Malaysia’s Cargo Ban and the True Measure of Global Leadership

Malaysia’s Cargo Ban and the True Measure of Global Leadership

    Tuesday, September 15, 2026   No comments

 Principles Over Posturing

In an era where global supply chains are frequently weaponized and diplomatic alliances are dictated by profit margins, the true measure of a national leader is often found not in their economic opportunism, but in their moral clarity. This week, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim provided a masterclass in the latter. Announcing a strict directive that Malaysia will not allow its territory to be used as a transit point for shipments supporting Israel’s military capabilities, Anwar has drawn a stark line in the sand. It is a move that underscores a vital geopolitical reality: history’s most enduring leaders distinguish themselves by adhering to universal principles, rather than hiding behind the cynical veil of short-term "national interest."

The Prime Minister’s declaration follows reports that Malaysian authorities intercepted and seized several Israel-bound shipments at one of the country’s largest maritime ports. Under Anwar’s new mandate, any suspicious cargo transiting through Malaysian waters will face rigorous inspection and investigation. Where violations of Malaysian law and international norms are found, the Prime Minister has promised "decisive action."

As Anwar Ibrahim recently articulated, Malaysia will remain non-aligned in global power struggles, but it will "never be neutral on Palestine sovereignty or Islamophobia." The latest port seizures and the subsequent tightening of maritime transit laws are the tangible manifestations of this doctrine. Malaysia is actively refusing to allow its logistical infrastructure to become complicit in what the Asian News Network reported Anwar calling "Israeli atrocities."

To understand the weight of this decision, one must contrast it with the standard operating procedure of modern statecraft. Too often, the term "national interest" is deployed by political leaders as convenient code for short-term economic and political gains. In the context of global shipping, turning a blind eye to military cargo transiting through a nation's ports generates lucrative transit fees, bolsters port authority statistics, and maintains frictionless trade relations with powerful Western allies.

A leader driven solely by this narrow definition of "national interest" would quietly allow the cargo to pass, rationalizing that the geopolitical friction is not worth the economic cost. But principled leadership requires looking past the immediate ledger. By prioritizing universal principles—namely, adherence to international humanitarian law, the sovereignty of oppressed nations, and the basic preservation of human life—Anwar Ibrahim is demonstrating that true sovereignty means having the power to say "no" to the global military-industrial complex, regardless of the immediate financial sacrifice.

However, Malaysia’s unapologetic stance also casts an uncomfortable spotlight on its traditional allies, particularly the Gulf states. Historically, nations across the Arabian Peninsula have positioned themselves as staunch defenders of the Palestinian cause, wielding their economic and diplomatic weight in support of Arab and Islamic solidarity.

However, in recent years, the foreign policy of several Gulf states has increasingly drifted toward pragmatism, prioritizing economic diversification, tech transfers, and security pacts over universal human rights. They frequently engage in political posturing—issuing strong diplomatic condemnations of violence while simultaneously maintaining quiet, lucrative backchannels and trade routes that indirectly sustain the status quo.

Herein lies the risk: Malaysia may soon find itself losing the support of Gulf state allies who shy away from taking similar principle-driven positions. A coalition built merely on rhetorical solidarity is fragile. If Gulf nations continue to retreat into "national interest" and diplomatic posturing while Malaysia takes concrete, disruptive actions to choke off military supply lines, a profound ideological rift will emerge. Gulf states risk losing their moral authority and their credibility as genuine supporters of the Global South, reducing their solidarity to mere lip service. When push comes to shove, nations that refuse to weaponize their own economic logistics for the sake of human rights will inevitably find themselves isolated by those who are willing to do so.

Ultimately, the seizure of military cargo at Malaysian ports is more than a logistical hurdle for arms suppliers; it is a philosophical challenge to the international community. It asks every head of state whether their governance is defined by the transient pursuit of political survival and quarterly economic gains, or by the enduring pursuit of justice.

Leaders who govern by universal principles accept that their nations may face short-term diplomatic or economic pushback. But they also understand that moral consistency builds a different, more resilient kind of capital: the unshakeable trust of the global populace and a legacy that outlasts election cycles. By shutting its ports to military aid destined for conflict zones, Malaysia has proven that while "national interest" may balance a budget, it is universal principle that secures a nation's soul.

UAE Bet on the Wrong Horse and Paved the Way for Asian Hegemony

UAE Bet on the Wrong Horse and Paved the Way for Asian Hegemony

    Friday, September 11, 2026   No comments

For decades, the United Arab Emirates was heralded as the definitive economic miracle of the twenty-first century. Rising from the desert sands, it transformed itself into a hyper-modern global crossroads, a neutral financial sanctuary, and the undisputed logistics capital connecting East and West. It was a glittering oasis built on a seductive promise to global venture capital: zero taxes, top-tier infrastructure, and absolute safety, regardless of the chaos churning elsewhere in the Middle East.

