Lubna Research Center

Pilihan Raya Umum Dewan Undangan (PRU DU) Sabah ke-17 telah memperlihatkan bahawa politik Sabah semakin rencam.

Penyelidik LUBNA, Alif Fahmi menyebut dalam artikelnya; "Manifesto PH lazimnya menekankan isu nasional seperti anti-rasuah, subsidi bersasar dan harga rahmah yang walaupun relevan secara umum, tetapi tidak langsung menyentuh keperluan khusus rakyat Sabah seperti tuntutan peruntukan 40 peratus, pembangunan pedalaman, autonomi fiskal, pengurusan hasil petroleum dan hak negeri di bawah Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63)."

GRS dan Warisan p**a terus mendominasi, manakala Pakatan Harapan mencatatkan penyusutan undi terutamanya di kawasan bandar. Ini menunjukkan Sabah terbukti merupakan sebuah negeri yang mengundi secara 'localism-driven' dan bukan berasaskan ideologi nasional.

Pautan: https://www.lubnaresearchcenter.com/researcharchive/analisis-pilihan-raya-umum-dewan-undangan-sabah%3A-prestasi-ph-serta-dinamika-grs-dan-warisan

🌍 Perdagangan timbal balas (reciprocal trade) seharusnya seimbang antara kedua-dua pihak. Namun realitinya, kuasa tawar-menawar tidak sentiasa setara.

Prinsip ‘reciprocity’ bertujuan membuka ruang perdagangan yang adil dan saling menguntungkan. Tetapi sejauh mana ia benar-benar memberi manfaat yang setara kepada Malaysia masih menjadi persoalan dasar.

Perjanjian Perdagangan Timbal Balas (ART) antara Malaysia 🇲🇾 dan Amerika Syarikat 🇺🇸 lebih kepada menawarkan perlindungan sementara daripada tarif, dan ia bukanlah satu-satunya langkah Malaysia dalam menangani cabaran geoekonomi dan geopolitik global.

‘Reciprocal trade’ sounds fair, but is it really equal?

www.lubnaresearchcenter.com

[Diplomacy 101] Of Diplomacy and Cookies; The Subtle Art of Balance.

Have you ever thought about how diplomacy can be quite ‘similar’ to a cookie?

The art of diplomacy is much like baking cookies. If it’s too hard, it breaks easily. If it’s too soft, it falls apart. Diplomatic ties must sit in that sweet spot; firm enough to hold, yet flexible enough to adapt.

The cookie analogy explains it best. Imagine diplomacy as the process of baking the perfect cookie. If Malaysia’s posture were too rigid, too hard like an overbaked biscuit, our relationships might crack under pressure or break when challenged. If Malaysia became too soft, like an undercooked dough, we might lose credibility or appear unable to stand firm.

Following the ASEAN Summit 2025, which witnessed the visit of US President Donald J. Trump to Malaysia, many might still wonder about Malaysia’s principle in conducting its foreign diplomacy at the regional and international levels.

In this Diplomacy 101 piece, we explain briefly how Malaysia’s foreign policy is not about picking or switching sides, but knowing the right approach when engaging with others, including the major powers.

Diplomacy similar to a cookie? Absolutely, because it’s all about keeping the world from crumbling!

Link: https://www.lubnaresearchcenter.com/researcharchive/%5Bdiplomacy-101%5D-of-diplomacy-and-cookies%3B-the-subtle-art-of-balance

Kedudukan Malaysia Dalam Kerangka Semi-Periferi.

Tulisan ini membincangkan kedudukan Malaysia dalam teori Sistem Dunia (World-Systems Theory) dengan menilai aspek ekonomi, geopolitik dan diplomasi.

Artikel ini juga menyorot cabaran perangkap pendapatan sederhana (middle-income trap) serta prospek Malaysia untuk beralih daripada status "semi-periphery" kepada "core state" melalui pembaharuan struktur ekonomi, pendidikan dan strategi luar negeri yang lebih proaktif.

Artikel penuh di pautan berikut:
https://www.lubnaresearchcenter.com/researcharchive/kedudukan-malaysia-dalam-kerangka-semi-periferi

Memahami Wacana Timur dan Barat Melalui Naratif Clarke.

Banyak perbincangan di pelbagai ruang awam yang sering menyebut mengenai bagaimana Barat kelihatan seolah-olah lebih 'dominan' berbanding Timur. Persoalannya, adakah benar segalanya hanyalah berkaitan soal penindasan Barat terhadap Timur?

