Dialogues at Fulcrum

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun unpacks Malaysia’s previous general election – and the next one – with four contributors of the just-published book Malaysia’s 2022 General Election: Crafting Power in a Crowded Arena: Howard Lee, Nuurrianti Jalli, Shahril Hamdan, and Danesh Chacko.

2:55 – Big tent coalitional politics in Malaysia

11:56 – Effects of social media and TikTok on electoral health

18:19 – Candidate vs party factor

26:20 – Pragmatic and tactical voting

36:20 – Leadership qualities and Malay voters

41:58 – Simulation of GE16 minority turnout and vote swing scenarios

47:11 – DAP outlook in strongholds and DAP-PH relations

54:55 – Artificial Intelligence and the next election

1:01:10 Audience Q&A 1 – Key factors in next election, voter fatigue and disaffection, effect of splinter parties – on federal and Perak politics, Undi-18 consequences

1:21:45 Audience Q&A 2 – Influence of monarchy, economic indicators, disillusioned youth, long-term trends

1:38:55 Closing round – When will GE16 happen and what will it feature?

Get your copy of Malaysia’s 2022 General Election: Crafting Power in a Crowded Arena and The Defeat of Barisan Nasional: Missed Signs or Late Surge?

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor William Choong talks to Piper Campbell and Joanne Lin about Southeast Asia operating amid rivalry between China and the US. Ambassador Campbell is the Inaugural Chair of the Department of Foreign Policy and Global Security, American University. She has taught at the university since January 2020. This followed a distinguished, 30-year diplomatic career. Joanne Lin is the coordinator of the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS.

2:45 – How did speakers’ “love affair” with Southeast Asia start?

11:11 – The importance of Southeast Asia

17:56 – The contradiction between Southeast Asia’s importance and the US’ falling currency in the region

25:30 – Are Southeast Asians more inclined towards China?

33:20 – Trump’s concept of a Group of 2 (G2): where is this headed?

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor William Choong talks to Kei Koga about Japan’s grand strategy and approach to the Indo-Pacific amid challenges to the global rules-based order. Prof Koga is Associate Professor and Head of Division at the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

4:20 – Japan’s grand strategy towards the Indo-Pacific?

10:30 – How the disruption to the rule-based order is affecting Japan and Southeast Asia

15:20 – Adapting to a “world minus one” system

19:30 - The future trajectory of the US-Japan alliance

27:00 – PM Takaichi’s polite “no” to Trump on the Gulf

30:30 – Japan and the future of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (is it dead?)

36:45 – Systemic factors behind ructions in Sino-Japanese relations

43:40 – The issue of history in Sino-Japanese relations

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor William Choong talks to Mathis Lohatepanont about the implications of the recent elections in Thailand. Mr Lohatepanont, a frequent contributor to Fulcrum, is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Political Science, University of Michigan.

2:10 – A decisive outcome in the recent Thai elections

5:08 – Will reported procedural irregularities undermine the election results?

8:46 – The key factors behind Bhumjaithai’s rise to prominence

14:30 – Bhumjaithai’s adoption of the populist “half-half” policy

17:05  – The future of the People’s Party

23:27 – Has the Pheu Thai Party reached the end of the road?

27:57 – The Democrat Party and its pullback from extinction

34:20 – Will Thailand remain stuck at the conservative end of the political spectrum?

37:21 – The question of political reforms under a conservative government

40:05 – Thailand’s approach towards the dispute with Cambodia, and the popular mood towards the war in Iran

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok-Aun speaks with Stephen Olson, Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, on the implications of the US Supreme Court declaring Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs illegal.

2:35 – The crux, surprising and expected elements of the Supreme Court

5:47 – Section 122 tariffs (15% for 150 days) – what should Southeast Asian countries do?

12:39 – Section 232 tariffs (based on “national interest”) – outlook and implications

19:28 – Section 301 tariffs (based on “unfair trade practices”) – outlook and implications

23:00 – Premises and outcomes of US trade policy: shifts since Liberation Day

28:31 – Domestic constraints on Trump’s foreign policy

33:09 – Will the tariff’s effects start to bite in 2026, and what are the political ramifications?

