Asian Insider

Here's how an overnight supply chain brings Kelantan’s beloved dishes to feed hungry diners in Kuala Lumpur. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In this episode of Asian Insider, host Li Xueying speaks with Malaysia correspondent Hazlin Hassan as she uncovers the high-speed logistics behind the massive daily food deliveries that bring authentic tastes straight from Kelantan to the capital city every morning. Hazlin shares her discovery of what drives this booming culinary phenomenon, the distinct flavours that keep food lovers waiting before dawn and why a simple breakfast can spark a cross-country operation. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:36 Vans replaced by air travel to deliver dishes 4:30 Kelantan dishes go viral in Malaysia 8:30 Surge in demand and daily deliveries 9:54 Following the supply chain to KL 15:51 Yearning for culinary authenticity 17:08 Geographic reach and limits across the border Read Hazlin Hassan’s articles here: https://str.sg/NbFG  Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR  Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x   Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Li Xueying ([email protected]) Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Or has US economist Stephen Roach changed his mind about Hong Kong’s survival and identity?  Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and geopolitical talking points. In this episode, US Bureau Chief Bhagyashree Garekar chats with Dr Stephen Roach, a prominent economist with expertise on Asia.  He spent three decades at global investment bank Morgan Stanley, serving as the firm's chief economist and later as chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia. He is currently a Senior Fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center. In this wide-ranging conversation, he says the “unfriendly takeover” by mainland Chinese has changed the character of Hong Kong dramatically. This has left the market-based city - once idolised by iconic American economist Milton Friedman - in tatters, he adds. While that might drive his critics crazy, the idea that his remarks are rooted in any bias against Hong Kong is “absolutely ludicrous,” he insists. Roach also has a word of caution for China’s President Xi Jinping, who made a state visit to Washington for a summit with US President Donald Trump in September 2026. The concept currently favoured by both the US and China to define their relationship - constructive, strategic stability - is also a bit of a mirage, he says. “There's nothing strategic about it, the best I think the Chinese can hope for would be stability,” he adds. Roach is not among those anticipating a turning of the page with the Nov 3 midterm elections, even if the Democrats seize a majority in the Congress. Roach also takes an axe to Trump’s frequent assertions of America being the “hottest economy”. “He calls it an “exaggeration” that also reflects the poor state of growth elsewhere in the world. But a Great Depression-scale collapse is not in the cards, according to him. “I don't think we're gonna have a replay of the 1930s-styled bank-driven collapse,” he says. Highlights (click/tap above): 00:50 "Hong Kong is over?": Stephen Roach clarifies the controversial headline in a Financial Times column in 2024 6:40 What’s not going right between the US and China? 7:40 Why Trump’s “shallow thinking” on AI hurts 10:28 His warning to China about a deal with Trump 14:00 Will a strong Democratic show in the Nov 3 midterm elections constrain Trump? 18:10 Is Trump’s claim of a "golden age” for America true? 24:20 As the 100th anniversary of the Great Depression nears, could there be a repeat? 30:00 Will US dollar primacy be seriously challenged? 33:00 When he sees China coming out of the slowdown 38:20 Lastly, on India: Will its economy continue to over-promise and under-deliver? Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo  Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E  Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected]  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

East Malaysia’s assertiveness and fiscal demands are growing. This is reshaping its federal relationship with Putrajaya. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points in Malaysia. For our October episode, ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Zurairi A.R. are joined by Dr Arnold Puyok, deputy director at the Institute of Borneo Studies at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and visiting fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. Highlights (click/tap above): 03:50: Budget 2027 allocations for Sabah and Sarawak and whether funds bridge development gaps 08:20: Changing expectations in Sarawak: Moving from federal funding amounts to financial autonomy and decision-making 13:25: Political calculus of Budget 2027: Securing the Borneo vote bloc ahead of general elections 21:30: Sarawak's regional assertiveness, and the question of effective autonomy amid secession call 30:30: Federal establishment and Putrajaya's uneasy dynamic with East Malaysian resource push 34:10: Personalistic politics in Borneo: Why individual leadership matters more than party brands 38:50: News nugget: Syed Saddiq and Bella Astillah's viral future-focused betrothal gifts Read more: In the final lap, Malaysia’s PM Anwar returns to base with reformist budget: https://str.sg/EpEu  From colonial-era crests to its own airline, a founding partner redraws its place in Malaysia: https://str.sg/dDuM  Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq and singer-actress Bella Astillah tie the knot: https://str.sg/AUTN Read Zurairi A.R.’s articles: https://str.sg/DCfr  Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK  Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Zurairi A.R. ([email protected])   Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid fears that the war on Iran could worsen after the US mid-term polls, a question: Is Tehran overplaying its hand? