THE POLITICS THAT MATTER TO BUSINESS

Investors need confidence that political disorder is giving way to enforceable rules

Working with the Riau Islands and mainland in Sumatra could be a vital test bed for cooperation

The polls will ask: Can PH and BN remain partners in Putrajaya while competing at state level?

CONFLICTS in Europe and the Middle East show no sign of relenting. Escalation is, instead, an increasing risk, especially in the Middle East with Israel assassinating key Hamas and Hizbollah leaders, and both sides rejecting calls for a ceasefire. Elsewhere, in countries including Britain, violent protests erupted along racial and religious lines.

“SO FAR not bad” might sum up the first half of 2024 for major economies in Asean. Growth has not been strong and effects from the pandemic linger, but the region outperforms global norms. Some sectors even benefit as investors seek alternatives to China; and Asean enjoys a silver lining in the global storm while Europe and the Middle East suffer wars.

As different countries go to the polls this year, businesses and investors wait to see if the election results will lead to policy shifts

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has just declared an end to the Covid-19 emergency after three years and 20 million deaths. Even before this, most countries have eased restrictions and international travel has resumed. The region’s largest economies, China and Japan, changed their cautious Covid-19 policies by end-2022. Moving on from the pandemic is a priority.