Complementarity Over Competition: The Five Economies Reshaping ASEAN

Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are increasingly shaping ASEAN’s long-term economic trajectory. According to Juwai IQI Global Chief Economist Shan Saeed, their greatest strength lies not in competing with one another, but in the complementary roles they play across manufacturing, finance, technology, resources and services. By TENGKU NOOR SHAMSIAH TENGKU ABDULLAH KUALA LUMPUR,…

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TO REDUCE GLOBAL POVERTY, INVESTING IN GIRLS’ EDUCATION IS SMARTEST ECONOMIC STRATEGY

BY SHAN SAEED KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 — During my visit to Indonesia in April 2026, one observation became increasingly clear: the future prosperity of nations will be determined not merely by their natural resources, industrial capacity, or technological prowess, but by how effectively they develop and deploy their human capital—particularly that of women. Across the…

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THE FABULOUS FIVE — ASEAN’S STRATEGIC ECONOMIC NUCLEUS

By Shan Saeed, Global Chief Economist, Juwai IQI KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — This year, I coined the term “Fabulous Five” (MITPV) to describe the five economies poised to shape ASEAN’s macroeconomic and investment trajectory over the next 10 to 20 years — Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. Collectively, these five economies represent the undisputed…

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