Shows / Asian Insider
Asian Insider
Synopsis: Every Friday, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s globally-based correspondents.
Produced and edited by: Fa'izah Sani
Executive producer: Ernest Luis
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.
Episodes
Asian InsiderS2E94: Is Hong Kong really over? Warning China about a deal with Trump
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…
Asian InsiderS2E93: Can Sabah and Sarawak decide Malaysia's next election?
East Malaysia’s assertiveness and fiscal demands are growing. This is reshaping its federal relationship with Putrajaya. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of…
Asian InsiderS2E92: Iran vs US: Is the war about to get much worse?
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…
Asian InsiderS2E91: Why Indonesians are falling back in love with cinemas and the analogue life
In an increasingly digital world, why are young Indonesians drawn to activities that bring them offline and together? Synopsis: Every first Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E90: Beyond Trump-Xi summit: Why Japan and India are wary
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…
Asian InsiderS2E89: US and China are trying to make nice, says Singapore diplomat
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…
Asian InsiderS2E88: Could UMNO and PAS reshape Malaysia's next election?
There’s a potential Malay political realignment. Here’s what it means for regional stability and Malaysia’s governance. Synopsis: Every…
Asian InsiderS2E87: Can BRICS challenge the US-led world order?
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…
Asian InsiderS2E86: Nine-year-olds on drugs: Has the world abandoned Myanmar?
An unending conflict and shrinking aid leave Myanmar’s refugees and displaced in increasingly dire circumstances. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E85: Leaving Taiwan after four years: What our correspondent learnt
Taiwan correspondent Yip Wai Yee reflects on her four-year journey in this special farewell episode. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits…
Asian InsiderS2E84: Is Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition reaching breaking point before GE16?
With DAP committed to the unity government, can Anwar Ibrahim reform his coalition before the next general election? Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E83: China’s economy has a big problem: Who will keep buying?
What more should we know now about this country that is central to the global economy and is playing an ever greater role in geopolitics? Synopsis: Every…
Asian InsiderS2E82: When Japan's prisons become a safety net for the elderly
Japan's ageing crisis has turned prisons into an unlikely safety net for lonely seniors. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches…
Asian InsiderS2E81: In China, AI is ‘everything, everywhere’. Is there a dark side?
From running marathons to being personalised chefs, robots are redefining life in the future. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times…
Asian InsiderS2E80: Why China's economy doesn't add up, according to one economist
The gap between Beijing's stated growth rates and actual economic performance is widening considerably, says expert Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month…
Asian InsiderS2E79: From BTS to Jeju's sea divers: South Korea's cultural revival
From modern hanboks to Jeju's legendary sea women, discover how South Korea's oldest traditions are finding new life. Synopsis: The Straits Times catches up…
Asian InsiderS2E78: US-India ties in crisis? Why Washington reverted USIndoPacom to USPacom
Trump-Modi friendship was strong, but now US-India ties are strained. What caused the severe turbulence? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist…
Asian InsiderS2E77: Will the Johor polls kill the unity government before GE16?
Johor votes in July – but the real contest is whether Malaysia's unity government survives the campaign trail. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E76: What can be done about the explosion of disinformation?
The menace is everywhere and you can hardly spot it, stop it or punish it. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US Bureau…
Asian InsiderS2E75: Why Beijing now sets the agenda for US-China ties
Can Trump and Xi’s new ‘constructive’ framework bring stability to the US-China dynamic? Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E74: Why eldest daughters carry so much weight: An Asian perspective
Being uber-responsible, people-pleasing and a perfectionist are traits that first-born girls in Asia purportedly have. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E74: Deals and words: Reading the tea leaves for the Xi-Trump summit
Twists and turns can be expected for the rest of this year. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest…
Asian InsiderS2E73: No big, fat hugs: Trump, Xi will have a summit of careful smiles
A banquet in Beijing does not alter US-China rivalry but both leaders could sell modest outcomes as wins, says analyst. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E72: What cues India can take from China to fix its foul air and water
India’s poor air is driving much needed investment away from the country. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45…
Asian InsiderS2E71: The mystery of Chongqing grilled fish’s origin story - and why it matters
The stakes are high. A region’s association with a popular dish is increasingly big business, as the Chinese eat out more. Synopsis: Every first Friday…
Asian InsiderS2E70: 'Corporate mafia’: The scandal that Malaysia can no longer ignore
From drink-driving to MACC scandal, is Malaysia's justice system bending to public pressure or finally getting serious? Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E69: Crisis creates openings: Why Asia will stand out after a post-Iran conflict
The Iran war is an unprecedented crisis but South-east Asia is better placed to handle it. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times&rsquo…
Asian InsiderS2E68: India’s $70 billion spiritual market fuelled by bhajan clubbing
Discover how bhajan clubbing is transforming devotional music in India. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its…
Asian InsiderS2E67: Is there a silver lining for China as war rages in the Middle East?
