In 2018, Malaysia had its first change of government since independence from the British over six decades ago. Malaysians had high hopes for the newly elected government; expecting radical changes and improvements in governance. However, there has been a sense of disappointment and growing frustration as the new government there continues to show no real progress since coming into power.

In November 2018, Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's running mate Ma'ruf Amin - who is also the chief of the country's top Islamic clerical body, the Indonesian Council of Ulama (MUI) - revealed plans to make halal (permissible or lawful in traditional Islamic law) certification mandatory by this year.

Indonesia is one of the region’s best success stories. Despite having faced economic turmoil during the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 under the authoritarian Suharto regime, Indonesia is today one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

As we usher in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0 - like most other aspects of life - sports too has evolved with the times.

The launching of Brunei’s biggest commercial paddy field later this year combined with higher yielding varieties of paddy are expected to help the country meet its rice self-sufficiency target in 2020.The sultanate is embarking on a concerted effort to reach its rice self-sufficiency target of 11 percent by 2020 and wean itself off imports from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam – which make up around 30,000 tonnes annually. Once a thriving industry, Brunei’s rice farmers only produced 1

Ever since Grab bought over Uber’s Southeast Asia-based business last March, social media has been abuzz with complaints against the ride-hailing giant. Complaints about Grab are mostly related to sudden hikes in fare prices after a deal which saw US-based Uber Technologies sell its Southeast Asia business for a 27.5 percent stake in Grab.

Fuel subsidies have always played a significant role in Southeast Asia – most notably in oil producing states such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. While Southeast Asia’s economy may be expanding rapidly, most of the countries there have yet to reach the level of a high-income nation.

Vietnam’s strong economic growth in recent years has led to the flourishing of the nation’s digital economy. The country’s economy in 2017 was deemed to be one of the best performing in the region.

When talking about gambling in Asia, the first place that usually springs to mind is Macau – also dubbed the Monte Carlo of the Orient – and it is with good reason. Often regarded as the gambling capital of the world, taxes from its casinos make up over 80 percent of the government’s revenue.

Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) is slated to become an arterial node for trade, investment, and regional transportation, besides also serving as a strategic gateway to the Southeast Asian region.