The UNDRIP: a universal framework of “the minimum standards for the survival, dignity, and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world”. So, is Malaysia there yet?

Gamaliel Kan assesses the legal challenges faced by the Orang Asli communities in achieving their right to self-determination guaranteed by the UNDRIP.

There is no doubt that the Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) worked in its initial decades in providing a way for poor Bumiputera to get a head start in palm oil. However, this Monitor will argue that there are structural changes which influence the sustainability of the current FELDA model.

These changes include global decline in palm oil prices due to the end of the commodity super cycle and shifts in global demand for palm oil. In addition, previous efforts to diversify FELDA’s income through commercialisation, especially the establishment of FGV, has led to massive losses and shifts in the demography of settlers further necessitates review of the functions of FELDA.

This GLC Monitor calls for fundamental reforms to FELDA to address structural issues including those highlighted in the Monitor.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a systemic risk within the complex web of global value chains. Factory closures and human movement restrictions in one country will have an impact on another. Many multinational corporations are now considering adopting the China Plus One strategy, diversifying their supply chains out of China to protect against future shocks. The ASEAN region appears to be on the receiving end of these relocations.