35:56 – Financial markets – impact on Trump’s policy and disconnect from real economy?

38:30 – New global order / Carney’s speech

41:47 – What should ASEAN do?

43:22 – China-US rivalry and upcoming Trump-Xi summit

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor and Coordinator, Indonesia Studies Programme, Julia Lau speaks to Dr Ian Wilson about power, politics, and popular culture, including the phenomenon of 'preman' in today's Indonesia.

1:35 – Unpacking the causes of the violent protests in Indonesia in August 2025

9:00 – Prevalence of Preman ('Gangster') politics in Indonesia today

17:56 – Contrasting contemporary Indonesian politics with New Order politics

27:50 – Popular culture ('One Piece') and the evolution of protests and resistance in Indonesia's networked society

33:18 – The trajectory of Indonesian democracy

38:40 – Implications of inadequate efforts to address urban poverty in Indonesia

46:20 – Ian Wilson’s academic journey and tips for aspiring young scholars

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Dr William Choong speaks to Dr Napon Jatusripitak, Acting Coordinator of the Thailand Studies Programme at ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute, about the recent political shifts in Thai domestic politics. They examine the rise of Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJP), the BJP’s awkward partnership with the People’s Party (PP), and competition between the country’s political left and right.

1:19 – The rise of Thailand’s new Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and the legacy of the Bhumjaithai party (BJP)

7:10 – The breakup of the coalition led by the Pheu Thai (PT) party

11:40 – The BJP and People’s Party (PP): “strange bedfellows”

21:30 – Weighing the upcoming general elections

24:30 – Ruing the future of PT

29:50 – Contradictions between Thailand’s political left and right

33:30 – Political disillusionment of Thailand’s youth voters

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun speaks with Stephen Olson,Visiting Senior Fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, on making sense of the Trump tariffs and thinking through the unpredictabilities. 

2:38 – How Trump 2.0 differs from Trump 1.0 and Biden

10:07 – How to understand the “deals”

16:00 – Threat of semiconductor tariffs and forced semiconductor investment in the US

19:47 – The transshipment problem

23:34 – Southeast Asia’s tariff rates

25:59 – Negotiating with the Trump administration; outlookfor Myanmar and Laos

29:28 – Implications on trade and export-led development

32:30 – US domestic politics and law as possible moderatingforces

35:40 – US-China rivalry and role of China in the worldeconomy

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Julia Lau talks to Dr Yanuar Nugroho about the progress of and myriad challenges facing Indonesia's new capital city, Nusantara.

1:10 – Overview of Nusantara’s status as a national project under the Prabowo Subianto administration

6:55 – Challenges facing Nusantara’s development and “success indicators” to look out for

9:10 – Foreign investments…

10:20 – Feedback and experiences of civil servants who have moved to Nusantara

13:35 – Governance of Nusantara and technical versus political aspects of development

19:50 – Environmental degradation, land and indigenous rights, and other concerns in Nusantara

25:16 – Strategic recommendations for Nusantara’s progress and development

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute. 

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun and Malaysia Studies Programme Coordinator Francis Hutchinson speak with Liew Chin Tong, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry. Their conversation spans Malaysia’s challenges in engineering a second industrial take-off, implementing reforms, and navigating global uncertainties.

1:18 – Malaysia and Singapore at this historical juncture

3:31 – Scepticism and optimism in politics; Malaysia’s second take-off

9:28 – Malaysia’s potential second take-off compared to the first (late 1980s-1997)

13:28 – Maintaining neutrality and multilateralism in the current global milieu

22:22 – Rafizi Ramli’s resignation as Minister of Economy

23:43 – Policies in the second half of the Madani government’s five-year term

29:20 – Reformasi generation perspective on the state of reforms

36:15 – Top priority institutional reform

41:41 – Relations within the Unity Government coalition

46:33 – Perikatan Nasional’s cohesion and electoral competitiveness

50:57 – When will state elections and 16th General Election happen?

Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.