Food security in Southeast Asia is increasingly shaped not just by crises, but by deeper structural dependencies in global trade.
Our researchers, Teoh Ai Ni and Nik Syafiah Anis highlight how countries like Malaysia remain heavily reliant on imported food and key agricultural inputs, with supply chains often concentrated in just a few supplier countries. This makes the region vulnerable to disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions, trade restrictions, and climate-related shocks. All of which can quickly travel through interconnected global systems and affect prices and availability.
The study for the discussion paper titled "The Geoeconomics of Food Dependencies in Malaysia/Southeast Asia" also situates this within broader US–China geoeconomic competition, where food trade and supply chains can become part of strategic leverage. It calls for “cooperative self-reliance” within ASEAN, strengthening domestic production while improving regional coordination and resilience rather than relying on isolation or protectionism.
Catch the full discussion on Astro AWANI YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/d5qwRtVRd0k?si=3f69yEHvlKLcSbQv
Khazanah Research Institute
Share
Khazanah Research Institute 201301030471(1060301-U) is a not-for-profit organization.
What if resilience is less about standing alone and more about standing together?
When we talk about food security, we often focus on production, imports, and supply chains. Yet during our visit to Kelantan, we were reminded that resilience is also built through proximity.
Nelayan Tulen communities show how strong food systems depend on close connections between people, markets, and livelihoods. Families support one another, local markets keep food moving, and communities adapt together when faced with challenges.
Their experience raises a broader question: should food security be viewed not only through the lens of self-reliance, but also through cooperation?
In an increasingly uncertain world, stronger systems may not come from building bigger walls, but from strengthening connections between neighbouring states.
Because resilience grows when trust is close, resources are shared, and support is never too far away.
Proximity creates trust. Sharing creates resilience. Cooperation creates security.
Read the full discussion paper via our website here: https://www.krinstitute.org/publications/the-geoeconomics-of-food-dependencies-in-malaysia-southeast-asia
Sampai bila Malaysia mahu bergantung pada arang batu sedang negara lain berlumba beralih kepada tenaga yang lebih mampan?
Krisis tenaga global semakin meruncing sampai bila kita mahu bergantung pada arang batu?
Ketika dunia berdepan gangguan bekalan tenaga dan harga minyak yang tidak stabil, Malaysia turut merasai tekanannya. Walaupun kita mempunyai pilihan seperti solar dan biodiesel, peralihan ke tenaga baharu masih perlahan kerana kebergantungan kepada arang batu dan dasar yang tidak konsisten.
Penasihat Penyelidik, Jomo Kwame Sundaram, menjelaskan bahawa Malaysia sebenarnya mempunyai banyak alternatif tenaga yang boleh dimanfaatkan. Namun, cabaran utama bukan pada teknologi, tetapi pada pelaksanaan dasar dan keputusan ekonomi yang masih memihak kepada sumber tenaga lama.
Tonton perbincangan penuh di saluran Youtube Berita RTM di sini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TraK-IsKz1U
08/06/2026
"Sustainable regional growth begins with coordinated planning and inclusive development."
On 21 May 2026, KRI hosted the Urban Policy Circle on Cities and Regional Development: The Political Economy of Megaprojects for Economic Growth, featuring Professor Hyun Bang Shin of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), moderated by Dr Suraya Ismail.
The event brought together policymakers, planners, and implementing agencies. The session explored the role of megaprojects in shaping urban and regional development while examining the political, economic, and institutional factors that influence their outcomes. Participants exchanged perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of large-scale development initiatives, and their implications for urban well-being, regional growth, and long-term sustainability.
The discussion highlighted the importance of coordinated planning, cross-agency collaboration, and evidence-based policymaking in fostering more inclusive and resilient cities and regions. Insights from the session will contribute to KRI’s ongoing research and policy work on urban development and regional corridors in Malaysia.
KRI is grateful to Professor Hyun Bang Shin and all participants for sharing their expertise, perspectives, and experiences during the discussion.
Malaysia Perlu Ada Kedaulatan Teknologi, Kemahiran Sendiri dan Kerjasama Dengan Negara Serantau.
“TLDM beli (misil pertahanan) daripada Norway. Lepas itu Norway kata ‘tidak!’.
“Kami tak mahu bekalkan” walaupun dah tandatangan perjanjian.“
Tonton rakaman KRI Opentable Podcast Ep.7: “Bolehkah Malaysia Keluar Daripada Perangkap Gaji Rendah?” di saluran Youtube Khazanah Research Institute.