But the oasis was built on a sandhill.

The UAE’s economic architecture required two fundamental conditions to survive: permanent maritime peace and unshakeable regional security. Today, following a series of fatal strategic miscalculations, the UAE finds itself trapped in an environment that completely lacks both. By abandoning its historic policy of diplomatic hedging and choosing a side in a volatile regional landscape, Abu Dhabi has exposed the severe structural vulnerabilities of its transient, import-dependent model.

As the security architecture of the Gulf fractures, a massive global correction is underway. The decline of the UAE’s hub-and-spoke economy is paving the way for a major geopolitical shift—one that is dramatically strengthening India, Pakistan, and China, while permanently limiting the influence of the Gulf states.

The Fragile Foundation: Oil, Money, and the Migrant Majority

To understand the severity of the UAE’s current dilemma, one must look beneath the gleaming skyscrapers. The Emirati economic model is fundamentally unnatural. Emirati citizens make up only about 10% to 12% of the total population. The remaining 88% to 90% are foreign expatriates and migrant workers, predominantly from South Asia.

While the country’s legal, security, and immigration structures are specifically built to prevent any scenario of migrant civil disobedience or "takeover," this demographic reality dictates a ruthless economic imperative: the state must keep the economy booming to maintain its social contract.

Economically, the UAE has aggressively diversified. While oil and gas directly account for about 20.6% of GDP (down from a historical 30%), the non-oil sector has surged to 79.4%. However, this diversification is highly regionalized. Abu Dhabi controls roughly 94% of the country’s oil reserves, while Dubai is over 95% non-oil-based, relying on tourism, real estate, aviation, and financial services. Crucially, hydrocarbon revenues still generate roughly 60% of total fiscal revenues, which are then funneled into massive sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) managing over $2.4 trillion in assets.

To future-proof this model, the government has heavily subsidized the "New Economy," targeting AED 450 billion in tourism under the We the UAE 2031 vision, expanding aviation logistics, and positioning the nation as a global AI and tech epicenter.

But all of this high-tech, high-finance diversification relies on one physical reality: the uninterrupted movement of goods. And that is where the cartographic reality of the Gulf has finally caught up with the UAE.

The Fatal Gamble: Abandoning Neutrality for Distant Friends

The UAE’s primary trade gateway, Jebel Ali Port, sits deep inside the Persian Gulf, entirely dependent on the Strait of Hormuz. When the 2026 U.S.-Israel war on Iran erupted, the UAE shattered its traditional "hedging" foreign policy. By opening its airspace and allowing its military facilities to be used for strikes against Iran, Abu Dhabi became the only Arab state to act as an active co-belligerent.

The retaliation was swift and structurally devastating. The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, driven by extreme war-risk insurance pricing, caused container throughput at Jebel Ali to plummet by over 90%. The UAE’s Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) dropped sharply from a booming 60.2 down to 48.8, directly severing supply chains.

Desperate to stop its economy from being held hostage, the UAE executed an emergency backup plan, but it quickly proved to be an illusion.

The Bypass Ports are in the Line of Fire: The UAE attempted to shift trade to its eastern coast port of Fujairah, which sits outside the Strait of Hormuz. However, Fujairah remains comfortably within the reach of Iranian missile and drone technology. Iran demonstrated this by launching devastating strikes directly at the Fujairah and Mussafah oil hubs, and even knocking out AWS data centers in Dubai, freezing banking applications and payment platforms. Moving cargo from Fujairah inland also requires traversing the rugged Hajar Mountains, creating natural bottlenecks and skyrocketing costs.

The Saudi Trap: With the seas compromised, the UAE’s only lifeline is overland transport through Saudi Arabia (KSA). While emergency routes like the Sharjah-Dammam Trade Bridge have been launched, routing millions of tons of cargo overland is astronomically expensive. More importantly, it gives Riyadh total leverage over Abu Dhabi. Historically fierce economic rivals, the two nations are now locked in a "Gulf Economic War." Saudi Arabia is actively executing a strategy to replace the UAE as the region's primary hub, utilizing its massive land advantage and "Project HQ" mandates to force multinational corporations to move their regional headquarters to Riyadh.

The Security Trap: To survive the drone strikes, the UAE was forced to accept advanced Israeli air defense assets, including the Iron Dome, deployed secretly on its soil. Abu Dhabi is now entirely trapped in its alliance with Israel. It cannot "make nice" with Iran without abandoning the very missile shields keeping its cities structurally intact for now.

The Great Bypass: How the East is Re-Routing Global Trade

While the UAE spends billions duplicating pipeline networks and building mountain-bypassing railways just to keep a fraction of its economy moving, the world’s rising economic giants are simply building paths around the Gulf.

