https://www.scmp.com/rss/522960/feed The latest news and top stories on Tunku Mohar Tunku Mohd Mokhtar. He is an academic researcher and political science associate professor at the International Islamic University of Malaysia, where he previously headed the Political Science Department. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim may face growing difficulty pushing through major reforms as Malaysia edges closer to its next general election, analysts have said, after a parliamentary setback exposed strains within his broad but fragile ruling coalition. The warning signs emerged when lawmakers failed to pass a constitutional amendment to limit the prime minister’s tenure to two terms – a reform widely expected to succeed given the government’s commanding majority. Anwar’s administration fell... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345410/malaysias-anwar-under-pressure-after-parliamentary-setback-complicates-reform-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said his government would seek parliament’s nod to impose a term limit on the country’s prime minister tenure, in a move seen as an attempt to regain the support of his core voter base ahead of the national polls in two years. Anwar’s ruling Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition has been battered politically since he took power in 2022, as supporters censured his administration for failing to live up to its reform pledges by accommodating corruption-tainted former... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338795/anwar-limit-malaysia-pm-term-reform-push-re-energise-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3338795/anwar-limit-malaysia-pm-term-reform-push-re-energise-supporters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:55:39 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Efforts this week by Asean nations to water down Washington’s tariffs through talks with the US’ point man on trade appear to have failed, experts say. Instead, fresh threats were issued of levies unless lopsided trade deals favouring America can be quickly reached. During a two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur that began on Wednesday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made it clear that Washington would not budge on its goal of reclaiming control of key industries – including semiconductors,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326959/asean-hopes-sway-us-trade-tariffs-its-not-looking-promising?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3326959/asean-hopes-sway-us-trade-tariffs-its-not-looking-promising?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 07:07:56 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan For half a century, Malaysia’s economy has been buoyed by oil and gas, the vast reserves off its shores enabling it to ride out global downturns and sustain growth. Today, these resources are throwing the nation a lifeline once more as global economic waters become ever choppier. But smooth sailing ahead is far from guaranteed. An estimated 3.6 billion barrels of oil and more than 40 trillion cubic feet of natural gas lie under the contested waters of the South China Sea – a maritime expanse... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322859/malaysias-energy-future-adrift-south-china-sea-can-it-defend-its-oil-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3322859/malaysias-energy-future-adrift-south-china-sea-can-it-defend-its-oil-wealth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi As the gavel passes to Malaysia’s new chief justice, old questions echo through Putrajaya. Can a judiciary led by a former Umno party insider truly deliver impartial justice, or will the shadows of political allegiance darken the bench? Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh, previously a Court of Appeal judge and once deputy home minister under prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is set to assume the judiciary’s highest seat on Monday. But his past life as an Umno politician, and personal associations... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319633/anwars-chief-justice-pick-tests-malaysias-faith-courts-why-one-exposed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3319633/anwars-chief-justice-pick-tests-malaysias-faith-courts-why-one-exposed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 04:00:07 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Joseph Sipalan,Hadi Azmi Southeast Asian nations are scrambling to recalibrate their approach to US tariffs ahead of a key diplomatic gathering that starts in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, as Washington’s preference for one-on-one trade deals casts doubt over Asean’s collective bargaining power. US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced a delay to the next round of his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs – pushing the deadline from July 9 to August 1 – to give time for finalising deals with 18 major trade partners,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317221/trumps-vietnam-tariff-pact-challenges-asean-unity-foreign-ministers-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3317221/trumps-vietnam-tariff-pact-challenges-asean-unity-foreign-ministers-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 08:02:30 +0000