Klik pautan di sini: https://youtu.be/Hy3RFnR6rZo
04/06/2026
Malaysia actually tried to reduce oil dependency decades ago.
Escalating US–Iran tensions and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have once again exposed Malaysia’s continued vulnerability to global energy shocks. Although Malaysia is an energy producer, the country still imports a significant share of its crude oil from the Persian Gulf, leaving it exposed when global supply chains are disrupted and prices spike.
Our researcher, Azfar Hanif Azizi, highlights that while past diversification policies did reduce some dependence on oil, progress in renewable energy and alternative transport systems has been too slow to meaningfully cushion today’s shocks.
This current situation is a reminder that long-term investment in energy resilience, public transport, and diversified energy sources is no longer optional, but critical for Malaysia’s future stability.
Read the full views article via our website here: https://www.krinstitute.org/publications/from-the-outside-in-us-iran-geopolitics-and-malaysias-energy-vulnerability
01/06/2026
The US-Iran-Israel conflict didn’t begin in 2026, it is the latest chapter in a much longer history of “intimate enmity”.
Decades of US–Iran tensions, shaped by interventions, revolution, sanctions, and competing narratives over security and sovereignty, continue to define one of the most volatile fault lines in global politics. Today, that enmity is no longer regional. Disruptions around critical routes like the Strait of Hormuz ripple through energy markets, global supply chains, and inflation pressures far beyond the Middle East.
What began as political rivalry has evolved into a system-wide economic shock amplifier.
Our deputy director of research, Yin Shao Loong mentions that at the same time, Israel’s regional strategy and shifting alliance structures have further intensified instability, reinforcing cycles of escalation where military action and economic consequences are tightly intertwined. The result is a Middle East where historical grievances and modern strategic ambitions constantly reshape global risk.
Read the full discussion paper via our website here: https://www.krinstitute.org/publications/the-intimate-enmity-iran-and-the-west-an-examination-of-the-causes-and-consequences-of-the-us-israeli-war-on-iran
31/05/2026
Sempena Hari Wesak ini, marilah kita berhenti sejenak untuk merenung, memahami, dan menyantuni satu sama lain dengan lebih ihsan.
Dalam keadaan dunia yang penuh ketidaktentuan, nilai empati, kesederhanaan dan ketenangan menjadi pengingat bahawa setiap tindakan kecil yang dilakukan dengan kebaikan mampu membawa makna besar kepada orang lain.
Semoga sambutan Wesak ini menguatkan rasa kemanusiaan bersama, serta mengingatkan kita bahawa dalam waktu-waktu yang sukar, cara kita menjaga dan membantu sesama insan itulah yang benar-benar mencerminkan nilai sebuah perkongsian.
Selamat Hari Wesak daripada kami di Institut Penyelidikan Khazanah.
————————
This Wesak Day, let us take a moment to pause, reflect, understand, and care for one another with greater compassion.
In a world filled with uncertainty, the values of empathy, simplicity, and peace remind us that even the smallest acts of kindness can carry great meaning for others.
May this Wesak celebration strengthen our shared humanity and remind us that in difficult times, how we care for and support one another is what truly defines the spirit of togetherness.
Happy Wesak Day from all of us at Khazanah Research Institute.
“B40 tak bayar cukai?”
“Takkanlah dia kata, tiap-tiap tahun aku bayar cukai RM100,000 setahun, lepas tu saya nak juga RM100,000 daripada kerajaan. Susah lah macam tu kan.” – Dr Nungsari Radhi, Nungsari Radhi, Pengerusi Khazanah Research Institute.
Dr Nungsari menjelaskan bahawa program-program yang dianjurkan kerajaan mempunyai objektif dan kumpulan sasar yang tertentu. Keadaan ini kadang kala boleh menyebabkan golongan T20 berasa sedikit tersisih, walaupun mereka turut menyumbang secara signifikan kepada hasil cukai negara.
Tonton rakaman penuh KRI OpenTable Podcast Episod 7: “Bolehkah Malaysia Keluar Daripada Perangkap Gaji Rendah?”
Klik pautan di sini: https://youtu.be/Hy3RFnR6rZo
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Location
Telephone
Website
Address
Level 17, Mercu UEM, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Kuala Lumpur
50470