India’s Expanding Global Influence Has Limited Reach in ASEAN
Hoang Thi Ha|Eugene R.L. Tan
India is seizing strategic opportunities to emerge as a new global power but its influence in Southeast Asia is not keenly felt yet.
Articles
Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Haze and Climate Change in Southeast Asia
Sharon Seah|Helena Varkkey
Transboundary haze has reared its ugly head again, no thanks to peatland burning and the compounding effects of the El Nino phenomenon and climate change. It is high time to break the vicious cycle of haze and climate change.
Southeast Asia’s Need to Bridge the Climate Financing Gap
Vinod Thomas
As COP 28 approaches, Southeast Asia policymakers see the need for climate adaptation as well as mitigation. But there is an urgent need to encourage multiple sources of finance in this arena.
Preventing Indonesia’s “Digitalised” Democracy from Backsliding
Yanuar Nugroho|Maria Monica Wihardja
Digital technology has played a vital role in empowering political participation and shaping political discourse in Indonesia, but more must be done to curb divisive rhetoric and disinformation — and to safeguard democracy.
Johor By-elections: A Cautionary Tale For The Unity Government
Kevin Zhang
The recent by-elections in Johor are a shot across the bow for the Unity Government.
A New Chapter in ASEAN-Japan Relations
Kunihiko Hirabayashi
ASEANFocus is privileged to feature the Secretary-General of the ASEAN-Japan Centre, Dr Kunihiko Hirabayashi. He provides a perspective on the ASEAN-Japan relationship after 50 years, and how Japan intends to substantiate the new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
Changing Political Landscapes and Leadership Transitions in Southeast Asia
Alexander R. Arifianto|Aries A. Arugay|Chheang Vannarith|Le Hong Hiep|Francis E. Hutchinson|Napon Jatusripitak|Eugene Tan
Electoral politics have been heating up in Southeast Asia after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Philippines and Malaysia elected new leaders in 2022. Vietnam underwent a major leadership change after President Nguyen Xuan Phuc tendered his resignation. Voters in Thailand and Cambodia, headed to the ballot box to elect their representatives, while Singapore voted for a new president this year. 2024 will be a fascinating year for Indonesia as the largest democracy in the region will hold its presidential election. ASEANFocus invites experts to assess the changing political landscape and leadership transitions in Southeast Asia, and its implications for society and regional stability.
Hard Truths in the Strategic Conversation between the United States and Southeast Asia
Lee Sue-Ann
Amid intensifying Sino-US competition, the strategic conversation between the United States and Southeast Asia is in danger of being stuck in a rut. While messages from the region's leaders to their American counterparts have been received, the latter see these refrains as hackneyed. It is high time for Southeast Asia to internalise the shifts in Uncle Sam's approach to the region and proceed accordingly.
Perceptions of Energy Transition in Southeast Asia: Between Hope and Fear
Mirza Sadaqat Huda|Sharon Seah
The latest Southeast Asian Climate Outlook shows that people in the region generally have positive perceptions about the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. But they are wary of the potential impacts of such a transition on bread and butter issues.
Growing Food Insecurity Among Southeast Asians – And Concern That Climate Change Will Make It Worse
Elyssa Kaur Ludher
Even before the recent rice price rises, Southeast Asians have been experiencing food insecurity and had growing concerns about climate impacts on food security. The ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s recent Climate Outlook Survey 2023 provides a snapshot of the scale of this concern.