Dalam wacana pasca-kolonial, kita sering terikat dengan naratif dominasi dan penguasaan Barat terhadap Timur seperti yang dihujahkan oleh Edward Said dalam Orientalism.

Namun, dalam sebuah buku berjudul 'Oriental Enlightenment' yang ditulis oleh J.J. Clarke, beliau telah membuka beberapa sisi lain yang menunjukkan bahawa Barat bukan semata-mata sekadar menjajah, tetapi juga belajar dan menghargai falsafah Timur secara terbuka.

Naskhah ini ditulis oleh Alif Fahmi di pautan berikut;
https://www.lubnaresearchcenter.com/researcharchive/memahami-wacana-timur-dan-barat-melalui-naratif-clarke

BRICS-Brazil 2025: Diplomasi Baja dan Bijirin Rusia, Serta Impak Kepada Selatan Global.

Pada bulan April 2025, Mesyuarat Menteri Luar BRICS telah diadakan di Rio de Janeiro, Republik Persekutuan Brazil 🇧🇷 dan dihadiri oleh Menteri-menteri Luar Negeri dari negara anggota BRICS serta negara-negara rakan. Malaysia 🇲🇾 sebagai Negara Rakan (Partner Country) BRICS juga turut hadir ke mesyuarat berkenaan dan telah diwakili oleh Menteri Luar Negeri Malaysia.

Melalui sidang mesyuarat berkenaan, Rusia 🇷🇺 telah menyuarakan kebimbangan terhadap isu keterjaminan makanan global susulan ketidakmampuannya membekalkan baja dan bijirin kepada negara-negara Selatan Global.

Situasi ini dijangka memberikan implikasi tertentu, termasuklah kepada Malaysia yang turut bergantung kepada import bagi tujuan keperluan pertanian.

Artikel penuh di pautan berikut:
https://www.lubnaresearchcenter.com/researcharchive/brics-brazil-2025%3B-diplomasi-baja-dan-bijirin-rusia-serta-impak-kepada-selatan-global

Greetings from LUBNA.

At Lubna Research Center (LUBNA), we believe that public policy is not just the business of the elite. It belongs to everyone.

Whether it's about the price of foods, the future of healthcare, the efficiency of our daily public transportations, or who gets heard in our democracy, it all starts with understanding how the system works.

LUBNA started in 2024 and officially commenced its operations in 2025. This center is managed by a small but dedicated team members with substantial experience in public policy research, having worked with government entities, opposition offices, and third-party organizations/companies.

Follow us as we will dive into the politics of everyday life. From institutions to identities, from the streets to the states; the public policy that shapes our communities.

Website: www.lubnaresearchcenter.com

12 March 2024 | 1 Ramadhan 1445H

Back in 2017 to 2018, during one volunteering mission focused on education and welfare in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, one of our researchers collaborated with a Cambodian Professor in helping the students from Musa Asiah Integrated School. It was one significant remark made by the Professor that continues to resonate with us; “Numerous opportunities often arise from existing shortcomings."

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, Malaysia, like many other countries, was not spared. This crisis laid bare numerous deficiencies in our existing public policies. The inadequacies in our social protection system became glaringly apparent, leaving many Malaysians vulnerable.

Issues such as the effectiveness of our healthcare system, the 'safety net' for local employees, uncertainty, instability, and insufficient savings among Malaysians came to the forefront. These are just a few among many issues closely related to our public policies and public administrations.

Additionally, the economic and social safeguards appeared unconvincing in the face of such a crisis. This situation has prompted us to scrutinize Malaysia's current public policies, which seem ill-equipped to withstand disasters. But what exactly is meant by public policy?

The reality is, public policy and public administration permeate our daily lives, often without our conscious recognition.

From the homes we inhabit to the essential utilities like electricity, the quality of our environment, the transportation networks we rely on, the educational institutions we attend, and even the connectivity provided by ubiquitous WiFi signals - all are the outcomes of intricate processes involving public administration and policy decisions.

Whether we realize it or not, public policy and administration play a crucial role in shaping the world around us. They are integral components of our existence, influencing various aspects of our lives in profound ways.

Hence, the vital question we should ponder; Does public policy facilitate or dictate our lives and those of our future generations?