
The COVID-19 Pandemic
This page lists my op-eds, media interviews, lectures, panels and joint statements, specific to the Covid-19 pandemic.
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
- The End of the Year of Living Dangerously (The Edge, 28 Dec 2020)
- Beating Covid in 2021: Managing time, risk and ambition (Malay Mail, 31 Dec 2020)
- Why Malaysia Can’t Reveal the Vaccine Prices (The Star, 29 Dec 2020)
- Lessons from Asia for a Multi-Year Pandemic (Asia Society, 23 Dec 2020)
- Should Covid-19 Vaccines be Mandatory? (ISIS Malaysia, 23 Dec 2020), with Nurul Ezzaty Hasbullah
- How to Increase Vaccine Confidence in Malaysia (Sin Chew et al, 11 Dec 2020), with Nur Izzaty Badrol Hisham
- Malaysia’s Vaccine Path (The Edge, 8 Dec 2020), with Prof Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim
- Next Steps in Malaysia’s Vaccine Journey (Malaysiakini et al, 4 Dec 2020), with Nur Nabila Nasharuddin
- South Korea’s Test-kit Diplomacy (ISIS Malaysia, 16 Nov 2020)
- Sabah is Malaysia’s Covid Priority (The Edge, 27 Oct 2020)
- Learning from SWIFT to Reopen Borders (Straits Times Singapore, 17 Oct 2020 & The Star Malaysia, 18 Oct 2020)
- Three Organising Principles for Malaysia’s Third Covid Wave (The Edge, 13 Oct 2020)
- The Plan to Vaccinate Malaysia (The Edge, 3 Oct 2020)
- An Asian Pandemic Success Story (Foreign Affairs, 21 Sept 2020)
- Non-Citizen Health in Thailand (Council on Foreign Relations Think Global Health, 16 Sept 2020) – with Drs Piya Hanvoravongchai, Rapeepong Suphanchaimat and Titiporn Tuangratananon
- How can Southeast Asia Health Systems Collaborate Better (The Edge, 18 Sept 2020). Re-published in SEA Junction on 12 Oct 2020.
- What does Merdeka mean for Malaysia’s Health? (The Edge, 2 Sept 2020)
- We need private sector-led public health responses (The Edge, 15 Aug 2020)
- The Politics of a Coronavirus Vaccine (The Edge, 28 July 2020)
- How to Pilot an ASEAN Travel Bubble (Straits Times Singapore, 16 July 2020)
- Smart Travel Bubbles in Southeast Asia (The Edge, 15 July 2020)
- Covid Travel Bubbles must be Rooted in Science (South China Morning Post, 7 July 2020)
- Malaysia & Global Health Security (The Edge, 4 July 2020)
- Southeast Asia needs its own CDC (Council on Foreign Relations Think Global Health, 2 July 2020) – with Drs Jeremy Lim, Hsu Li Yang and Jemilah Mahmood
- Re-evaluating SEA Public Health Policies to Prepare for Second Covid Wave (Penang Institute, 26 June 2020) – with Dr Choong Pui Yee
- Health Reforms during Pandemics (The Star, 15 May 2020) – with Nazihah Noor
- Predictable Ultra-Long-Term Strategy Needed (Malaysiakini et al, 14 May 2020)
- How to Make Predictable Long-Term Covid Decisions (South China Morning Post, 11 May 2020)
- Malaysia needs a Pandemic Production Act (AEI et al, 15 Apr 2020) – with Distinguished Professor Dato’ Dr Rajah Rasiah
- Ramadan and MCO can Co-exist (The Star et al, 11 Apr 2020) – with Islamic scholars, doctors, public health physicians
- Uniting for Better Health after Covid (The Star, 8 April 2020) – final Vital Signs column
- Balancing Regulatory Safety & Speed (The Star, 7 April 2020) – with Dato’ Madani Sahari and Ken Chiew Leong (engineers)
