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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.

Fulcrum editor William Choong talks to Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS), about the European Union’s evolving approaches to the Indo-Pacific. 1:28 – Niclas Kvarnström’s role as the MD for Asia and the Pacific in the EEAS 4:27 – Niclas Kvarnström’s assessment of French President Emmanuel Macron’s keynote speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue 7:35 – Views on trade negotiations between the EU and ASEAN member states, and the EU’s place in larger regional trading blocs in the Pacific 12:30 – The dichotomous results of the State of Southeast Asia Survey 2025, showing that the EU is Southeast Asia’s second-most-trusted partner, yet ranks low in strategic relevance 21:19 – On whether European security forces can continue to participate in the Indo-Pacific given pressing priorities closer to home 24:44 – On US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s call for US allies in Asia to spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence 27:30 – What can the EU do to manage hotspots in the Indo-Pacific Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Lee Hwok Aun converses with Minister Nik Nazmi about the urgent challenges of sustainability and climate change from Malaysian and ASEAN perspectives. 2:28 –  Why write this book? 6:26 –  An integrated approach to complex problems 10:25 –  Malaysia’s development model – retrospective self-criticism and new framework 14:53 –  From activism to government 18:25 –  What needs to happen before Malaysia’s next general election 22:07 –  Malaysia’s targeted carbon tax plans 23:43 –  Malaysia’s response to the US withdrawal from global climate action 26:28 –  ASEAN power grid 30:07 –  Communicating the message effectivelyDialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor William Choong discusses Australia’s strategic choices amid intensifying Sino-US rivalry and increased geopolitical flux with Prof Nick Bisley. 3:08 –  Australia’s “extreme strategic loneliness” under Trump 2.0 12:50 –  AUKUS submarines: will Australia get them? 21:30 –  Is there a method in Trump’s “madness”? 28:00 –  Has Trump 2.0 given China a window of opportunity? 37:10 –  How can Southeast Asian countries cope in such a changed environment? 41:30 –  Wherefore the Quad if the US withdraws from it? Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Julia Lau speaks to Ambassador Alex Tilman about Timor-Leste's imminent accession to ASEAN and its implications. They delve into aspects of Timor-Leste's identity as a Lusophone, small island, and majority Catholic nation-state. 1:40 –  Introducing Ambassador Alex Tilman 3:17 –  How the global uptick in tensions affects Timor-Leste and ASEAN 5:35 –  How Timor-Leste hopes to diversify its economy 10:50 –  Timor-Leste’s identity and priorities as a Lusophone and small island nation-state 14:27 –  How Timor-Leste’s being majority Catholic affects its identity and foreign policy 16:55 –  The NGO, Maluk Timor 18:30 –  What can travellers to Timor-Leste expect? 21:05 –  Ambassador Tilman’s journey to diplomacy Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Fulcrum editor Julia Lau discusses the complex issue of Cambodia-Vietnam relations in light of their new leadership. One issue examined is Cambodia's recent withdrawal from the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area and what it means for the region. 2:07 – Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLVDTA) 9:26 – “Losers all around?” Vietnam’s view on Cambodia’s withdrawal from CLVDTA 13:30 – The role of individual leaders in geopolitics: new leaders in Vietnam and Cambodia testing their powers? 25:00 – Short-term prognosis for bilateral relations 37:12 – How to build trust and longer-term bilateral outlook 41:04 – Dealing with US and China: Hedging, Balancing, or …? 44:20 – The South China Sea dispute 45:54 – Cambodia’s reaction to the first Trump win in the US presidential election (PE) 2016 versus PE2024 49:53 – Cambodia’s agency 55:00 – How small nation-states can stabilise ties and enhance multilateral cooperation Dialogues at Fulcrum is a podcast published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.