For years, the UAE banked on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) to cement its status as the permanent middleman of global commerce. The persistent state of war in the Gulf has effectively killed that dream. In its place, the geopolitical axes of India, Russia, and Iran have converged on an alternative that completely cuts the Gulf states out of the equation: the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

The new route is elegantly simple and geographically secure:

[Russia / Central Asia] ──> [INSTC Land & Rail] ──> [Iranian Ports (Chabahar)] ──> [Direct Ocean Routes] ──> [India & China]

By routing goods directly from Russia, through Iran’s Caspian and Indian Ocean ports, and straight into the Arabian Sea, global trade now bypasses the volatile Western-aligned chokepoints of the Gulf entirely. At recent BRICS meetings, heavyweights like Russia and China increasingly view the UAE's infrastructure not as a neutral global hub, but as a potential Western intelligence and military liability.

The Energy Realignment: Russia’s Role in the Shift

This geographic and logistical bypass is being supercharged by a critical resource: cheap, unlimited Russian energy.

With Western markets restricted, Moscow has redirected its vast oil and gas reserves eastward. By providing heavily discounted, reliable energy directly to India, China, and Pakistan, Russia has removed the single greatest leverage point the Gulf states historically held over the global economy. The Gulf’s historical monopoly on energy security has been broken, insulating the Asian mainland from Middle Eastern supply shocks.

The Winners: India, Pakistan, and China

As the UAE’s hub-and-spoke economy declines, a massive transfer of influence is flowing toward a more resilient Asian mainland.

1. India: The Ultimate Beneficiary Historically, the economic relationship between the UAE and India was a one-way street: India exported cheap labor, and the UAE reaped the corporate rewards. Now, that dynamic has reversed. As the UAE becomes a volatile security liability, global capital is migrating directly to India. Unlike the UAE, India possesses a massive domestic market of over 1.4 billion consumers, broad and unencumbered ocean access, and an unlimited native workforce. Backed by cheap Russian crude to power its industrial base, India no longer needs the UAE to act as its "front office." The UAE’s $2.4 trillion sovereign wealth is now desperately buying up Indian infrastructure and tech ecosystems, binding its financial survival to India's growth.

2. Pakistan: The Strategic Land Bridge As the Gulf destabilizes, Pakistan’s geographic value increases exponentially. Anchored by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the deepwater port of Gwadar, Pakistan provides China with a direct, overland trade route to the Arabian Sea. This infrastructure bypasses both the volatile Persian Gulf and the heavily monitored Malacca Strait, positioning Pakistan as a vital transit hub for an increasingly integrated Asian trade bloc.

3. China: The Insulated Industrial Hegemon For Beijing, a fractured Gulf accelerates its long-term strategy of Eurasian integration. By securing long-term energy deals with Russia and expanding maritime and overland routes through Pakistan and Iran, China has successfully insulated its supply chains from Western-aligned vulnerabilities. The decline of Dubai as a financial middleman simply means more global transactions shift to Shanghai and Hong Kong, utilizing alternative financial networks detached from Western oversight.

The Long-Term Cost of a Historic Blunder

The Gulf states—and the UAE in particular—built an economic empire on the assumption that they could buy security from distant superpowers while ignoring the core interests of their immediate neighbors. They assumed that a glittering skyline and a zero-tax regime would always be enough to hypnotize global markets into forgetting the volatility of the map.

It was a fatal miscalculation. By turning their homeland into a launching pad for external interests, they converted a neutral global hub into a primary military target.

As multi-trillion-dollar sovereign wealth funds scramble to buy up foreign real estate and tech ecosystems to protect their wealth abroad, the empty ports and quiet airports at home tell the real story. The capital has migrated. Armed with abundant Russian energy, vast native populations, and secure geography, the rising giants of Asia are sealing the deal. The era of the Gulf state as the indispensable middleman of global wealth is drawing to a close, proving once and for all that no amount of financial engineering can ever truly conquer geography.

WFP warns war in West Asia pushing millions toward hunger

WFP warns war in West Asia pushing millions toward hunger

    Friday, June 05, 2026   No comments

 The war in West Asia is driving millions of people closer to hunger, as higher fuel and transportation costs push up food prices and funding shortages force humanitarian organizations to reduce aid operations, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

In March, the WFP warned that up to 45 million people could face acute food insecurity if oil prices remained near $100 per barrel through June. The agency said that scenario is now materializing, with benchmark crude prices staying above that threshold since early March.

Families in Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sri Lanka are among the hardest hit, facing increasing pressure from rising fuel costs, surging food prices, declining incomes, and trade disruptions.

The WFP said it anticipates reaching 1.5 million fewer people worldwide in 2026, with that figure potentially rising to 9 million if current conditions continue for another six months.

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially received the credentials of the Taliban ambassador to Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially received the credentials of the Taliban ambassador to Beijing

    Tuesday, January 30, 2024   No comments

The Afghan Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping officially received the credentials of the Taliban ambassador to Beijing. Mawlawi Assadullah, also known as Bilal Karimi, handed over his credentials along with ambassadors from 41 countries to President Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the ministry said in a statement.