- Avoiding Domestic Abuse during Covid (Malay Mail, 7 April 2020) – with Lean Ong (crisis counsellor)
- Outbreak Procurement (The Star, 5 Apr 2020) – with Fara Sheyna Zaid Lam
- Surge Hospital Construction (Malaysiakini, 5 Apr 2020) – with Eunice Lim
- Alternative Face Masks from Textiles Industry (Malaysiakini, 3 April 2020) – with A/Prof Dr Mohamed Faizul Yahya (textiles technologies scientist)
- Unintended Consequences of Decisions (The Star, 1 April 2020)
- Three Priorities: Procure, Test & Public Health in NSC (The Star, 1 April 2020)
- The Rights and Duties of Doctors during Pandemics (Berita MMA, 29 March 2020)
- Non-Medical Experts to Fight Covid (The Star, 25 Mar 2020)
- How to Use PPE for General Practitioners (Malaysian Family Physician, 18 Mar 2020) (Academic Paper)
- Social Distancing, Together (The Star, 18 Mar 2020)
- Covid is a National Security Issue (Malaysiakini, 15 Mar 2020) – with Ivy Kwek
- Here are Your Priorities, Health Minister (The Star, 11 Mar 2020)
- Travel Bans Don’t Work (South China Morning Post, 10 Mar 2020)
- Why is Southeast Asia Responding Differently to Covid-19? (Council on Foreign Relations, 28 Feb 2020)
- Politicians are the new threat to public health (The Star, 26 Feb 2020)
- How will Malaysia fight Covid-19 without a Health Minister? (South China Morning Post, 26 Feb 2020)
- We Must Understand and Harness Fear (The Edge Weekly, 18 Feb 2020)
- All-of-Science Response (South China Morning Post, 17 Feb 2020)
- The Coronavirus that can change China (Straits Times Singapore, 15 Feb 2020)
- The Coronavirus Fight is a Marathon, not a Sprint (The Star, 12 Feb 2020)
- Science & Solidarity to Fight Coronavirus (South China Morning Post, 8 Feb 2020)
- Science & Unity will Save Malaysia (The Star, 29 Jan 2020)
- The Politics of Coronavirus (Council on Foreign Relations, 24 Jan 2020)
LECTURES & PANELS
- The Science, Politics and Geopolitics of the Covid Vaccine (RSIS NTU, 15 Dec 2020)
- Contract Doctors in Malaysia (Malaysian Medics International, 5 Dec 2020)
- Plastics Pollution & Public Health (Bar Council & C4, 26 Nov 2020)
- Applying Health Systems Principles & Economic Analyses towards a Pandemic-Resilient Lab Service (Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists, 26 Nov 2020)
- Sustainable Cost Control in SEA Private Healthcare (Malaysian Healthcare Tourism Council, 25 Nov 2020)
- Health Policymaking and Diabetes (Sweet Spot Hackathon with Sanofi, Undi18 and Arus Academy, 22 Nov 2020)
- Boosting the Economy and Managing Public Health (MIDF, 11 Nov 2020)
- Budget 2021: Where is Healthcare Headed? (National Oversight and Whistleblowers, 11 Nov 2020)
- Budget 2021: Borak MUDA Kesihatan (Parti Muda, 12 Nov 2020)
- Reforming Global Health Governance (Council on Foreign Relations Council of Councils, 10 Nov 2020)
- The Political & Commercial Determinants of Non-Citizen Health (panellist, Malaysian Bioethics Community webinar series, 3 Oct 2020)
- Balancing Lives & Livelihoods: The H2 Covid Update (panellist, UBS OneASEAN Conference, 21 Sept 2020)
- Private Sector Leadership in SEA Covid Responses (British Chamber of Commerce, Cambodia, 8 Sept 2020)
