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Jan 12, 2025 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
Welcome to 2025—a year where the global stage feels less like a chessboard and more like a precariously stacked Jenga tower. Every move—be it a tariff imposed in Washington, a bank bailout in Beijing, an AI breakthrough in Silicon Valley, or a ceasefire negotiation in Gaza—risks toppling the entire structure.
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Dec 31, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
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Dec 29, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
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Dec 22, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
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Dec 15, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
Implications of Trump's Tariff Threats President-elect Donald Trump's fiery rhetoric about imposing 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and his opposition to a potential BRICS currency to challenge the U.S. dollar may seem like grandstanding. However, these statements have broader implications for global trade and economic dynamics that Malaysia, though not a BRICS member, cannot ignore.
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Dec 8, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
The West's great miscalculation in the late 20th century was assuming that a prosperous China would inevitably come to resemble a liberal, market-driven democracy like themselves. It's easy to see why. When Bill Clinton championed China's ascension to the World Trade Organisation in 2001, the logic was straightforward: integrate China into the global economy, give it a stake in the rules-based international order, and watch as it morphs into a more Westernised, more democratic society.
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Dec 1, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
Trump's return to office after a tight race has stirred significant shifts in the US market. With Republicans now controlling the Senate and holding a slim majority in the House, Trump's policies could see swift action if Republicans achieve a full sweep; if not, a divided Congress may create gridlock, adding volatility and uncertainty.
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Nov 21, 2024 | 
theins.news | Samirul Ariff Othman
By Samirul Ariff Othman
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, but for the Malay world, the cracks run deeper than a nursery rhyme. The question facing Malay unity today isn’t merely a matter of political or economic divides, but rather an ideological chasm that’s tugging at the very fabric of Islamic thought in the region.
Islam in the Malay Archipelago didn’t arrive with the sword or conquest; it came by sea.
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Nov 17, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
The Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) could see an upward revision next year as the government moves forward with its RON95 petrol subsidy rationalisation plan, which may trigger a new round of inflationary pressure. At the moment, inflation remains comfortably low, consistently below 2.0 percent throughout the year. This extended period of low inflation highlights the success of prior monetary measures and the stability of external market prices.
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Nov 14, 2024 | 
nst.com.my | Samirul Ariff Othman
During his first term, Trump's "America First" approach was marked by deep skepticism toward global trade agreements, which he criticised as unfavourable to U.S. interests. This stance included direct critiques of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which he viewed as a constraint on U.S. sovereignty and a platform that, in his opinion, allowed other countries —especially China —to take advantage of American markets.
