COVID-19 Policy Responses Malaysia Imposes Domestic Movement and Foreign Travel Restrictions as Multinational Cluster Causes Surge in Cases (11 Mar – Ongoing) Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced country-wide movement restrictions on Monday, 16 March, as the country grappled with a surge in new coronavirus (COVID-19) cases....
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, ASEAN countries are implementing a variety of measures to boost their economies and “flatten the curve” of new infections. From stimulus packages to movement restrictions and travel bans, there are a lot of developments to keep track of....
By Simon Tay, Wu Hui Juan and Aaron Choo For The Straits Times Fires have raged across the world in the past year. The haze from fires in Indonesian provinces affected not only Indonesia but also Malaysia and Singapore. The trans-boundary haze situation was the worst since 2015 and...
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin recently announced the composition of his Cabinet. With Malaysia’s facing both economic and political uncertainty, the announcement was warmly welcomed. Observers have also been busy in the ensuing days offering their interpretations of the Cabinet. For context, however, it would...
By Oh Ei Sun For Channel NewsAsia The biggest surprise from political developments in Malaysia over the past month is less the uncertainty Mahathir Mohamad plunged the country into with his shock resignation or the rapid turn of events that culminated in the Royal Palace swearing in...
As the dust settles on Malaysia’s new political alignment, it is helpful to take stock of the changes that have occurred. Perikatan Nasional (PN) assumed power following the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government, and absorbed over a quarter of its MPs. With their...
COVID-19 Outbreak More Stimulus Packages Announced (25, 28 Feb) The government of Indonesian President Joko Widodo “Jokowi” released the details of a US$742.6 million COVID-19 stimulus package on 25 February. To boost tourism, the budget included measures such as providing airlines and travel agencies with financial...
Regional economies are expected to take hard knocks from the ongoing COVID-19 Outbreak, and many governments have revised their initial growth forecasts for 2020. Some governments, particularly those in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, have gone further to come up with stimulus packages to give their...
The COVID-19 outbreak has conjured memories of the 2003 SARS crisis. However, the economic contexts in which the outbreaks occurred are significantly different, particularly with China occupying a more central role in the global economy in the case of COVID-19. The global economy bounced back...
By Oh Ei Sun For Channel NewsAsia Many Malaysians were caught by surprise when Muhyiddin Yassin, a leader who had hitherto taken a backseat to more charismatic and vocal leaders such as long-time Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and anointed successor Anwar Ibrahim, rose to assume the country’s top role...