Asian Insider

But Malaysians’ love affair with the fruit persists.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

Talk about what’s new with Johor nowadays and one usually ends up with a five-letter acronym - JSSEZ, or the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. 

But all the excitement about rising opportunities has also hastened the demise of what traditionally has juiced up Johor’s economy - pineapple farms. Land packed with the hardy, spiky fruits is making way for more profitable oil palm plantations, data centres as well as other commercial and industrial activities.

Malaysia is not giving up on pineapples though, as it's the No 2 export fruit after the mighty durian. Sarawak has earmarked 20,000 hectares just for growing the fruit. 

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks with Malaysia correspondent Lu Wei Hoong about his love affair with pineapples and why it means so much to Malaysians.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:56 A special fruit to Malaysians

5:00 The closure of Lee’s Pineapple Juice

7:03 The rise of data centres

12:42 From Johor to Singapore: The pineapple connection

Read Lu Wei Hoong’s article here: https://str.sg/zby2 

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x 

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters 

Host: Li Xueying ([email protected]) 

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

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Why our expert guest speaker draws parallels with the chaotic Cultural Revolution in China in 1966.

Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode - recorded on March 4 - Ravi speaks with Wang Xiangwei, the eminent Hongkong-based China scholar and former editor-in-chief of South China Morning Post. Mr Wang, who currently teaches at Hongkong Baptist University, offers a Chinese perspective on the vast changes being brought to the United States by President Donald Trump. 

He draws parallels with the chaotic Cultural Revolution ordered by foundational Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1966, and discusses what strategic openings this could present China. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:30 Comparisons with Mao’s chaotic Cultural Revolution

5:30 ‘The enemies are within’

9:00 Trump popular despite chaos unleashed

14:40 China too needs to drain the bureaucratic swamp

17:50 China gains as Trump undoes Biden policies

20:30 Putin won’t burn China bridges to please Trump

22:40 US-China confrontation will continue until there’s a winner

Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected])

Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Feedback to: [email protected]

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

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The relationship may not necessarily be purely competitive only.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus.

For February, host and deputy foreign editor Albert Wai and assistant foreign editor Chang May Choon connect with colleagues - Magdalene Fung based in Hong Kong, and Joyce Lim in Shenzhen.

They wonder if Shenzhen has indeed eclipsed Hong Kong today, and look at how the two cities’ roles have evolved in recent years.

Once a rural backwater that looked up to its richer, savvier neighbour across the border, Shenzhen underwent rapid development in the past four decades and flipped the power dynamics.

But within the Greater Bay Area (GBA), the reality is that both cities will need each other in order to have sustainable growth going forward.

The GBA refers to the region comprising the semi-autonomous cities of Hong Kong and Macau, and nine cities in Guangdong, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:50 Past history: When Hong Kong was less developed and Shenzhen was just a village

3:40 Light show comparisons: The Shenzhen light show, launched in 2018, and Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights - a tourist staple since 2004

5:35 Does Shenzhen represent the future, in terms of the tech edge? 

8:35 Hong Kong is still the big brother that is the largest source of investment for Shenzhen

11:35 Why would one cross the border, to visit either city?

13:42 Understanding the Greater Bay Area concept

Read more: https://str.sg/9Snd

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters 

Hosts: Albert Wai ([email protected]) & Chang May Choon ([email protected]) 

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Feedback to: [email protected] 

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All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

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Making sense of the domestic and foreign policy agenda of Trump 2.0 – and the implications of a new world order for Asia.

Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US bureau chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points.

In this episode, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Lin Suling, US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar and assistant foreign editor Clement Tan discuss the first month of Donald Trump's second term, focusing on his foreign policy in Europe, in the aftermath of the Munich Security Conference and the implications of the muscular reshaping of the US federal government, led by Elon Musk.  

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:36 Trump's foreign policy and European relations

6:37 Domestic policy and government efficiency

16:23 Media relations and the Trump administration

28:50 Looking ahead: coverage and insights from Texas

Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo 

Read Lin Suling’s articles: https://str.sg/nnEQ 

Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/t2RX 

Read Clement Tan's articles: https://str.sg/Ep62 

Follow Clement Tan on X: https://str.sg/uErS 

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Host: Lin Suling ([email protected])

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: [email protected]

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

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Find out too, why the Rodrigo Duterte outreach to China failed.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode, Ravi speaks with Don McLain Gill, a Manila-based geopolitical analyst, and lecturer at the international studies department at De LaSalle University. Dr McGill presents a primer on Filipino-China ties, the implacable nature of China’s approach to the South China Sea, why the Rodrigo Duterte outreach to China failed, and also responds to the question: Did Manila overplay its hand?

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:40 State of play in Filipino-China ties

5:30 Marcos started out wanting to improve relations

11:20 ‘Appeasement emboldened China’

16:00 Did America prod Manila to be tough?

22:00 Trump will not undermine Philippine interests

Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected])

Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Feedback to: [email protected]

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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The choice of decor by a Tamil Nadu resident whose father was a bus conductor in Singapore speaks of the ties between both cities.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

Trichy in southern India has no direct flights to the capital city New Delhi, but it has five daily flights to Singapore. The planes are packed, underscoring the rich flows of people both ways.

It is a relationship that stretched back to the early 19th century, when migrants from Tamil Nadu settled down in Singapore. Today, there are some 200,000 Singaporeans of Tamil origins.

