Hello.
There’s been a lot happening in Malaysia this week. Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar was installed on Wednesday as the country’s 17th king, raising hopes that he will bring about positive change.
As Johor ruler, he was known for speaking his mind. Will he be as outspoken as Agong? While he has made clear he will not be a “puppet king”, established protocols will be hard to challenge, says James Chin, Asian Studies professor at the University of Tasmania.
There has been feverish speculation about whether former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has received a partial royal pardon for his role in the 1MDB corruption scandal. CNA’s Leslie Lopez broke the news on Wednesday, quoting official sources, that Najib’s jail sentence had been reduced to six years from 12 years. As we await the official statement expected this week, read James Chin’s commentary from last month on how Najib’s fate will impact the top political figures in Malaysia, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
In the Middle East, conflict is spiralling, especially after three American servicemen were killed in their sleeping quarters in Jordan during a drone attack by Iranian-backed militants. How will the US respond?
International security expert Stefan Wolff looks at the tightrope the Biden administration has to walk. After the fatal strike, however, restraint is a challenging option for the US, says Jean-Loup Samaan, senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute, NUS.
We hope you enjoy our selection of commentaries this week.
Alison Jenner
Supervising Editor, Commentary