President Xi is the first head of state to officially accredit a Taliban ambassador during a special ceremony, and last year, Taliban Prime Minister Hassan Akhund received the newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan.

 

No country in the world has officially recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan yet, but ambassadors appointed by the Taliban are actively working in many Asian capitals.

Taliban Ambassador to Chaina, Bilal Karimi

 

The Taliban movement has been criticized by the international community due to the severe restrictions it imposes on women's rights.

 

A Brussels-based research center said on Tuesday that countries in the region need to deal with Afghanistan regarding security and economic issues and urged Western powers to support such efforts or at least refrain from obstructing them.

 

China has maintained good relations with the Taliban since its return to power in August 2021, and Beijing is considered one of Kabul's largest trading partners.

A fatwa spurred the boycott of Israel's supporters in Indonesia

A fatwa spurred the boycott of Israel's supporters in Indonesia

    Tuesday, December 12, 2023   No comments

Solidarity marches in Indonesia, like other countries of the world, carry many messages that are reflected in the behavior of the solidarity activists, the most prominent of which is the boycott of companies related to Israel, or that have explicitly announced any forms of support or sympathy within Israel.

Over the past two months, the boycott has expanded remarkably in Indonesia, which has the largest Islamic market in the world, and whose population this year is estimated by the Indonesian Statistics Authority to reach 278.8 million people.

The boycott campaigns had not become evident among Indonesians, until the Indonesian Ulema Council last month issued Fatwa No. 83 of 2023, which became the jurisprudential basis for the boycott campaign among the public.

The fatwa - which came in 9 pages - requires that zakat and alms funds be directed to support the struggle of the Palestinian people to gain their independence in the face of Israeli aggression, and prohibits any support for Israel or any party that supports it, even by opinion or influence to buy products that support it, according to the text of the fatwa.

Supporting fatwas were also issued, including those issued by the Issues Research Committee of the Nahdatul Ulama Association in West Java, which saw the boycott as imposing kifaya in solidarity with the people of Gaza, and as weakening the economy of the occupation and those who have a relationship with it.

The Indonesian Ulema Council did not issue any lists of companies to boycott. More than one list of products that were called for to be boycotted was spread by activists and tweeters, and not by any official body or specific institution. The Secretary of the Fatwa Committee of the Indonesian Ulama Council, Miftah al-Huda, said that his council is not authorized to issue such Those lists.

Vice President of the People's Consultative Council, Dr. Hidayat Nur Wahid, supported the fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council, and suggested that legislation be passed to boycott Israeli products, in light of their committing crimes against the Palestinian people, to be a legal basis for the boycott, and to confirm Indonesia's position towards Palestine and the occupation.

Nour Waheed called for the establishment of a body concerned with this matter that would collect information and be an information reference for everything related to the boycott, and who should be boycotted based on the relationship with Israel and its aggression, and the activities of those companies inside the country.

Indonesian-based media outlet Republik reported on Saturday that Indonesian advocates are calling for a boycott of Israeli-linked products due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. 

The call for a boycott was initially launched by human rights groups in both Indonesia and Malaysia and gradually grew to garner support from various political parties, the outlet said.

The list reportedly includes companies such as Coca-Cola, Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, Nestle and IBM. 

"We in the House of Representatives encourage this boycott movement of Israeli products to become the official stance of the Indonesian government to be followed by all businesses and society," a member of the country’s parliament, Amin Ak, told Republika on Wednesday.

Advocates of the boycott are urging individuals to opt for locally-made products over Israeli-linked ones.

"That would be a good moment to strengthen the tightening of the flow of imported goods, especially imports of some products," said a senior official at the Indonesian Industry Ministry, Putu Juli Ardika.

Presidential elections in Singapore.. Tharman is the likely successor to Halima Yaqoub

Presidential elections in Singapore.. Tharman is the likely successor to Halima Yaqoub

    Friday, September 01, 2023   No comments

Since its secession from the Federation of Malaysia in 1965 until today, Singapore has known only 3 prime ministers, while 8 presidents have succeeded in that small country in Southeast Asia, which is described as a "city-state"; With an area of 710 square kilometers, and a population of 5 million people, half of whom are foreigners coming to work, making it the fourth country in the world in terms of population density.

Singapore is a country of many races, ethnicities and religions, 3 quarters of its citizens are of the Chinese race, while the rest of the population belongs to the Malay race or mixed Indian or Eurasian race. As many ethnicities as there are many religions in Singapore as well and include Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity.

All three prime ministers that Singapore has known came from ethnic Chinese - the largest of Singapore's ethnicities - and from one party, the People's Action Party (PAP), which has governed Singapore continuously since 1959.