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks to India Correspondent Debarshi Dasgupta about those from Trichy who continue to make their way to Singapore - and other destinations - in search of opportunities.

Highlights (click/tap above):

00:55 Looking out from India 

03:48 Bungalows, cars and lavish weddings

08:56 Reverse migration

13:50 The Singapore Dream

15:25 The global competition for Indian talent

17:00 New frontiers

Read Debarshi’s article here: https://str.sg/eoRm   

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR 

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x 

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters 

Host: Li Xueying ([email protected]) 

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Feedback to: [email protected] 

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7   

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

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Insights on Asean's beachside pow wow, the Johor-Spore economic zone and ex-PM Najib's house arrest bid.

Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest political and trending talking points, alternating between its Malaysia and China bureaus.

For January, hosts Lim Ai Leen and Tan Tam Mei kick off with ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh, based in Kuala Lumpur.

There are high expectations for Malaysia as it assumes the Asean chairmanship in 2025. But there are hard questions too. How will it navigate economic turbulence? And tackle Asean’s tricky issues from disputes in the South China Sea to unrest in Myanmar?

Meanwhile, excitement over the freshly-signed agreement on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone continues to buzz among business folk on both sides of the Causeway. But what will make it work? 

Teoh also lists the JSSEZ’s ingredients for success, and suggests a snappier acronym for it. He also tells us what’s in store if ex-PM Najib Razak wins his fight to serve the rest of his jail sentence under house arrest.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:21 Takeaways from the Asean foreign minister’s meeting, the first major gathering of 2025 

7:00 A possible appearance by China’s Xi Jinping at this year’s Asean summit?

8:42 A catchier name for the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone

11:52 Solving the pain points of doing business between Johor and Singapore

22:00 Made in Singapore or made in Johor? 

25:08 What happens if former PM Najib gets his request for house arrest? 

30:38 Why Najib continues to fight for house arrest 

32:45 Fit for duty: Malaysia’s policemen must get in shape to get promoted

Read more:

https://str.sg/EQBu 

https://str.sg/nkbG

https://str.sg/i7Se   

Read Lim Ai Leen’s articles: https://str.sg/MKsE 

Read Tan Tam Mei’s articles: https://str.sg/iJxJ 

Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK 

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters 

Hosts: Lim Ai Leen ([email protected]) & Tan Tam Mei ([email protected])  

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  

Feedback to: [email protected] 

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Making sense of the blitz of executive orders, announcements and rhetoric from the new US President - and what Asia should take away.

Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US bureau chief based in the United States to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points.

In this episode, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Lin Suling and US bureau chief Bhagyashree Garekar discuss the big announcements, power moves and ambiguous comments from the 47th US President - pulling the brake on the TikTok ban, the threat of tariffs and the outlook for trading partners among other pressing issues.

Which will be policy and which are simply rhetorical opening positions? How soon could Asian countries be caught in the cross-hairs?

And what’s behind Donald Trump's pronouncement of wanting to visit China in his first 100 days?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:50 What the moves say about Mr Trump’s communication style and policymaking preferences

5:00 Is there disagreement within the Trump administration?

8:30 What does Trump want from Asia?

11:23 The Marco Rubio factor in US foreign policy

15:20 What’s behind Trump’s desire to visit China in the first 100 days?

16:30 On TikTok: Will Trump make a deal with China?

18:30 What the change in US policy on TikTok says about its view of China

23:28 What’s behind Trump’s blistering start - why the hurry?

Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo 

Read Lin Suling’s articles: https://str.sg/nnEQ 

Follow Lin Suling on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/t2RX 

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Host: Lin Suling ([email protected])

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: [email protected] 

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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The Great Wall of China was built for protection, but now it's in need of guardians to preserve the 2,000-year-old structure.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in.

When a part of the Great Wall section in Liaoning started to crumble in 2016, authorities paved it over with cement to keep it safe, sparking outrage. Other sections had been transformed into tourist attractions complete with cable cars. 

But China’s approach towards restoration has since been marked by a saying - “to go along with the layers, the slopes, the curves, the old and the dilapidated” - one tended to carefully by local villagers-turned-craftsmen.

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying speaks with China bureau chief Tan Dawn Wei about how China’s attitudes towards historical heritage restoration have shifted, and why.   

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:45 Three men, one mission

2:58 Thinking about heritage preservation

8:08 What the Great Wall means to younger Chinese

10:16 A China correspondent’s Great Wall climbs 

Read Dawn’s article here: https://str.sg/FofV

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters 

Host: Li Xueying ([email protected])

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Feedback to: [email protected]

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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We look at what is happening on the ground with a Myanmar watcher.

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests.

In this episode, Ravi speaks with Pichai Chuensuksawadi, former group editor of Bangkok Post and observer of Myanmar affairs. 

They discuss the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, the role of outside players in the conflict, prospects of the junta holding elections and the fate of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:50 Myanmar military won’t fall in 2025

5:00 Chinese pressure on Rakhine

9:00 Elections on the junta’s mind

11:00 Thai diplomacy

15:00 Where’s Aung San Suu Kyi?

Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected])

Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Executive producer: Ernest Luis

Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX 

Feedback to: [email protected]

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 

ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts 

ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa 

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Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB 

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX 

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#STAsianInsider

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.