Malaysia's voice on the news, politics and issues that matter.
Southeast Asian nations tackle diverse challenges this week: Indonesia restores Papua transport links after militant attack, Laos and Thailand boost river patrols against drug smuggling, while Vietnam reports surging smartphone adoption over 80 percent.
Across Southeast Asia, major policy shifts are underway: Indonesia consolidates state enterprises while protecting workers, Myanmar recovers from earthquake damage, the Philippines celebrates declining insurgency, and Vietnam implements new real estate transparency measures.
An economist has identified regulatory barriers and community resistance as key obstacles to formalising refugee employment in Malaysia, pointing to the collapse of an earlier initiative.