Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the roles of government in promoting halal logistics. Design/methodology/approach This paper applied a systematic literature review (SLR) technique to assess published halal logistics academic literature. Findings The review identified six roles, namely, regulation, financial incentives, taxation, infrastructure, guidance and encouragement and education and labour supply. Originality/value This systematic review paper is considered amongst the first to attempt to consolidate the dispersed halal logistics literature and to systematically accentuate the pivotal role of government in the halal logistics industry.

National leaders’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic globally have shown that while the definition of leadership is still debatable in academia, in times of crisis, it is easily identifiable and seen. The world has seen different responses by national leaders to curb the spread of the virus, Covid-19, which has claimed more than a million lives, affecting 189 countries worldwide since January 2020. Developed countries’ successes in dealing with the pandemic are widely reported by international media, but the successes made by developing countries are not. One such country is Brunei Darussalam, where her success, even regionally in Southeast Asia, was downplayed. This paper is a qualitative case study, highlighting Brunei Darussalam’s success in handling the pandemic. Brunei Darussalam began to ‘flatten the curve’ since March 29, 2020 and there was no local transmission since May 7, 2020. The paper will show how leadership, effective crisis communication together with advances in telecommunication technologies, existing institutional practices, and a supportive public have helped Brunei Darussalam curb the spread of the virus within the country.

As a developing country, Indonesia faces a crucial issue concerning the provision of health services to the public. The 1998 political reform led to demands for more aspiring and accommodating bureaucratic services being afforded to the public. The political reform brought about bureaucratic reform bearing good governance, wherein one of its forms is the provision of health services through the innovation of an information technology (IT) based service named e-Health. Keeping in mind Indonesia’s characteristics as a developing country, the implementation of IT-based services evokes numerous debates. This study aims to analyze the implementation of e-Health along with the opportunities it has, and the challenges it faces. By using a study case approach on the Surabaya Municipality Health Authority as the initiator and implementer of e-Health, as well as observations and user surveys, the results show that in spite of having been prepared properly with supporting policies, infrastructure, budgeting, dissemination, and operational system, there were still many prevalent obstacles encountered, particularly concerning digital divide, technical difficulties, psychological barriers, and cultural issues. Nevertheless, there are numerous opportunities available for refining e-Health implementation, provided there is a political will from the government to improve and enhance the ICT infrastructure, widespread use of mobile devices, involvement of public participation, and equal distribution of service points easily accessible to the public. Strong government commitment also serves as a guarantee for e-Health service program sustainability in Surabaya Municipality.

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The institutions of Penghulu (head of sub-district or Mukim) and Ketua Kampong (head of a village) are an important part of Brunei Darussalam's administrative structure, officially seen as the 'eyes, ears and mouth' of the government. However, due to the advancement of information communication technologies (ICTs) as well as the rise of a large bureaucratic state, are these institutions still relevant in this small absolute monarchy? What are the challenges faced by the Penghulus and Ketua Kampongs in this modern age and what do the youth think of them? Is it still necessary for the government to increase the financial benefits of Penghulus and Ketua Kampongs in order to attract younger, educated generation to fill up vacancies for those positions? This paper attempts to provide a preliminary investigation on these under-research issues in Brunei Darussalam as well as providing an insight into the local administration of a small rentier state in Southeast Asia.