And while the presidency of the government remained confined to the Chinese ethnicity, the ethnicities of those who assumed the position of head of state, which is an honorary position, varied, as they include, in addition to the Chinese ethnicity, the Malay and Indian ethnicities, and others of mixed ethnicities as well.

The religions of these presidents also varied between Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. The first president of the state was Youssef bin Ishaq, whose image is placed on the country’s banknotes. He is a Malay Muslim who held the position for 3 consecutive terms from the founding of the state until his death in 1970. While it was Executive power is in the hands of Lee Kuan Yew, the founder and builder of Singapore and its first prime minister, who has been in office for 3 continuous decades.

The current president, Halima Yaqoub, 70, is a Muslim of the Malay ethnicity. She took office in 2017 after winning by acclamation, without a competitor, declaring that she was satisfied with one 6-year term that ends on September 17. Then, today, Friday, multi-party elections will be held to choose a successor.

In contrast to the position of prime minister, which the parties compete for in general legislative elections; The position of the president is non-partisan under the constitution, and the parliament remained the one who elects the president, until the constitution was amended in 1991, allowing him to be elected through presidential elections. Today's elections, Friday, are only the third since the constitutional amendment that transformed this position into a position elected by the public and gave the public the right to choose.

What is unique to Singapore in the requirements for a candidate for the presidency is that he has worked either as a senior government employee or CEO of a company whose shareholders have a value of at least 500 million Singapore dollars (370 million US dollars).

Although the role of the president in Singapore is largely ceremonial, there are strict requirements for the position, which formally oversees the country's accumulated financial reserves that can only be relied upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. With the power to veto certain actions and to approve anti-corruption investigations.

Three candidates who meet the conditions are competing in the elections taking place today, namely the Deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is the youngest of the three candidates (65) and the most fortunate, compared to his competitors; They are Ing Kok Song, 75, and Tan Kin Lien, 75.

Economic backgrounds and a major public position appear to be the common denominator among the three contenders, who the election administration announced that they met the strict criteria for competition among the applicants for candidacy.

The announcement of their official acceptance of the candidacy came less than two weeks before the elections were held today, which is a very short period compared to the rest of the world, and was the object of the complaint of the candidate, Tan Kin Lien, who saw it as an insufficient period for the electoral campaign that ended last Wednesday before the election day of silence yesterday, Thursday.

The nominee, Ing Kok Song, is a former chief investment officer at the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund that manages the country's foreign reserves, and spent more than 4 decades working in public service until his retirement in 2013. Ing is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Avanda Management Corporation. Investments worth billions of dollars.

Having spent years working closely with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Eng admitted he might be seen as "part of the establishment". However, he believes that the lack of direct political affiliation makes him an independent candidate. He never joined the Popular Action Party, which has ruled the country since its independence six decades ago. He believes that his long experience in the financial sector puts him in a good position to protect the national reserves.

As for Tan Kin Lien, a former presidential candidate in Singapore, this is his second attempt to win the position. Having come last out of 4 candidates in the 2011 presidential election, he is a former chairman of one of Singapore's leading insurance companies and has the support of several opposition leaders.

Layan presided over the International Federation of Cooperative and Mutual Insurance from 1992 to 1997, and the federation was an international organization that at that time represented 123 insurance groups in 65 countries, and employed 260,000 people. The total assets of the members of this international association amounted to 1.5 trillion US dollars in 1997.

As for the most likely candidate, Deputy Prime Minister and former Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, he is a multi-ethnic Singaporean citizen (Tamil-Indian-Ceylon) who is known as a supporter of the ruling People's Action Party, but he submitted his resignation before his candidacy. He is widely seen as having the support of the government, and has been questioned about his independence during the election campaign.

Before resigning his government positions to contest this election, Tharman spent more than two decades in office with the People's Action Party, rising to the position of Deputy Prime Minister.

He was first elected to Parliament in 2001 and was Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the Coordinating Minister for Social Policy, and provided economic advice to Prime Minister Lee.

He said that if given the opportunity to lead, he would be "total and impartial in the discharge of the constitutional duties of office in respect of the prudent use of the country's reserves".

While his rivals seemed preoccupied with their party independence, Tharman urged voters to judge candidates on their record, rather than their past affiliations.

"If I am lucky enough to be elected president, I will represent the unity of Singaporeans, of all races, religions, social backgrounds and political leanings, at a time when views among the population are becoming more diverse," he said.

Since Tharman entered Singaporean politics just over two decades ago, he has avoided constant calls from the public that he should become the next prime minister of the Southeast Asian country.

Tharman - who is very popular and has risen in the ranks of the ruling People's Action Party, and is very popular among members of the opposition - insists that he is not suitable for the position of prime minister. He even likened his refereeing skills to those of a soccer goal-maker, saying that he is better as a team player who can provide assists than a superstar who scores goals. "I enjoy making long passes," he said. "But I'm not the striker."

