Julia Lau
The recent protests in Indonesia against Israeli youth footballers’ participation in the U-20 World Cup complicate Indonesia’s image as a tolerant and moderate Muslim-majority country.
Mohd Faizal Musa
Anwar Ibrahim’s opponents are trying to politicise his recent trip to Mecca but it is not a foregone conclusion that Anwar, and by extension Malaysia, was snubbed.
Francis E. Hutchinson
UMNO President Zahid Hamidi’s tactics to consolidate power have opened himself and his party to potential vulnerabilities as a new generation of Malaysians demand cleaner government.
Tham Siew Yean|Kevin Zhang
Malaysia seeks to ensure the poor benefit from fuel subsidies rather than the rich, but rationalisation can also contribute towards sustainability. The savings from the removal of fuel subsidies can be directed towards developing renewable or low-carbon alternatives, thereby contributing to meet Malaysia’s pledge to be “a carbon neutral country by 2050 at the earliest”.
Ma Bo
Beijing’s mediation of the historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is a sign that its much-vaunted Global Security Initiative is working. The bigger challenge is bringing the GSI into action with respect to the war in Ukraine.
Dien Nguyen An Luong
Vietnam’s media celebrated Ke Huy Quan’s Oscar, but online nationalists panned him for taking pride in his odyssey to America and the Oscars stage. Dredging up war memories remains anathema, but the state’s reactions may undermine national reconciliation efforts, especially with the Vietnamese diaspora.
Policymakers' View
Derek Chollet
The United States stands ready to work with ASEAN and other partners in the region to bring about the return of stability and prosperity in Myanmar.
Justin Baquisal
The Marcos Jr. administration’s defence cooperation policy that hews closer to the U.S. is facing domestic criticism, even from his sister.
Nguyen Khac Giang
Vietnam’s beleaguered national social insurance scheme is in dire need of an overhaul before its population ages to a point of no return.
Sharon Seah
The recent conclusion of a ‘high seas treaty’ is significant, since it would put in place a multilateral regime to preserve and protect critical resources in areas outside countries’ exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.