ASEAN Rising with Matthew Barsing
Independent commentary on ASEAN business, capital, technology, trade, geopolitics and execution economics.
Founder, author and commentator on ASEAN.
Australian-born and based in Malaysia since 2001, Matthew Barsing is a business leader, author, former Head of Foreign Direct Investment at MDEC, board advisor and commentator on ASEAN business, investment and policy. Author of Unleashing Malaysia's Economic Potential. Advisor to businesses, governments and investors across ASEAN and Central Asia.
- Ex-Head of FDI, MDEC
- Published author
- Board advisor
- NST columnist
- 17M+ views / 12 months
Six pillars. One region.
Equities, debt, IPOs and capital flows across the eleven ASEAN exchanges.
Data centres, AI infrastructure, semiconductors and the region's digital backbone.
Supply chains, FTAs and the tariff actions reshaping Southeast Asian exports.
ASEAN centrality, US, China competition and the diplomacy of the region.
FDI, sovereign capital and the private deal flow underwriting the next decade.
The capacity to convert policy and capital into compounding returns.
From the desk
MalaysiaMalaysia's Investment Paradox: From Approvals to Assets
Malaysia announced RM92.8 billion in approved investments for Q1 2026, but turning these commitments into tangible economic activity depends entirely on execution.
MalaysiaPenang's Investment Approvals Test Malaysia's Execution Capacity
Penang's RM4.9 billion in approved manufacturing investments is a strong signal of investor confidence. Yet, as ASEAN Rising highlights, the true measure of success lies in converting these approvals into operational projects through effective institutions, infrastructure, and ta
PhilippinesThe Luzon Corridor: Capital is Here, but Execution is Everything
Foreign capital is flooding into the new Luzon Economic Corridor, but turning billions in commitments into a high-tech manufacturing hub will test the Philippines' institutional capacity and talent pipeline.
ThailandManaging Dependency: Thailand's ACFTA 3.0 Ratification and ASEAN's China Strategy
Thailand's move to ratify the upgraded ASEAN-China FTA highlights the bloc's ongoing effort to manage its deep and complex economic relationship with Beijing, a core theme explored in ASEAN Rising.
SingaporeSingapore’s Supercomputer and the Sovereign AI Test
Singapore's new national AI supercomputer highlights a regional test: true digital sovereignty rests not on models, but on control over the underlying infrastructure of compute, data, and identity.
MalaysiaThe Missing Framework for ASEAN's Power Grid
A call from Sarawak for a common framework for the ASEAN Power Grid highlights a core regional challenge: the gap between ambitious infrastructure goals and the institutional capacity needed for execution.
All eleven ASEAN nations.
Trade hub bridging Singapore and Thailand, strong in electronics, palm oil and Islamic finance.
ASEAN's financial and tech capital, home to regional HQs and the world's busiest transshipment port.
Largest ASEAN economy by GDP and population, leader in nickel, digital startups and consumer markets.
Manufacturing powerhouse for autos and electronics, regional tourism and agri-export leader.
Fastest-growing major ASEAN economy, key beneficiary of China+1 manufacturing shifts.
Youthful demographics, services-led growth, BPO and remittance backbone of Southeast Asia.
Energy-rich micro-state diversifying into halal industries, Islamic finance and downstream petrochemicals.
Garment exports, tourism rebound, and rising FDI from China, Korea and Japan.
Hydropower exporter and emerging logistics corridor via the China-Laos Railway.
Resource-rich frontier market navigating political and sanctions risk.
ASEAN's newest member, oil-and-gas dependent and pursuing economic diversification.
Trackers
Inbound foreign direct investment announcements, approvals and realised flows across ASEAN.
Hyperscale, colocation and AI-ready data centre projects coming online in Southeast Asia.
AI infrastructure, model deployments, sovereign AI policy and enterprise adoption across ASEAN.
Bilateral trade flows, FTAs, tariff actions and supply-chain shifts shaping the region.
Rail, ports, power, water and connectivity projects underwriting the next decade of growth.
Conversations with the people shaping Southeast Asia.
Founders, ministers, investors, diplomats and business leaders, in long form.