With Washington distracted and opportunities in clean energy, Beijing might have the last laugh. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times…
Asian InsiderS2E66: Iran’s war machine can only last a few more weeks: Expert
Depleting its own military resources and antagonising Arab neighbours may be a cost too high for the regime to bear. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month…
Asian InsiderS2E65: Why Grab-type firms are the way for SE Asia to thrive in AI era
How South-east Asia can navigate the age of AI and its impact on the economy and employment. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits…
Asian InsiderS2E64: Putrajaya 30 years on: The capital that never quite replaced Kuala Lumpur
Find out why it has become a paradox decades after its founding. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign…
Asian InsiderS2E63: Malaysia’s education gamble: UEC option and lowering school age
From considering UEC path to starting school at six – is Malaysia's education overhaul built to last? Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E62: Singaporean tech founders on building global companies in US
From a phone plan for cat parents to a keyless life: Two Singaporean founders share tips from their US start-up journeys Synopsis: Every third Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E61: Strategic calculations behind India's trade deals flurry
India's new trade pacts with the EU and US, and the big question: Will Delhi revisit its decision to abandon RCEP? Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior…
Asian InsiderS2E60: Hong Kong’s tolerance for shortcuts has turned deadly
Hong Kong prides itself on being a first world city. So how did such a thing like the Tai Po fire happen? Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E59: China's fossil fuel addiction exposes a strategic vulnerability
There is also a human cost to China's clean energy transition. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse the hottest…
Asian InsiderS2E58: Trump’s Venezuela strike: The good, bad & the ugly
We dissect the abduction of a sitting president and predict what might come next. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US…
Asian InsiderS2E57: Asia's drone wars: Who's buying Predators and Reapers?
As Asia’s militaries show an increasing appetite to deploy drones – most recently during the Thai-Cambodian skirmishes and the brief India-Pakistan…
Asian InsiderS2E56: The one design feature that makes Taiwan ‘ugly’
Metal window grilles were meant to keep households safe from burglars but they have been fingered as eyesores. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E55: From Zara Qairina to Harimau Malaya: A gripping 2025 for Malaysia
Malaysia’s 2025 was marked by a stormy PKR election, school violence, and a scandal rocking its football team. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the…
Asian InsiderS2E54: Why the US dollar is so sticky
Find out why the world is likely to stay dollar-centric even as countries try to toggle away from the greenback. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E53: Inside the secret Albatross file on Singapore’s Separation from Malaysia
Our guest reveals pioneer leaders’ differing views on Singapore’s Aug 9, 1965 split from Malaysia. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ chief…
Asian InsiderS2E52: US in decline; Trump's 'Donroe Doctrine' is worrying Asia
Our guest expert explains the Americas-focused doctrine, inspired by the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine’s hemispheric stance. Synopsis: The Straits…
Asian InsiderS2E51: Taiwan’s message to China: We are not alone
The island’s diplomatic space may be shrinking but it wants to engage the world on its own terms. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits…
Asian InsiderS2E50: How to read Trump right and why he and Xi get along
Our expert guest explains why he predicts both men will seek good vibes in 2026. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US…
Asian InsiderS2E49: Inside the mind of Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first woman PM
Our guest expert looks at her political approach, as well as her personal side. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 45…
Asian InsiderS2E48: The two rules that Parisians broke in the hot summer of 2025
Spoiler: Politics, and the private lives of politicians. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times catches up with its foreign…
Asian InsiderS2E47: Trump meets Xi: Who'll win the China-US tussle; impact on Asia
A grand bargain will be hard to strike at the upcoming US-China presidential summit, says a top trade expert. Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E46: Anwar’s Asean chair year: From geopolitics to fiscal finance, how did he fare?
Fresh off tabling Budget 2026, Malaysia is set to host world’s superpowers during the Asean Summit in KL starting Oct 26. For our October episode…
Asian InsiderS2E45: Behind that 100-part bicycle: Asia’s shifting supply chains
How geopolitics is pushing manufacturers from China to South-east Asia and India. Synopsis: The Straits Times’ senior columnist Ravi Velloor distils 40…
Asian InsiderS2E44: Church and fortune-tellers: Why Filipinos find solace in both
Asia’s only Christian nation, the Philippines, is devoutly Catholic. Yet, why do so many turn to peddlers of potions and talismans as well? Synopsis…
Asian InsiderS2E43: Tanks and missiles: The implications of China's grand military parade
Beijing’s message was clear: We are a great power and a force for good. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse…
Asian InsiderS2E42: Xi-Modi sends powerful message to US and the world: Henry Huiyao Wang
Why it's significant that China and India declare they are not rivals but partners. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The Straits Times’ senior…
Asian InsiderS2E41: Rich men and pretty women: Glimpses at a matchmaking event in China
Single Chinese want to find love, but remain straitjacketed by expectations of what their partners should look like. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month…
Asian InsiderS2E40: Malaysia parties gear up for the PAS congress and the Sabah elections
The coming months will see several changes in the political landscape as parties make moves on various fronts. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E39: Donald Trump: Nobel Prize laureate?
Why does President Donald Trump seem so intent on winning the Nobel Peace Prize? Synopsis: Every third Friday of the month, The Straits Times gets its US…
Asian InsiderS2E38: Asia and the world think Trump’s US "has lost its mind": John Bolton
Declaring war “against everybody” including China and hoping for the right result is very worrying. Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, The…
Asian InsiderS2E37: Are South Koreans lonely?
Social isolation is especially acute in the capital city of Seoul—and it’s not just among the elderly. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month…
Asian InsiderS2E36: China's leverage on the trade war with US
Ultimately, the outcome might depend on both sides’ threshold for pain. Synopsis: Every fourth Friday of the month, The Straits Times will now analyse…