Opinion

A STRONGER ASEAN seems front-of-mind for Malaysia’s new Prime Minister, who has perhaps two years to make his mark on history . . .

HONG KONG – In a comment on Mahathir’s victory in Malaysia’s election, Alicia Garcia Herrero, Chief Economist Asia-Pacific for the French banking group, Natixis, says the win has been read with suspicion by many analysts. “My take on it is positive,” she says.

“First of all, the Opposition’s victory confirms the importance that Malaysians attach to the future of their country and their own welfare, despite the heavy weight of history, which would have called for political continuity.

“Second, the election results should not be seen as a one-off event soon to be diluted by the populist announcements made by Mahathir during his campaign, especially as concerns the scrapping of the low –but still annoying - GST tax introduced by Prime Minister Najib.

“To me, this reading of Malaysia’s electoral results is somewhat short-sighted. When citizens ask for a change, they mean it, and Mahathir, especially given his age, will not want to pass to history without, at least, trying to deliver it (after several failed attempts in the past).

TAIWAN’s universal health system offers a model for the world, but Taiwan continues to be denied even observer status to the World Health Assembly, where it could help to realise the World Health Organisation’s vision of a seamless global disease prevention network . . .

KIM JONG-UN may now be ruing the ‘success’ of his propaganda department in depicting the destruction of Washington DC. There are real risks for both sides in the pending Summit . . .

THE TPP has morphed into the CPTPP. China is trying to get a deal done on its RCEP. India is holding out on trade issues dear to its heart. And any real benefits could be 10 years coming . . .

TAIPEI — Both the New Taipei City Government and the Taipei City Government have announced plans to open liaison offices in China to assist Taiwanese citizens and promote business ties.
In the current context, such plans hold many pitfalls, and could play into Beijing’s efforts to bypass and discredit central Government institutions in Taiwan.
Announcements by New Taipei City Mayor, Eric Chu, of the Kuomintang (KMT) and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je, an independent, prompted a response from Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) emphasising that decisions on initiatives pertaining to cross-Strait relations are the remit of the Central Government.
 

OUR Mumbai correspondent, has chronicled the successes and the failures of every Indian Prime Minister, including Nehru. Watching Modi’s determination to bring 100 million Indian households out of poverty by 2022, he sees India emerging as a future superpower . . . 

ASIA is on a high. But will tomorrow’s industries create enough jobs – or the taxes needed to support an ageing population? And will political risk impact investment?

CHINA needs to cast aside the historical baggage of a nation subjugated by foreign powers and left with an innate sense of needing to protect itself . . .

China’s 19th Party Congress has concluded with Xi Jinping cementing his role as China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. There is no need to restate how powerful Xi is; he is only the third leader to have his name included in the Constitution and the first living leader to be included since Mao Zedong.

While this was broadly anticipated, it is no less significant.