- The Anatomy of Health Advocacy in Malaysia (Scientific Meeting of Academy of Medicine Malaysia, 23 Aug 2020)
- Youth Mental Health (Workshop for Malaysian Public Policy Competition, 15 Aug 2020)
- Malaysian Medical Summit: Panel on Contract Doctors (MMI, 9 Aug 2020)
- The Impact of Covid-19 on Health & Health Equity in ASEAN (SingHealth-Duke Global Health Institute, 1 July 2020)
- Malaysia & the Politics of Global Health during Covid-19 (ISIS, 11 June 2020)
- Covid-19 and Southeast Asia’s Haze (CERAH Anti-Haze Group, 7 June 2020)
- Fighting Extremism during Disaster Planning (Southeast Asia Women Peacebuilders Network, 15 May 2020)
- COVID-19 vs MALAYSIA: The New Normal & The Path to Recovery (Malaysian Health Diplomacy Foundation, 8 May 2020)
- Constructing our Post-Covid Future (REFSA, 6 May 2020)
- Beating Covid with the Whole of Malaysia (Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce, 26 April 2020)
- Assessing the Impact of Coronavirus in China & Beyond (University of Oxford, 4 Mar 2020)
- The Science, Politics and Geopolitics of COVID-2019 (ISIS Malaysia, 17 Feb 2020)
BROADCAST INTERVIEWS
- Malaysia’s Vaccine Roll-out (Astro Awani Consider This, 8 Jan 2021)
- Is an MCO necessary? (BFM, 8 Jan 2021)
- Is an MCO necessary? (Astro Awani, in Malay, 7 Jan 2021)
- Perkukuhkan Sistem Kesihatan (Astro Awani, 27 Dec 2020)
- Vaccines in Malaysia (in Mandarin, RTM2, What Say You, 27 Dec 2020)
- Laporan Penilaian Berkala untuk Kelulusan Vaksin (Astro Awani, 21 Dec 2020)
- Apakah tahap keberkesanan vaksin? (Astro Awani, 10 Dec 2020)
- Vaksin untuk Covid di Malaysia (Astro Awani, 7 Dec 2020)
- Malaysia’s Covid Situation (Channel News Asia podcast, 12 Nov 2020)
- Budget 2021 Wishlist (Astro Awani, 2 Nov 2020)
- 4% KDNK untuk Kesihatan (Astro Awani, 2 Nov 2020)
- PKPB untuk Sabah dan Lembah Klang (Astro Awani, 13 Oct 2020)
- Do Border Controls Work? (BFM, 28 Jan 2020)
- A War between Species (Perlawanan Antara Spesies) (Astro Awani, Malay language, 28 Jan 2020)
- Who calls the shots in outbreaks? (Astro Awani, 29 Jan 2020)
- The Politics and Geopolitics of COVID-2019 (Astro Awani, 17 Feb 2020)
- Social Distancing (Astro Awani, 14 Mar 2020)
- Movement Restrictions in Malaysia (Astro Awani, 17 Mar 2020)
- “Movement Restrictions are Drastic, but Reasonable” (The Star Video, 17 Mar 2020)
- “Two deaths in Malaysia” (BFM, 17 Mar 2020)
- “An Extended MCO” (BFM, 27 Mar 2020)
- “Public Health in Malaysia” (Sin Chew, 29 Mar 2020, in Mandarin)
- “Crisis Procurement” (Astro Awani, 30 Mar 2020)
- “Covid and Digitalization” (MARii Mobility World podcast, 1 Apr 2020)
- “The WHO Solidarity Trials” (Astro Awani, 6 April 2020)
- “Pandemic Production Act” (BFM, 21 Apr 2020)
- “Ways to Celebrate Eid in the New Normal” (Astro Awani, 20 May 2020)
- “ASEAN’s response to Covid-19” (BFM, 3 June 2020)
- “Vaccines are Global Public Goods” (Astro Awani, 8 June 2020, in Malay)
- “Migrant Housing must be Improved (Channel News Asia, 8 June 2020, Singapore)
- “Vaccines are a Human Right” (BFM, 2 July 2020)
- Pandemic Healthcare #1: Essential Workers (BFM, 13 Jul 2020)
- “The New Normal in Malaysia” (Astro Awani, 20 July 2020)
