https://www.scmp.com/rss/507030/feed Francis E. Hutchinson is Senior Fellow and Coordinator of the Malaysia Studies Programme at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Tricia Yeoh,Francis E. Hutchinson Tricia Yeoh,Francis E. Hutchinson Mahathir Mohamad, the spry two-time prime minister of Malaysia, turned 100 on July 10. Visionary but detail-oriented, charismatic yet divisive, Mahathir has profoundly shaped the country’s politics, economy and society over the past six decades. His entry into electoral politics was a turning point. In 1964, Mahathir contested his first parliamentary seat for Umno in Kedah. Unlike the United Malays National Organisation’s urbane, first-generation leaders, Mahathir came from a rural background... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318810/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-100-year-mixed-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3318810/malaysias-mahathir-mohamad-100-year-mixed-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 02:30:09 +0000 The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) was launched in January with much fanfare. The zone is a swathe of land in the southern Malaysian state of Johor that seeks to attract investment by leveraging its proximity to Singapore and its differing cost structures. Underpinned by tax incentives for skill-intensive activities and easier border procedures, the JS-SEZ has generated interest from the city state’s private sector. Going by past investment trends, southern Johor is particularly... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3305269/can-indonesias-batam-hold-its-own-against-johor-singapore-sez?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3305269/can-indonesias-batam-hold-its-own-against-johor-singapore-sez?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2025 07:00:15 +0000 On December 15, the Malaysian parliament passed its final reading of next year’s budget. The measure, which was passed 111 to 108, was – in reality – approval of the country’s biggest-ever budget as well as a vote of confidence in the ruling Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration. Led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the PN coalition has faced repeated criticism from former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and the opposition Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition for being an illegitimate government –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3114877/malaysia-shafie-apdal-vs-anwar-ibrahim-contest-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3114877/malaysia-shafie-apdal-vs-anwar-ibrahim-contest-opposition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Dec 2020 04:00:20 +0000 Most studies of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative to grow global trade have focused on the goals that China seeks to achieve, oftentimes at the expense of host countries. It is viewed through such a lens largely because of the scale of financing and number of players involved. In 2016, the Chinese government allocated more than US$900 billion to belt and road projects through facilities such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and the China Development... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3112665/tale-two-belt-and-road-initiative-port-projects-malaysia-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3112665/tale-two-belt-and-road-initiative-port-projects-malaysia-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Dec 2020 03:00:12 +0000 On Saturday, the residents of Slim – a small, rural, Malay-majority constituency in the Malaysian state of Perak – will vote in a by-election. Ordinarily, such a poll would not be on most people’s radars, but strategists and analysts will eagerly scrutinise the results of this contest as both an indication of popular sentiment for the United Malays National Organisation (Umno) – the erstwhile dominant party in Malaysian politics – and for the debut of Malaysia’s newest party, Pejuang, the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3099218/mahathirs-last-battle-malaysia-election-set-test-support-former?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3099218/mahathirs-last-battle-malaysia-election-set-test-support-former?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2020 05:05:36 +0000