BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Bigger Picture  >  Beyond The Ballot Box  >  How to Build a Prosperous ASEAN

How to Build a Prosperous ASEAN

Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, Chairperson, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)

23-Jan-25 15:00

How to Build a Prosperous ASEAN

A couple of days ago, in a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) outlined economic challenges facing Southeast Asia and strategies to create an equitable region. The memorandum was received by one of the special officers to the PM.  

We discuss the various challenges and opportunities ahead for ASEAN with Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj who is the Chairperson of Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM). 

We Discuss: 

  • The biggest political and economic challenges currently plaguing the ASEAN region, from the decline in government revenue, suppressed wages and the climate crisis. 

  • Problems with institutions like the World Bank, IMF and WTO, and alternative strategies. 

  • How can ASEAN develop their internal markets and productive capacities? One of the reasons we rely so heavily on FDIs is because we have no choice due to our productive capacities. 

  • Why it’s important to develop a sense of regionalism and for ASEAN nations to negotiate with foreign powers (i.e. China and BRICS) as a unit. 

  • Unequal development in ASEAN and how it prevents economic cohesiveness in the region. As we know, Singapore is one of the most developed economies in the world; Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the likes are perhaps middle economies; Myanmar continues to endure tremendous hardship – there’s an ongoing civil war/revolution.

Image credit: Shutterstock (background)

Produced by: Dashran Yohan

Presented by: Dashran Yohan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  politicsgovernmentinternationaleconomy

Tags:  multipolaritythe bigger picturebeyond the ballot boxaseanmalaysiasoutheast asiaregionalismregional mobilitysocial democracywealth distributionwealth inequalityeconomic inequalityeconomic growthcapitalismneoliberalismforeign direct investmentsfdigovernment revenuefiscal policytaxationtariffspovertyneocolonialismbricsmultipolar worldregional politicsgeopoliticsfree trade





Play / Pause

Listen now : BFM 89.9 -- The Business Station

Today’s Shows



11:00 AM

Best of Enterprise

(REPEAT) Fong Wai Hong, Chieftain & Co-Founder of StoreHub, joins BFM’s P&L for Part 2 of our series on "The New Math of Business Building, Powered by AI."

12:00 PM

Just For Kicks

(REPEAT) It's a baptism of fire for new Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick as his side welcome Man City at Old Trafford. We preview this match, and other fixtures on Matchweek 22 of the EPL.

1:00 PM

A Bit of Culture

(REPEAT) Kam, Dhanya and Kar Jin return to talk about the simulation hypothesis, performative reading and whether people are still going to the cinemas.

2:00 PM

Ringgit & Sense

(REPEAT) Kevin Neoh, licensed financial planner at VKA Wealth Planners, discusses on sticking to personal finance resolutions in the new year.

2:30 PM

The Property Show

(REPEAT) Dr. Suraya Ismail of Khazanah Research Institute discusses homeownership and housing affordability in Malaysia.

3:00 PM

Best of The Bigger Picture

(REPEAT) We speak to Vijay Prashad, he director of the Tricontinental Institute For Social Research, to hear his thoughts on Venezuela, Iran and American Imperialism

4:00 PM

Best of Evening Edition

(REPEAT) We unpack the idea of sleep with psychologist Julian Lim and find out how we can achieve a good night’s sleep amidst hectic lifestyles.

5:00 PM

BBC World Service

Roland Pease talks to Andy Rivkin, planetary astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, about planetary defence from asteroids