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode he speaks with Prof. Vali Nasr, the globally renowned expert on Iran and Middle East about where the War on Iran is currently, and what lies ahead.  Ravi and Vali also discuss US failure to protect its Gulf allies, the Houthi attacks that have pushed Saudi Arabia to the back foot, how Israel is rearranging the region, and chances of the war turning into a global conflict. Highlights (click/tap above) 08:00 A bigger war after US mid-terms? 13:00 What if Trump nukes Iran? 22:00 Tehran’s lessons from North Korea 25:00 Houthis, and a Saudi ‘Vietnam’ 35:00 Time to think of a post-US Middle East 41:00 Gulf rivalries will sharpen 45:00 Israel’s rearranging the region 50:00 Hard lessons for East Asia Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani & Amirul Karim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an increasingly digital world, why are young Indonesians drawn to activities that bring them offline and together? Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign correspondents about life and trends in the countries they're based in. In this episode, host Li Xueying speaks with Indonesia correspondent Karina Tehusijarana about the growing popularity of shared, analogue and hands-on trends, such as a resurgence in cinema attendance to jump rope groups and custom mechanical keyboards. As people seek ways to connect beyond their screens, these different pursuits point to a renewed interest in community and the tangible pleasures of an offline life. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:20 Post-Covid-19 cinema boom 6:30 Exploring traditional communal practices like arisan 10:40 The analogue lifestyle: A resurgence 16:50 Mechanical keyboards and diverse communities 19:50 Emerging analogue trends such as knitting and vinyl records Read Karina Tehusijarana’s articles here: https://str.sg/dEAyW  Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR  Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x   Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Li Xueying ([email protected]) Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump's stroking of Xi and talk of a G-2 with China is vexing Asian middle powers Japan and India. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, Ravi hosts two experts on geopolitics – Prof Tomohiko Taniguchi, former foreign policy adviser to the Shinzo Abe Cabinet in Japan, and Dr Sanjaya Baru, geoeconomist and media adviser to the late Indian PM Manmohan Singh. They both explain what their respective countries make of the spectacular welcome President Donald Trump gave President Xi Jinping in the Sept 23-25 summit that took place in Washington DC. They also discuss the evolving nature of Japan's and India’s bilateral relationships with the US, including talk of ‘derisking’ from Washington. Highlights (click/tap above) 1:30 Was the carpet ‘red’ enough? 5:30 Key takeaways from the summit 9:30 Is Xi bending Trump’s ear on Asia? 14:00 ‘De-risking’ from the US is on 18:40 Free and open Indo-Pacific, Quad 22:30 Middle East conundrum Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani & Amirul Karim Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump and Xi are nudging the bilateral relationship from confrontation to stability, says Chan Heng Chee. Synopsis: Every month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and geopolitical talking points. In this episode, US Bureau Chief Bhagyashree Garekar chats with Singapore's Ambassador At-Large Chan Heng Chee about Chinese President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. The pomp-filled visit included a rare sight; President Donald Trump and his wife Melania waited at the tarmac to greet President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan as they landed in Washington DC. Critics have dismissed the September 23-25 summit as heavy on symbolism and lacking in substance.  Chan, who served as Singapore's envoy to the US for 16 years, says building a rapport counts as a worthy outcome. “When you have a relationship, you can make a deal, solve problems,” she said.  “The Chinese will miss Trump when he's gone,” she added, noting that the charismatic American leader, serving his last term in office, had taken risks in reaching out to a rival. The stabilisation, which is still fragile, will benefit the region, she said. “We want to see the two great powers getting on because we do not want to be third-party collateral,” she said while spelling out the stakes for South-east Asia. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:50 What's noteworthy about the September summit? 8:00  How far can a good rapport take them? 11:20 What could two more meetings this year produce? 15:40 Why Pax Silica and Pax Waico will not be watertight 17.30: What can South-east Asia take away from the summit? 25:30 If Democrats win midterms, will Trump be constrained? 30:10 When everyone has a view on geopolitics, does diplomacy get harder? 