- Pandemic Healthcare #2: Funding the System (BFM, 27 Jul 2020)
- “The Geopolitics of Public Health” (Astro Awani, 25 July 2020, in Malay)
- “The Malaysia-Singapore Travel Bubble” (Astro Awani, 26 July 2020, in Malay)
- Pandemic Healthcare #3: Hospitals and Clinics (BFM, 10 Aug 2020)
- TEMCO, EMCO and RMCO (Astro Awani, 11 Aug 2020, in Malay)
- Migrant Health and Detention Centres during Covid (Astro Awani, 9 Sept 2020)
- Pandemic Healthcare #4: ASEAN CDC (BFM, 28 Sept 2020)
QUOTED IN MEDIA
- Is an MCO necessary? (Astro Hotspot, in Mandarin, 9 Jan 2021)
- NDAs for Vaccines (Malaysiakini, 29 Dec 2020)
- Rise in cases in Klang Valley (Sin Chew, 28 Dec 2020)
- Vaccines will not end the pandemic magically (The Star, 22 Dec 2020)
- Vaccines for Southeast Asia (Voice of America, 18 Dec 2020)
- “Health cuts in Budget 2021 are due to change in accounting treatment” (The Star, 9 Nov 2020)
- “Sabah’s healthcare is under-invested” (Al Jazeera, 6 Nov 2020)
- “Decades-long under-investment in Sabah” (The Edge, 4 Nov 2020)
- “Don’t spread rumours” (The Star, 29 Jan 2020)
- A War Between Species (Bloomberg, 31 Jan 2020)
- “Fear is natural, but trust is essential” (Tuoi Tre Vietnam, 8 Feb 2020)
- “Travel bans lead to false sense of security” (NST 17 Feb 2020; TMI (in Mandarin) 17 Feb 2020)
- “Watch for fatigue in health professionals” (NST 17 Feb 2020; MSN News 18 Feb 2020)
- “Transparent information” (Bernama, 17 Feb 2020)
- “Entire education systems must be revamped to train the population how to search for, verify and use information” (China Daily, 18 Feb 2020)
- Fact-checking maps and disinformation (First Draft, 27 Feb 2020)
- ASEAN responses (China Daily, 3 March 2020)
- Social Distancing (Astro Awani, 14 Mar 2020)
- “Biggest test of legitimacy” (Asia Times, 16 Mar 2020)
- “Need to act now” (South China Morning Post, 16 Mar 2020)
- “Movement restrictions are necessary” (South China Morning Post, 16 Mar 2020)
- “Complacency is broken” (LA Times, 18 Mar 2020)
- “Watch for unintended consequences” (New Straits Times, 20 Mar 2020)
- “Social distancing works, but carries cost” (Al Jazeera, 20 Mar 2020)
- “Covid is worse than SARS, so MCOs are necessary” (South China Morning Post, 21 Mar 2020)
- “Malaysia’s Political Transition and Covid” (Foreign Policy, 26 Mar 2020)
- “Third Wave” (South China Morning Post, 27 Mar 2020)
- “Doctors are at higher risk” (Anadolu News Agency, 3 April 2020)
- “Health and Political Transitions” (Taiwan Reporter, 8 April 2020) – in Mandarin
- “Health Reforms must Survive Political Transitions (The Sun et al, 6 May 2020)
- “We must have global access to vaccines” (South China Morning Post, 25 May 2020)
- “Risk of Covid during Eid” (China Daily, 28 May 2020)
- “Careers in Public Health” (Sin Chew Daily, 1 July 2020) – in Mandarin
- “Vaccines are Global Public Goods” (The Edge, 18 June 2020)
- “RM10,000 fine is too burdening” (NST, 27 Aug 2020)
- “Kesihatan umum yang optima semasa PRU Sabah” (Astro Awani, 26 Sept 2020)
- “PKPD Bersasar adalah lebih wajar” (Astro Awani, 4 Oct 2020)
- “Pelaksanaan PKPD” (Astro Awani, 10 Oct 2020)
- “Pematuhan terhadap SOP” (Astro Awani, 13 Oct 2020)