Kuala Lampur, June 19 -- Trump's foreign policy isn't subtle. It's not crafted in think tanks or hashed out in backchannel negotiations. It's performative. It's loud. It's often dangerous.

Here's what South-east Asia can expect:

Malacca, not Manhattan, will feel the heat

While Western analysts debate Pentagon strategy and Gulf troop deployments, here's what they're missing: South-east Asia will be the economic shock absorber of this conflict.

1. Oil shock therapy

Oil markets are already on edge. Brent crude is flirting with three-digit territory again. If war breaks out, US$150/barrel (RM640) isn't a fantasy - it's a floor.

Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines - all oil importers - will see inflation soar. Subsidies wi...