AS the new Pakatan Harapan administration was being sworn in on May 10 last year, some anxiety stirred in Singapore.

MORE than ever since the latest military coup of 2014, Thailand seems likely to stagger towards a scheduled election.

Nothing should be assumed too easily about even an established scandal like 1MDB, certainly not guilt or culpability, if sound investigations and public confidence are not to be prejudiced.

Much of the world’s fortunes revolves not around US-China trade but US-China relations as a whole, where problems require more time and effort to resolve.

Nobody is supposed to win any war, and the US is anxiously proving that true in skirmishes with China over IT, trade and ‘national security’.

The popular mandate based on legitimate elections must be recognised and respected, whatever the result and whoever the winner or loser, and even regardless of the system.

NOW that the quartet of Asean-related summits is over for the year, so should the niggling criticisms. At least they should – more important matters are at hand.

What some see as obstacles to the Belt and Road Initiative may only be operational challenges along the route as the massive project finally begins to take shape.

US-China relations are of great concern to much of the world, particularly this region, whether or not Washington and Beijing seem to realise it.

Despite multiple setbacks, Thais generally remain hopeful that Malaysia’s renewed effort to facilitate peace talks for their southernmost provinces can still succeed.

Close relations between China and Russia as a result of clueless US policies may not be new, except that bilateral ties are now peaking like never before.

The mass killings and persecution of Myanmar’s Rohingya population continue unabated, with more shameful actions by shameless people in high positions.