Growth in ASEAN”, a webinar that is organised as part of Temasek’s Ecosperity Conversations, the SIIA Chairman, Associate Professor Simon Tay said that it was "critical" for green finance to fill infrastructure investment gaps in ASEAN,...
The SIIA’s New Horizons series roundtable discussion focused on trends and concerns emerging from Vietnam. Dr. Vu Tien Loc, Chairman and President, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Dr. Can Van Luc, Chief Economist, Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV) shared...
Yoshihide Suga was elected as Japan’s 99th prime minister, following the resignation of Shinzo Abe, who served as the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Mr. Suga’s leadership represents a continuity for the region according to Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International...
By Simon Tay For The Straits Times Sino-US rivalry is growing in many areas. Wrapping them all within a war narrative risks making things worse. Talk is growing about a “New Cold War”, or even outright war, between the United States and China. This impacts not only...
COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented costs for ASEAN and the world in terms of human lives and economic growth. In this article for the Journal of Greater Mekong Studies, Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of the SIIA, and Sarah Loh, Policy Research Analyst (ASEAN), discussed...
This week, let us take a look at the impact COVID-19 has had on the palm oil plantation sector. Indonesia’s palm oil export volume has dropped, and prices are also falling. While low export volumes and prices are a disincentive for growers to clear land and...
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement is expected to be signed by the end of the year. The current 15 partners are leaving the door open for India to join in the future, after India walked away from the agreement last year. In...
In the SIIA’s Special Report on “Renewed Concerns in Key ASEAN Economies: Politics and Growth Prospects After the First COVID-19 Wave”, we stressed the importance for Singapore to work on “bubble” arrangements for travel. Such cooperation would help each country and ASEAN as a whole...