His candidacy is thus a far cry from the quest for the premiership currently held by Lee Hsien Loong, the son of Singapore's founding prime minister. He is expected to retire and choose his successor before the country's next general election in 2025.

But it is a step that helps avoid the looming question of whether the Chinese-majority country (or the ruling party) that promotes its multi-ethnic and pluralistic society is ready or reluctant to elevate someone from an ethnic minority to the position of prime minister.

Also unique to Singapore is voting, which is compulsory for more than 2.7 million eligible citizens of Singapore. Those who do not vote without valid reason are subject to being removed from the voter list.

He also notes the absence of long, orderly lines at polling stations, as well as the raucous atmosphere that can accompany elections in other countries, with supporters cheering or handing out flyers to push for last-minute votes. And "presidential elections are increasingly being treated as a general election."

Today's presidential elections are being watched closely as an indication of support for the ruling Popular Action Party after a rare series of political scandals that rocked the party recently, which is rare in a country that has benefited from the reputation of its clean government, and has become an international center for a group of industries such as finance and aviation, especially since the party has suffered from its worst electoral performance ever in 2020; However, he maintained his majority of more than two-thirds.

Observers said the vote could indicate the level of support for the PAP ahead of general elections scheduled for 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption investigation into the transport minister and the resignation of two PAP lawmakers over an affair.

Keeping our readers informed about the most consequential events in this fast changing world. Manage your Subscription; invite a friend to subscribe to ISR’s Weekly Review Bulletin

Philippines: Muslims affirm that the first dictionary of Islamic law will be issued bearing the slogan of justice and mercy

Philippines: Muslims affirm that the first dictionary of Islamic law will be issued bearing the slogan of justice and mercy

    Wednesday, August 30, 2023   No comments

With the Philippines achieving the achievement of publishing the first dictionary of Islamic law, Muslims expressed their happiness that the aforementioned book promotes neutrality and moves for it and benevolence.

Attorney Maysara Dandamoon Latif, a former Member of Parliament who is now the head of a local council, emphasized that the newly released dictionary enhances appreciation between different cultures.

He added, “The dictionary embraces the spirit of inclusiveness that welcomes individuals of different religions and ethnicities to enrich their understanding of Islamic concepts.

Latif emphasized that Sharia guides have never had dictionaries, and that the newly launched Islamic Sharia Dictionary is the first of its kind.

The responsible authorities stressed that the reader will understand that Sharia promotes justice and mercy instead of hatred and that it enhances understanding because Islamic Sharia teaches mercy, kindness and humanity.

Former Muslim Senator Sameera Gutuk said that the Dictionary of Islamic Law is a wonderful contribution to literature.

And she stressed, "Those who stand behind the completion of this book were not just authors and writers, but rather advocates who gathered together as one community."

The quiet rise and rule of Singapore that cannot be unnoticed by its loud neighbors and distant friends

The quiet rise and rule of Singapore that cannot be unnoticed by its loud neighbors and distant friends

    Thursday, June 01, 2023   No comments

Singapore is rarely in the news. Countries, other than Western countries, are usually in the news because bad things are happening in them. That is one of the persistent biases of Western media. Here, we review several news stories covering events in Singapore, this multiethnic and multireligious countries, with its Muslim woman president, Halimah Yacob, though the position of the President of Singapore is ceremonial, her presence in the presidency will be useful in integrating Singapore's economy with that of Muslim-majority neighbors like Indonesia and Malaysia as well as the 57-nation bloc of Muslim-majority countries around the world.

Singapore overtakes Hong Kong as the most expensive Asia-Pacific city for private homes

Singapore’s private homes are now the most expensive in Asia-Pacific, having overtaken Hong Kong, according to a new report.

Data from the Home Attainability Index from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific Centre for Housing showed the median price of Singapore’s private homes was $1.2 million in 2022, compared to Hong Kong’s $1.16 million.

Private rental homes in Singapore also had the highest monthly rent in the region at $2,600 — “far exceeding” other cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Hong Kong, according to the report...

Read the full article here.

The article below makes the case for Singapore as being better in more than just one aspect.

Why Singapore is superior to Hong Kong in almost every way

It’s amusing to read comments by local property tycoon Ronnie Chan Chi-chung about places such as Singapore being “artificial”, “charmless” and “super boring”. Hong Kong, on the other hand, has the six “Gs” that are its unique advantages: genetics, geography, a culture of giving, the GBA (Greater Bay Area), its government and grey matter.

Really? The problem with tycoons everywhere, and not just in Hong Kong, is that they feel free to pontificate because they are rarely challenged, well, not in their face anyway. So I am glad reader John Chan of Singapore has written a rebuttal, pointing out that the city state enjoys both higher per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and median monthly household income. It’s doing very well, thank you very much!

Maybe Ronnie Chan can counter, as you would if you are a tycoon, that the capitalisation of Hong Kong’s stock market far exceeds that of Singapore or that the latter’s IPO market is minuscule compared to his city’s. Hong Kong has Disneyland, but hey, they have Universal Studios.