35:50 Are Trump and Xi explaining themselves well? Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo  Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E  Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected]  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a potential Malay political realignment. Here’s what it means for regional stability and Malaysia’s governance. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the hottest political and trending talking points in Malaysia. For our September episode, ST's Malaysia bureau chief Shannon Teoh and host Zurairi A.R. are joined by Dr Syaza Shukri, associate professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Highlights (click/tap above): 03:50: Najib Razak’s conditional house arrest and what it means for unity government 10:00: Impact of Najib's house arrest on Pakatan Harapan's credibility 18:20: UMNO general assembly: Zahid Hamidi dares PM Anwar to face confidence vote 22:10: PAS' posture and leadership ambitions ahead of GE16 26:40: Regional perspectives: Should neighbours worry about a PAS-influenced government? 34:40: News nugget: JPJ's 'H' series vanity licence plates hit multi-million ringgit bids Read more: Crowdfunding $15m fine: Najib’s party wants supporters to chip in, but trolls give 1 sen as an insult: https://str.sg/ok2tS  Four years of uneasy alliance still cannot erase decades of UMNO’s distrust against PH allies: https://str.sg/v69u  Bids for Malaysia’s special ‘H’ licence plate series garner record $28.6m in five days: https://str.sg/wR2sA  “PAS’s Evolving International Engagement: From Islamism to Development Diplomacy?” by Syaza Shukri and Norshahril Saat https://str.sg/ogHNu  Read Zurairi A.R.’s articles: https://str.sg/DCfr  Read Shannon Teoh's articles: https://str.sg/wzyK  Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Zurairi A.R. ([email protected])   Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump need not be. BRICS is nowhere near creating an alternative to the US-led world order, says our expert. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau Chief to analyse the hottest political and trending talking points. In this episode, US Bureau Chief Bhagyashree Garekar chats with Sarang Shidore, the director of the Global South Program at the Quincy Institute in Washington DC. In a conversation taking stock of the grouping’s annual meeting in New Delhi on Sept 12-13, he calls BRICS an “interesting experiment” that is worth studying.  Like ASEAN, it operates on consensus but has no charter. BRICS has been on a membership drive and now covers nearly all the regions outside of the wealthy western world. BRICS comprises 11 members - Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates. It also has 'partner countries' including the likes of Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. US President Donald Trump has blasted the grouping, suspecting it of wanting to supplant the US dollar, the world’s leading currency. But de-dollarisation is not on the horizon, Shidore says. Instead, the body is asking for “modest, not revolutionary” reforms in the world order. Highlights (click/tap above): 1:40 Why should Asean care about BRICS? 6:50 What the New Delhi summit achieved 11:50 What does Trump see in BRICS? 19:30 ‘Competition within cooperation’: The China-India dance  27:10 US vs China: Destined to clash over AI in BRICS nations? 33:15 What are Beijing’s goals when it chairs BRICS in 2027? 37:45 Is BRICS ever going to create an alternative world order? Read Bhagyashree Garekar’s articles: https://str.sg/whNo  Bhagyashree Garekar’s LinkedIn: https://str.sg/gD6E  Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Bhagyashree Garekar ([email protected])  Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected]  --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An unending conflict and shrinking aid leave Myanmar’s refugees and displaced in increasingly dire circumstances. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45 years of experience covering the Asian continent, with expert guests. In this episode, he speaks with the British psychotherapist and aid worker Edward Blakeney on the travails of Myanmar’s 1.6 million exiles and 4 million internally displaced people. What emerges is a story of food shortages, medical issues including mental trauma, and lack of educational opportunities among an exile diaspora that now stretches from Thailand to Bangladesh, Malaysia, India and Sri Lanka. Highlights (click/tap above) 2:30 Brutal war and a worsening refugee situation 5:20 A 9-year-old drug addict 8:40 Wasting, malnourished children 14:10 Ukraine distraction, journalists under the gun 24:00 Has Blakeney seen a shrink himself, given what he has seen and experienced? Read Ravi's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP Follow Ravi on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor Sign up for ST’s weekly Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/sfpz  Host: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]) Produced and edited by: Fa’izah Sani Executive producer: Ernest Luis Follow Asian Insider Podcast on Fridays here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7  Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8  Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX  YouTube: https://str.sg/rF3qR  Feedback to: [email protected] --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #STAsianInsiderSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.