Unifying Halal Product Certification: ASEAN’s Challenge
Faegheh Shirazi
Halal certification for certain food and drink products is a tricky area and universal standards should be set to better reflect halal consumer needs and religious principles.
Articles
Searching for Keys as the Kyat Goes Out of Kilter
Khine Win
The Central Bank of Myanmar's responses have failed to prevent rapid currency depreciation or alleviate the balance of payment situation, which has worsened due to increased capital outflows and decreased foreign direct investment. The stoppage of foreign loans and donations has also compounded Myanmar's fiscal troubles.
Southeast Asia a Key Link in Renewable Energy Supply Chain Resilience
Prapimphan Chiengkul
Southeast Asia has an important role to play in the diversification of the world’s renewal energy needs and helping to ensure that politics does not get in the way of progress.
Fuel Price Rises in Indonesia: A Challenge to Stay the Course
Max Lane
The Indonesian government has argued that there is a strong case for increasing prices for fuel. Given that fuel prices are a politically sensitive issue, it remains to be seen whether the government will be about to ride out the storm.
Myanmar Coup Makers’ Major Challenge is a Failing Economy
Wai Moe
Myanmar’s economy has suffered considerably since the February 2021 coup and the prospects of recovery are dwindling given the ham-handed economic mismanagement of the ruling regime.
China Dream Keeps Southeast Asia Awake at Night
David Arase
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan highlights his bid to advance his vision of the China Dream. This, however, will require changes in the global balance of power that Southeast Asian countries will find hard to manage.
After 40 Years, UNCLOS Remains Significant to Vietnam
Thu Nguyen Hoang Anh
UNCLOS’s relevance to Vietnam is significant, but the Convention must be updated if Vietnam and other signatories are to succeed in dealing with contemporary challenges in maritime affairs.
ACT’s Scandal Damages Islamic Philanthropy in Indonesia
Syafiq Hasyim
Recent scandal involving one of the largest Islamic charities in Indonesia threatens to damage public trust if the authorities waste the chance to overhaul the poorly regulated sector.
When Environmental Sustainability Masks Unsustainable Employment
Joe Buckley
The drive by food delivery platforms to achieve environmental sustainability through the reduction of plastic use belies the fact that these firms do little to create sustainable employment.
Chinese ‘Debt Traps’ in Southeast Asia: What the Data Say
Darren Cheong
This Long Read argues that while the terms of China’s aid and loans to Southeast Asian countries are less favourable compared to those of the World Bank, the weight of the evidence does not lend credence to the existence of a Chinese “debt trap” strategy in the region.