But all these comparisons are superficial.

The fundamental fact is that Singapore is a city state, rather than... read article

Politically, Singapore is oftten courted by other countries to take side in relation to global matters. This article is one example.

Europe sends big hitters to Singapore to rally Asian allies against Russia

Europe is fretting that Asia isn’t doing enough to condemn Russia and support Ukraine — and it’s revving up efforts to sway Asian officials in person. 

On Friday, an unprecedentedly high-profile European delegation will converge in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s top security forum. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas will be there, as will EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, flanked by Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov. 

U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace is also expected to attend in person — as are Boris Pistorius, Kajsa Ollongren and Pål Jonson, the defense ministers from Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Their goal: Rally more Asian countries to help Kyiv.

While many Asian nations initially joined in condemning Russia’s invasion at the United Nations, countries like India and Vietnam continue to count on Russian military or energy supplies, while Western allies Japan and South Korea are unable to... read article

Germany: The first cause of Europe's crisis is the rise of Asia, not the Ukraine war

Germany: The first cause of Europe's crisis is the rise of Asia, not the Ukraine war

    Tuesday, November 22, 2022   No comments

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that "the past 30 years of low inflation and stable economic growth in Europe were exceptional," stressing that "the conflict in Ukraine is not the main reason for the end of this era, but it has accelerated it."

Today, Tuesday, during an economic forum that brought together representatives of economic companies in Berlin, Scholz said: "Today we are in a new stage of globalization, and over the past 30 years, here in Europe and North America, we have witnessed stable growth, low inflation and high employment rates." And the conflict in Ukraine It hastened the end of this era, but it's not the main reason."

"The real reason is the growth of Asian economies, which compete with Europe in energy, raw materials and technology," Scholz said, warning "once again of a decline in globalization" and calling for "economic diversification."

"The real reason is the growth of Asian economies." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

He stressed that "Germany will not make the mistake of entering into an energy dependency, such as the one that has arisen in recent years with Russia with regard to natural gas supplies for the second time," and added, "What I understood after holding a number of talks with representatives of the German economy is that this mistake It won't happen to us again."

During the forum organized by the Bavarian daily "Süddeutsche Zeitung" newspaper, Scholz explained the types of challenges facing the German economy, and his ambition to diversify its sources of energy supply in multiple regions, from now on. He promised the Germans that he would "work so that the German economy and Germany can regain its place as a place for business, and get through the hard times."

Lavrov before his African tour: Russia and Africa continue to reduce the shares of the dollar and the euro in their dealings; military missions in Ukraine is now beyond Donbass region

Lavrov before his African tour: Russia and Africa continue to reduce the shares of the dollar and the euro in their dealings; military missions in Ukraine is now beyond Donbass region

    Friday, July 22, 2022   No comments

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has had a very busy month in July. He has visited a number of Asian and African countries mainly to explain Russia's position on the war in Ukraine and to thank some states for not joining the sanctions imposed against his country. It would seem that his trip was successful to the extent that he was able to even revise the mission of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, it is now about more than the Donbass region. Here is a rundown of key events and statements.

___________________________

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin asked Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to report on his recent foreign tour.

During his meeting with members of the Russian Security Council, Putin said: "Today, we will discuss some issues on the international agenda, and I ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs to talk about the results of his foreign tour. I have read his written reports, but I would like to share these results and impressions from your tour with colleagues." .

Besides Lavrov, the meeting was attended by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishusti, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Presidential Administration Head Anton Vaino, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, as well as Special Presidential Envoy for Environmental Protection and Transport Sergei Ivanov .

Lavrov recently completed a foreign tour that included Mongolia and Vietnam, as well as Indonesia, where he participated in the meeting of foreign ministers of the "Group of Twenty", and met a number of its foreign ministers, with the exception of foreign ministers of Western countries and the United States.

The "Group of Twenty" meeting represents a prelude to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Twenty to be held next November in Indonesia, which it invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend.

Next week, Lavrov will tour a number of African countries, starting next Sunday in Egypt, where he will deliver a speech before the League of Arab States.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Minister noted that "Russia and African partners are constantly working to reduce the dollar and euro shares in their mutual trade."

*****

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov start an African tour, starting with a visit to Egypt, on Sunday, in an effort to benefit from the desire of some countries to join non-Western alliances.

In Egypt, Lavrov would meet officials who are trying to raise the level of strong relations with Russia to the level of their close relationship with the United States, which sought with other Western powers to isolate Russia by imposing severe sanctions on it, after its military operation in Ukraine, on February 24.

After meeting with members of the Arab League in Cairo, Lavrov is  heading to Ethiopia and Uganda, the two countries whose relations with the West have recently been strained, and then to the Republic of the Congo.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that "Russia and African partners are constantly working to reduce the shares of the dollar and the euro in their mutual trade."

