It seems as though non-permanent work could be the way of the future, but how and when should a company start to rely primarily on the contingent workforce?



Image Credit: Shutterstock | fizkes

It seems as though non-permanent work could be the way of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.michaelpage.com.my/advice/market-insights/market-updates/contracting-rise-malaysia-flexible-staffing-solution-survey">future</a>, but how and when should a company start to rely primarily on the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.thesundaily.my/local/more-firms-relying-on-contingent-workforce-AC9136046">contingent</a> workforce?Image Credit: Shutterstock | fizkes

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Enterprise Explores

The Workforce Of The Future Is Contingent

Volatility, AI, and uncertainty are no longer future risks. They are the conditions businesses are operating in right now.


Today, we examine what IBM’s 2026 Business and Technology Trends reveal about how organisations are responding to constant disruption. From decision-making at speed and real-time operations, to the shifting role of employees, AI transparency, and the growing importance of control and trust, this conversation looks past hype and into the choices that will shape competitiveness.


Dickson Woo, Country General Manager and Technology Leader at IBM Malaysia, talks about where leaders are focusing today, what may be underestimated, and which decisions will ultimately separate those who keep up from those who fall behind.

Volatility, AI, and uncertainty are no longer future risks. They are the conditions businesses are operating in right now. Today, we examine what IBM’s 2026 Business and Technology Trends reveal about how organisations are responding to constant disruption. From decision-making at speed and real-time operations, to the shifting role of employees, AI transparency, and the growing importance of control and trust, this conversation looks past hype and into the choices that will shape competitiveness. Dickson Woo, Country General Manager and Technology Leader at IBM Malaysia, talks about where leaders are focusing today, what may be underestimated, and which decisions will ultimately separate those who keep up from those who fall behind.

Competing in Uncertainty: Decisions That Matter

Following President Trump’s "Liberation Day" announcement threatening ASEAN with up to 49% tariffs, IDEAS argues that the member states of the 600-million-strong bloc panicked. Vietnam and Cambodia rushed to cut deals immediately, and Malaysia eventually followed suit with the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), albeit after initial attempts to rally the region failed.

We sit down with Dr. Stewart Nixon, author of the report "Divided We Fall," to dissect why ASEAN chose self-preservation over solidarity and the potentially dangerous concessions buried in the fine print.



We discuss:




The "Panic" Discount: How Vietnam and Thailand’s rush to Washington sparked a regional "arms race" of concessions, handing leverage directly to Trump.


Section 5 & Sovereignty: The controversial clause in Malaysia's deal that links trade policy to US national security, effectively forcing Malaysia to police US interests against China within its own borders.


The "Transshipment" Trap: Why vague definitions of "circumvention" in the new deal create a compliance nightmare for manufacturers planning their supply chains.


Convenor vs. Captain: Why the ASEAN Chair failed to rally the troops, in stark contrast to the EU’s unified stand against Washington.


The Illusion of Safety: Dr. Nixon argues that buying "certainty" from Trump is a myth, citing how the USMCA did not protect Canada or Mexico from future tariff threats.

Following President Trump’s "Liberation Day" announcement threatening ASEAN with up to 49% tariffs, IDEAS argues that the member states of the 600-million-strong bloc panicked. Vietnam and Cambodia rushed to cut deals immediately, and Malaysia eventually followed suit with the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), albeit after initial attempts to rally the region failed.We sit down with Dr. Stewart Nixon, author of the report "Divided We Fall," to dissect why ASEAN chose self-preservation over solidarity and the potentially dangerous concessions buried in the fine print.We discuss:<ul><li>The "Panic" Discount: How Vietnam and Thailand’s rush to Washington sparked a regional "arms race" of concessions, handing leverage directly to Trump.</li><li>Section 5 &amp; Sovereignty: The controversial clause in Malaysia's deal that links trade policy to US national security, effectively forcing Malaysia to police US interests against China within its own borders.</li><li>The "Transshipment" Trap: Why vague definitions of "circumvention" in the new deal create a compliance nightmare for manufacturers planning their supply chains.</li><li>Convenor vs. Captain: Why the ASEAN Chair failed to rally the troops, in stark contrast to the EU’s unified stand against Washington.</li><li>The Illusion of Safety: Dr. Nixon argues that buying "certainty" from Trump is a myth, citing how the USMCA did not protect Canada or Mexico from future tariff threats.</li></ul>

Divided We Fall? ASEAN Vs Trump Tariffs

The Ministry of Education’s Education Blueprint 2026-2035 has officially landed with a clear, mandatory mandate: a Grade C floor for English, BM, Mathematics, and History. But as we enter a decade defined by generative AI and automation, is a static grade on a paper certificate still a valid currency for the Malaysian workforce? Or is the national curriculum benchmarking for a world that no longer exists?



We sit down with Edmond Yap, co-founder of Tupai, to deconstruct ‘The Grade C Trap’.

The Ministry of Education’s Education Blueprint 2026-2035 has officially landed with a clear, mandatory mandate: a Grade C floor for English, BM, Mathematics, and History. But as we enter a decade defined by generative AI and automation, is a static grade on a paper certificate still a valid currency for the Malaysian workforce? Or is the national curriculum benchmarking for a world that no longer exists?We sit down with Edmond Yap, co-founder of Tupai, to deconstruct ‘The Grade C Trap’.

The Workforce Of The Future Is Contingent

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