"The current geopolitical situation requires a certain adjustment of our interaction mechanisms, first of all, we are talking about the need to ensure uninterrupted logistics and the creation of financial settlement systems that are protected from external interference," added Lavrov.

"Russia, in cooperation with partners, is taking steps to expand the use of national currencies and payment systems, and is constantly working to reduce the share of the dollar and the euro in mutual trade," Lavrov said.

The minister noted that Russia "supports the creation of an independent and efficient financial system that is not vulnerable to possible influence from unfriendly countries."

He added, "Developing a comprehensive partnership with African countries remains among the important priorities of Russia's foreign policy. We are open to its further construction in line with the strategic decisions taken at the first Russia-Africa Summit at the end of October 2019 in Sochi."

The Minister stressed that Russia is open to building a comprehensive partnership with African countries, and will continue to fulfill its obligations to provide these countries with food, fertilizers and energy carriers, noting at the same time that Western sanctions against Russia have exacerbated the difficult situation in the food market.

In a related context, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed his country's appreciation for the balanced position of Africans regarding what is happening in and around Ukraine. "We know that African colleagues do not agree with the overt attempts of the United States and its European subordinates to dictate their will to everyone, to impose a unipolar model of world order on the international community," he said. "We appreciate the balanced position of Africans."

"Despite unprecedented external pressure, our (African) friends did not join the sanctions against Russia. Such an independent line deserves deep respect," he added.

*****

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly talked about sanctions on "North Stream-2" and reducing the share of gas supplies through "North Stream-1" to reach 50% of its capacity, considering that "therefore, Europe is responsible for the energy crisis, not Russia."

In an exclusive interview with "Sputnik" and "RT", Lavrov said that "in principle, his country will not abandon the old economic chains, and will work to build new, more reliable chains, and this is what Russia is doing in the current circumstances."

Lavrov noted that "there are a number of new economic initiatives, including the "North-South" corridor extending from St. Petersburg to the Indian Ocean and from India to Vladivostok, adding that "there are a whole number of projects, which are now at a high degree of implementation." ".

He pointed out that Russia has "excellent and distinguished relations with Africa since the era of the Soviet Union," adding: "We participated in the construction of giant industrial projects on the African continent, in addition to the role of the Soviet Union in liberating many African countries from colonialism."

Lavrov revealed the expected visits to Africa this year, explaining that "it will include Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Uganda and Congo. He considered Africa, India and China as very promising markets."

Since the launch of the Russian special military operation on February 24, Western countries have imposed severe and unprecedented economic and financial sanctions on Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that "Russia does not plan to occupy Ukrainian territory," explaining that "Russia's goal is to protect people who, for 8 years, have been subjected to persecution and genocide by the Kyiv regime."

The sanctions range from banning oil exports, tying up the banking sector, and preventing companies from major countries from dealing with the Russian market, in addition to banning dealing through the “Swift” system for international banking transactions, freezing the assets of the Russian Central Bank in Western countries, as well as closing the airspace to Russian aircraft. And he imposed direct sanctions on deputies and the circle surrounding the Kremlin, right up to Russian President Vladimir Putin personally.

On the other hand, the sanctions imposed on Russia cast a shadow on international supply and supply chains, and confused the European economy first, especially in the sectors of energy, trade, manufacturing, banking and markets, in addition to their repercussions on global food prices.

*****

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow's military missions in Ukraine have gone beyond the eastern Donbass region.

Lavrov: "The facts of geography have changed since officials from Russia and Ukraine held negotiations in Turkey in late March that failed to achieve any breakthrough."

"Now the geography has changed, and it is no longer related to the two republics, but also to the Kherson and Zaporizhzh regions and a number of other regions," Lavrov added, referring to lands outside the two republics that were completely or partially controlled by Russia.

"The process continues in a logical and diligent manner," he added, noting that "Russia may need to go deeper."

At the beginning of this month, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced "the liberation of the territory of the Lugansk People's Republic", and Russian forces took control of areas outside Donbass, especially in the southern regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson.

Lavrov: Peace talks with Ukraine are useless

With regard to peace talks with Ukraine, Lavrov said that it was "useless to conduct them" for the time being. Lavrov noted that the first rounds of talks with Ukraine proved that Kyiv "does not want to discuss any issue seriously."

"They will not be able to formulate anything that deserves serious attention from serious people," the Russian foreign minister added, "and we have already realized that."

Talks between Russia and Ukraine stalled in mid-April, Lavrov said, explaining that Western arms supplies to Ukraine had altered the Kremlin's calculations.

Lavrov also stated that the United States of America and the United Kingdom want to push Russia to confront Europe, by providing them with arms to Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, had confirmed, last June, that "the Russian air defense systems will break down the weapons obtained by Ukraine from the West like nuts."